At D23 earlier this month, Marvel Studios announced the cast of X-Men: Christopher Abbott as Professor Charles Xavier, Kit Connor as Scott Summers, Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, and Maya Boyd as Storm.
Samara Weaving will play Emma Frost, with Adam Driver taking on the role of Nathaniel Milbury, a.k.a. Mister Sinister. Both are expected to be portrayed in a villainous light in Jake Schreier's untitled 2028 reboot, and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has confirmed that more actors will join the ensemble in the coming months.
Four—or five if Emma is on the side of the angels—young mutants aren't much of a team, so that got us thinking: who should join them? In this feature, we're breaking down some of the most exciting, likely possibilities, exploring what they'd bring to both X-Men and the wider MCU.
You can find out who we've picked (there's no sign of obvious picks like Gambit and Wolverine) by clicking the "Next"/"View List" buttons below.
5. Polaris
With the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver increasingly unlikely to be Magneto's children in the MCU (even post-Avengers: Secret Wars), Polaris could give Marvel Studios another compelling way to explore Magneto's complicated relationship with his family, even if the Master of Magnetism himself doesn't appear in the reboot.
Lorna Dane can manipulate magnetic fields, making her one of the X-Men's most powerful members. Her attempts to step out of her father's shadow are also compelling, as proven by the comics and in Disney+'s X-Men '97 Season 2.
Polaris' powers naturally invite comparisons to her father, but her struggle to establish an identity separate from his could provide plenty of emotional depth. She would also allow the MCU to introduce a mutant whose powers are visually spectacular without simply feeling like another variation on what we've already seen.
4. Beast
The X-Men need a scientist, and who better than Hank McCoy? Beast has been a key member of the team since its earliest days, combining extraordinary intelligence with superhuman strength and agility. His scientific expertise also gives the X-Men someone who can approach being a mutant from an academic perspective, not just that of a superhero.
There's also enormous potential in having Hank's transformation unfold across multiple projects. Marvel Studios could introduce him looking (mostly) human before gradually exploring his evolution into the classic blue-furred Beast, his more cat-like incarnation and, potentially, even the villainous Dark Beast.
This gives the character a long-term arc that could play out over a decade or more, adding a tragic dimension to his story: Hank's greatest gift and his greatest curse are ultimately the same.
3. Kitty Pryde
Kitty Pryde has been one of the X-Men's most important characters for decades, yet she's never received the treatment she deserves on the big screen. Her ability to phase through solid matter makes her formidable, but who Kitty is as a person is what makes her particularly interesting.
As one of the youngest members of the X-Men, Shadowcat provides a natural audience perspective as she learns to navigate the mutant world and grows into a formidable hero. Her history with Emma Frost also offers Marvel plenty of storytelling potential, particularly if the Hellfire Club plays a role in the MCU's mutant saga.
Kitty and Emma's complicated relationship could play out across multiple projects, but seeing Kitty go from an inexperienced teenager to one of the most valuable—and powerful—members of the superhero team.
2. Angel
Warren Worthington III is another member of the original five X-Men who hasn't received his due on screen. While X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Apocalypse introduced audiences to two very different versions of Angel, neither proved particularly interesting to spend time with.
Unlike many of his teammates, Warren comes from an extremely wealthy human family, giving the MCU another perspective on mutantkind. His privileged upbringing could make his decision to join the X-Men—and eventually fight for a world that may not accept him—especially compelling.
More importantly, his eventual transformation into Archangel gives Marvel a ready-made tragedy to build towards. Having Apocalypse (the rumoured big bad of the next Saga) turn one of the original X-Men into a deadly weapon could be a genuinely devastating moment if handled well.
1. Dazzler
Dazzler could be one of the most fun additions to the MCU's X-Men, particularly if Marvel Studios resists the temptation to make her casting the story. There's no need to stunt-cast someone like Taylor Swift or Sabrina Carpenter to generate headlines. Alison Blaire is interesting enough without a famous name attached.
One way to introduce her here would be to establish Dazzler as a singer performing at the Hellfire Club, allowing Dazzler to naturally enter the X-Men's world while showcasing her mutant abilities. Her power to convert sound into light gives Marvel enormous visual potential, and she could finally be portrayed as more than a joke about disco, roller skates or pop star culture.
Dazzler has always had the potential to be a genuinely formidable mutant, and the MCU also has the opportunity to explore what happens when a mutant tries to build a career in the spotlight, despite being hated and feared by humanity.