With the D23 Expo just one week away, we're starting to hear more about Marvel Studios' long-awaited X-Men reboot, and the latest batch of rumors seems to have narrowed down who may be taking on the mantle of Professor Charles Xavier.
According to The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision newsletter, there's ample industry chatter that Kevin Feige is gearing up for a massive announcement at the biennial event, with all signs pointing to it being mutant-related. Whether that means a full cast reveal, a title announcement, a release date confirmation, or all of the above remains to be seen.
As for the ensemble, only Sadie Sink is officially confirmed for the Jake Schreier-directed feature, reprising her standout Spider-Man: Brand New Day role as Jean Grey. While the studio has yet to comment, the trades have recently reported that Samara Weaving and Kit Connor will be joining her as Emma Frost and Scott Summers/Cyclops, respectively.
Marvel has reportedly been screen-testing actors for months for key roles, with Cyclops being one of the main parts to fill. With Connor now firmly in the fold, THR reports that Asa Germann (Gen V; The Boys)—and not Asa Butterfield—also tested for Scott Summers, though he didn't secure the role. While THR hints he may have been offered another part in the film, Marvel isn't commenting on anything.
They confirm the studio did have interest in Cooper Hoffman at one point, but scheduling conflicts kept any conversations from moving further.
Next up, we have Professor X, who will be tasked with uniting these gifted youngsters. Bill Skarsgård and Tom Pelphrey have been rumored frontrunners for weeks, but updates on Skarsgård remain scarce, and THR has learned that while Pelphrey did test, he ultimately didn't land the part.
The report also reveals that Tony Award nominee Christopher Abbott (Kraven the Hunter; Wolf Man) recently tested for Charles Xavier. However, Marvel has gone quiet on additional inquiries regarding the X-Men lineup, leaving Abbott's official status up in the air, although it seems he may be the current frontrunner.
As for Adam Driver, long rumored as the picture's lead villain, his character remains a mystery. He has previously been linked to everyone from Magneto and Mister Sinister to William Stryker and Donald Pierce, but THR now suggests he could be playing Hellfire Club leader Sebastian Shaw, although we'd still put our money on one of the first two.
There is still no official update on Charles Melton or Cailee Spaeny's potential involvement, though the pair have been heavily rumored for Beast and Rogue, respectively.
With Marvel Studios locking the doors ahead of next week's presentation, we likely won't get any more concrete news before they take the stage at D23, but the wait is almost over. We'll be covering the event LIVE as per usual, so make sure you tune in on August 14 at 7:00 PM PST for all the major news as it breaks!