With Avengers: Secret Wars just over a year away, Marvel Studios has begun to tease the projects that will follow this multiverse-spanning event. A new Black Panther film has been announced, Ryan Gosling is officially joining the MCU as Ghost Rider, and, most importantly, a new team of X-Men will debut in theaters in 2028! Following Jake Schreier's critical success with Thunderbolts*, Marvel Studios has entrusted him with the herculean task of rebooting the X-Men. According to Schreier, the film will focus on a younger group of X-Men with a "recognizably different" tone from previous iterations of the characters.
As of this writing, the only casting Marvel has officially announced is Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, and, as was heavily speculated, Sadie Sink made her debut as founding X-Men member Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day this past weekend. This offers a fascinating glimpse into the direction Schreier seems to be taking with Marvel's mutant family.
So, with these castings in place, who should join Sadie and Samara in bringing the next generation of mutants to life? These are our top picks for the MCU's new X-Men film!
Sadie Sink as Jean Grey
There is a reason this theory gained so much traction: it's an excellent casting choice. After years of portraying Max Mayfield on "Stranger Things", audiences have a clear understanding of the level of talent Sadie Sink brings to every role. Whether she's conveying grief, anger, or love, she consistently delivers emotionally authentic performances. Those qualities make her an ideal for Jean Grey, a character who should serve as the emotional center of the X-Men. With so many conflicting personalities and ideologies on the team, it's essential to have someone who just wants to do the right thing. Jean has appeared in nearly every iteration of the X-Men, but that doesn't mean she's always been portrayed well. Too often, she's reduced to a one-note character whose identity revolves around her relationship with Cyclops. That kind of characterization has no place in a modern adaptation. Jean Grey is one of the most powerful founding X-Men, and the depth of her character should reflect that. Sink's previous performances also feel remarkably grounded, making her an excellent fit for a version of Jean who isn't portrayed as flawless. Jean's moral compass is typically pointed in the right direction, but she is still capable of making mistakes. We believe Sadie Sink can portray the full spectrum of Jean Grey's personality in a way that has not been explored on the big screen.
Walker Scobell as Ice Man
Bobby Drake, better known as Iceman, fills the role of the goofy younger brother within the X-Men. He should be the funniest member of the team, but he also needs the potential to grow far beyond comic relief. Like Jean Grey, Bobby is one of the X-Men's most powerful mutants. While he is initially limited to creating ice and snow, he is eventually capable of transforming his body into living ice, creating armies of ice clones, regenerating from devastating injuries, and nearly plunging Earth into another ice age. The reason Bobby initially underestimates his own abilities is because he lacks self-acceptance. As a closeted gay man, he spends years hiding a core part of his identity while already facing discrimination for being a mutant. Bobby masks that inner conflict with humor, immaturity, and avoidance. To portray that journey, Marvel needs an actor who embodies youthful recklessness while possessing the emotional range to grow alongside the character. Walker Scobell is our Bobby Drake.
In The Adam Project, Scobell proved that he could comedically contend with talents like Ryan Reynolds. At just 17 years old, he's also noticeably younger than the rest of our cast, naturally reinforcing Bobby's "little brother" dynamic. Meanwhile, his leading performance in "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" has showcased a much broader dramatic range. Scobell can transition from sharp comedic timing to genuine emotional vulnerability in an instant, making him an ideal fit for Bobby Drake. His eventual coming-out story should be one of the most emotionally powerful moments in the franchise, and that requires an actor capable of delivering raw, authentic emotion. On top of all that, Scobell already possesses an impressive amount of action experience for someone so early in his career.
Rudy Pankow as Angel
Warren Worthington III has everything: he is rich, he is handsome, but unfortunately for him, he's also a mutant. When Warren became a teenager, he began to grow giant white wings from his back. He tried to conceal them by any means necessary, but nothing worked. With his wealthy parents ashamed of his mutation, they had no problem with him leaving home to join the X-Men. Warren should constantly feel like he is somewhere between arrogant and insecure. Angel often comes into conflict with Cyclops because he feels that he shouldn't be taking orders from anyone. At the same time, he is deeply grateful for his found family because they are the only people who make him feel truly accepted. Angel also represents the absurdity of discrimination. This man literally looks like a biblical angel, yet people hate him simply because he was born different.
This role requires someone who can be effortlessly cool while constantly struggling with inner turmoil. "Outer Banks" introduced us to the perfect Angel in Rudy Pankow. This man absolutely exudes charisma, and that is essential for a character like Warren. Pankow is also great at seeming like he's simply too cool for whatever situation he's in, as if he is better than the people around him. That is how Angel should come across in earlier stories -- fed up with the younger mutants on his team. The main selling point is how well Pankow portrays characters who struggle with self-worth. Angel should be perfectly happy, but he cannot get over the internalized hatred that has been instilled in him by his parents. Pankow has the looks, the acting experience, and the undeniable likability to be the best Angel we have ever seen.
Garrett Wareing as Cyclops
Aside from Jean, Cyclops will almost certainly be the main character in this new X-Men series. Not only was he overshadowed by Wolverine in previous iterations, but the writers never truly seemed to capture the qualities that make Cyclops so compelling. "X-Men '97" and Avengers: Doomsday seem to be doing a lot of work to reshape audiences' perception of the character. Scott Summers is not a lame boy scout whose sole purpose is to bicker with Wolverine. Scott is the embodiment of leadership. Whoever takes on this role must be able to command the attention of both his co-stars and the audience. Not all superheroes need to be in stereotypical "superhero shape", but Cyclops certainly does. The actor has to be tall, fit, and have a strong jaw that accentuates his iconic visor. On top of that, he needs to be able to switch from a charming leader to an intimidating revolutionary. While Cyclops was Professor X's ideal X-Man for many years, he eventually grows tired of the endless fight for equality and adopts a more radical approach.
We believe Garrett Wareing is capable of all of this and more. First, he absolutely looks the part, with a classic superhero physique and enough height to stand out among his castmates. Second, in The Long Walk, we see that he convincingly portrays an endlessly determined character who is willing to die for his beliefs. Most importantly, Wareing is able to portray the nuanced and flawed qualities that make Scott such a fascinating character. Cyclops's arrogance and lack of emotional intelligence are just as vital to the character as his tactical mind. Garrett Wareing has the acting prowess to portray every facet of Cyclops, from his immense devotion to Xavier's dream to his eventual descent down a darker path.
Sam Richardson as Beast
Yes, Sam Richardson is notably older than the rest of the cast. That is an intentional choice. In many iterations of the X-Men, Beast can feel like a secondary character who falls by the wayside. Aside from his initial transformation from man to furry creature, there is not much for him to do beyond serving as the token smart character. However, that is not the case in "X-Men: Evolution", which offers a very different interpretation of the team. In this show, most of the X-Men are teenagers, aside from a few exceptions like Storm, Wolverine, and Beast, who serve as teachers. This version of the character is far better than any other we have seen. Positioning Beast as an older mentor allows him to showcase his vast intelligence by actually teaching the younger X-Men. It is absurd to imagine that Professor X would be the ONLY educator at the X-Mansion. Additionally, this change allows Beast's goofy personality to feel far less annoying and much more charming. An older Beast would also remind the team that not all mutants can be conventionally attractive or blend into society.
Essentially, Beast would be the "funny uncle" of this mutant family while also educating the team and building all of their technology. Who better to embody that energy than Sam Richardson? In recent years, Beast has really lost the comedic touch that was so vital to the character in the '90s. Through Richardson's time on "Detroiters", we know that he is comedically gifted and more than capable of revitalizing Beast's silly energy. Richardson also recently voiced a scientist in Hoppers, demonstrating that he would have no problem delivering Beast's more technical dialogue. Unlike the other actors on this list, Richardson has explicitly stated that he would be interested in playing the character. Richardson even said, "Beast is like a big blue-haired Richard Splett," referring to the beloved character he portrayed on "Veep" for many years.
Patrick Wilson as Professor X
Professor X needs to have presence. There should be a feeling that, whenever this character is on screen, everyone else is listening. There is an unyielding sense of optimism within this man, so much so that his dream of mutant equality takes precedence above all else, and nothing can deter him. For that same reason, Professor X can also be a jerk. Unlike Patrick Stewart's interpretation of the character, Professor X is not always right in the comics, and he often makes painfully selfish decisions in pursuit of his goal. Patrick Wilson would absolutely nail this performance because he has embodied all of these traits before. Wilson exudes an authoritative presence that would be perfect for a scene-stealing character like Charles Xavier. We can absolutely picture him delivering an inspiring speech about compassion that sounds perfect in theory but seems unfeasible in the real world. There are so many different directions this character could take, and Wilson is versatile enough to handle whatever the script requires.
However, in the first film, Professor X will likely serve as an ideological figurehead who encourages the team to become proud mutant heroes. Patrick Wilson can initially feel like a stable father figure, and then we can watch his flaws gradually become more apparent as the story progresses. To really seal the deal, he also has the perfect head shape for going bald, and we would love to see it.
With Sadie Sink and Samara Weaving already confirmed as Jean Grey and Emma Frost, respectively, it is more than likely that the rest of the cast will start to trickle out. We may not be correct in predicting the next X-Men, but we strongly believe these 6 actors would be excellent choices if given the chance. At the end of the day, Marvel Studios has proven time and time again that it excels at casting. We are confident that, whoever they choose, they will do a fantastic job bringing Jake Schreier's X-Men to the big screen in 2028!
