What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, but fans are hyped to see mutants back on the big screen. A rumor from Cosmic Circus claims that the X-Men will be wearing brightly colored costumes, which are more accurate to the comics and cartoons. Scooper Alex Perez writes:

D you hear that sound? It's comic book fans everywhere rejoicing. Because while the X-Men movies changed the costumes to black leather, fans have been hoping to see more brightly colored ones appear on the big screen. If this report is to be believed, that's exactly what we'll get when the OGs return as part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast. The lack of colorful, individual costumes has been a long-standing point of contention in the last series of movies.

This would be a major change to what the actors wore during their tenure in the original X-Men trilogy. Actors who will be returning (and apparently in bright, colorful costumes) are none other than James Marsden's Cyclops, Kelsey Grammer's Beast, Alan Cumming's Nightrawler, Ian McKellen's Magneto, Patrick Stewart's Professor X, and Rebecca Romijn's Mystique. Now we'll have to wait and see if this rumor about their costumes come to fruition.

X-Men '97 was acclaimed on Disney+, so it makes sense that Doomsday might be taking inspiration from that acclaimed animated series for the mutants' costumes. Moviegoers who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have waited to see these colorful costumes on the big screen, so this seems like a big payoff for longtime fans.

Fans were finally treated to Wolverine's yellow suit in Deadpool 3, and the internet exploded when the first images of him arrived online. Considering how warmly this was embraced by fans, it makes sense that the studio might want to follow suit (pun intended) when we see the X-Men in Doomsday.

After the X-Men being noticeably missing from the MCU for its early stages, Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox allowed for mutants to finally join in on the fun. The Marvels' credits scene brought back Kelsey Grammer as a comic-accurate Beast brought to life with visual effects, and many fans assume that alternate universe's heroes will be in Doomsday.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. It should be interesting to see how mutants are handled in the MCU, especially as a new cast of actors is expected to join for whenever the X-Men get their own movie.

But the opposite is also true. It turns out that Ian McKellen only had the ability to say yes to two of his most iconic roles after he had turned down another major film. It turns out that McKellen was offered a role in Mission: Impossible 2, but he had to say no. Stepping Through Film recently spoke with the actor who said he was offered a part in the Tom Cruise sequel, but chose to say no. McKellan revealed,

McKellan doesn’t say what the part he turned down was, though the role of pharmaceutical company CEO John C. McCloy, who was ultimately played in the film by Brendan Gleeson, seems like a strong possibility. The most notable thing about McKellen’s decision is that had he been able to see a script, there’s every possibility that he could have said yes to the part.

However, the rest of us were lucky, as the actor says that had he said yes to Mission: Impossible 2, he would not have been available to play his two most iconic roles. He continued:

Gandalf and Magneto are two of those roles that it’s now all but impossible to imagine anybody else playing. Meanwhile, Mission: Impossible 2 is generally regarded as the least popular of the franchise.

The original cast of X-Men is so beloved that Marvel Studios is bringing many of them, including Ian McKellen, back for Avengers: Doomsday. The Lord of the Rings is one franchise that, while it may continue to be expanded upon, it’s hard to imagine anybody ever trying to top Peter Jackson’s films, or the cast that makes them so great.

The “What Ifs” of Ian McKellen’s career don’t stop there, though. It turns out that due to a delay in the production of X-Men, McKellen thought he would have to bow out of playing Gandalf anyway. Peter Jackson, however, wasn’t ready to let him go. McKellan recalls,

Considering the massive undertaking that was the production of Lord of the Rings trilogy, it’s hard to image that anything was done to accommodate a single actor. And yet, it seems that’s what happens. McKellan says he later found himself in a restaurant with Robert Shaye, the head of Lord of the Rings’ studio New Line Cinema, who apparently wasn’t willing to let McKellen go. The actor concludes his story saying,

It’s unclear exactly what needed to be done to allow Ian McKellen to be both Magneto and Gandalf, but whatever it was, it happened. As McKellan says, between luck and people’s kindness, we got two iconic performances.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, but comic book fans are hyped to see the return of so many X-Men stars. James Marsden debuted as Cyclops back in 2000, and fans have wanted to see him return for years now. During an interview with Vanity Fair, he spoke about reprising that character years later. He said:

Cyclops is a beloved X-Men character, one who fans usually want to see more of. While James Marsden heard from fans wanting him to appear in the MCU for years, Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox finally opened those doors. Sure, the character was killed in X-Men: The Last Stand, but with the multiverse anything is possible. And technically, Days of Future Past's ending already revived him.

Fans like me were shocked when the Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement included a number of OG X-Men stars. In addition to Marsden, we'll also see the return of Patrick Stewart's Charles Xavier, Ian McKellen's Magneto, Alan Cumming's Nightcrawler, Rebecca Romijn's Mystique, and Kelsey Grammer's Beast. Later in the same interview, the star of Paradise (which is streaming with a Hulu subscription) spoke more about filming the next Avengers flick, offering:

I don't know about you, but I am seriously hyped. Marsden is the first actor to play Cyclops in live-action, with that role eventually going to Tye Sheridan in X-Men Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix, none of those actors are expected to pop up in Doomsday.

Exactly how the OG X-Men are going to join the story of that blockbuster is a total mystery at this point, but fans have some ideas. The Marvels' credits scene brought back Grammer's Beast, so that would be a logical way for the team of mutants to appear. Then again, Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris haven't been listed as part of the Doomsday cast.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. Hopefully, we get more information about the movie as filming continues.

Recently, Egerton chatted about his project on the 2025 movie schedule, She Rides Shotgun, as well as what it has been like to work on a number of different kinds of projects throughout his varied and wide-ranging career on an episode of Happy, Sad, Confused. When the conversation turned to Wolverine, he had a hard time talking about once being a prospect for the role, especially because it never got past fan casting and the rumor mill. He said:

Of course, Marvel never actually ended up recasting anyone as a young Wolverine, and Jackman actually wound up coming back to play Logan in Deadpool and Wolverine after previously retiring from the part in 2017. Egerton wanted to emphasize this point and why it was more interesting and effective for Jackman to return rather than recasting the character. He said:

While Egerton was once interested in the prospect, as he admitted, he seemingly became disillusioned with it, especially as his career progressed.

He is at a level of fame now where he is recognizable for the number of roles he’s played on both the big and the small screen. However, he isn’t a mega superstar with an unmanageable level of fame that prevents him from living the life he wants to live. The Carry-On star explained that he is comfortable in his current situation, and playing a character like Wolverine may skyrocket him into an overwhelming superstardom that he might not actually want. He explained:

This makes complete sense, and I completely understand where Egerton is coming from. The actor has a steady career, and he doesn’t need to take on such a big blockbuster film where the entire movie would be constructed around a character that another A-list movie star played so brilliantly. I still think he would’ve been great in the role, and I have loved some of the Taron Egerton/Wolverine fan art I’ve seen around. However, I think the Rocketman actor has a good head on his shoulders to know what he can handle, and I’m just as excited to see him take on other ventures.

You can see Taron Egerton in She Rides Shotgun, which hits theaters on August 1, 2025. Fans can also see him in the new crime drama series, Smoke, which is currently streaming with an AppleTV+ subscription. So, as you can see, while he won't be taking on this X-Man, he is still working hard and producing high-quality projects that are well worth the watch time!

When 20th Century Fox was absorbed into Disney in 2019, that brought the original X-Men film series to an end since Marvel Studios finally had the film rights to the mutant superheroes and villains. And while incarnations of these original cinematic X-Men continue to pop up in the MCU, the plan is to eventually release an X-Men reboot and start fresh with this property. That upcoming Marvel movie has been taking some big steps forward over the last 12 months, and now there’s apparently a plan in place to help keep the production cost down that I 100% support.

Although Marvel is coming off a strong opening weekend for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, it’s no secret that the company has had its fair share of misses amidst the hits since Phase 4 began in 2021. An unnamed agent who spoke with Variety said they don’t the studio “consistently hitting $1 billion as before — without China, with Disney+ exposure, post-COVID, without megastars.” So with regard to the X-Men reboot, another insider claimed that it will be looking at “younger talent” rather than A-list actors to recruit as a cost-saving measure.

I think this is a wise idea, and not just because it’s a way to lower the budget. While I still suspect that older characters like Professor X and Magneto will be played by well-known actors, when it comes to the likes of Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, Jubilee, Iceman, the list goes on, there’s no reason by those younger characters need to be played by big names. Quite the contrary, this reboot can serve as a platform to catapult these younger actors to get their big break rather than build off worldwide fame they already had.

The new X-Men movie could have its budget match or exceed that of an Avengers movie, but it sounds like Marvel is looking to avoid that, at least on the casting side of things. That’s not to say that the studio should skimp on the money, especially when it comes to things like visual effects and production design. However, there’s no reason to break the bank when it comes to hiring the actors given that the reboot is taking this more youth-oriented approach.

Casting is reportedly expected to begin soon, so we may not have to wait too long until we start learning who’s coming aboard. Last year, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ Michael Lesslie was tapped to write the X-Men reboot, and then Thunderbolts*’ Jake Schreier is now attached to direct. The reboot doesn’t have a release date yet, though Variety has heard from sources that it won’t fill the July 23, 2027 slot that Marvel has blocked off as its first post-Multiverse Saga movie.

Luckily for those of you craving X-Men cinematic action, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Rebeca Romijn, Kelsey Grammer, Alan Cumming, James Marsden and Channing Tatum are all reprising their mutant roles for Avengers: Doomsday, which comes out on December 16, 2026. It’s also reasonable to assume the X-Men in whatever form will factor into 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars as well.

Jackman wasn’t the first choice for the role by anyone, including Marvel. He went through an arduous audition process, and by his own account, wasn’t sure he’d get the part, even after an endorsement from fellow Australian Russell Crowe. There are also three big reasons fans weren’t totally sold on Jackman when he was named Wolverine.

Jackman Was Pretty Much Unknown To Most Fans

There were quite a few big names being tossed around when director Bryan Singer and Marvel were casting the original X-Men in 1999. Names like the aforementioned Russell Crowe, Keanu Reeves, Johnny Depp, and, weirdly, Bob Hoskins and Glenn Danzig were all rumored to be in contention to play the very popular comic book character.

Jackman was virtually unknown to everyone in America. To that point, his only movie credits were two Australian productions, Erskineville Kings and Paperback Hero. While we know that sometimes the best casting can be of unknown actors, many fans were expecting one of the most popular comic book characters ever to be played by an established star.

Of course, this is a bit of a ridiculous argument, and you only have to look at the casting of a similarly unknown actor, Christopher Reeve, being cast as Superman in the 1978 movie. Now, every Superman movie is in the shadow of Reeve’s performance, fairly or unfairly, just as any actor who takes on the role of Wolverine in the future will be compared to Jackman.

He Was Too Tall To Play Wolverine

In Deadpool & Wolverine, while Deadpool is warping through universes looking to replace Logan in his own, he comes across a short, “comic book accurate” Wolvie. In the comics, Wolverine is known for being quite diminutive in stature, anywhere from 5’3” to 5’5” according to various sources. That is about a foot shorter than Jackman, who reportedly stands at 6’2” or 6’3” (again, depending on the source).

Fans, of course, questioned why an actor so tall would be cast, and this was probably the number one reason people were skeptical. It’s actually a common complaint by some fans even in 2025. Especially early in the series, the filmmakers used camera tricks and other effects to make Wolverine look more like his comic book size, but as Jackman became more familiar with audiences, they backed off these techniques. That’s what made the scene in Deadpool & Wolverine so funny.

He Had The Wrong Physique And Perceived Temperament

Not only did fans think the star was too tall to play Wolverine, but they felt he had the wrong physique completely. To be fair to those fans, Jackman was not nearly as shredded as he would get before filming started, so this one makes little sense. Of course, he proved everyone wrong when he did get…jacked…for the role. (Sorry, no pun intended.)

The wrong build, some fans felt, also contributed to the wrong temperament to be the angry, bitter anti-hero. They didn’t see enough menace in Jackman. Boy, were fans wrong about that, because setting aside his height, he nailed the vibe of Wolverine perfectly from the first movie on.

Jackman may not have been seen as an action star both in physique and acting style, but it didn't take long for him to prove all the critics wrong. Not only has he defined the look of Wolverine on the big screen, but his salty attitude in every single appearance, no matter how brief, is exactly in line with the comic book character.

Jackman Was Too Good Looking And Had The Wrong Accent

In the comics, Wolverine is short, stocky, and hairy. The mutant is not what most people would call “good looking.” Jackman, on the other hand, is about as handsome a human as has ever been. Fans thought the song-and-dance man was just too pretty to play the rugged Weapon X. This was pretty unfair, because makeup can do a lot in movies, as the makeup artists on the various X-Men projects have proven.

Jackman is also, of course, Australian. That means he has the wrong natural accent for Wolverine, who in the comics is Canadian. Like being too good-looking, this was also a pretty weak argument against the talent, as actors often use different accents in movies, though not always with as much effect as Jackman as Wolverine. He nailed it. In fact, I think most people forget that he’s Australian at all when watching the films.

Now, If Anyone Takes Over The Role, They Will Have Big Shoes To Fill

Jackman has now played Logan/Wolverine in 10 different films (some only as cameos) and if and when Marvel does recast the role, it will be earth-shattering. As much criticism as there might have been when he won the role a quarter of a century ago, there would be as much or more today for anyone taking over the legendary part.

Not only has his portrayal been widely praised, especially after the tragic events of Logan, but actors will be expected to go through a similar physical transformation that Jackman did in his dedication to the character. It’s not an enviable position for any actor, in any way.

While Henry Cavill’s cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine does give fans a look at a possible alternate universe Wolverine, it’s really hard to imagine what a recasting of the role would do. Luckily, that’s not something we have to deal with, at least not yet, and we can watch all the X-Men films with a Disney+ subscription and appreciate just how inspired the casting choice of Hugh Jackman has been.

With the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps set to release soon and Marvel Studios shifting gears into X-Men territory, the Internet has gone full mutant mania. Now, thanks to a well-placed quote and a swirl of new casting rumors, two familiar names either involved with or in proximity to The Last of Us (streamable with a Max subscription) are suddenly in the conversation regarding Marvel's take on the mutants. The actors in question are Pedro Pascal’s sister, Lux Pascal, and his HBO co-star, Bella Ramsey.

Who Does Lux Pascal Want To Play In An X-Men Project?

During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Lux Pascal opened up about her breakout role in Miss Carbón and her hopes for the future. One of her wishes is a potential big-screen turn as Jean Grey, as Pascal shared:

That alone would be enough to spark fan cast threads, but the timing couldn’t be more perfect. As Pedro Pascal joins the MCU himself this summer, taking on Reed Richards in the aforementioned upcoming Marvel movie Fantastic Four: First Steps. The notion of the Pascal family further staking its claim in this massive superhero franchise is exciting to think about, to be honest.

What's Going On With The Rumors Involving Bella Ramsey?

It's interesting that Lux Pascal's comments also coincide with X-Men rumors swirling around Bella Ramsey, the Emmy-nominated powerhouse who played Ellie opposite Pedro Pascal’s Joel in The Last of Us. While nothing is confirmed, the rumor mill has lit up with speculation that the HBO favorite may be in line to portray a younger version of Rogue or possibly Shadowcat (a.k.a. Kitty Pryde), with the latter being mentioned by MyTimeToShineHello of X. Both characters beloved by fans and pivotal to any fresh take on the mutant saga.

I personally would rather see the veteran Requiem star take on Pryde, or possibly an altogether different character, one that hasn’t even been seen on screen before. For my money, these are the mutants Bella Ramsey was born to play:

• No-Girl (Martha Johansson) – Power: Disembodied brain with powerful telepathy
  • Why Bella? A tragic and deeply unique role—they could crush the emotional weight and inner strength behind this fan-favorite oddity.
• Trance (Hope Abbott) – Power: Astral projection with explosive energy surges when stressed.
  • Why Bella? Trance's struggle to control her abilities mirrors Ellie’s emotional volatility, perfect for the rising star’s intensity.
• Wallflower (Laurie Collins) – Power: Releases pheromones that influence others’ emotions.
  • Why Bella? A soft-spoken mutant dealing with isolation and internal conflict, the performer excels at playing characters with layers of vulnerability.
• Blindfold (Ruth Aldine) – Power: Precognition and telepathy, often cryptic and dreamlike.
  • Why Bella? This haunting, ethereal mutant would allow the English performer to go full cerebral. A fan-favorite New X-Men member ripe for screen debut.
• Tempo (Heather Tucker) – Power: Time manipulation (can slow or speed time for others).
  • Why Bella? Often morally conflicted, sometimes heroic, sometimes not—Tempo’s complex arc would be a compelling vehicle for Ramsey.

Between Game of Thrones and The Last of Us, Bella Ramsey has made a name for themselves as a fearless, emotionally layered performer. That's precisely the kind of energy that could revitalize Marvel’s mutant roster. It also doesn’t hurt that they already have major studio experience, critical acclaim and a built-in fanbase.

What I really can't get over, though, isn't simply the casting chatter—it’s how connected these threads are. Considering Pedro Pascal is joining Marvel, Lux, is vocal about wanting to join the X-Men as Jean Grey, Bella Ramsey is allegedly being eyed for a mutant role, it feels like someone scripted this. Still, the overlap feels too perfect to ignore, especially when you consider how Marvel Studios likes to build around familiar, reliable talent.

Could Bella Ramsey and the Pascal siblings all end up suiting up together in an upcoming superhero movie? It’s not out of the question but, for now, we’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime, fans can revisit the X-Men films from the Fox era and catch up on all the Marvel Movies in order, all streaming with a Disney+ subscription.

Watch for the older Pascal sibling’s character, Reed Richards, to officially join the MCU when Fantastic Four: First Steps opens in theaters on July 25.

How Kitty Pryde And Colossus Factored Into X-Men ’97 Season 1’s Alternate Ending

Taking to his X account, DeMayo, who was fired by Marvel shortly before X-Men ’97 Season 1 started airing, shared script pages showing how Kitty Pryde, a.k.a. Shadowcat, and Colossus filled Bishop’s role cluing in Forge on the X-Men being trapped in time. While sitting in Storm’s room one night, Forge hears the X-Mansion’s alarm goes off and then he suddenly finds himself phased into Jubilee’s room the next floor down. There he’s greeted by Shadowcat and her adorable “dog-sized” dragon Lockheed, with Kitty initially thinking that Forge is a bad guy who was trespassing.

Colossus then walks into the room, and he and Kitty tell Forge about this isn’t an issue of “where” the X-Men are, but “when.” This alternate ending concludes with Kitty suggesting that Forge build a time machine, setting the stage for X-Men ’97 Season 2, which will also follow Apocalypse in both ancient Egypt and the present day. Neither of these characters ends up appearing in X-Men ’97 Season 1, though Colossus did make guest appearance in its predecessor, X-Men: The Animated Series. Shadowcat was left out of the original show entirely, with Jubilee instead filling the same kind of role Kitty did in her early comic book appearances.

Why I’m Glad X-Men ’97 Season 1’s Ending Used Bishop Instead

I would certainly like to see Kitty Pryde and Colossus appear in X-Men ’97 at some point, and if that can’t happen in Season 2, hopefully the writers can fit them into the confirmed Season 3. However, it was definitely the right call to have Bishop tell Forge what happened to the X-Men instead. Like Cable, Bishop is a time traveler from a dystopic future, so he’s more likely to know about where they ended up following the battle with Bastion instead of Kitty and Colossus. The dialogue is also a little clunky in these script pages, so it’s better off that this version of the scene wasn’t used.

For those keeping track, Cyclops and Jean Grey are stuck in 3960 AD; Rogue, Nightcrawler, Beast, Professor X and Magneto were sent to Ancient Egypt in 3,000 B.C., Wolverine, Storm and Morph’s whereabouts are unknown; and Jubilee and Sunspot are still in the present day with Forge. It was also teased in the Season 1 finale’s mid-credits scene that Gambit, who sacrificed his life during the Genosha tragedy, may be revived by Apocalypse. X-Men ’97 Season 2 will also introduce Neve Campbell’s Polaris.

Since the critically-acclaimed animated series won’t return until 2026, we’ll have to keep pondering how Forge and Bishop will go about rescuing the stranded X-Men. Beau DeMayo will find out how that happens with the rest of us, as the Season 2 scripts he drafted have reportedly been rewritten under the supervision of Matthew Chauncey, the Season 3 showrunner.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always expanding, thanks to new projects arriving in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. For years The X-Men were missing from the mix, but Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox opened the doors for mutants to finally join the fun. A rumor claims Sabrina Carpenter might be approaching the role of Dazzler. And while there are some naysayers, I think she's got the talent to back it up.

The developing X-Men movie is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies, and fans of mutants are also excited for that team to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. A rumor circulating Twitter claims that the "Espresso" singer might be joining the shared universe. And while she's obviously got the vocal talents to play a pop star/superhero, she's also a rather successful actress of stage and screen. Let's break it down.

Sabrina Carpenter is a fashion icon, best known nowadays for her earworm-worthy songs, and the success of her album Short n' Sweet. But prior to hitting the radio with tracks like "Please Please Please" she was an actress. Her movie credits include The Hate U Give, and the Tall Girl movies. So she knows her way around a film set.

Another thing going for Carpenter as a performer is that she's also a Broadway veteran. She famously played Cady Heron in Mean Girls the musical, opposite Reneé Rapp. This schedule is notoriously grueling, and shows that she's got the endurance to make it on the set of a superhero film like X-Men. So this Dazzler rumor isn't totally out of the blue.

Of course, this is just a rumor at this point. We should probably take it with a grain of salt, but with Carpenter's star power steadily growing it seems like a logical time for a studio to bring her into a major franchise. Having a pop star of her popularity should only help get more butts in seats, especially her younger fans.

Rumors have swirled around this particular mutant for years. Specifically, the idea that Taylor Swift might play Dazzler at some point. This chatter started with X-Men: Apocalypse, and has continued through the release of Deadpool & Wolverine.

Dazzler did have a brief appearance in Dark Phoenix, played by actress Halston Sage. She was shown singing at a party in the woods, and using her powers to light up the sky in the process. Aside from that, she's perhaps best known for appearing in video games, animated series, and (of course) comics.

Only time will tell if Sabrina Carpenter actually lands this role, which would presumably be a big change to her career and current schedule. But while there are haters, I think she's got the talent to bring Dazzler to life.

The X-Men will appear in Avengers: Doomsday on December 18th, 2026. Since neither that nor the X-Men movie are part of the 2025 movie release list, we'll probably have to be patient as more rumors swirl.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, but the live streamed cast announcement confirmed the return of a number of actors from the X-Men movies. While exactly how that'll work is a mystery, we can imagine their long-anticipated entrance thanks to fan art from Instagram. Check it out below:

I mean, how cool is that? Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have lamented about the X-Men-sized hole in the shared universe. While Disney's acquisition of Fox opened the doors for this to happen, we haven't seen the team of mutants assembled yet. But that's finally going to change when Doomsday hits theaters next year.

In this image we see X-Men characters old and new united in the formation of the team that's expected to appear in the next Avengers flick. That includes OGs like Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and James Marsden. Then there's Channing Tatum's Gambit from Deadpool & Wolverine, as well as Alan Cumming's first return as Nightcrawler since X-Men 2. And in this edit the team is mostly wearing bright, comic-book accurate costumes for their characters.

In the years since Disney could legally include X-Men characters, we've seen a few come and go briefly during various projects. Patrick Stewart had a cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, while Kelsey Grammer reprised his role as Beast in The Marvels' post-credits scene. The latter is expected to be the entry point to the team arriving in Avengers: Doomsday, presumably traveling through the multiverse in order to battle the villainous Doctor Doom. But the studio has been keeping its cards close to the chest for now.

As previously mentioned, the X-Men are just one team of heroes that will somehow factor into the mysterious events of Doomsday. There are also a number of Avengers on the cast list, as well as the Thunderbolts* aka New Avengers and the newly arrived Fantastic Four. There are a ton of characters that are going to have to find a way to unite and battle Robert Downey Jr's Doom, which could be challenging thanks to egos and he the fact that 2/4 teams are not from main MCU timeline.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th, 2026. But first up is The Fantastic Four: First Steps on July 25th as part of the 2025 movie release list.

Back 2016, when Tim Miller – along with Ryan Reynolds and so many more hard-working creatives – gifted the world Deadpool, they effectively brought the Merc with a Mouth to life. Miller definitely made an impression on the superhero genre with that film, though I also love how enthusiastic is when it comes to the MCU’s X-Men movie. In addition to sharing his hype with The Hollywood Reporter, Miller also explained how he was able to shoot his shot for the highly anticipated production:

The notion of Tim Miller getting the opportunity to direct a movie starring Marvel’s famous mutants is exciting to me. Yes, some may bring up the fact that he also helmed the panned 2019 legacy sequel Terminator: Dark Fate. However, his work on Deadpool shows he has a keen understanding of comic book thrills and, given his work as a visual effects artist, he could surely dream up some incredible sequences for his film.

Of course, Wade Wilson’s adventures are a lot more bombastic (and violent) than those of Professor X and co. Yet Tim Miller’s work as creator and EP on the animated anthology series Love, Death & Robots makes me confident that he can help develop layered stories for the characters. Miller’s also one who doesn’t mind taking chances when it comes to storytelling and, as he told THR he was working on a wild-sounding spinoff of the X-Men films (which are streamable with a Disney+ subscription), before the Fox merger:

Slowly but surely, Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige has been sharing more details about when the X-Men are joining the MCU in earnest. In November 2024, Feige hinted that the characters would indeed become power players before the end of the Multiverse Saga. That proved to be true as, in March, it was confirmed that multiple mutant characters would play roles in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. Notably, though, these seem to be variants of the characters introduced in the OG films and not newer incarnations.

It’s hard to say when newer variants of the X-Men played by a fresh cast will appear in the MCU, but I’m excited to see it happen. Clearly, Tim Miller is as well, considering the fact that he reached out to Kevin Feige. Reports have suggested that Thunderbolts* helmer Jake Schreier is being eyed for the job, but at the very least, I hope Miller receives consideration. In the meantime, it’s fun to imagine what lies ahead movie-wise for one of the most beloved superhero teams in the history of comic books.

While fans are wondering when the actor might return as Wolverine in upcoming Marvel movies, Jackman has been keeping busy with this residency at Radio City Music Hall. While promoting the show in a clip from The View, he revealed the wild amount of time it took for him to be prepared for a jump roping number. As he put it:

Talk about a commitment. Entire movies are filmed during this time, so it's pretty crazy that Jackman has spent that much time working on just one aspect of his Radio City Show. Luckily for him, he's also burning a ton of calories by doing this specific form of exercise. So on top of rehearsing the show, it's also keeping him in superhero shape for whenever Wolverine returns to the MCU. In the meantime, fans can re-watch his performances with a Disney+ subscription.

Jackman is a star of the stage and screen, both of which have showcased his musical talent and penchant for dance. The Radio City show allows him to keep flexing those muscles, without having to commit to eight shows a week like in The Music Man. And I have to assume that his new boo Sutton Foster was there to support him during performances.

Of course, musical theater nerds will know that jump roping as been used on the stage before. Specifically in the musical version of Legally Blonde, which open its second act with the jump roping musical number "Whipped Into Shape." I'msure that this came up at some point when Jackman was preparing.

As perviously mentioned, audiences are eager to see him once again play Logan on the big screen. Deadpool & Wolverine was a record-breaking success, so his return alongside Ryan Reynolds feels like an inevitability at this point.

It's currently unclear when Jackman will return to the MCU, but fans are hoping it might be in Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars. For now, the actor has a number of upcoming projects coming as part of the 2025 movie release list and beyond.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, but Marvel's live stream cast announcement revealed that a number of OGs from the X-Men movies will appear. Moviegoers are wondering how this'll work out, but an old interview McAvoy did with MTV (via Instagram) on the carpet for X-Men: Days of Future Past offered one possiblity. As he put it:

Honestly, some points were made. While the Avengers have added and lost members throughout the years, the X-Men functions more as a team. And as such, they have the potential to outnumber and outpower Earth's Mightiest Heroes. At least according to McAvoy himself.

While the Avengers are a motley crew of heroes brought together by fate (and Nick Fury), The X-Men are usually a well-oiled machine. They're each other's chosen family, and specifically collaborate by using their mutant powers in battle. Later in the same interview, McAvoy mentioned just how powerful his signature character Professor X is. In his words:

Charle Xavier is an Omega-level mutant, who is one of the most powerful telepaths in the world. And powers-wise, he could presumably take over the bodies and minds of the entire Avengers if he wanted to. So they're gonna need some helmets if they're going to face off against the X-Men in Doomsday.

While James McAvoy isn't listed on the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, his predecessor (and co-star) Patrick Stewart will once again be playing Professor X. This is a huge moment for fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order and hoping to see the X-Men and Avengers finally have a crossover.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1st, 2026. But first up is Fantastic Four: First Steps on July 25th as part of the 2025 movie release list.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday remains to be seen, but the multiversal story is expected to feature connections from the X-Men movies. Video of the set have been circulating on Twitter, revealing what looks to be a giant set piece resembling a Sentinel. It sounds like the robotic foes to the mutant will make their way back to the big screen, and I'm so hyped.

This is obviously not officially confirmed, so we should take the footage with a grain of salt. But hardcore Marvel fans will likely see the resemblance between the figure and the classic Sentinels from the page and screen. Since a number of OG X-Men stars were confirmed during Doomsday's cast reveal live stream, it tracks that these destructive robots might be included in the blockbuster.

Sentinels have had a long history on the page and screen, dating back to the 1960s. So it's logical that they might be seen and/or referenced alongside the X-Men in Avengers: Doomsday. In the X-Men movies, they were most featured in Days of Future Past, with different models of the robots appearing in each of the movie's timelines. Of course, fans will know they're also heavily featured in animated shows like X-Men '97 as well as the video games.

Not much is known about the contents of Doomsday, so the fandom will have to try and be patient and await official news from the studio. Moviegoers have been waiting years for the X-Men to finally appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with the doors finally being opened when Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and its properties. As such, we should probably expect more theories and rumors to swirl around the project for the foreseeable future.

From the cast list of Avengers: Doomsday, it looks like we'll be getting several groups of superheroes in The Russo Brothers' return to the MCU. Thunderbolts* 'credits scene set up the New Avengers and Fantastic Four interacting with each other. We'll also see the X-Men join in on the fun, as well as whatever team of Avengers Anthony Mackie's Captain America assembles. From what we heard in Thunderbolts*, he tried to copyright and take control of the name "Avengers".

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on May 1st, 2026. But first up is Fantastic Four: First Steps on July 25th as part of the 2025 movie release list.

Following his supporting role in X-Men: The Last Stand and cameo in X-Men: Days of Future Past, it didn’t seem like we’d see Kelsey Grammer playing Beast again, particularly since Nicholas Hoult had taken over as the blue-furred mutant. Then along came The Marvels in 2023, which saw Grammer vocally reprising Beast, albeit one from a different universe. Now he’s among the many actors from Fox’s X-Men era who are set to return in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday. Ahead of the upcoming Marvel movie’s arrival, Grammer gave a detailed explanation for why he sees Beast as the “Martin Luther King of the mutants.”

Grammer discussed arguably the most famous of his genre characters while appearing on The Jamie Kern Lima Show. When the title host brought up how he’ll be back as Beast, a.k.a. Hank McCoy, in Doomsday, the Frasier actor explained why he enjoys playing the character so much as follows:

That’s actually a pretty fitting description of the character. Along with being one of the world’s foremost biochemists and knowledgeable in various other scientific and artistic fields, Beast has often been a political activist for mutants in the comics. He can throw down when necessary, but his priority will be to use his words and intellect to combat discrimination against mutantkind. Even in X-Men: The Last Stand, he started off being the United States’ Secretary of Mutant Affairs and was made ambassador to the United Nations by the end of the movie.

Now, how much we’ll see of these MLK Jr.-like traits on display in Avengers: Doomsday remains to be seen, but either way, Kelsey Grammer is looking forward to bringing Beast to life yet again, saying:

It hasn’t been clarified yet if the Beast Grammer is playing in Doomsday is the same one from The Marvels’ end-credits scene, who was allies with Binary, a.k.a. the variant of Monica Rambeau’s mother, Maria. What we do know is that on the X-Men side of things, he’ll be joined by Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, Ian McKellen’s Magneto, Rebecca Romijn’s Mystique, Alan Cumming’s Nightcrawler, James Marsden’s Cyclops and Channing Tatum’s Gambit. Given Grammer’s enthusiasm for Beast, hopefully he’ll also be able to reprise him in Avengers: Secret Wars.

Of course, the X-Men are just one of several Marvel teams being represented in Avengers: Doomsday, with the Fantastic Four and freshly-unveiled New Avengers joining Earth’s Mightiest Heroes in action. See them all cross paths starting on May 1, 2026.

Kelsey Grammer Hasn’t Seen Nicholas Hoult’s Beast Performance

During an appearance on Literally with Rob Lowe podcast to discuss his latest memoir Karen: A Brother Remembers, Mr. Grammer admitted that he’d heard the buzz surrounding Hoult’s X-Men prequel performance as the hero also known as Beast. But he also revealed that he had his reasons for keeping that incarnation at a hairy arm’s distance:

As someone who loves both the Kelsey Grammer and Nicholas Hoult portrayals of Hank McCoy, I can totally see why the classic era Beast would employ such a strategy. But at the same time, I couldn’t help but get pretty pumped myself when that Doomsday announcement video revealed the OG was back once again.

To be fair though, those feelings were primed by The Marvels’ post-credits scene. And you may be surprised to know that particular moment was the catalyst for Grammer’s second reprise.

Apparently The Marvels’ Post-Credit Scene Was The Clincher For Kelsey Grammer’s Return

For as much as Marvel movie fans love to harp on The Marvels for their own special reasons, I’m amazed that this seemingly controversial entry was the spark that allowed Kelsey Grammer to go full Beast mode again. Further along in the interview, the Cheers alum described how his desire to play the part eventually saw him land this particular cameo; leading to this anecdote about how the MCU’s loyal fans put in a good word:

“Excited” kind of feels like an understatement, especially if you’re a fan of the Fox era X-Men movies. Though now that Kelsey Grammer has admitted that Marvels guest spot helped bring him into the MCU proper, there is the question of whether this eventually inspired the decision to bring back a lot of the stars that made those pictures (conveniently available to stream with a Disney+ subscription) into smashing successes.

One final amusing note that Mr. Grammer offered in his chat with Rob Lowe is the intense secrecy that surrounded The Marvels’ multiversal moment. And that veil of obscurity is still very much in play in the lead up to Avengers: Doomsday, as the Beast actor could only say the following about the next chapter:

You can keep your secrets Dr. McCoy, as Avengers: Doomsday won’t be in theaters until May 1, 2026; and we certainly wouldn’t want all of the secrets to be given away beforehand. In the meantime, don’t forget to catch Thunderbolts*, which is currently in theaters, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps - which hits theaters on July 25th.

The road to the X-Men’s future-past continues to take some interesting twists, and who knows what’ll happen next? Personally, I think we need a Grammer/Hoult team up at some point, specifically in my dream Avengers vs. X-Men movie to bridge the gap between Doomsday and Secret Wars. But baby steps, I suppose.

Fresh off Thunderbolts*’ arrival to the 2025 movies schedule, Deadline reports that director Jake Schreier is in early talks to direct the X-Men reboot. While it’s unclear where things stand in the negotiation process, Schreier is apparently Marvel Studios’ “top choice” for the project. If the filmmaker decides to take on X-Men, he’ll be directing off a script written by Michael Lesslie.

Now to be clear, it’s not like X-Men characters haven’t been getting their time to shine in the MCU since The Multiverse Saga began. Patrick Stewart appeared as Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Kelsey Grammer cameoed as Beast in The Marvels, and Deadpool & Wolverine essentially served as a love letter to Fox’s X-Men film series. It’s also been announced that Stewart, Grammer, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming and James Marsden will all reprise their respective X-Men roles in next year’s Avengers: Doomsday.

But eventually there’s going to come a time when Marvel moves past the Fox era for good and introduces a brand-new X-Men team, presumably within the main MCU reality. That’s where this X-Men reboot comes in, and I’m hoping that Jake Schreier and Marvel can work out a deal so he can lead the charge on ushering in this new era. Aside from Thunderbolts*, Schreier directed the movies Robot & Frank and Paper Towns, as well as episodes of TV shows like Lodge 49, Kidding, Beef and Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.

Our own Eric Eisenberg’s thoughts penned in his Thunderbolts* review pretty much align with mine, although I give it a slightly higher score. I thought Jake Schreier did an excellent job with depicting this disparate team of anti-heroes/former villain and having them come together in spite of their clashing personalities. It’s the same kind of vibe I want from the X-Men reboot, albeit with more traditional superheroes.

It’s hard to say when we’ll learn if Schreier will take on X-Men directorial duties or if that job will go to someone else. My fingers are crossed it’ll be the former, but either way, maybe I’ll pass the time waiting for the upcoming superhero movie until then by revisiting the older X-Men movies with my Disney+ subscription.

Per THR, Reynolds is “exploring ideas” for a Deadpool that would feature three or four X-Men characters, and is working on “various treatments.” It’s also mentioned that Deadpool may only be a supporting character in such a project, as Reynolds reportedly believes “that keeping his f-bomb wielding anti-hero more on the sidelines could allow for the X-Men characters to be used in unexpected ways.” It was also clarified that this team-up would be separate from the X-Men reboot that Michael Lesslie is writing.

Assuming this Deadpool/X-Men team-up does move past the conception stage, don’t expect it to arrive for a while. Ryan Reynolds is currently writing the comedy movie Boy Band for Paramount Pictures. That will pair him back up with Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy, and Hugh Jackman is also reportedly “keen to co-star.” It’s unclear if Boy Band is the same movie that Reynolds talked about last November that would reunite him with Levy and Jackman, or something different. Even after the Boy Band script is finished though, the Deadpool actor has said he’s spending the rest of 2025 focused on writing other projects.

I’m ok with a long wait time, though. Deadpool has been tied to the X-Men corner of the Marvel mythology, and over the course of three movies, we’ve seen him form bonds with mutant characters like Colossus, Domino, Cable and, of course, Wolverine. But rather than just making Deadpool 4, I like the idea of getting a proper X-Men team-up on the books. It was great to see see Wade fight alongside Wolverine, X-23 and Gambit (as well as Blade and Elektra) in Deadpool & Wolverine, so let’s bring in more members of the X-Men for him to annoy.

I’d also be curious to see if this Deadpool/X-Men team-up would set up the aforementioned X-Men reboot or follow it. The MCU hasn’t had any trouble bringing people back from the Fox era of X-Men movies, with Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, Ian McKellen’s Magneto, Rebecca Romijn’s Mystique, Alan Cumming’s Nightcrawler, Kelsey Grammer’s Beast and James Marsden’s Cyclops are all returning for Avengers: Doomsday, as will Channing Tatum’s Gambit. However, there still has yet to be a new X-Men team set up in the main MCU reality.

Honestly, maybe it would be worth using whatever story Ryan Reynolds picks, assuming this team-up goes forward at all, as a way to finally set up the new X-Men that we’ve been promised for years. That sounds like it could be a definite possibility if Deadpool would be more of a supporting character. Regardless, I welcome any opportunity for Reynolds to put the red and black costume back on, so we’ll keep our eyes peeled for more updates on this potential project.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, but the cast list offered "some, not all" of the actors who will appear. The X-Men movies predate the MCU, so it's thrilling that so many of the original actors are returning. During an interview with Nerd Reactor, Ashmore was asked if he'll pop up as Bobby. He got real, saying:

Since Marvel security is notoriously tight, it's rare to get an honest answer from actors about Avengers: Doomsday. And while Ashmore clarified he wouldn't be able to tell the truth if he was returning as Iceman, it doesn't sound like he's has any conversations with the powers that be at the studio. So we probably shouldn't hold our breath for the return of the cryokinetic mutant.

Fans who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have not-so-patiently been waiting for the X-Men to join the fun. Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox opened the door for this, but Kevin Feige and company haven't rushed to give the mutants their own movie. But worlds will really collide when Avengers: Doomsday brings back a number of beloved characters from the previous X-Men franchise.

While Shawn Ashmore's name wasn't included in the big Doomsday announcement, a number of his costars were. Specifically, Patrick Stewart's Professor X, Ian McKellen's Magneto, Kelsey Grammer's Beast, Alan Cumming's Nightcrawler, James Marsden's Cyclops, and Rebecca Romijn's Mystique. That's already a big group of X-Men, but fans are still hoping for even more of the OGs to return. Case in point: Ashmore's questions about Bobby/Iceman.

Of course, the 45 year-old actor isn't the only X-Men alum that's been asked about returning recently. For instance, Halle Berry also claimed to not be in Doomsday. But after seeing Andrew Garfield lie for years about Spider-Man, fans don't really believe superhero actors nowadays.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters May 1st, 2026. But first up is Thunderbolts*, arriving May 2nd as part of the 2025 movie release list.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday has been limited, but news about the blockbuster is slowly trickling out. Fans are hyped about so many X-Men alum are included, including Cumming (who hasn't played Nightcrawler since 2003's X-2). While appearing on Today with Jenna & Friends, he shared a crucial to this long-awaited return, offering:

Honestly, this seems like a game changer. While practical makeup and prosthetics help to bring comic book characters to life, the experience of sitting in the chair before filming even begins can be grueling. For example: Dave Bautista called his Drax makeup "a nightmare", while Jennifer Lawrence went through this process to play Mystique in the X-Men movies. Although it sounds like the technology has really move forward, at least where Alan Cumming's Nightcrawler is concerned.

Despite only appearing in one X-Men movie previously, Alan Cumming made a big impact as Nightcrawler. This also made the announcement of his return for Avengers: Doomsday doubly surprising. Although given how many eyes are on Cumming as host of The Traitors (which is streaming with a Peacock subscription), it seems like the perfect time to bring him into the fun of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

While Cumming only appeared in X-Men 2, Nightcrawler got more time on the big screen thanks to the First Class trilogy (plus Dark Phoenix). Played by Kodi Smit-McPhee, we were introduced to a younger version of Kurt Wagner who shared the same vulnerability that Alan Cumming brought to the character. Alas, it is the OGs who are being brought back for Avengers: Doomsday, including Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, and James Marsden. Although Kevin Feige has teased that this is "some not all" of the casting for that blockbuster.

It sounds like the Goldeneye actor will have to spend way less time in the makeup hair this time around, and it should be interesting to see if that changes his performances as Nightcrawler at all. Either way, fans are excited.

Avengers: Doomsday is currently expected to arrive in theaters May 1st, 2026. But first up is Thunderbolts* on May 2nd as part of the 2025 movie release list.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is growing, especially thanks to that cast announcement live stream. A number of actors from the X-Men movies were confirmed, including Kelsey Grammer, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming, Patrick Stewart, and Ian McKellen. I recently saw a previous video from ET, where Paquin was asked what it would take for her to play Rogue again. She responded:

Honestly, that seems pretty cut and dry. Clearly the star of True Blood (which is streaming with Max subscription) isn't opposed to finally taking flight as Rogue. And now that the X-Men are being brought back for Doomsday, it seems like the perfect time to get the Oscar-winning actress in the MCU.

There is still hope for Paquin's Rogue to make an appearance. Kevin Feige already confirmed that "some not all" of the Avengers: Doomsday cast was announced, so there will be even more names than the ones listed in that live stream. Whether or not Paquin or more X-Men alum make it into the movie remains to be seen, but she's definitely a beloved figure from Fox's franchise.

Fans who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have not-so-patiently waiting for the X-Men to finally assemble in the shared universe. Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox opened the door for this to happen, but the studio didn't rush out an X-Men movie. It's still unclear exactly when that might happen, but having so many familiar mutants in Doomsday is a thrilling step forward.

In her comments, Paquin mentioned never being able to fly in as Rogue. Her the film version of the beloved character only had the mutant ability to drain the powers of others. But in the comics and most other adaptations she's also got the permanent flight, super strength, and endurance that she got from draining the life force out of Captain Marvel. Maybe if she gets to join the fun of Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars she'll finally be able to take flight.

Paquin starred in the original X-Men trilogy, although she didn't have much screen time in The Last Stand. He and her co-stars later reprised their roles for Days of Future Past, but Rogue's scenes ended up being cut from the theatrical cut.

Avengers: Doomsday is currently expected to hit theaters on May 1st, 2026. Since its not on the 2025 movie release list, we'll have to hope and wait for more casting news from the studio.

The biggest surprises in the Avengers: Doomsday announcements came when several members of the original X-Men franchise cast saw their names on the back of chairs. Not only did we get Kelsey Grammer and Patrick Stewart (who had both made brief MCU appearances already), but the list also included the likes of Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, and James Marsden. Conspicuous by her absence, however, was former Storm actress Halle Berry. She was recently asked by Black Girl Nerds if she might still get her name on a chair. Disappointingly, she said…

While Avengers: Doomsday is now in production, it seems likely that the list of actors revealed in the livestream aren’t every actor who will be in the movie. It’s a safe bet that some surprises are still being kept behind the curtain. With so many other X-Men actors returning, fans (including myself while I live blogged the event), fully expected to see Berry’s name join the others. But it never did.

Halle Berry’s answer seems pretty definitive. Most of the time when actors are asked questions they can’t answer, they’ll talk around the question to avoid outright denying something that is actually true. Berry’s answer doesn’t leave a great deal of wiggle room.

What’s more, if you listen below to the way she answers the question, she seems disappointed and resigned to the fact that her name is “not gonna be there.” One wonders if perhaps there were talks between her and Marvel, and they just couldn’t make a deal.

There is always the possibility that Halle Berry might still appear alongside her X-Men castmates in Avengers: Doomsday. Perhaps Berry is being coy with an answer, simply saying her casting won’t be announced, even if it is happening. Or maybe Berry is taking a lesson from Andrew Garfield, and just straight up lying about whether she's in the movie. Even if there are currently no plans for her to appear, if the voices are loud enough from fans who want to see Storm return, maybe the Russo Brothers will make some changes and find a place for her. There's still time.

If we don’t see Halle Berry in Avengers: Doomsday, it will certainly be disappointing. In whatever capacity the X-Men will appear, it’s hard to imagine she won’t be missed. Still, there’s always Avengers: Secret Wars, which is certainly going to try and find some way to top Doomsday. Maybe Halle Berry will be its secret weapon.

Take a look at the best villains from the Marvel movies, the DC movies, and even some great comic book flicks associated with neither, whom we could have sided with if they were not so mean.

Thanos (Avengers: Infinity War)

The Marvel Cinematic Universe's first "big bad," Thanos (Josh Brolin), emerged as the central antagonist of Avengers: Infinity War, in which he aspires to collect every last Infinity Stone to save Earth from human destruction and create balance in the entire universe... but with genocide. Comic book fans agree that the mad Titan's motivation in the 2018 blockbuster is an improvement on the original source material from the early '90s, in which he erased half the universe to appease his crush, Death itself.

The Riddler (The Batman)

Similar to Jim Carrey's iteration of The Riddler from Batman Forever, Paul Dano's version from 2022's The Batman seeks revenge against Bruce Wayne but also believes he is in cahoots with Robert Pattinson's vigilante. The brainteaser enthusiast, who was also orphaned but not treated with the same care as young Wayne, shares the Dark Knight's passion for ridding Gotham of corruption but does not honor his no-killing rule.

Magneto (The X-Men Movies)

Professor Charles Xavier and Erik "Magneto" Lehnsherr of the X-Men comics have long been compared to Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X for the way they share a common goal of fighting mutant oppression, but wildly different ideas of how to achieve it. The metalbending criminal (played by Sir Ian McKellan and as a younger man by Michael Fassbender in the X-Men movies) has no interest in peace between humans and mutants, but wishes to see his people become the dominant race.

Syndrome (The Incredibles)

In one of the best Pixar movies, 2004's The Incredibles, Syndrome (Jason Lee) is driven to murder surviving retired superheroes (and become one himself) after being let down as a child by his personal hero, Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson). The villain from the 2018 sequel, Evelyn "Screenslaver" Deavor (Catherine Keener), wants to prevent supers from becoming legal for a similar reason.

Baron Zemo (Captain America: Civil War)

In 2016's Captain America: Civil War, the Avengers are already on the verge of collapse when the Sokovia Accords are introduced, but making things worse by framing Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan) for murder is Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl). It is eventually revealed that he intended to tear the heroes apart as a way to avenge the death of his wife and child, which they inadvertently caused during the violent finale of Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Vulture (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

In the cold open for 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming, Adrian "Vulture" Toomes (Michael Keaton) loses his job cleaning up the aftermath of the battle against the Chitauri in 2012's The Avengers. To continue supporting his family, he decides to use that extraterrestrial technology to build dangerous weapons and sell them to criminals.

Catwoman (Batman Returns)

It has never seemed completely appropriate to think of Selina Kyle as a villain since her thieving exploits are typically well-intentioned. Yet, if there is one iteration of Catwoman who does deserve it, it is Michelle Pfeiffer's portrayal from 1992's Batman Returns. Even then, who could blame her for going after Max Schreck (Christopher Walken) for attempting to kill her and being the worst boss in the world?

Loki (Thor)

After discovering that he has been lied to about his true identity for his entire childhood while letting his older brother (played by Chris Hemsworth) have all the glory, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) decides to take all the glory for himself in 2011's Thor. He would later try to take over the world in The Avengers and assumed rule over Asgard by posing as his father in Thor: The Dark World, but the God of Mischief's redemption arc later reached a worthy conclusion on his self-titled Disney+ TV show.

Ozymandias (Watchmen)

Sometimes, it seems like the only way to effectively create world peace would be to give the human race one common enemy – a philosophy shared by wealthy former vigilante Adrian Veidt in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' seminal graphic novel, Watchmen. In Zach Snyder's 2009 adaptation, the character, otherwise known as Ozymandias and portrayed by Matthew Goode, attempts to unite his broken world by painting Dr. Manhattan (Billy Crudup) as its common enemy and creating a cataclysmic explosion.

Killmonger (Black Panther)

After Erik Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) violently usurps the Wakandan throne in 2018's Black Panther, the revived T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman) is forced to save his nation by finishing his battle with him. However, the king could not help but agree with his long-lost cousin that Wakanda's resources would be of great use to help people suffering from oppression in the rest of the world, especially in the United States.

Two-Face (The Dark Knight)

In Christopher Nolan's acclaimed live-action Batman movie, The Dark Knight, Gotham City District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) becomes living proof of his belief that "you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself the villain" after suffering the loss of his girlfriend, his career, and half of his face. Then again, after an experience like that, anyone might be susceptible to The Joker's (Heath Ledger) advice to become an agent of chaos like him.

Sandman (Spider-Man 3)

Easily one of the best Spider-Man movie villains, let alone one of the most sympathetic, is Flint Marko (Thomas Haden Church), who becomes known as Sandman after he gains the ability to turn into a coarse substance. Even before that accident, he was forced to turn to crime to support his ailing daughter – a discovery that inspires Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) to forgive him for killing his uncle in 2007's Spider-Man 3.

Prince Nuada (Hellboy II: The Golden Army)

In the world of Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy movies, mythical creatures honor an ancient agreement to live in hiding underground while humanity rules on the surface... at least before the eponymous BPRD agent (Ron Perlman) reveals himself to the public in the 2008 sequel, Hellboy II: The Golden Army. This inspires the elvish Prince Nuada (Luke Goss) to rescue his oppressed people by unleashing a mechanical army to wipe out the human race.

Orm (Aquaman)

When he is crowned king of Atlantis, Orm Marius, otherwise known as "Ocean Master" (Patrick Wilson), aspires to save the Earth's marine life from pollution, which is undeniably an admirable goal. Of course, his method of choice is human extinction, which is why his half-human brother, Arthur "Aquaman" Curry, is enlisted to help stop him in director James Wan's 2018 DC movie.

Scarlet Witch (Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness)

At the end of the Emmy-winning WandaVision, Wanda "Scarlet Witch" Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) is forced to let go of the sitcom-inspired fantasy life she has created for herself, which includes her two imaginary sons, Billy and Tommy. In 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, she discovers they do exist in alternate timelines and strives to be reunited with them by attempting to take America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez, who can travel the Marvel Multiverse) as a prisoner.

Mr Freeze (Batman & Robin)

One of the most complex villains in Batman's rogues gallery is Dr. Victor Fries, otherwise known as Mr. Freeze, who turns to crime in hopes of developing a cure for his ailing wife, whom he puts under a cryogenic slumber with the same technology that accidentally made him resistant to temperatures above freezing. This concept is not lost on 1997's Batman & Robin, even if Arnold Schwarzenegger's portrayal is bogged down by egregious puns and an incomprehensible need for diamonds to power his freezing suit.

Xu Wenwu (Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings)

When "The Mandarin" was first introduced in the MCU in Iron Man 3, he was portrayed by Ben Kingsley as a heartless, unmerciful terrorist... until it was revealed he was just an actor named Trevor Slattery. The real Mandarin, Xu Wenwu (portrayed by Tony Leung in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings), is an ancient warrior who is driven by a desire to protect his family and ensure their legacy, even by violent means.

Zod (Man Of Steel)

If you were among the last of your severely endangered race, would you not want to do whatever you could to preserve your people? That is the gist of what Zod (Michael Shannon) wants to do in 2013's Man of Steel, but since his plans also involve violently taking over the Earth, fellow Kryptonian Superman (Henry Cavill) is forced to defeat him.

Lizard (The Amazing Spider-Man)

In 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man, all Dr. Curtis Connors (Rhys Ifans) wants to do is find a way to regrow his amputated right arm. He did not expect that the experimental regrowth serum he derived from lizard DNA would cause him to transform into a half-man, half-reptile hybrid.

Ghost (Ant-Man And The Wasp)

In Ant-Man and the Wasp, Hannah John-Kamen stars as Ava Starr, who gained the ability to become intangible after suffering the same accident involving quantum energy that killed her parents. She then started dying of a lack of quantum energy, forcing her to attempt stealing Hank Pym's (Michael Douglas) Quantum Tunnel so she could absorb what she needed from it, which would have killed Jane Van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer).

Gorr The God-Butcher (Thor: Love And Thunder)

It is very unfortunate that, after the death of his daughter, Gorr (Christian Bale) asked for help from a group of celestials who turned out to be anything but godly, causing a voracious hate for said beings to grow within him. Unfortunately, he fails to realize that, in the MCU, there do exist gods who are worthy of praise, such as Chris Hemsworth's eponymous Asgardian in 2022's Thor: Love and Thunder, who seeks to put a stop to his extermination of beings like him.

Silver Samurai (The Wolverine)

Hugh Jackman's Logan sees his immortality as a curse. Thus, when a Japanese man named Ichirō Yashida (Haruhiko Yamanouchi), whose life the mutant once saved during World War II, offers him the chance to cure his immortality. Of course, the catch is that he wants to have eternal life himself, but that is easy to understand from the perspective of a cancer patient like him.

Bolivar Trask (X-Men: Days Of Future Past)

In one of Marvel's first time travel movies, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Peter Dinklage plays essentially the polar opposite of Magneto, Bolivar Trask – a Vietnam War opposer with a goal of protecting the human race. Unfortunately, his plan is to construct an army of robots programmed to hunt mutants that, unbeknownst to him, are destined to bring forth a dystopian future.

Black Manta (Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom)

In the first Aquaman movie, Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) leaves a pirate named Jessie Kane (Michael Beach) to die as punishment for murdering innocent people. This drove his son, David Kane (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), down a vengeful path that would continue in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, in which his alter ego, Black Manta, becomes the main antagonist.

Arishem (Eternals)

In Eternals, Arishem the Judge emerges with the intent of protecting the universe and creating new life by birthing a new Celestial, which would allow for the creation of trillions of new beings and the formation of countless planets. Of course, his plan runs the risk of killing millions of humans, which is what forces the eponymous group of immortal heroes to come out of retirement.

Starro (The Suicide Squad)

In James Gunn's The Suicide Squad, the latest iteration of Task Force X discovers that "Project Starfish" is a giant alien shaped like said aquatic animal, which releases smaller creatures that attach to human faces, creating a connected hive mind. It is through this that the crew of anti-heroes learn that "Starro," as it is really called, never wanted to be brought to Earth and live a perfectly content life in space before it was snatched away and reluctantly turned into a weapon.

Namor (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever)

The long-awaited MCU induction of Namor (Tenoch Huerta Mejía) occurred in 2022's Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, in which Shuri (Letitia Wright) learns that the aquatic being wants nothing more than to protect his underwater civilization, Tal'Kona, and its vibranium resources. However, she also learns that he wants to unite with Wakanda to be a force against the rest of the world, which is not something the late T'Challa's sister is willing to put up with.

Kingpin (Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse)

Most iterations of Wilson "Kingpin" Fisk depict the entrepreneur and businessman as nothing but a ruthless, corrupt crook, but 2018's acclaimed Multiverse movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, shows a different side of the character. Voiced by Liev Schreiber, Fisk is determined to be reunited with his late wife and child, but with a device used for interdimensional travel that comes with potentially catastrophic consequences.

Yokai (Big Hero 6)

Robert Callaghan (James Cromwell) was a renowned scientist hoping to use his skills to improve the world before an accident caused his pilot daughter, Abigail (Shiyoon Kim), to go missing while testing experimental teleportation technology. This drove Callaghan to adopt the alter ego Yokai and become the main antagonist of Disney's Big Hero 6.

Mysterio (Spider-Man: Far From Home)

Quentin Beck (Jake Gyllenhaal) first appeared in 2019's Spider-Man: Far From Home, appearing to be a heroic interdimensional traveler, until it is revealed that the disasters he helped stop were elaborate illusions of his design. His plan all along was to coerce Peter Parker (Tom Holland) into giving him AI-equipped glasses made by the late Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), who was actually his former boss. However, I can understand wanting to get back at a former employer who took credit for your inventions.

Sebastian Shaw (X-Men: First Class)

Before Magneto became dead set on making mutants Earth's dominant species, the top purveyor of that movement was Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) in 2011's X-Men: First Class. I can admire someone whose main intention is solving the issue with humanity's inherent flaws, but if the method does not involve peace, you are a bad guy in my book.

Poison Ivy (Batman & Robin)

No matter what iteration of Poison Ivy you refer to, the Gotham City criminal's essential goal is to protect the environment, even if that means making humanity suffer. Academy Award nominee Uma Thurman gives one of the more uproarious portrayals of the ecoterrorist in Batman & Robin.

Fans who spent yeas watching the Marvel movies in order have seen a number of thrilling credits scenes introduce new characters... who haven't seen or heard from since. The Marvels was no exception, with Monica seemingly transported into an alternate universe which featured Kelsey Grammer's return as Beast. It seems like the studio has plans for him, thanks to Grammer being one of the many actors who was given a director's chair in this ongoing live stream.

Of course, there's been no official confirmation as to exactly when/how Grammer's Beast will pop back up. Most fans assume this means he'll have a role in Avengers: Doomsday, this technically hasn't been announced. So we're going to have to keep tuning in for more information.

Ever since the MCU's inception, fans have been waiting years for the X-Men to join in on the fun. Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox finally opened the doors for this to happen, and mutants have been slowly trickling into the shared universe. The end of The Marvels offered a connection between the X-Men and the Sacred Timeline, and now it seems that story is going to continue. And with Grammer seemingly reprising his role as Beast again, it would indicate that we'll get even closer to the beloved team of mutants assembling in live-action.

Kelsey Grammer debuted as Beast in The Last Stand, which was the third entry on Fox's X-Men franchise. He got to suit up and do some epic battle, and went through long hours of prosthetics to become the hairy blue mutant we all know and love. While he got a quick cameo in Days of Future Past, he hasn't gotten to really take center stage as his hulking X-Man. Hopefully we'll get to see him do just that in Avengers: Doomsday or whatever project that Marvel studios is currently teasing.

Grammer's return stands out among other recent MCU credits scene character reveals that have gone nowhere (so far). Harry Styles was introduced in Eternals, Charlize Theron had a cameo in Doctor Strange 2, and so on. Grammer's brief appearance in The Marvels pleased longtime fans, and it's a relief that this is one set up that's seemingly being followed through on.

The next MCU movie hitting theaters is Thunderbolts* on May 2nd as part of the 2025 movie release list. Of course, all eyes are on what's happening with Doomsday and Secret Wars.

Anyone paying attention to the moves being made in the Marvel Cinematic Universe knows that then X-Men are coming, and likely will receive their own upcoming Marvel movie. Similar to the way that the MCU plans to put its own unique spin on the mythology of The Fantastic Four this July, Marvel Studios will want to course correct some of the creative decisions made on the X-Men during the Fox era of movies. A lot of that was used for punchline fodder in last summer’s Deadpool and Wolverine. It’s time to get serious.

However, you could also argue that the X-Men have been working their way into the MCU Proper for years now. In addition to the blatantly obvious inclusion of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in a massive MCU blockbuster, we have heard the term “Mutant” being used in previous stories, are about to learn more about Adamantium in Captain America: Brave New World, and had a Beast cameo at the end of 2023’s The Marvels. Nevermind the fact that the X-Men are coming. I’d argue that they’re already here.

And so would Eternals and Captain America: Brave New World producer Nate Moore, one of the key creative voices behind the scenes at Marvel Studios for years. Moore made the press rounds on behalf of Anthony Mackie’s upcoming Captain America film, and when he sat down with CinemaBlend, we asked him about the inclusion of Adamantium in Brave New World, as well as what he wants casual moviegoers to know about the material (which eventually coats the skeleton of Wolverine, making him virtually indestructible). Moore told us:

Marvel absolutely has been building that path through its movies and TV shows. And to their credit, they didn’t immediately throw their newly acquired Fox “toys” into pre-production. There’s a LOT going on in the Marvel Cinematic Universe at the moment, with multiple levels of storytelling needing to play out. Right now, our attention is on the grounded-level heroes, including Captain America (Mackie) and next month’s arrival of Daredevil: Born Again, available with a Disney+ subscription.

Eventually, Marvel will refocus on mutants. Because, as Nate Moore went on to tell CinemaBlend:

Tell that to Blade fans, who have patiently waited for updates on Mahershala Ali’s version of the daywalker, only to be told over and over that the project is getting delayed. But I see that as a good thing. Whether it’s Blade, the X-Men, Nova, The Black Knight, or other heroes Marvel has teased, I’d prefer that the studio waits until they have the right idea, the right script, and the right collaborators. Marvel fans aren’t going anywhere. Take your time. Lay the foundation. Spread the bread crumbs, as Nate Moore says. And in time, we will all feast!

Captain America: Brave New World opens in theaters on February 13, so make sure you have your tickets in hand.

There are some roles so perfect for certain actors that it becomes impossible to see anybody else play the role. Hugh Jackman’s turn as Wolverine has certainly become one of those performances. His unexpected return in Deadpool & Wolverine simply reinforced how great he is in that part. Original X-Men stunt coordinator (and Oscar winner) Ke Huy Quan says Jackman was truly a natural, which is incredible considering he almost didn’t play Wolverine.

Ke Huy Quan is currently starring in his first movie as a leading man in Love Hurts, but for decades the actor wasn’t getting the offers from Hollywood that he clearly should have been. This led him to work behind the camera. Appearing on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Quan talked about working with Hugh Jackman on the original X-Men movie and said he can’t take credit for Jackman’s incredible performance because Jackman took to it all naturally. Quan shared…

Ke Huy Quan was part of the team that choreographed the big action set piece at the end of the first X-Men movie that saw Wolverine fight Mystique. And this meant at points Wolverine was fighting himself. Quan indicates that it was merely a case of teaching Hugh Jackman what the moves would be, because actually performing them wasn’t difficult at all.

Jackman had certainly never done anything quite like playing Wolverine before, but as an accomplished stage actor, his experience as a dancer probably translated over well to learning the choreography for an action sequence.

Jackman’s speed in taking to the role was probably a godsend for the filmmakers, considering Jackman wasn’t supposed to be playing Wolverine at all. Actor Dougray Scott had originally been cast as Wolverine, but the actor had hurt himself during the production of Mission: Impossible 2, so there was a concern that he might have trouble with exactly this sort of physical work. Jackman was brought in at the last minute.

Jackman may have been the second choice to play Wolverine but in the end, he was clearly the right one. The actor's career was made on the back of the mutant, and it's far from certain that the actor is officially done with Wolverine. Jackman actually apologized to Dougray Scott over the circumstances, and one has to imagine that Scott, like many others, have wondered what might have been.

Per online scooper @MyTimeToShineHello (via ComicBookMovie), Marvel Studios is eyeing Javier Bardem to play Sinister in the upcoming Marvel movie. Take this news with a grain of salt for now, but assuming this is legit, it’s also alleged this wouldn’t just be a one-time-only performance from Bardem. Supposedly Sinister is intended to be the big bad in the MCU’s next Saga, so whether Bardem is cast or someone else, this longtime X-Men villain would be sticking around for a while.

Bardem is no stranger to major franchises, having performed in the James Bond flick Skyfall, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Disney’s live-action remake of The Little Mermaid and both Dune movies. It seems like only a matter of time until he leaves his stamp on the superhero genre, and Mister Sinister is definitely a role befitting his talents.

Our own Jason Wiese thought Bardem be a good fit to play Sinister a few years back, mentioning how movies like No Country for Old Men and the aforementioned Skyfall prove how exceptional he is at playing bad guys. So I’m crossing my fingers that Marvel Studios is indeed considering Bardem for Mister Sinister, and I’ll cross them more tightly for him to be cast.

Mister Sinister is one of the few characters who was never adapted during the 20th Century Fox era of X-Men movies. However, there were plans to feature him when that film series was still going, as evidenced by the briefcase in X-Men: Apocalypse’s end-credits scene that belonged to Essex Corp., referring to Sinister’s original name, Nathaniel Essex.

That tease was supposed to set up Channing Tatum’s Gambit movie, which was among the many X-Men projects that was scrapped when Disney acquired. Jon Hamm also confirmed he’d been on deck to portray Sinister in The New Mutants, though no footage of him in character was ever shot.

Last year though, Mister Sinister got some time to shine outside of the comics in X-Men ’97, the continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series that can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription. So the next logical step is to bring this character to the big screen someday, and while we have no idea when the X-Men reboot will be released, I suspect it’s one of the MCU movies scheduled for 2027. Here’s hoping 2025 delivers information that starts to paint a picture of the Marvel movie Michael Lesslie is writing, including if Mister Sinister will be involved.

The much-discussed Captain America: Brave New World is the latest entry on the schedule of upcoming Marvel movies, and it’s set to bring some big changes to Disney’s superhero franchise. While the film mainly revolves around Sam Wilson, it’ll also plant seeds for other corners of the cinematic universe. I’m mainly talking about the X-Men, whose lore is further established in the film. Like so many fans, I find this exciting but, at the same time, it feels like Marvel should give fans more credit when it comes to understanding the mutants.

What Did Captain America: Brave New World’s Co-Producer Say About The Film’s X-Men Ties?

During San Diego Comic-Con 2024 last summer, it was revealed that Cap 4 would have a surprising link to Eternals. That film saw the Celestial Tiamut nearly destroy the Earth as part of the Emergence, before being solidified by Sersei. Now, the imposing being’s frozen body is being harvested for a new substance that’s been dubbed as adamantium. In the comics, said substance is one of the strongest metals in the Marvel universe and is also what Wolverine’s claws are made out of.

Brave New World producer Nate Moore recently discussed the inclusion of the fictional metal in the upcoming superhero movie. Moore confirmed to ComicBook.com that in the context of the film, adamantium contributes to “global power struggles,” which he calls “the story of this movie.” However, the savvy filmmaker and longtime comic book fan also admitted that the inclusion of this famous metal does insist in the studio’s efforts to set up the famous characters created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby decades ago:

Up to this point, the shepherds of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have indeed found ways to subtly place the building blocks of mutant kind. Of course, they’ve also done so in more grandiose ways à la Patrick Stewart’s return as Professor X in Doctor Strange 2 and Beast and Binary’s presence in The Marvels’ mid-credits scene. This is the kind of long-game strategy that’s worked for the Disney-owned studio in the past. However, I’d argue that it may not be as necessary this time around.

Why Marvel’s Mutant Approach Doesn’t Need To Be So Tedious?

Something I’ve found so wonderful about the MCU is that it’s introduced a wide range of superhero characters, concepts and locales to general audiences over the years. Because many of those concepts were foreign to non-comic book readers, they had to be introduced slowly and carefully. One of the biggest examples would be the path to Thanos and the Infinity Gauntlet. However, the IP also built up aspects of the Black Panther franchise over time and, up until recently, Kang the Conqueror was being built up slowly.

I can certainly understand not wanting to integrate the mutants into this continuity abruptly, yet there’s no need to keep the kid gloves on here. At this point, the general public has had access to various X-Men movies for years. That’s why it was such a big deal when Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman reprised his role in 2023’s Deadpool & Wolverine. Considering all of the information present in all of those films, I’d like to think that quite a few people have at least a basic understanding of the mutants and their world.

Think of it like the situation involving Spider-Man, who the MCU didn’t waste time setting up. Additionally, the Fantastic Four haven’t had much groundwork laid out ahead of their latest film, First Steps, possibly due to how familiar people are with them.

Of course, in an entertainment landscape where execs like to jump on an IP as soon as possible, I can see the value in Marvel taking its time when formally re-introducing the X-Men on the silver screen. I just hope the powers that be don’t overexplain the history of the mutants here. In the meantime, I look forward to seeing how adamantium plays into Captain America: Brave New World when it soars into theaters on February 14 as part of the 2025 movie schedule.

Robert De Niro (Cape Fear)

One thing that makes the 1991 remake of Cape Fear one of the most amusing Martin Scorsese/Robert De Niro collaborations is the actor's approach to playing Max Cady. The Academy Award-winning Italian-American dons a thick, over-the-top Southern accent but is still no less chilling as the sadistic, recently released convict seeking revenge on the defense attorney (Nick Nolte) who put him away.

Lupita Nyong'o (Us)

One of the scariest modern horror movie villains is Red (Lupita Nyong'o) from writer and director Jordan Peele's 2019 sophomore feature, Us. The Academy Award winner brilliantly differentiates the vengeful, "tethered" person from her above-ground double, Adelaide, and gives her an even more unsettling presence, with a raspy voice inspired by a condition called spasmodic dysphonia, which inhibits airflow and is commonly a symptom of traumatic experiences.

Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)

As he would with any other role, Daniel Day-Lewis went to great lengths to become the sixteenth President of the United States for his Oscar-winning performance in Steven Spielberg's 2012 biopic, Lincoln. He even made sure to match Honest Abe's voice, which was high-pitched and reedy (according to the Library of Congress), as opposed to the low bellow many previous portrayals mistakenly attempted.

Mel Blanc (Looney Tunes)

To this day, it is almost shocking to learn that most of the original Looney Tunes characters were brought to life by just one actor. Until he passed away in 1989, Mel Blanc provided the diverse voices of Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, and plenty more favorites under the Warner Bros. animation umbrella.

Austin Butler (Elvis)

The key to portraying Elvis Presley is nailing his distinct Southern drawl, which Austin Butler went to great lengths to perfect when he was cast as the influential musician in Baz Luhrmann's 2022 biopic. The work he put into the voice seemed to have a lasting effect on the actor, whom audiences could not help but notice continued to speak in the same accent during public appearances.

Seth MacFarlane (Various)

In addition to being one of the creative forces behind two of TV's longest-running hit animated shows for grown-ups, Seth MacFarlane is also responsible for bringing many of their most important characters to life. He voices Peter, Stewie, and Quagmire on Family Guy and plays Stan and Roger on American Dad – all of whom require him to be completely unrecognizable, while Family Guy's Brian is no different from his real voice.

Catherine O’Hara (Schitt's Creek)

What makes Moira Rose (Catherine O'Hara) one of the funniest characters on Schitt's Creek is the way she pronounces certain words with her over-the-top, posh accent. Classic examples include "baby" (beh-beh) and "enchiladas" (ahn-chuh-lah-dahs).

Jim Carrey (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

It is still sometimes hard to believe that it is Jim Carrey playing the title role in Ron Howard's live-action adaptation of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas from 2000. Not only is he covered head-to-toe with green skin and matching fur in the Christmas movie classic but the comedic mastermind disguises his voice with an accent that earned comparisons to Sean Connery, as he told Entertainment Weekly.

Eddie Murphy (Coming To America)

Eddie Murphy started a career staple of playing multiple roles in the same movie with 1988's Coming to America. He dons an African accent to play Prince Akeem and brings his voice to higher octaves as Randy Watson and Clarence, but he undergoes the most intensive alteration of both his appearance and voice when playing elderly barber shop patron, Saul.

Heath Ledger (The Dark Knight)

The Dark Knight is a superhero movie that won Oscars for Sound Editing and for Heath Ledger's astonishing, transformative performance as The Joker. No matter how many times you watch Christopher Nolan's acclaimed 2008 sequel to Batman Begins, it is always shocking to hear that wheezy, menacing voice coming from the late Australian actor.

Dan Castellaneta (The Simpsons)

If you have ever seen any of comedian Dan Castellaneta's live-action acting credits, it might shock you to learn that his most famous role is Homer Simpson. However, the Simpsons cast member provides the voice of plenty more characters than the infantile, Duff-swilling family man, including Grampa Simpson, Krusty the Clown, and Groundskeeper Willie.

Bill Skarsgård (Nosferatu)

Bill Skarsgård is no stranger to dramatically altering his appearance and his voice for the sake of scaring the living daylights out of audiences, having played Pennywise in back-to-back creepy clown movies, It and It Chapter Two. However, his transformation into Count Orlok for Robert Eggers' 2024 reimagining of Nosferatu was an even more challenging process, requiring a month-and-a-half of vocal training to perfect the vampire's dread-inducing growl.

Joaquin Phoenix (Walk The Line)

Joaquin Phoenix did all of his own singing when portraying Johnny Cash in James Mangold's acclaimed music biopic, 2005's Walk the Line. While appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien that year, the future Oscar winner told the late night talk show host that he worked with a dialect coach to replicate the Man in Black's deep baritone voice as authentically as possible.

Amanda Seyfried (The Dropout)

For her Emmy-winning performance on the Hulu original true crime miniseries, The Dropout, Amanda Seyfried had the challenge of imitating the infamous low voice of Elizabeth Holmes, the founder and CEO of the fraudulent blood-testing company Theranos.

Hugh Jackman (X-Men)

Many have been shocked to learn that Hugh Jackman is an Australian as his most famous role is the Canadian-native, Adamantium-clawed mutant, Wolverine. Of course, the Tony winner does more than just drop his natural accent for the X-Men movies but also incorporates a deep, nigh-animalistic growl.

Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine)

When Stephanie Beatriz debuted in the Brooklyn Nine-Nine cast, she used her natural, higher-tone voice to play Det. Rosa Diaz. However, over time, the character's voice became progressively deeper until the actor settled on a low, more gruff tone that better suited the cop's hard-edged exterior.

Christian Bale (The Dark Knight Trilogy)

To play the lead in Christopher Nolan's beloved live-action Batman movies, Christian Bale pulled double-duty on changing his voice. In addition to dropping his Welsh accent when appearing as Bruce Wayne, he adopted a gravelly, identity-concealing growl when patrolling Gotham as the Dark Knight.

Kristen Stewart (Spencer)

Kristen Stewart did more to earn her Academy Award nomination for portraying Princess Diana in the 2021 biopic, Spencer, than donning a blonde hairdo and an English accent. The actor revealed to Howard Stern that she went so far as to dramatically evolve her vocal inflection by opening her mouth more widely than she normally would and, as a result, practically altered her physical appearance in the film.

Phil LaMarr (The Adventures Of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius)

Prolific voice actor Phil LaMarr, in addition to his transformative characters as a MADtv cast member, has made himself unrecognizable for countless iconic animated roles, such as John "Green Lantern" Stewart on Justice League or the title hero of Samurai Jack. However, no blip on his resume is nearly as surprising as the recurring role of foreign exchange student Bolbi Stroganofsky on Nickelodeon's The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series)

There are two different kinds of Mark Hamill fans. There are those who know the actor as Luke Skywalker from the Star Wars movies and then there are those who know him as The Joker on Batman: The Animated Series and many subsequent animated Batman movies. The voice he puts on for the role – a wonderful mix of comically over-the-top theatrics and scintillating intimidation – has been recognized as the definitive portrayal of the Clown Prince of Crime in the eyes of many DC fans.

Robin Williams (Popeye)

Robin Williams proved that he was the perfect choice to lead director Robert Altman's live-action adaptation of the Popeye comic strip. He matched the brave, spinach-swilling sailor's fast-paced growl, as originated by voice actor Billy Costello, to a tee in the 1980 film.

Maggie Wheeler (Friends)

Maggie Wheeler stole the show from the Friends cast with her recurring role as Janice Hosenstein, who was famous for her signature catchphrase, "Oh. My. GAWWWWWD!" What sold the character was her thick, nasally Brooklyn accent, which the actor came up with when she auditioned to play the character, as she revealed to Access Hollywood.

Idris Elba (Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom)

Idris Elba earned rave reviews for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in the Oscar-nominated 2013 biopic, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Being raised by West African immigrants helped the English-born actor develop an appropriate dialect to play the influential South African President, as he revealed to Oprah Winfrey.

Mia Goth (X)

Mia Goth played dual roles in Ti West's acclaimed A24 horror movie, 2022's X – both of which required her to conceal her mousy English accent. She spoke with a raspy Southern drawl as young aspiring starlet Maxine Minx and sounded similar, but significantly aged up, when playing homicidal elder, Pearl.

Megan Mullally (Will & Grace)

Megan Mullally absolutely earned her two Emmy Award wins for her committed performance as Karen Walker on the classic TV sitcom, Will & Grace. The key to the spoiled socialite's scene-stealing presence was her ear-piercing voice, which truly sounds nothing like the actor in real life.

Ana De Armas (Blonde)

Cuban-born actor Ana de Armas is known for having a strong accent, which she concealed in order to portray Marilyn Monroe in Blonde. Her commitment to matching the Hollywood icon's dialect in the 2022 Netflix original biopic would earn her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role.

Billy West (Various)

Billy West could be called the Mel Blanc of his generation as he can claim to have played about as many memorable animated characters as the iconic voice actor behind much of the Looney Tunes line-up did. To list just a few of West's best-known credits, he was both of the title characters from The Ren & Stimpy Show, took over as Popeye at one time, led Futurama as Fry, and plenty more.

Nicole Kidman (Being The Ricardos)

Nicole Kidman's Academy Award-nominated portrayal of Lucille Ball in 2021's Being the Ricardos was achieved with more than just makeup. The actor shed her Australian accent and added a smokiness to match the I Love Lucy star's natural voice but was also challenged to imitate the more high-pitched tone of the comedy icon's onscreen alter ego.

Melissa Rauch (The Big Bang Theory)

Dr. Bernadette Maryann Rostenkowski-Wolowitz easily boasts one of the most impossibly high-pitched voices in sitcom history. However, The Big Bang Theory cast member Melissa Rauch actually sounds nothing like Howard Wolowitz's bride, yet maintained the façade convincingly for 10 seasons on the hit CBS comedy.

Chris Pratt (The Super Mario Bros. Movie)

Despite making "total sense" to the directors of Illumination's The Super Mario Bros. Movie, fans of the original Nintendo video game series had some initial hesitation over Chris Pratt's casting as the older Mario brother. However, the actor wisely avoided the plumber's stereotypical Italian dialect from the games in favor of a Brooklyn accent that effectively masked his natural voice.

Robert Pattinson (Mickey 17)

Robert Pattinson plays the title role of Bong Joon-ho's 2024 sci-fi comedy Mickey 17 with an entirely unrecognizable and, admittedly, kind of goofy voice. According to IndieWire, the English actor based the voice for his "expendable" character and his many clones off of comedian Steve-O.

Johnny Depp (Charlie And The Chocolate Factory)

Say what you want about Tim Burton's 2005 adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory but you have to admit that Johnny Depp did try something amusing with the role of Willy Wonka. To play the eccentric chocolatier, he adopted a high-pitched wheeze that almost makes you question if it really is the same guy who played Capt. Jack Sparrow under that top hat.

The X-Men movie has not been dated yet, though given the return of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine and Kelsey Grammer’s Beast, a full team movie seems to be on the horizon. And on the Internet, I keep seeing calls for one-time Disney Channel star and current music sensation Miley Cyrus to take over the part of Rogue in a live-action X-Men movie.

And I think she’d be perfect.

Some Marvel heroes are blank canvases on which anyone can paint. Captain America could have been played a few different ways, and still conveyed the gist of the character. The X-Men are not that way. Each mutant hero on the team comes with his or her own unique personalities and quirks – Rogue, specifically. She’s powerful, but sensitive. She’s headstrong, and sassy. She SOUNDS a specific way, and Miley Cyrus captures that with her raspy voice, Southern lilt, and fierce delivery. It’s like Keith Urban said about Miley Cyrus one time: Her voice sounds like an ashtray, and that’s a compliment. Voice actor Lenore Zann nailed it in the animated X-Men ‘97. These clips give me severe Miley Cyrus vibes.

Maybe it’s because she was Hannah Montana, or part of the High School Musical series, or the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, so people don’t want to take Miley Cyrus seriously. She certainly marches to the beat of her own drum, and generates headlines for her fashion choices and general celebrity exploits. But were she to commit to a major Hollywood role, I think she’d be magnificent as Rogue. She has a confidence, an attitude, and a sass that fits Rogue to a tee.

One other thing going in Cyrus’s corner? She’s 32. That’s the ideal age for a franchise trying to cast up, because Marvel Studios will want their actors to stay in character for at least a decade, if not longer. The MCU can’t keep relying on 59-year-old Robert Downey Jr., 76-year-old Samuel L. Jackson, 56-year-old Hugh Jackman, or even 43-year-old Chris Evans to bear the weight of the comic universe. It’s time for younger blood. I think we are poised to see it when the new X-Men of the MCU are united. And I’d personally love to see Miley Cyrus in the Rogue role, as several Marvel fans have lobbied.

We are weeks away from the next MCU movie reaching theaters, when Captain America: Brave New World opens everywhere on February 14, so get your tickets.

When Erivo attended the 2025 National Board of Review Awards on Tuesday in New York, she was asked if she had another dream role in mind after the release date for the second Wicked movie ends her journey as Elphaba later this year. Check out her response (via X):

While on the red carpet of the event, where Wicked won Best Film, Erivo didn’t bat an eye over her pick for the next “dream role”. While Erivo is still best known for her work in Broadway and musical theatre, she’s putting it out in the universe that she would love to join the Marvel universe to play Ororo Munroe, a.k.a. Storm.

The comic book character has been around in the comics since 1975, when she was created by writer Len Wein and artist Dave Cockrum. Many actors would love to be part of the Marvel universe due to how high-profile it is (or perhaps how awesome the costume is), but Erivo would want to take on the role to explore the unique “inner turmoil” Storm goes through as a mutant. Hear that, Marvel? It’s time to see the actress defy gravity once again, but as a mutant!

Halle Berry was the first actress to play the character in a movie, and while she was rumored to be in Deadpool & Wolverine, the actress said she was never officially asked to reprise the role. After her, Alexandra Shipp played a younger Storm in X-Men: Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix, but we imagine the MCU would like to cast another Storm to reboot the franchise for a new generation.

If Erivo did get the role, it would share some DNA with Elphaba/The Wicked Witch since Storm comes from a long line of African witch-priestesses. She, of course, has the ability to control the weather and is thought to be one of the most powerful Marvel characters, as well as a fan-favorite to many.

Hopefully Cynthia Erivo just manifested herself a Marvel role! You can check out what upcoming X-Men movies and TV shows are coming up here on CinemaBlend.

Both Halle Berry and Nicholas Hoult were part of Fox’s X-Men franchise, though they were from two different generations. Berry played Storm in the original trilogy, while Hoult appeared as Beast in the prequel series that started with X-Men: First Class. Both actors did appear in X-Men: Days of Future Past however, and while they were never on set together, Hoult tells W Magazine that he met the actress, who he called his “celebrity crush” during the press for the film. She left him starstruck, as he explained…

Honestly, I’m not sure anybody could blame Nicholas Hoult. Halle Berry is one of those stars that I think would stun most of us who don’t know her, even if she wasn’t already your celebrity crush growing up. Just being in the same movie with her had to be pretty impressive, even before he had a chance to meet her.

Of course, Nicholas Hoult is a movie star in his own right, and one has to believe others would be just as impressed with meeting him. The actor related another experience when he met Sharon Stone, who might not have been starstruck by him. Still, she was very happy to have met him, as she told him she thought he was great, a compliment that Hoult said made his night. He said…

Anybody who doesn’t know how incredibly Nicholas Hoult is will likely find out very soon. A lot of people will likely see him in the Superman cast as Lex Luthor. If I get to interview him when the time comes, you can be sure I’ll be at least a little starstruck.

Perhaps Nicholas Hoult and Halle Berry will work together again in an upcoming Marvel movie. The future of the X-Men in the MCU is still unclear, so it's possible they could both still reprise their roles at some point. One assumes Hoult wouldn't mind meeting Halle Berry again.

The X-Men are no strangers to animation, and the recent X-Men ‘97, available with a Disney+ subscription, reminded us just how great the team works in that medium. However, somebody decided to take things a step further and used AI to generate a look at several of the X-Men if they were drawn in the style of Disney animation characters, posting the results to Instagram, and considering Beast looks like he came right out of The Lion King, I’d say it works.

In addition, all the female characters have faces that resemble princesses from the Disney Renaissance movies. Rogue looks like Ariel, and Mystique is giving me “What if Belle was purple?” vibes. It's kind of cool.

Seriously though, the AI version who really looks like he was pulled from a Disney movie is Beast, who’s basically a bipedal blue Simba. It’s a take on the character that certainly works, though I’m not aware of a version of Beast that was given a feline design, so honestly I suppose it doesn’t feel quite true to the character. I still enjoy it from a fan perspective, however.

There are some other interesting takes. Nightcrawler has more of a “Disney Villain” vibe going than Magneto does. Gambit has the Disney Prince thing going on so well that he looks exceedingly generic. Cyclops and Wolverine at least have something more going on in the style department.

AI “art” gets a lot of (probably justified) criticism, but for stuff like this, it can be pretty fun. Like seeing the characters from The Boys recreated in Pixar's style.

The only Marvel characters that we ever truly got the “Disney version” of were the members of Big Hero 6. And since these artistic renderings are inspired by Disney’s 2D art, and Big Hero 6 was a 3D animated film, they honestly don’t look like they belong together.

Technically speaking, the real “Disney version” of the X-Men will come when they officially join the MCU in an upcoming Marvel movie. It will be the first time Disney, via Marvel Studios, takes their first stab at a version of the team that will be entirely generated under Disney. It should certainly be interesting.

The X-Men movies had a long run, with two generations of actors playing certain roles. Mutant characters have been slowly trickling into the MCU (like in The Marvels' credits scene) but it's been unclear when the X-Men will actually assemble on the big screen. Tye Sheridan played Scott Summers in the final two chapters of Fox's franchise, and spoke with ScreenRant about whether or not he think he'll be back in that role. In the 28 year-old actor's words:

Honestly, this makes sense. Despite being Cyclops himself, it sound like Sheridan is just as clueless as the public about exactly how the X-Men will factor into the MCU. What's more, the Ready Player One actor is unsure if the stories have run their course with the previous cast of X-Men actors.

While the MCU X-Men movie is a total mystery, Kevin Feige and company have been methodically bringing in characters from that team's lore throughout projects on the small and silver screens. Patrick Stewart appeared briefly in Doctor Strange 2 as Professor X, while Kelsey Grammer appeared as Beast in The Marvels. Of course, the strongest connection has been through Hugh Jackman returning as Logan in Deadpool & Wolverine, joined by a number of other X-Men character variants.

The wild success of X-Men '97 showed how much fans love the characters in that corner of the Marvel world, so whenever the X-Men appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe there will definitely be people paying attention. Tye Sheridan felt like he was finally getting his footing as Scott Summers in Dark Phoenix, but that ended up being the final chapter in Fox's franchise. He's still young enough to keep playing the character, but it's unclear what Kevin Feige has planned for the mutants.

The next MCU movie hitting theaters is Captain America: Brave New World on February 14th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

That’s why it’s worth subscribing to Marvel Unlimited, an online service that allows you to read more than 30,000 comics that Marvel has published over the decades. One can also stay somewhat current on newer comics with Unlimited, as newer single issues are added to the service three months after their initial release. One can pay for Unlimited either monthly or on an annual basis, but it’d be advisable for any who hasn’t subscribed yet to go with the latter type of plan, as there’s a great deal being offered.

By using the code MUCYBER24, one can get the first year of a standard annual Marvel Unlimited subscription for $45 rather than the standard $69. In other words, you’ll be paying $24 less for your first 12 months of delving into the Marvel stories of your choosing. This offer expires on December 5 at 11:59 pm ET, so hop on this deal now before it goes away.

So for the low cost of $45 for your first year, you can scour your way through the extensive Marvel Comics library to your heart’s content. Maybe you’d like to read some of the storylines that inspired the Avengers movies or any of the other MCU stories you’ve liked. Maybe you’d like to do a deep dive on the X-Men ahead of the new version of the mutant superhero team debuting in the franchise in the coming years. Or maybe you don’t have an MCU-related reason for wanting to subscribe, and simply would like to take in the printed page exploits of characters like Spider-Man, Hulk, the Fantastic Four and many, many more. With Marvel Unlimited, you can do that, and for a much cheaper price than usual, so grab it while you can.

As far as upcoming Marvel movies and upcoming Marvel TV shows go, next up in the former category is Captain America: Brave New World, which opens February 14 on the 2025 movies schedule. In the latter category, along with animated offerings like What If… ? Season 3 and Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man arriving later this month and in January, respectively, Daredevil: Born Again will be the next of the MCU’s live-action TV shows, premiering March 4 on the 2025 TV schedule.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been going strong now (both in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription), and is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. Ever since Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, fans have been waiting for the X-Men to pop up in an upcoming Marvel movie. Kevin Feige recently revealed when that team of mutants will join, and buckle up.

Over the past few years we've seen some X-Men characters appear in the MCU, including Hugh Jackman's return as Logan in Deadpool & Wolverine. But fans who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order are ready for the full team to show up on the big screen. While speaking at the Disney APAC Showcase (via Deadline), he offered timeline for when we'll see the team of mutants assembled. As he put it:

There you have it. It sounds like Feige and company have a plan for the X-Men movie, but it'll seemingly be after Avengers: Secrets Wars hits theaters. Although to keep fans satiated, we will see some X-Men characters pop up in projects first. I'm looking at you Avengers: Doomsday.

While fans will have to continue being patient while waiting for the X-Men to show up in their full glory in the MCU, we will be getting some familiar faces from the lore. I assume he's referencing Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, especially given the record-breaking success of Deadpool & Wolverine. Given this, it would make sense for those two title characters to appear in the next two Avengers flicks.

Another X-Men character fans are hoping to see return with The Russo Brothers' pair Avengers movies is definitely Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch. Despite her apparent death during Doctor Strange 2's ending, she remains a wildly popular character. And calls for her return have only increased since Agatha All Along aired.

A few other notable connection to the X-Men have occurred in recent MCU projects. That includes Ms. Marvel being confirmed as a mutant, as well as The Marvels' credits scene with Beast.

Since we're in the multiverse saga, it seems like just about anything could happen in the MCU nowadays. But it seems like fans should stop holding their collective breaths until after the next two Avengers movies hit theaters.

The next Marvel movie hitting theaters is Captain America: Brave New World on February 14th. For now, check the 2025 movie release dates.

At this stage in the game, there is a solid mix of things that we know and don’t know about the X-Men and other mutants in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, so while we wait for the picture to further clarify, we’ve put together this guide. We’ll continue to update this feature as things develop and new details are announced, but for now, here’s what we know so far about the MCU X-Men movie.

The MCU X-Men Movie Release Date

There presently is no X-Men movie to be found on the Marvel Cinematic Universe release calendar. There are six films with established dates set to arrive in theaters between now and summer 2027, and there is zero specific indication that we will be getting a new MCU X-Men movie in that time span. At least for now, the upcoming films include:

• Captain America: Brave New World in February 2025
• Thunderbolts* in May 2025
• The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July 2025
• Avengers: Doomsday in May 2026
• Untitled Spider-Man 4 in July 2026
• Avengers: Secret Wars in May 2027

While fans will have to wait to see the live-action MCU X-Men, there are a couple of upcoming Marvel TV shows featuring mutant characters – including the final run of What If…? and new seasons of X-Men ’97.

The MCU X-Men Movie Director

With the MCU X-Men movie currently existing more as a behind-the-scenes idea than an officially announced project, it won’t surprise anyone reading this to read that there is currently no director attached to make the film. There have been some shaky online rumors suggesting Jordan Peele has met with Marvel Studios to discuss ideas, but neither party has confirmed whether or not that meeting ever happened, let alone that the subject of conversation was the proper introduction of mutants in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Because so little is known about how Marvel Studios will eventually approach the first MCU X-Men movie, it’s impossible to say what kind of director will ultimately take the helm of the film. It’s possible that they could try and reach out to standout auteur filmmakers to take on the vital assignment, or the blockbuster might end up in the hands of an up-and-comer (Jon Watts made Spider-Man: Homecoming as his third feature, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps will be director Matt Shakman’s second).

X-Men Characters We Have Seen In Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies

As of 2024, the canon Marvel Cinematic Universe – known in-world as Earth-616 – has not been led by any X-Men characters… but that’s not the same thing as saying zero X-Men characters have appeared in Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. Thanks to universe-hoping antics in recent films, some special heroes have appeared within the franchise:

Professor X

In Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, the titular sorcerer is taken by America Chavez to Earth-838, and part of his time there is spent pleading a case in front of a powerful panel called the Illuminati. One member of this group is Professor Charles Xavier (played by Patrick Stewart), though he is eventually killed when he engages in a psychic battle with the Scarlet Witch and gets his neck snapped.

Beast

After Monica Rambeau gets trapped in an alternate universe at the end of The Marvels, she wakes up in a hospital bed and is shocked to be face-to-face with her mother – but what Marvel fans really love about the end credits scene is that it features the return of Dr. Hank McCoy a.k.a. Beast in his full blue, furry glory (and the voice of Kelsey Grammer, who previously played the role in X-Men: The Last Stand).

Deadpool

We’re playing a bit loose with the definition of “X-Men characters” here, as Deadpool isn’t really best known for being a part of the famous mutant team, but he has been affiliated with the group, so he is being counted. Wade Wilson, played by Ryan Reynolds, makes a brief stop in Earth-616 at the start of Deadpool & Wolverine, but the vast majority of the film is set in the X-Men universe (a.k.a. Earth-10005) and the barren dimension known as The Void.

Wolverine

Hugh Jackman made his big comeback as Logan a.k.a. Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine, but his future playing the character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is underdetermined (despite insistence by Deadpool throughout the movie that Marvel will have the Australian actor playing the part until he is 90 years old). At the end of the film, Wolverine is featured going in Earth-10005, and we don’t yet know if he will ever get to Earth-616.

Gambit

Channing Tatum spent years and years trying to develop a solo Gambit movie, and while that film never got on its feet, the actor did finally get the chance to play the character in Deadpool & Wolverine. The titular anti-heroes meet the card-throwing Cajun while they are stuck in the Void, and they team up with him (alongside some other big screen Marvel rejects) to try and defeat Emma Corrin’s Cassandra Nova.

Existing Mutants In The Marvel Cinematic Universe

Just because Earth-616 doesn’t feature any proper X-Men characters yet doesn’t mean that it isn’t completely without mutants. In this space, we’ll keep track of all the characters in the canon who have been specifically identified as Homo superior.

Kamala Khan a.k.a. Ms. Marvel

As things presently stand, the only known mutant character in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Kamala Khan a.k.a. Ms. Marvel – played by Iman Vellani. It is established in the finale of the Ms. Marvel Disney+ series that her powers come from a mutant gene, and the revelation was paired with a musical queue familiar to fans of X-Men: The Animated Series.

How The X-Men Could Factor Into Avengers: Secret Wars

At present, nothing is known about the plot of Avengers: Secret Wars – but given comic book history, there is a possibility that the film will involve X-Men characters in some way. This is total speculation, but we’re gonna let it rip anyway:

In the 2015 Secret Wars event published by Marvel Comics, the main Marvel Universe is destroyed when it quite literally collides with an alternate canon known as the Ultimate Universe. Following the events of Deadpool & Wolverine, it’s not wholly inconceivable that the Marvel Cinematic Universe will pull off something very similar on the big screen and have the MCU end up crashing together with Earth-10005.

Whether or not this is used as a path to introduce a new version to the MCU is something we may not know until summer 2027.

How To Watch The Previous X-Men Movies

Watching all of the X-Men movies is not a hard thing to do in the 2020s, as there are many potential avenues to go with. If you have a Disney+ subscription, you’re just a few clicks away from watching all of the movies in the X-Men timeline right now. This list includes:

• X-Men (2000)
• X2: X-Men United (2003)
• X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
• X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
• X-Men: First Class (2011)
• The Wolverine (2013)
• X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014)
• Deadpool (2016)
• X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
• Logan (2017)
• Deadpool 2 (2018)
• X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)
• The New Mutants (2020)

For physical media fans, all of the movies are available for purchase on 4K UHD and Blu-ray (the original trilogy is collected as a box set), and all of the titles can also be found from digital retailers for rent and purchase.

It hopefully won’t be too long before more information is made available about the future of the X-Men in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (perhaps at San Diego Comic-Con 2025?), but you can be sure that we’ll have all of the biggest news about the project for you here on CinemaBlend as it arrives online.

Superhero Media Deserves More Native American Representation

November is Native American Heritage Month, and this time last year, my colleague Mick Joest wrote about nine Native American superheroes who need to be spotlighted in movies and TV. That included Forge, who is of the Cheyenne Nation, but let’s be real, Native Americans deserve a lot more representation in this genre space. The best way to go about doing this is to create new characters, and then the next best thing is to provide more platforms for existing characters to shine.

Forge was created by Chris Claremont and John Romita Jr., and he debuted in 1984’s The Uncanny X-Men #184. So as of this writing, he’s been around for 40 years, and yet Forge is definitely not on the same level of popularity as folks of various characters who’ve come after him, like Gambit and Cable. That’s not to say that Forge will ever necessarily become as recognizable as them, but giving him a bigger role in X-Men ’97 Season 2 will at least help with getting more viewers interested in him. If anything, maybe that can help pave the way for Forge to be featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe someday.

Forge And Storm Make A Great Pairing

Both present-day and alternate timeline versions of Forge appeared in X-Men: The Animated Series, and the former came into the X-Men ’97 picture in an adaptation of the “Lifedeath” storyline. He introduced himself to Storm and told her he could restore her powers after they were drained by X-Cutioner. It didn’t take long for romance to blossom between the two, although their relationship hit a hitch when Storm learned that Forge designed the technology used in the mutant inhibitor collars and the weapon that X-Cutioner used on Storm. It’s no wonder she was so angry at him.

Nevertheless, they ultimately came back together, with Storm’s powers reawakening while she was battling with The Adversary and trying to cure Forge of the poison that was coursing through his body. Forge accompanied Storm back to the X-Men and helped them in their fight against Bastion. Unfortunately, Forge is now separated from Storm (more on that in a little bit), but I enjoyed their chemistry so much in Season 1 that I’m eager for them to share more scenes together.

We Need To See Forge Make More Cool Gadgets

Forge is a mutant who has intuitive talent for creating and understanding mechanical devices. So if you need someone to design a gadget that’s necessary to save the day or study a strange machine encountered during a mission, Forge is your guy! In addition to the devices mentioned in the previous section, he also designed his own mechanical arm and leg, and can frequently be seen wielding some kind of elaborate firearm of his own making. Combined with his own natural scientific and mechanical knowledge, it’s safe to say he’s one of the smartest people on Earth.

Forge is also capable of spell casting thanks to his knowledge of Native American magic, which he broke out when The Adversary emerged, but it’s through his mechanical know-how that he shines best. So when X-Men ’97 Season 2 rolls around, let’s see him design more cool gadgets for him, or one of the other X-Men to use, whether it’s a weapon, some mode of transportation or anything in between. Sometimes it’s cool to see an adversary vanquished by something besides pure brute force.

Forge May Hold The Key To Retrieving The Time-Displaced X-Men

In the X-Men ’97 Season 1 finale, most of the starring protagonists were sent back to either ancient Egypt in 3000 B.C. or the far-flung future of 3960 A.D., although Storm, Wolverine and Morph’s whereabout remain officially unknown. Bishop, who was last seen taking baby Nathan Summers to the future to find a cure for his techno-organic virus, approached Forge six months after the battle with Bastion and told him that the X-Men were not in fact dead, but trapped in time. Oh yeah, I like the sound of these two teaming up.

Bishop, who was friends with a future version of Forge, may know his way around time travel, but if he went out of his way to meet up with present day Forge, then it’s a good bet that he needs the Native American superhero’s help to track down their comrades. That leads me to think Forge holds the key to retrieve them from the past and future, namely be finding a way to combine Bishop’s time travel technology with whatever he thinks up in his head to either create a more sophisticated method of time travel or perhaps make some kind of tracking device (assuming that the other X-Men don’t find a way to accomplish this themselves in their respective time periods). Either way, I hope this equals Forge getting more screen time in Season 2, as we’d need to follow along with his progress.

We’re a long ways off from X-Men ’97 Season 2 premiering on Disney+, but fans can take comfort knowing that along with that batch of episodes on the way, Season 3 is also in development. Feel free to look over the other best Disney+ shows available to stream now or keep looking to the future with our guide of upcoming Marvel TV shows.

Since 2019's Avengers: Endgame, there have been numerous references and cameos to the X-Men that have been sprinkled across major MCU entries. Deadpool & Wolverine is the most recent instance of such a production with connections to the mutants. Amid Disney's D23 Brazil Expo, Kevin Feige spoke with Omelete (via ComicBook.com) during which shared some insight into some future productions. Of which, he talked briefly about the X-Men, and their future within the MCU. Feige was quoted saying:

Since the MCU’s newest entries have been focusing more and more about the multiverse, fans have been theorizing that it could lead to some kind of reboot for the X-Men franchise. That would make a lot of sense, especially since the X-related characters we've seen thus far have hailed from alternate universes. It'd be great if Kevin Feige had dropped a few more specifics but, at the very least, it sounds like we could see more mutants appear in the lead-up to 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars.

The inclusion of the X characters so far has been interesting, to say the least. For instance, in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, a Professor X variant appeared as a member of the Illuminati. The mid-credits scene of The Marvels also revealed the Beast and Binary, as Monica Rambeau found herself in an alternate dimension. And, as previously alluded to, the cameo-filled Deadpool & Wolverine featured the titular clawed mutant as well as X-23, Gambit and more.

Even though the beloved mutants have yet to play a massive role in the live-action realm, Marvel Studios has been giving them their time to shine in the realm of animation. The key way in which that's happened has been through X-Men '97 (which is available to stream with a Disney+ subscription). On top of that, Storm was just revealed to be appearing on the upcoming third season of What If...?

As Kevin Feige and co. continue to balance all the MCU releases coming down the pike, I'm confident that Charles Xavier and his band of heroes will take center stage sooner rather than later. Being patient is hard but, hopefully, it'll all be well worth the wait.

What you can look forward to film-wise in the immediate future is the release of Captain America: Brave New World, which opens in theaters on February 14 as part of the 2025 movie schedule.

Marvel Animation's critically acclaimed show X-Men ‘97 is a continuation of the classic show that debuted in 1992. With that, the characters sport their classic costumes. A.J. LoCascio took to Instagram recently, to share how he recreated Remy LeBeau's signature gear after nearly two years, and I really need this in my closet:

As a fan, I not only appreciate the costume but another gracious act on the voice actors' part. He was ultimately kind enough to share where each piece came from, so we at home can try and make our own. (Though one of the pieces might be too original for the average fan to get.)

The full fit check includes: a chest piece that A.J. LoCascio himself 3D sculpted, printed and resin cast. There are also handmade leather boots, a jacket from Amazon and props from Etsy. A week prior to dropping the post above, LoCascio shared the completion of the chest piece, which looks phenomenal:

The fact that most of this cosplay is handmade, either by the star himself or by other independent artists, is so insanely cool. As a former cosplayer and Gambit fan myself, it’s a serious need, though I’m not nearly as skilled to make my own custom 3D-printed chest piece. So Amazon might be my prime (no pun intended) option. But, in short, kudos to the Dawn of the Croods star for putting all of this together, as it arguably rivals even Channing Tatum's Gambit outfit from Deadpool & Wolverine.

A.J. LoCascio’s love for his character is definitely infectious, as fans hyped up the card-wielding Cajun Gambit throughout X-Men '97's first season. Those who watched the episode surely know that the character has incredibly tragic arc, which truly comes to fruition in the episode "Remember It."

Following the tragic twist in that installment, the character's future on the show remains somewhat ambiguous. However, an Apocalypse theory could illuminate just what lies ahead for Remy. I'm curious to see what happens there but, in the meantime, I'm down to see more cosplay from A.J. LoCascio and fans, too!

An official release date for the second season of X-Men '97 has yet to be announced. In the meantime, though, you can stream the adventures of Gambit and his cohorts in Season 1 using a Disney+ subscription. Also, be sure to read up on upcoming Marvel shows.

Lupita Nyong’o made a name for herself in the MCU playing a key role in the first Black Panther movie as T’Challa’s love interest Nakia and reprised the role in the sequel Wakanda Forever. While we know she can kick ass playing the War Dogs member, I can imagine her being a real force to be reckoned with playing Storm. If you want more proof of how awesome that would be, the Oscar-winning actress showed off what an excellent X-Men mutant she’d be dressing up as Storm for Halloween and now I have a new fan-casting request!

Celebrities really brought their A-game with great costumes for Halloween this year like Selena Gomez and Benny Blanco as Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter and Sophie Turner going full Matrix. And we can’t forget about Heidi Klum (who always puts effort into her Halloween costumes) dressed as E.T. But one Halloween costume that’s giving me major fan-casting vibes is seeing Lupita Nyong’o dressed as X-Men’s Storm at the opening of the Off-Broadway musical Teeth. Take a look at this chilling Instagram video of her below and I dare you to tell me she can’t pull off the Marvel character next:

Lupita Nyong’o’s mystifying video shows her washing her hands while slaying in her Storm costume. That black velvet tuxedo jacket, her white hairpiece, and those long, white nails show she’s not a superhero to mess with. Plus, those sold white contacts are a super scary nice touch to the whole ensemble. Even with a task as simple as washing her hands on her night off, the MCU actress still knows how to get into character.

I’ve got to say that the idea of Lupita Nyong’o being the next Storm for the MCU would be perfect. While Halle Berry and Alexandra Shipp did a great job portraying the weather-channeling mutant, the Us actress would surely achieve the same results. It never made sense to me why Storm was always pushed aside as a side character. Considering she can control Mother Nature, an element considered beyond control by any means, Storm deserves to be the Wolverine of the MCU next with her own solo movie or origin story. Plus, Nyong’o and the X-Men member are both Kenyan descendants which is another reason she can give an authentic portrayal.

After Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine returned to Deadpool and Wolverine, this can open the door for other X-Men characters to make their way towards the MCU. After all, Patrick Stewart had a cameo as Xavier in Doctor Strange 2 and Ms. Marvel’s huge reveal in the season finale showed Kamala Khan was the MCU’s first mutant. Plus, The Marvels’ end credits scene revealed the return of Kelsey Grammer’s Beast and the character of Binary. With Mutants apparently making a slow introduction to the Marvel Universe, hopefully we can find Storm added to the mix.

Seeing Lupita Nyong’o dressed as Storm for Halloween is all of the proof we need that she must return to the MCU as the powerful Mutant character. With her versatile talent and natural Kenyan roots like the X-Men superhero, I believe she’d play the part flawlessly. For now, you can watch the Black Panther and X-Men movies available on your Disney+ subscription.

Here are 32 movie villains with a tragic backstory…

Erik Killmonger (Black Panther)

Michael B. Jordan’s Erik Killmonger helped make Black Panther one of the best Marvel movies as well as a landmark comic book movie thanks in no small part to his tragic backstory. The unknown cousin of Chadwick Boseman’s King T’Challa and son to a wayward prince killed by the former king, Killmonger spent his life searching for himself and his elusive homeland of Wakanda. Sure, he tried to take it over and bring chaos to the world, but he had every right to do so.

Lotso (Toy Story 3)

On the surface, Lotso (Ned Beatty) seems like an iron-fisted ruler of the toys stuck at Sunnyside Daycare, but his heartbreaking personal history adds a whole other level to the Toy Story 3 antagonist. After being left at a rest stop by his “faithful” owner long ago, Lotso went to great lengths to find the little girl, only to discover he’d been replaced. Traumatized by the experience, the once kind-hearted stuffed bear went through a radical transformation.

Gollum (The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy)

Though not the central antagonist in Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, Gollum (Andy Serkis) is up there. In the third and final film – The Return of the King – it’s revealed that Gollum was once a hobbit who became consumed by the powerful ring, being transformed into a deformed and deranged creature with one purpose in life: hold onto his “precious.”

Jason Voorhees (The Friday The 13th Movies)

Jason Voorhees is one of the most recognizable horror movie villains of all time with a kill count that is up there with the best of them. However, like other great horror icons, this masked, undead killer has a heartbreaking story behind his path of blood, guts, and revenge. Cast aside by society and the counselors of Camp Crystal Lake, a young Jason drowned with no one watching.

Roy Batty (Blade Runner)

Roy Batty, or model number N6MAA10816, is one of those characters played by the late Rutger Hauer that will live on forever, and that’s because the Blade Runner villain was a sympathetic antagonist like no other. Forced into slavery upon his inception, the vengeful replicant suffered years of unimaginable abuse and danger to help the bottom line of the Tyrell Corporation. That was until he led a rebellion for a better life for himself and others of his kind.

The Grinch (How The Grinch Stole Christmas)

One of the best things about Ron Howard’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas is the way the 2000 movie expanded Jim Carrey’s titular character and provided a more in-depth look at the green recluse and what led him to live alone on Mount Crumpit. The story of a young Grinch being picked on by his schoolmates for no reason besides his appearance is utterly heartbreaking and is impossible to watch with a dry eye.

Carrie White (Carrie)

An antagonist or protagonist depending on how you look at it, Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) in Brian De Palma’s adaptation of the Stephen King novel of the same name is one of the most sympathetic and justified characters in the history of horror movies. Through no fault of her own, the teenage girl with awe-inspiring and deadly powers, is thrust into a murderous rampage after being tormented and humiliated by her fellow students.

Hannibal Lecter (The Silence Of The Lambs)

Hannibal Lecter will forever go down as one of the most chilling horror movie icons of all time, but he also has one of the most disturbing and heartbreaking backstories. Long before he became the infamous cannibalistic at the center of The Silence of the Lambs, Hannibal was a young boy when he narrowly survived an encounter with a group of starved and desperate Nazi soldiers who attacked and ate his sister.

Magneto (The X-Men Movies)

Magneto (Ian McKellen, Michael Fassbender) was one of the most complex characters in all of the X-Men movies and had one of the most unsettling backstories. In X-Men: First Class, we saw the origins of the legendary comic book villain who was forced to watch his mother being brutally murdered in a German concentration camp.

Thanos (Avengers: Infinity War)

Perhaps the best comic book movie villain of all time (at least in the MCU), Thanos (Josh Brolin) wasn’t your average big bad. Inspired by the traumatic event where he watched his civilization rip itself apart due to a lack of resources, the Mad Titan put a plan into effect to prevent that from happening ever again. It’s just that his plan temporarily resulted in the deaths of billions of living beings.

Severus Snape (The Harry Potter Movies)

Severus Snape (Alan Rickman) will always be one of the most complex and beloved characters in the Harry Potter series, even if he’s viewed as a villain for most of the books and movies. Madly in love with Harry’s late mother, Lily, a young Severus was also bullied by the Potter’s father and his friends, pushing him to the dark side.

Candyman (Candyman)

Daniel Robitaille (Tony Todd), aka Candyman, is a terrifying figure in the world of horror, but that’s because he also has an incredibly tragic backstory in which he was was lynched, disfigured, and killed by bees before his body was burnt by an angry mob.

Frankenstein’s Monster (Frankenstein)

Frankenstein’s monster in Frankenstein was just enjoying being a dead man when he was reanimated and unleashed upon the world in the 1931 horror classic. Though viewed as a monster by most, this tragic figure had a heartbreaking existence.

Darth Vader (The Star Wars Movies)

Losing your mother and being responsible for the death of your wife is enough to make anyone turn to the dark side, and that’s what happened to Anakin Skywalker, aka, Darth Vader, in the Star Wars movies. Sure, Lord Vader is all but void of humanity, but that’s because of the pain, suffering, and tragedy that filled his life, both before and after being defeated by his mentor in battle.

Bane (The Dark Knight Rises)

The Dark Knight Rises is a bit of a mess, but Tom Hardy’s Bane is one of the most interesting characters and sympathetic villains in all of comic book movies. Taking over Gotham was bad and there were a lot of unnecessary deaths, but the masked figure was doing it for Talia al Ghul (Marion Cotillard), whom he nearly died protecting years earlier.

Maleficent (Sleeping Beauty)

Sleeping Beauty leads us to believe that Maleficent is a force of pure evil, but the character got her due in Maleficent. In this live-action Disney film starring Angelina Jolie, we learn that the character was only acting out the way she did because her former friend and current king betrayed her long ago.

Mr. Freeze (Batman & Robin)

Batman & Robin isn’t the first movie that comes to mind when you’re thinking about tragic villains, but Arnold Schwarzenegger’s take on Mr. Freeze in this 1997 comic book movie has a heartbreaking backstory. All of his antics, destruction, and puns are part of an attempt to reconnect with his wife, who’s long been in a coma, caught between the living and dead.

Sweeney Todd (Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street)

Before he was Sweeney Todd (Johnny Depp), Benjamin Barker was a talented barber sent into exile by a powerful and corrupt judge who lusted after his wife. In Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street, it is revealed that Barker’s wife took her own life and their daughter is under the control of his nemesis, which kicks off his bloody tour of revenge.

Zemo (Captain America: Civil War)

Daniel Bruhl’s Zemo in Captain America: Civil War, though different from his comic book counterpart, quickly became one of the best and most complex villains in the MCU. Instead of being gifted with superpowers or awesome tech, this antagonist used his grief from the death of his family (at the hands of the Avengers) as his motivation to tear the team apart from the inside.

Kayako Saeki (Ju-On: The Grudge)

Kayako Saeki is Ju-On: The Grudge is one of the most terrifying horror movie characters of the 21st century but also one with an absolutely gut-wrenching origin story. Once a living person, the film’s antagonist became a ghostly undead figure after she and her family were viciously murdered and left to haunt their former home for all eternity.

Scar (The Lion King)

If you only take into account the events of The Lion King, then Scar is a vengeful, jealous, and bitter brother of the king of the Pride Lands. However, learn more about his upbringing in which he was originally named Taka (a name that essentially means “trash”) and how he was cast aside for Simba, and his actions start to make sense.

Norman Bates (Psycho)

Though vicious and sadistic, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) in Psycho had quite a tragic backstory, one filled with jealousy, revenge, and unaddressed mental illness. This does not justify his actions, but it does offer some insight into why he carried out the way he did.

John Kramer (The Saw Movies)

John Kramer (Tobin Bell), aka, Jigsaw, is one of the most devilish and inventive serial killers in cinematic history, but he’s also oddly enough one of the most sympathetic. The death of an unborn child, a divorce, a terminal illness, and a slow descent into madness helped turn the civil engineer into a murderous madman.

Ms. Collins (Last Night In Soho)

Last Night in Soho, one of the best horror movies of 2021, had what can best be described as one of the most shocking endings in recent memory when it was revealed that Ms. Collins (Diana Rigg), the seemingly normal owner of Ellie’s (Thomasin McKenzie) small apartment is a vicious killer preying upon less-savory men. However, it turns out that Ms. Collins’ motivation for the crimes is even more tragic.

Cruella De Vil (Cruella)

Estella Miller (Emma Stone), who later becomes the Cruella de Vil we all know and love (to hate) from 101 Dalmatians, had quite a tragic backstory in Cruella, a 2021 prequel that explained her hatred for a certain breed of dogs. Losing a parent to a pack of the spotted pups is enough to drive one mad.

Scarlet Witch (Doctor Strange And The Multiverse Of Madness)

After witnessing the death of her best friend and lover, not once but twice, before being turned to dust for five years and then returning to a world she no longer understands, it’s easy to see how Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) could turn into a monster of her own creation in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness. Add in the deaths of her children (don’t tell her they don’t exist), and it gets even darker.

Two-Face (The Dark Knight)

The Two-Face story has always been one of tragedy, but no version is as heartbreaking as the one that plays out in The Dark Knight. Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) goes from being Gotham’s last hope against crime and corruption to one of its most violent and disfigured villains. The loss of the love of his life and a chance at normalcy push him over the edge.

Ghost (Ant-Man And The Wasp)

Ava Starr (Hannah John-Kamen), better known as Ghost, was introduced in Ant-Man and the Wasp as a young and tormented villain still suffering from the effects of a quantum explosion that left her in state of physical limbo and her parents dead. Sad, confused, and angry, Starr turned against S.H.I.E.L.D. after the organization began taking advantage of her powers.

The Vulture (Spider-Man: Homecoming)

Adrian Toomes (Michael Keaton), aka, The Vulture, quickly made an impact in Spider-Man: Homecoming, providing an all-time great movie villain in the process. After the Department of Damage Control essentially puts his small salvage operation out of business, Toomes goes to great lengths to provide food, shelter, and security for his family… even if it means taking a more villainous path.

Syndrome (The Incredibles)

One of the best Pixar villains, Syndrome (Jason Lee) in The Incredibles has a great and unforgettable backstory that adds another dimension to his character. After being turned down by his longtime idol, Syndrome turns to a life of villainy against Mr. Incredible after his whole worldview is shattered in an instant.

Arthur Fleck (Joker)

Not knowing your father has to be one of the most traumatic events someone could go through, but that’s just a part of Arthur Fleck’s (Joaquin Phoenix) story in Joker. The unhinged and violent loner in Todd Phillips’ 2019 comic book movie lived a life of loneliness, misery, and confusion before making a name for himself in a shocking way.

Draco Malfoy (The Harry Potter Movies)

Draco Malfoy (Tom Felton) is one of the most annoying Harry Potter characters, but he’s also a villain who’s rather sympathetic once you consider his backstory. Subjected to all kinds of torment by his father and the expectations of his family, poor Draco never stood a chance.

Stranger Things features a very distinct continuity that features a number of set facts that fans of the Netflix franchise certainly know. For instance, Eleven gained her abilities as a child, and Will Byers was the member of the Hawkins gang who was lost in the Upside Down. But what if those events were somehow re-arranged in wild ways? That’s a topic CinemaBlend recently discussed with cast member Gaten Matarazzo and, when he responded, he pitched an idea that gives off an “X-Men vibe.” It may sound wild, but you can sign me up for it!

Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Dustin Henderson on the hit sci-fi/horror drama, recently lent his voice to the canon-teetering LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy. The series showcases a version of the galaxy far, far away, with bounty hunter Ewoks, a beach bum Luke Skywalker and more. While chatting with Matarazzo, I asked what kind of changes he would make if he could apply some major alterations to the Stranger Things universe. After giving my weird question thought, he landed on a “what if” scenario involving superpowers:

I mean, who wouldn’t want to see Mike, Lucas or Max gain superhuman abilities? Yes, I’m cognizant of the fact that the canon is in place for a reason and that as it stands, there’s no reason for Eleven’s pals to have abilities. However, the notion of a one-off story in which that happens is so exciting to me. Considering the budget that ST has been allotted, I’d argue that the scope of the story could rival some of the X-Men movies. The Honor Society star went on to share thoughts on Dustin’s potential abilities in that theoretical story:

Dustin Henderson as the Professor X-type figure? This idea is just too fun not to think about. Of course, the chances of it happening are slim (unless the Duffer Brothers manage to pull a 180 in the coming season). Still, fans can dream, right?

Those who are subscribed to Netflix – one of the best streaming services – can still look forward to Stranger Things Season 5, though, which is set to debut sometime in 2025. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but it seems likely that fans will see the Hawkins gang make their final stand against the villainous Venca. I’m expecting those final installments to be action-packed, scary, emotional and hopefully, satisfying.

As pumped as I am to see how everything wraps up, I’m certainly not going to discard the idea Gaten Matarazzo devised during our interview. Even though it surely won’t be produced by Netflix, it could make for some interesting fan fiction. Those who agree with that assumption may want to get in on that now.

Stream the first four seasons of Stranger Things – complete with the established canon now using a Netflix subscription. Anyone with a Disney+ subscription can also check out Gaten Matarazzo’s work on all four parts of the LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy miniseries.

The offerings on the 2024 movie schedule have gotten creepier, which makes sense as U.S. audiences are now preparing for the coming Halloween season. But even with a movie like the upcoming horror movie Speak No Evil, there’s something else looming in the shadows when a star like James McAvoy is on hand to promote Blumhouse’s latest: his MCU past. When this subject was approached in a recent interview with the former Professor X star, he showed some comedic frustration, and I can totally identify with this,

As our in-house ReelBlend podcast had both McAvoy and writer/director James Watkins to discuss this recent remake, this potential pitfall was addressed rather tastefully. With co-host Jake Hamilton’s question leaning into that quagmire, the discussion sidestepped becoming a part of that supposed “problem.”

With that in mind, here’s what James McAvoy told CinemaBlend about this ever present frustration:

At face value, some could mistakenly read that quote as a slightly angry statement. That could be a mistaken assumption on my part, as that Speak No Evil trailer definitely sells Mr. McAvoy continuing to be a consummate rage artist to a tee. That assessment couldn’t be further from the truth though, as listening to McAvoy address this concern shows his trademark wit and humor in a way that left even myself smiling.

Also, since Professor X was “never discussed” for inclusion in Deadpool & Wolverine, I can’t blame the Scottish talent for being charmingly flippant about the issue. I get that the recent shockwaves made by "Marvel Jesus," aka Ryan Reynolds, have probably renewed interest in the X-Men saga, in addition to the X-Men '97 hype that continues. But what Mr. Hamilton's question understands is that, with Charles out of the picture, there's only so much you can really ask to that effect, in an interview room that's already on a ticking clock.

While most people were probably hoping for a Patrick Stewart cameo in Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman’s big threequel, I myself wanted to see James McAvoy’s prequel variant actually get some more screen time. No offense to the OG Charles Xavier or anything, but with previous Deadpool movies already tied into the First Class cast, this would have been the ultimate cherry on top.

Then again, me taking that sort of detour may be part of those feelings McAvoy expressed in our ReelBlend sit-down. Which only reminds me of the fact that, speaking as an entertainment journalist myself, there is a delicate balancing act that needs to be done when promoting any project. On one hand, it’s absolutely important to keep things focused on a movie like Speak No Evil, as that’s the metaphorical party that brought you to the dance.

At the same time, fans want to know about potential James McAvoy’s reactions, hopes, or even discarded developments that he would have wanted to see play out in MCU adventures to come. It’s a hard instinct to shake, especially when upcoming X-Men movies and TV shows leave the future of this Marvel creation as a gigantic and intriguing question mark.

Keeping all of that in mind, you can all of that at work during our full interview with James McAvoy, shared below for your easy access:

Speak No Evil’s brand new remake is currently showing in theaters, just in time for Halloween! And if you’re starting to feel nostalgic for this particular era of X-Men titles, you can stream James McAvoy’s tenure as Professor X with a Disney+ subscription.

Back in 2023, the Boomerang star posted photos of herself with white hair, fans were quick to assume that she’d return as Storm in Deadpool & Wolverine. However, she wasn’t among the list of big cameos in the Marvel movie. When asked about that, Halle Berry was honest, saying that she wasn’t asked to be in it. As for whether Berry would be willing to revisit Storm or any of her other past roles, she shared the following answer with ComicBook.com:

I can understand her reasoning. On the one hand, it was nostalgic for fans to see Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Garner reprise their famous superhero roles for D&W. But, on the other hand, a role reprisal like that may not be for everyone. Even though Halle Berry felt playing Storm was “important” and once expressed interest in reprising the X-Men role if the storyline worked, it sounds like the Monster’s Ball actress wants to move on with new roles.

Her mutant role aside, there are surely other protagonists that fans would surely love to see the star play again. When it comes to the Die Another Day actress returning to the John Wick universe, she told director Chad Stahelski she’d be interested as they're thinking of doing spinoffs. As for Catwoman, Halle Berry hasn’t said anything about putting on the tight-leather costume anytime soon. Though she’d like to put a “redo” on the panned film by directing a remake that would up the stakes of the story and have the anti-hero save the world the way male superheroes do.

With all that said, the Jungle Fever alum told ComicBook that there is one role she’d like to revisit, and it’s the one she plays in her 2024 movie release, Never Let Go. The film will see the actress play a mother of twin boys, who's fighting for survival against an evil spirit. It’s possible she may get her wish, she mentioned there hare been talks regarding sequel and prequel ideas for the upcoming horror film.

While Halle Berry isn’t exactly eager to reprise Storm or others of her famous roles, I'm glad she's been able to cover new ground as a performer. Hopefully, she continues to do that as time goes on. You can see Berry in her new horror role when Never Let Go opens in theaters on September 20th. Also, those feeling nostalgic can revisit some of Berry's best movies.

Before shared universes and comic book projects became commonplace, there were the X-Men movies. Throughout the years fans watched two different casts play beloved mutants, eventually colliding with Days of Future Past (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription). James McAvoy played a younger Professor X throughout four different movies, and recently got honest about potentially returning to the role in an upcoming Marvel movie.

Fans who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have been not-so-patiently waiting for the X-Men to join the MCU. With the multiverse in play and Deadpool & Wolverine featuring cameos with actors returning to their roles, it seems like just about anyone could return to their former superhero roles. While speaking with BuzzFeed UK, about his upcoming horror movie Speak No Evil, the interviewer claimed that nobody could play roles like Mr. Tumnus or Professor X again. He got honest about this concept and said:

There you have it. Despite his years playing Charles Xavier, it sounds like James McAvoy thinks that another actor will be taking on the role sometime in the future. We'll just have to wait and see what Kevin Feige and company have in store for the X-Men once they finally take center stage within the shared universe.

Moviegoers have been wondering about mutants and the MCU ever since Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and its properties. This opened the door for the X-Men to join the fun, but the team hasn't been assembled in live-action just yet. Although the beloved team of mutants returned in a big way with the animated series X-Men '97.

While the X-Men haven't shown up in the MCU just yet, Kevin Feige and company have been peppering in characters from the team's lore for a few years now. For instance, Patrick Stewart appeared as Xavier in Doctor Strange 2, while the Ms. Marvel finale confirmed she was a mutant. More recently, The Marvels' credits scene featured the return of Kelsey Grammer's Beast and the introduction of Binary. It certainly seems like the shared universe is building up to the team of mutants showing up, but exactly when they assemble is a total mystery for the time being.

If another actor is chosen to bring Professor X to life, they'll have some very big shoes to fill. Both Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy were stellar in their portrayals fo the telepathic mutant, and it was thrilling to see them get a scene together in Days of Future Past. We'll just have to continue to (not so) patiently wait for news from the studio.

The X-Men movies are streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Be sure to check the 2025 movie release dates.

Marvel Studios’ most recent flick, Deadpool & Wolverine, shattered box office records and surprised audiences with unexpected cameos. One was from Henry Cavill, who appeared as the long-rumored and lovingly nicknamed CavillRine in what was a fun moment. Still, not everyone is on board with the idea of the veteran Justice League star taking over the adamantium claws from Hugh Jackman as the beloved Canadian-born Weapon X. Still, many fans have some other pretty good X-Men ideas that I’m all for.

One of the Reddit conversations that caught fire shows how divided fans are. While many love Henry Cavill's short appearance as Logan, there’s a strong sentiment that he might not be the right fit for Wolvie. As a result, users began presenting some alternative—and quite interesting—ideas. One Redditor, @LastGuitarHero, summed up the debate perfectly, saying:

Sabertooth is an exciting idea. And, hey, after the announcement of Rober Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU as Doctor Doom, it's conceivable to see someone like the Man of Steel star with such a small role, returning as a villain.

Unsurprisingly, some fans think Henry Cavill would be better suited for other roles in the X-Men universe. One user, @Not_Naz, made a suggestion that I could see:

Scott Summers didn't get the attention he deserved in the Fox movies. Cyclops, the leader of the X-Men, would be an excellent fit for the Argylle alum. His strong presence, good looks and ability to embody a serious, no-nonsense leader make him a good match for Summers. If you're a comic book reader, you know that Cyclops is a fascinating character, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. actor has the charisma to portray the character in a way that does him justice.

Though The Witcher veteran is beloved by fans and has the action-star (mutton) chops, there’s still hesitation about him being the right fit for Wolverine. @MrGamgeeReddit made a thoughtful argument:

This taps into a long-standing preference among some fans for a Wolverine that aligns more closely with his comic book depiction. Wolvie has always been portrayed as a gritty, stocky figure, far from the towering physique Henry Cavill is known for possessing.

There's a lot I hope the powers that be consider whenever the Marvel Cinematic Universe decides to recast Wolverine. Selecting an unknown and allowing them to grow into the part is the right move. However, if a big celebrity has to take up the mantle, one hilarious suggestion came from @Ahaucan that I would die to see. They jokingly remarked:

Okay, we all know that’s just a joke, but it's a reminder of how difficult it will be to fill Hugh Jackman’s yellow suit. Whoever takes on the role must live up to Jackman’s legacy and capture the raw, animalistic essence that has made Wolverine a fan favorite.

While Henry Cavill might not be everyone’s top pick for Wolverine, his involvement in any capacity would be a significant win for the franchise. For now, the debate rages on.

Deadpool & Wolverine is still playing in theaters. Be sure to check out our schedule of upcoming superhero movies to see what is coming to cinemas and the 2025 movie release schedule. And you can stream past X-Men films with a Disney+ subscription now.

What Beau DeMayo Is Saying About His X-Men ’97 Dismissal

In a nearly-30-minute video posted on his OnlyFans page (via Deadline), Beau DeMayo criticized Marvel for allegedly having a “toxic environment” and “near criminal working conditions” that “turns individuals against one another, stokes paranoia to ensure compliance.” The writer stated that the “rumors” about him that have been shared about him online are “lies” that function as a “smear campaign designed to discredit” his credibility. DeMayo ultimately summed up his side of the story by alleging that Disney let him go from X-Men ’97 was for “being gay, Black and open about it at Marvel Studios.”

To provide a refresher, after DeMayo claimed last month that he got in trouble with Disney when he posted some X-Men-themed LGBTQ+ fan art, and he further claimed that his credits for the work he did on X-Men ’97 Season 2 had been removed. Afterwards, it was said in an official statement from Disney that DeMayo was “terminated in March 2024 following an internal investigation.” It was later reported that during his time on X-Men ’97, he engaged in sexual misconduct with other staff members.

Beau DeMayo also said the following during his OnlyFans video:

As mentioned earlier, Beau DeMayo also stated he has evidence and people who can back up his claims, although with the latter, he accused Disney of “coercing them to lie” on top of the company “attacking” him with “lies and misinformation.”

Beau DeMayo Is Taking Disney To Court

On top of all this, Beau DeMayo’s attorney, Bryan Freedman, has filed for an expedited jury seeking complaint over having an “illegal non-disparagement provision” removed from his client’s exit package documents. Per the filing, DeMayo “bore witness to and endured rampant discriminatory and harassing conduct” during his time at Disney, and that because the writer possessed “copious knowledge regarding Marvel’s illicit and unsafe employment practices,” the company “sought to silence” him. That’s where this non-disparagement provision comes in, which the complaint says was “designed to muzzle an openly gay Black man and restrict his statutory rights.” As of this writing, Disney has not publicly responded to this legal development.

Clearly the drama between Beau DeMayo and Disney won’t be dying down anytime soon, so keep your eyes peeled on CinemaBlend for more updates on what’s happening on this front. As for X-Men ’97 Season 2, it doesn’t have a release slot yet on the upcoming Marvel TV shows schedule, but fans can take comfort knowing the show has also scored a third season.

Hannibal Lecter (Silence Of The Lambs)

you certainly can't have a list like this without Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). When we first met him (really), in Silence of the Lambs, we knew just how smart he was before Clarice (Jodie Foster) even encountered him. It only gets more pronounced as the movie goes on. He's also one of the scariest ever in just how evil he is. 

Moriarty (Sherlock)

Among the most intelligent villains in all of Western culture is Moriarty. He is Sherlock Holmes' main nemesis in countless stories, movies, and TV shows. Maybe the best and smartest version of Moriarty comes from the BBC show Sherlock with Andrew Scott absolutely nailing the role of the brilliant, eccentric criminal. 

Lex Luthor (Superman: The Movie)

Another classic bad guy in entertainment history is Lex Luthor. He's played foil to Superman for over 80 years and every time we see him, whether on TV, in the comics, or on the big screen like in Superman: The Movie, where he's played by Gene Hackman, we know Superman is going to be in for a wild ride. You can't beat Superman with brawn, so you better outwit him. 

Tom Ripley - The Talented Mr. Ripley

There are a lot of great movies about con artists out there, and one of the smartest con men on screen has to be Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley. He's terrifyingly cold and calculating and Matt Damon's performance enhances just how scary and smart Ripley is. 

John Doe - Se7en

It's hard to imagine a criminal mind as devious, patient, and scary as John Doe (Kevin Spacey) in Se7en. He takes two detectives on a wild ride, knowing exactly when and how the whole thing will end, weeks before it does. People joke about politicians playing "3-D chess" but John Doe isn't even playing chess, he's on a much higher level. 

Owen Davian - Mission: Impossible III

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) has faced a lot of really smart villains over the life of the Mission: Impossible series, but none are smarter - or scarier - than Philip Seymour Hoffman's Owen Davian in Mission: Impossible III. No one expects anyone to get the jump on Hunt, but from the intense opening moments of Mission: Impossible III, it's clear that Davian is a different animal. 

Cersei Lannister - Game Of Thrones

In the game of thrones, you either win or you die. For most Game of Thrones, Cersei Lannister wins. She is one or two or even three steps ahead of all her rivals and continues to hold on to power almost - almost - until the very end. Her death was nearly satisfying enough for most fans, as it didn't really do justice to how good she was at the game. 

Blofeld - No Time To Die

There are a lot of James Bond villains that could qualify for this list, but we have to go with the one who has most often shown to be ready to take on 007. Ernst Stavro Blofeld is so iconic, he was the main inspiration for Dr. Evil in the Austin Powers series - and a character who does not qualify here. Blofeld, especially the version played by Christoph Waltz in No Time To Die definitely does deserve to be here. 

Kilgrave - Jessica Jones

David Tennant is mostly known for playing a hero, Dr. Who, on the classic BBC show. It turns out he's just as, and maybe even better, as a villain. Kilgrave, Jessica Jones' antagonist in the first season of the former Netflix show, is absolutely terrifying. His powers to manipulate are exceeded only by his wicked intelligence. A combination that is truly the stuff on nightmares. 

Ben Linus - Lost

Lost had a few villains over the years, and sometimes it was simply The Island. The most iconic of the villains though, has to be Ben Linus, played by Michael Emerson. He's so smart that Sawyer's nickname for him is "Yoda." That's high praise. 

Magneto - X-Men

When you going to be a villain who goes up against Professor X often in the X-Men universe, you better be up to the task, mentally. Magneto, played by Michael Fassbender, among others, is just the kind of villain who is ready for Charles Xavier. He meets him beat for beat as they try to outwit each other. 

The Trinity Killer - Dexter

On Dexter, our anti-hero Dexter goes up against some truly diabolical killers, but none come close to matching his wits like Arthur Mitchell aka The Trinity Killer. There is an argument to be made that Mitchell may be the most brilliant villain in TV history but luckily we're not here to pick a winner. 

Nina Myers - 24

The only way Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) on 24 was ever going to lose was by a betrayal. Nina Myers (Sarah Clarke) shocked everyone when she made her move and revealed her treachery. It almost works too. She calculated out the whole thing and almost get it right, but Jack was just too good. 

Amy Dunne - Gone Girl

Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike) in Gone Girl is unique on this list. One on hand, it's easy to understand why she's so vengeful against her adulterous husband (Ben Affleck). That doesn't mean she should get away with what she did to him, but she does, and its because she's stone-cold brilliant in the planning and execution of her diabolical plan. 

Gus Fring - Breaking Bad

There aren't many people smarter than Walter White (Bryan Cranston) in Breaking Bad. One of the only rivals who comes close is Gus Fring, played by Giancarlo Esposito. He matches wits - and even outwits - Walter time and time again on the show and almost wins. Almost. 

The Master - Doctor Who

Every great hero needs a nemesis and for Dr. Who it's most often The Master. No one knows The Doctor quite like The Master, as they've been battling each other for, well, almost forever, really. They were childhood friends, but lifelong enemies.  

Ozymandias - Watchmen

Ozymandias has been the central villain of The Watchmen in the book, the movie, and on the TV show. Some fans don't think the screen version of the villain lives up to his character in the graphic novel. He's still incredibly smart, able to keep up with and sometimes ahead of Dr. Manhattan in almost every way and that's no easy feat, to say the least. 

Keyser Söze - The Usual Suspects

Verbal Kint aka Keyser Söze has to be on this list. He pulls a trick that only the devil could have pulled before by convincing everyone he didn't exist. Throughout the movie, the cops and the audience are sucked into his tall tale and when the truth was revealed in the end, it instantly became one of the best moments in Hollywood history. Poof! 

Khan - Star Trek

Of all the villains in Star Trek history, few have a place in Trekkie hearts like Khan, played by the great Ricardo Montalbán. Not only is his episode on the original show, called "Space Seed," considered among the best, but he returned for the second Star Trek movie and saved the entire franchise after a controversial, and often derided first movie. 

HAL 9000 - 2001: A Space Odyssey

Not every brilliant villain is a person, either. In fact, one of the smartest of all time is Stanley Kubrick's early take on artificial intelligence, Hal 9000 in 2001: A Space Odyssey. Hal outwits some of the smartest astronauts in the universe and toys with them as it does, leading to a wild ending. It's an idea that was pure science fiction in 1969 when the movie came out. It seems less so fantastical today. Yikes. 

Wilson Fisk - Daredevil

The Netflix Marvel shows, like Daredevil were, at best, uneven. One of the real high points in that universe has to be Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk. He's an imposing figure, physically and mentally, as smart as he is physically strong, making him one of the most formidable opponents a superhero would ever want to face. 

Hans Gruber - Die Hard

Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) in Die Hard comes up with an unbelievable plan to rob a lot of money. He even plans it right down to counting on the FBI cutting the building's power at the right time. However, this entry comes with a caveat. Hans' brother Simon, played by Jeremy Irons in Die Hard With A Vengence actually may be more diabolical. It's a tough call. 

Neil McCauley - Heat

One of the greatest cat-and-mouse games to ever play out on the big screen is between Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) and Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino). McCauley's planning of the heist is meticulous and he leaves nothing to chance. It's something only years on the job and a superior mind could come up with. 

Auric Goldfinger - Goldfinger

Ernest Blofeld may be James Bond's most common antagonist, but Auric Goldfinger  (Gert Frobe) might be the smartest of them all. Even Bond admits that Goldfingers plan to make all the gold in Fort Knox worthless is a stroke of genius. The plan is almost perfect, but it's tough to outwit 007. 

Cyrus The Virus - Con Air

Leave it to John Malkovich to play a villain so well in a movie as over-the-top and ridiculous as Con Air that we have to include him on this list. Cyrus The Virus is truly one of the great villains in action movie history and it's all due to Malkovich's amazing performance of the brilliant but psychopathic bad guy. 

The Joker - The Dark Knight

Batman is considered among the smartest of superheroes. That's what makes The Joker, especially Heath Ledger's legendary version of the Clown Prince of Crime, so critical to a list like this. Over the years, in every medium, The Joker and Batman have gone toe-to-toe in desperate bids to outwit each other. 

Aaron Stampler/Roy - Primal Fear

Edward Norton's first role came as Aaron Stampler aka "Roy" in Primal Fear alongside Richard Gere. His manipulation of the trial to convince everyone that he is nuts shows just how stone-cold brilliant he is. It's scary how smart he is. Literally. 

Clyde Shelton - Law Abiding Citizen

Hell hath no fury like a man coming after his family's murderer. Clyde Shelton is more of an anti-hero than a villain, but his planning and patience fit right on this list. His desire to make sure those who killed his family get the retribution they deserve is intense, and his level of planning is simply next level. 

Francis Underwood - House Of Cards

Because of Kevin Spacey's legal problems, we never saw the true conclusion to Frank Underwood's story on House of Cards, but before he died, we did see him stop at nothing in his quest for absolute power. He met and vanquished all his enemies in his rise to the top and who knows where he would've gone from there. 

Loki - Marvel Cinematic Universe

Let's be honest, most of the villains in the MCU aren't really that smart or really that great. In the history of the behemoth franchise, villains have often left audiences longing for more. One notable exception has always been Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston. He's always great, and always up to the task when taking on all the smartest guys in the Avengers over multiple movies and his own TV show. 

Marlo Stanfield - The Wire

On HBO's The Wire, it's rare that anyone wins in the end. Good guys, bad guys, and everyone in between usually don't win. The lone exception is Marlo Stanfield. His rise to power on the streets of Baltimore is a combination of his street savvy and his fearlessness. It's that savvy that keeps him on top, right up until the end. 

Voldemort - Harry Potter

You knew we couldn't have this list without he who shall not be named. Lord Voldemort is the only villain in the Harry Potter series who has the abilities and smarts to conquer Harry and his allies. Sure, he fails in the end, but it's close, and matching wits with all of Hogwarts is still incredibly impressive. 

Jigsaw - Saw

In a lot of horror and slasher films, the main villain is less appreciated for their brains as they are for their unrelenting desire to kill. Jigsaw in the Saw series is so much more than that. He is brilliant. Terrifyingly brilliant. His ability to come up his insane games and manipulate people is just the scariest thing in the history of horror. 

Rebecca Romijn and Stand by Me’s Jerry O’Connell have been married since 2007 and are parents to twin girls. Even though the model-turned-Hollywood star said goodbye to her Marvel past with her uncredited cameo in X-Men: First Class, the married couple still took part in the superhero genre in animation form for The Death of Superman and Reign of the Supermen movies. O’Connell, however, hasn’t moved on from his wife playing one of the best film villain roles. To the point where he told ComicBook he has a “Mystique shelf” of merch he collects to the chagrin of the X-Men alum:

It’s actually hilarious that Jerry O’Connell has a shelf of merchandise of one of his wife’s iconic characters. Imagine seeing a mini version of yourself on the shelf in your own house! If the Star Trek: Lower Decks voice actor played with the action figures of his wife’s mutant character, that would be even more cringe. I recommend The Punisher actress just stash those figurines in a drawer when company’s over.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise what a Mystique supporter Jerry O'Connell truly is as he dressed up as the shapeshifter at this year’s Comicpalooza. Rebecca Romijn joked that it’ll be the last time she invites her husband to a convention. It’s okay, though, as we all know that the Ugly Betty actress wore the iconic blue costume best.

Even though the California native previously admitted to having a bad experience with The Last Stand’s filmmaker Brett Ratner, Rebecca Romijn had a seemingly positive experience playing Mystique. The talented actress even confessed to enjoying the makeup process despite it taking seven to nine hours. Just like her character was proud of being blue-skinned, Romijn felt empowered with her character’s exotic look knowing it was an important part of her character. Now, this makes me wish we could see the former model revisit the role in the future.

Jerry O’Connell is clearly proud of being married to the woman who originated the live-action role of Mystique to the point where he has his own shelf of Mystique merch. Even if Rebecca Romijn is a tad embarrassed about her husband collecting little figurines of herself, it’s still a real compliment to the support she has from him. You can see Romijn in her kick-ass blue Mystique glory in her three X-Men movies available on your Disney+ subscription.