MCU’s Beast Casting Update Just Made One Disappointing X-Men Rumor A Lot More Likely

X-Men fans have been incredibly patient with the MCU as they await the full-fledged introduction of the X-Men (so, beyond just a cameo of Professor Charles Xavier from another universe in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness or a glimpse of Beast in The Marvels), but finally, Disney and Marvel are giving the people what they want. Already, Spider-Man: Brand New Day revealed that Sadie Sink is indeed the MCU’s Jean Grey, and Samara Weaving has been announced as Emma Frost. While not officially announced, Kit Connor is also heavily rumored to be the pick for Cyclops, and rumors are likewise flying about Jayme Lawson being the MCU’s storm.

However, many major names haven’t yet been confirmed, including key characters like Professor X and Magneto. Various rumors have swirled about both—and Bill Skarsgård remains the most prominent rumor for Professor X at this stage—but fans are eagerly awaiting official announcements from Disney. Unfortunately, yet another X-Men casting conversation, this one about Beast, has just begun making the rounds, and it suggests that a disappointing rumor about these upcoming X-Men casting announcements might actually be true.

D23 Might Not Be The Announcement-Filled Event We’re Hoping For

As mentioned, The Marvels already included a brief appearance from Beast, but it was clear that this was not going to be the main MCU timeline’s Beast. As was the case with Multiverse of Madness, this X-Men cameo involved another universe—one that Monica Rambeau had been thrown into, as was revealed in a post-credit scene. Given that, the MCU still has to cast its star for Beast, and it was heavily rumored that Charles Melton was being considered for the role. Now, new reports are indicating that Melton has turned down the role. Although that’s unconfirmed for now, it has implications for the upcoming massive Disney event D23 and what fans had hoped the event would entail.

D23 is taking place this coming weekend, from Aug. 14 to 16, and after so many rumors swirling and a few announcements officially made, many had begun to suspect that this would be the event at which Disney would unveil the entire (for now, at least for the reboot movie) MCU cast of X-Men. This would make a fair bit of sense, as it is coming between the release of Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday and would finally squash the nonstop rumors and discourse about who has been/should be cast. The MCU could also certainly use this boost ahead of Doomsday, about which there are plenty of questions and perhaps even a bit of concern.

Unfortunately, with this rumored Beast news and some other rumblings that casting may not be going as smoothly as some might have hoped, it’s seeming less and less likely that D23 will actually reveal the full X-Men lineup. In fact, at this point, it’s beginning to feel doubtful that D23 will be the announcement-filled event that fans had been expecting (and hoping for) at all. Of course, many of these details remain only rumors, so that may not be the case. But, for now, it might be best for fans to temper their expectations heading into this weekend, particularly when it comes to major X-Men reveals.

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