Marvel is gradually building its roster of actors to play X-Men in upcoming MCU movies, with some of Hollywood’s hottest actors involved. Here is all we know.
Ever since Marvel gained access to the cinematic version of X-Men characters – when parent company Disney bought 20th Century, ending a somewhat complex legal situation that there isn’t time to go into here – there has been speculation about who would take on some of the most iconic roles in comic history.
While there have been various X-Men movies in the past 25 years, the move to the MCU is likely to see a reboot for the team, with a raft of new actors set to take on the roles.
But who is confirmed in roles, and who is rumoured to be in contention? And are any of the original actors making a return? Here is all we know about the MCU’s X-Men.
Warning – the following does contain spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, so read on with caution if you haven’t seen that yet.
Sadie Sink as Jean grey
After months of speculation, it has finally been revealed what Sadie Sink’s role was in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and it turns out she is playing Jean Grey. Jean is one of the most powerful X-Men characters, having telepathic, empathetic and telekinetic powers. She is also the host of the Phoenix Force, which transforms her into the Phoenix, while retaining her abilities but also her darker tendencies.
Sadie is one of the hottest rising actors in Hollywood, having risen to fame on the Netflix show Stranger Things.
Kit Connor as Cyclops/Scott Summers
Kit Connor has recently been confirmed as the actor who will take on the iconic role of Cyclops/Scott Summers, the leader of the X-Men, notable for being able to emit powerful blasts from his eyes, which he regulates thanks to a visor. Jean Grey is often his love interest.
Kit is another up-and-coming star, having made his name playing Nick Nelson in three seasons of Heartstopper, as well as the 2026 continuation movie, Heartstopper Forever.
Samara Weaving as Emma Frost
Samara Weaving will play Emma Frost in the MCU, the latest step up in a career that has steadily risen in recent years. Samara’s star really began to rise after starring in The Babysitter on Netflix and the movie Ready or Not and its sequel. She was also in Scream VI.
Emma Frost is another iconic character, who has taken hero and villain roles in the comics over the years. Like Jean Grey, she is a powerful telepath, and can also become pure diamond. But, like Jean, she also has a dark side and has been known to flip to that and become the White Queen.
Returning characters
Some of the X-Men have already made appearances in the MCU, most notably Wolverine and Deadpool. Currently, it is expected that Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds respectively will reprise their roles in future movies. Let’s face it, who else could play those roles? The pair’s performances in these roles have been iconic and, let’s not forget, they are both still in great shape.
Other rumours
There are various other rumours circulating online about who could fill some of the key X-Men roles. For instance, Charles Melton – recently nominated for an Emmy for his role in Beef – is linked with the role of Dr Hank McCoy/Beast. In addition, Cailee Spaeny, best known for Alien: Romulus, has been tipped to play Rogue. Another rumour links Jayme Lawson – recently seen in Sinners – to the role of Storm.
As we get closer to production beginning for the movie, no doubt more roles will be confirmed.
When is the X-Men movie coming out?
The standalone X-Men movie is slated to come out some time in 2028, after Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. It is expected that will draw a line under this phase of the MCU, and the X-Men will then take a lead role in the next phase.
