Marvel Studios is gearing up to cast new actors in some iconic superhero roles for its upcoming X-Men reboot, and we’d love to see these young stars make their official debuts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Kevin Feige confirmed that mutant heroes would be coming to the MCU soon after Disney acquired 20th Century Fox’s properties back in 2019, but the much-anticipated reboot has recently seen some huge updates. This includes a tease of what the new X-Men team could look like, and Feige’s hints at a younger roster have us wondering which actors could be cast.
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Michael Lesslie, writer of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes and the upcoming Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, was hired to pen the X-Men reboot’s script back in mid-2024. More recently, however, in the wake of the positive reception to 2025’s Thunderbolts*, director Jake Schreier, of Paper Towns and Beef fame, has been confirmed to next be directing X-Men for the MCU. Kevin Feige delivered this announcement during a press conference that included a major tease about the upcoming X-Men team itself, too.
“Jake’s an incredibly smart guy, and he’s an incredibly talented filmmaker,” Feige commented after confirming Schreier’s involvement with the X-Men reboot. “We had a great experience with him on Thunderbolts*… He also has his pulse on, shall we say, a younger demographic… X-Men, as it was in the comics, will be a very youth-oriented, focused and cast movie.” Feige’s comments suggest the new X-Men team will be younger than Fox’s in an effort to keep costs down, which opens the door for many exciting young stars to debut in the MCU.
10) Sadie Sink as Jean Grey
Best known for portraying Maxine “Max” Mayfield in Stranger Things and Ellie Sarsfield in The Whale, Sadie Sink has long been rumored to be debuting as the MCU’s new Jean Grey. Sink joined the cast of 2026’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day in March 2025 in an undisclosed role, and there are hopes that she could bring a young Marvel Girl to life very soon. Sink’s versatile range and signature red hair makes her a perfect casting choice for Jean Grey, who was previously played by Famke Janssen and Sophie Turner. Sink’s interpretation has the opportunity to not be so divisive.
9) Patrick Schwarzenegger as Scott Summers’ Cyclops
After his recent celebrated roles in Gen V, American Sports Story, and The White Lotus, Patrick Schwarzenegger is perfectly primed for a central role in the MCU’s X-Men reboot. His muscular build and facial features are strikingly similar to the depiction of Scott Summers’ Cyclops in Marvel Comics, and he has proven his ability to pull off complex roles, most notably as Saxon Ratliff in The White Lotus. Schwarzenegger’s dip into the superhero world as Golden Boy in Gen V was clearly inspired by elements of Cyclops, but playing Summers himself would be a huge step in Schwarzenegger’s growing career.
8) Brandon Flynn as Bobby Drake’s Iceman
As one of the first openly gay actors to play a significant role in a major Netflix original series, Brandon Flynn is perfectly qualified to deliver the vulnerability, complexities, and versatility of Bobby Drake’s Iceman in the MCU. Iceman’s coming out storyline in Marvel Comics in 2015 was a revolutionary moment for the character, while Flynn’s youthful appearance and incredible acting range – shown off during his time as Justin Foley in 13 Reasons Why – would make him a fantastic fit for Drake. Iceman was a founding X-Men member in Marvel Comics, so he deserves more attention in the MCU.
7) Miya Cech as Jubilation Lee’s Jubilee
At only 18-years-old, Miya Cech would be the perfect casting for Jubilee. Jubilee was never done justice in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise, despite being a prominent member of the team in Marvel Comics and in 1992’s X-Men: The Animated Series. Miya Cech could easy fill the role of the audience’s eyes and ears in the X-Men reboot, delivering both Jubilee’s more emotional and comedic qualities. Cech is best known for roles in Beef, The Darkest Minds, and Marvelous and the Black Hole, and she’ll soon be seen in the second season of Avatar: The Last Airbender as Toph Beifong.
6) Keke Palmer as Rogue
After rising to prominence on Nikelodeon, Keke Palmer has excelled with roles in Nope, Scream Queens, Berlin Station, One of Them Days, and more. Her vibrant personality, emotional depth, and active performance style would make Palmer the perfect choice for Rogue in the MCU, especially after she has repeatedly expressed her own interest in the iconic role. For Halloween in 2022, Palmer cosplayed as Rogue (via Instagram), proving just how brilliant she’d be as the villain-turned-hero in live-action, and this is still something we want to see come to life in the MCU.
5) Austin Butler as Remy LeBeau’s Gambit
If Rogue appears in the MCU’s X-Men reboot, then Gambit shouldn’t be too far behind, and, despite not being of Cajun descent, Austin Butler would be an inspired choice. Butler has proven his talent at embodying characters with varying accents and from very different backgrounds, which means we Gambit could finally have an accurate Cajun accent. Beyond that, Butler’s acting range – shown off in the likes of Elvis, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Dune: Part Two, and more – is remarkable, priming him to pull of all facets of Remy LeBeau, including his intriguing backstory, incredible power, and athletic ability.
4) Jayme Lawson as Ororo Munroe’s Storm
Since bursting onto the scene as Sylvia in 2020’s Farewell Amor, Jayme Lawson has had an incredible acting career that has perfectly set her up for a pivotal role in the MCU. After portraying formidable characters in The First Lady, The Batman, The Woman King, Till, and, more recently, Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, Storm is the perfect next step for Lawson. Previous live-action versions of Storm have failed to capture her goddess-like qualities, but Lawson’s captivating acting style and physical presence prove she’d be able to inhabit this, and her training from Juilliard means Storm could have some fantastic theatrical qualities.
3) Jesse Plemons as Hank McCoy’s Beast
Throughout his three-decade-long career, Jesse Plemons has demonstrated impressive acting versatility, ranging from dramatic and intense roles to those relying heavily on his comedic talents. Plemons has become a fan-favorite choice for the role of Hank McCoy’s Beast in the MCU, and this role would be perfect for the star of the likes of The Power of the Dog, Game Night, Friday Night Lights, Fargo, Black Mirror, Killers of the Flower Moon, Kinds of Kindness, and many more notable projects. Beast’s intelligence, emotional vulnerability, and commanding but comforting physical presence could all be embodied perfectly by Plemons.
2) Sydney Sweeney as Emma Frost
After her Marvel debut in the disappointing Madame Web, Sydney Sweeney deserves superhero redemption. Her celebrated roles in the likes of Euphoria, Anyone But You, The Handmaid’s Tale, and, more recently, The White Lotus, have proven she’d be a brilliant choice for the commanding, fashionable, complex, and powerful Emma Frost. Frost is another mutant who has been routinely wasted in live-action, but Sydney Sweeney has the name recognition and youthful energy to debut as Frost and portray her for years to come, giving the character the chance to grow more than ever before.
1) Taron Egerton as Logan’s Wolverine
Recasting the role of Wolverine in the MCU is perhaps one of the most difficult choices Marvel will make. After gaining recognition in the Kingsman movies, and recently taking on more varied and demanding roles in the likes of Black Bird, Tetris, Smoke, She Rides Shotgun, and more, Taron Egerton could be Hugh Jackman’s perfect successor. Egerton has previously confirmed talks with Marvel Studios, but has remained mum about whether he will actually appear as Wolverine or not. His muscular physique, shorter stature, and ability to pull off dramatic and comedic qualities make Egerton the perfect fit for Wolverine.
Honorable Mentions: Adrien Brody as Erik Lehnsherr’s Magneto and Daniel Craig as Charles Xavier’s Professor X
The casting choices for the iconic roles of Professor X and Magneto would clearly not contribute to the younger line-up of X-Men in the MCU. Even so, there’s no doubt they’ll debut in the MCU’s X-Men reboot, and it would be fantastic to see the likes of Daniel Craig and Adrien Brody cast in these roles. English actor Daniel Craig, best known for playing James Bond in five movies and Benoit Blanc in the Knives Out franchise, has the name recognition, screen presence, gravitas, and sophistication to pull off the intelligent but vulnerable and calming X-Men founder, Charles Xavier.
For the X-Men’s most legendary antagonist, Erik Lehnsherr’s Magneto, it would be brilliant to finally see an actor of Jewish heritage in the role. Neither Ian McKellen nor Michael Fassbender fit this brief, but acclaimed actor Adrien Brody would be a remarkable casting choice for the role. After pulling off dramatic performances in the likes of The Pianist, Midnight in Paris, Blonde, The Brutalist, and more, but also demonstrating more theatrical and comedic talents in several Wes Anderson movies and more, Brody would be perfect at delivering Magneto’s nuance, complexity, and intensity.
Several other stars have become popular fan-casts to portray Professor X, Magneto, and the other members of the X-Men in the MCU’s upcoming reboot. The likes of Victoria Pedretti, Jason Isaacs, Julia Butters, Mark Strong, Brenton Thwaites, Glen Powell, and more have all bee the subject of fan-casts, but it would be incredible to see Adrien Brody, Daniel Craig, and more enter the MCU. Marvel Studios’ X-Men reboot is expected to release after 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars as part of the next Phase of the MCU.
Who do you want to see cast in the MCU’s X-Men reboot? Let us know in the comments!
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