The X-Men are back! More than two decades after the release of the first film, they will return to the big screen in a new phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Alongside Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor will play Scott Summers (Cyclops), Samara Weaving will take on the role of Emma Frost, Christopher Abbott will be Professor X, Inde Navarrete will play Rogue, Maya Bond will take on the role of Storm and Adam Driver is going to be Mister Sinister in the new film franchise.
WHO ARE THE X-MEN?
Long before the MCU became the success it is today, 20th Century Fox had already brought the comic book mutants to the big screen with X-Men (2000), launching a franchise that would later expand to include sequels, prequels, and spin-offs. Following the success of the first film, the studio went on to release X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, as well as the Wolverine and Deadpool films.
The X-Men were created in 1963 by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, and they are a group of humans with genetic mutations that give them powers. Known as mutants, they have to face prejudice from society because they are different.
To help them understand and develop their powers, Charles Xavier, also known as Professor X, creates a school for young people with these abilities. There, he brings together students such as Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, and Nightcrawler. This is how the X-Men emerge: a team of mutants who fight to protect humanity and show that humans and mutants can coexist.
THE X-MEN IN MCU
In 2019, Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and, with it, the rights to the X-Men franchise.
In recent years, Marvel has begun introducing mutant characters and variants of X-Men characters into different films throughout the Multiverse Saga. This includes Professor X’s appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and the post-credits scene in The Marvels, in which Beast appears.
With the release of the new Avengers: Doomsday trailer, the presence of the X-Men in the MCU’s new phase has become even more evident. The film reunites Mystique, Cyclops, Magneto, and Professor X, played by Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Ian McKellen, and Patrick Stewart, respectively.
However, the studio is preparing something even bigger: a new generation of mutants for the MCU. The first major introduction came with Sadie Sink, who plays Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
The character is introduced as a teenager who is beginning to understand the extent of her telepathic abilities. Jean plays an important role throughout the film, particularly because of her connection to Peter Parker.
At one point in the film, Spider-Man is on the verge of death, and fans theorize that he survives thanks to the mutant’s intervention, as she is inside his mind helping him continue to breathe.
WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR
Following the release of the film that introduced one of the characters from the new X-Men film saga, Marvel announced a new X-Men movie, filming will begin in 2027 with a release date set for May 5, 2028.
The new film will be directed by Jake Schreier, who also directed Thunderbolts*, with Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo serving as screenwriters.
Sadie SINK AS JEAN GREY
In addition to her breakthrough role as Max Mayfield in the series Stranger Things, Sadie is also known for playing Ziggy Berman in Fear Street Part Two: 1978 and Ellie in the acclaimed film The Whale. Now, the actress is taking on a new challenge: portraying Jean Grey, a mutant who possesses one of the highest power levels among mutants.
The character also has a strong connection to the cosmic entity known as the Phoenix Force, which amplifies her powers to extraordinary levels, as portrayed in X-Men: Dark Phoenix. She is one of the key members of Professor Xavier’s team and, in the comics, is romantically involved with Scott Summers (Cyclops), as well as having a romantic relationship with Wolverine.
kit connor as cyclops
Known for playing Nick Nelson in Heartstopper, Connor is now leaving the world of teen romance behind to enter a new universe — that of superheroes — as Scott Summers, also known as Cyclops.
Scott, originally played by James Marsden in the first X-Men trilogy, is one of the team’s main leaders and has the ability to fire powerful concussive energy blasts from his eyes. Far more than a simple “laser vision,” Scott’s powers are connected to solar energy. Cyclops is also known for his romantic relationships with Jean Grey and Emma Frost.
samara weaving as emma frost
And completing the trio is the mutant Emma Frost. In addition to being a telepath, she has a mutation that transforms her body into organic diamond armor.
Although her story began with her as the villainous White Queen of the Hellfire Club, Emma becomes an increasingly complex character throughout the comics and eventually takes on an important role among the X-Men, becoming an antihero.
The actress set to portray her, Samara Weaving, is known for her roles in Ready or Not (2019) and The Babysitter (2017).
New Information
This Friday morning (14), during D23, Marvel announced that, in addition to Sadie Sink, Kit Connor, and Samara Weaving, the cast of the new X-Men will also include Christopher Abbott as Professor X. Known for Girls, the actor also received a Golden Globe nomination for his performance as Captain John Yossarian in the series Catch-22. Now, he will play Charles Xavier, the telepathic founder and leader of the X-Men.
Inde Navarrette, known for Superman & Lois and awarded for Obsession, will play Rogue, the mutant capable of temporarily absorbing the powers of other people through physical contact. Maya Boyd will play Storm, one of the most powerful mutants on the team, capable of controlling weather phenomena such as lightning, winds, and storms.
And Adam Driver, unlike what was previously speculated, will play the villain Mister Sinister. Known for his roles in Star Wars and Marriage Story, the actor joins the MCU as Nathaniel Essex, a geneticist obsessed with mutants, their powers, and their evolution, whose main goal is to dominate and perfect human and mutant genetics.
A new mutant era is taking shape, and we can’t wait to see what comes next!
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The article above was edited by Rafaela Mina.
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