Adam Driver, Inde Navarette, Sadie Sink and Christopher Abbott are among new stars in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s live-action reboot of “X-Men,” contributing to the legacy of the casts who starred as the mutants before them.
Navarrette, Sink and Abbott — along with Samara Weaving, Kit Connor and Maya Boyd were the new cast members introduced by Marvel President Kevin Feige at the D23 convention Friday night in Anaheim, Calif., while Driver was introduced via video.
Directed by Thunderbolts* filmmaker Jake Schreier, the new X-Men film is pegged for a May 5, 2028, release. Some of the reveals weren’t surprises, including Sink’s Jean Grey, who was already introduced in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, while recent reports already indicated Weaving would be playing Emma Frost and Connor would be donning the visor as Scott Summers/Cyclops.
Given that reports surfaced that Navarrette — one of the stars of the summer horror blockbuster Obsession — had met with Marvel and expressed a desire to play Mystique, the only real surprises about her casting came with the announcement that she would be playing Rogue.
As such, the night’s biggest reveals came with the announcements that Boyd will be playing Storm, while Driver — who previously embodied Kylo Ren/Ben Solo for Disney’s Star Wars franchise— would take on the villainous role of Mr. Sinister. Feige said in a recent interview with the Happy Sad Confused podcast that he’s been asking Driver to join the MCU, but he has always turned them down.
Here’s a rundown of the actors starring in the MCU’s X-Men reboot and the stars who have played the roles before them.
Sadie Sink: Jean Grey
Prior to Sadie Sink playing the role of Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Famke Janssen played the empath/telepath in X-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), The Wolverine (2013) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014).
X-Men: The Last Stand also included a scene featuring a young Jean, played by Haley Ramm, while Sophie Turner played the young Jean in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019).
Kit Connor: Scott Summers/Cyclops
Heartstopper star Kit Connor’s version of Cyclops was preceded by James Marsden’s turn as the laser-eyed mutant in X-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014). Marsden is reprising the role in the upcoming MCU film Avengers: Doomsday.
Meanwhile, Tim Pocock appeared as Cyclops in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), while Tye Sheridan played him in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) and appeared in an uncredited turn as the character in Deadpool 2 (2018).
Maya Boyd: Ororo Munroe/Storm
Prior to Maya Boyd, Halle Berry starred as Ororo Munroe/Storm in X-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014).
In addition, Alexandra Shipp played the mutant with the power to create severe weather disturbances in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019).
Samara Weaving: Emma Frost
Before Samara Weaving was hired to play Emma Frost in the new X-Men movie, the telepath who can turn her exterior into a diamond was played by Tahyna Tozzi in X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and January Jones in X-Men: First Class (2011).
Christopher Abbott: Charles Xavier/Professor X
Before Christopher Abbott was hired to play Charles Xavier/Professor X, the ultimate telepath was played by Patrick Stewart in X-Men (2000), X2: X-Men United (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), The Wolverine (2013), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Logan (2017) and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022). Stewart will also reprise Professor X in Avengers: Doomsday.
James McAvoy played the young version of Professor X in X-Men: First Class (2011), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019), and appeared in an uncredited cameo as the character in Deadpool 2. Laurence Belcher played Charles as a 12-year-old in X-Men: First Class.
Adam Driver: Nathaniel Essex/Mr. Sinister
Adam Driver’s turn as Nathaniel Essex/Mr. Sinister will mark the first time the character has appeared in a live-action X-Men film. The genius villain is telepathic and has several powers, including superhuman strength, telekinesis, energy projection, shapeshifting and teleportation.
The MCU’s new X-Men movie, which has not been officially titled, will be released in theaters on May 5, 2028.