Marvel will need a new X-Men cast if the mutant superhero team is indeed incorporated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Walt Disney Company is currently in the process of acquiring 20th Century Fox - a sale that should complete in 2019, barring any injunction from federal regulators - which will give Marvel Entertainment the movie rights to both the X-Men and the Fantastic Four. That means both teams will eventually join the MCU, but not until 2021 at the earliest.While it seems likely that the X-Men and the Fantastic Four will be rebooted at some point down the line - should the deal go through, of course - Fox is continuing to push forward with their own mutant-related films until all that happens. But once it does, Marvel will be able to take the franchise in a direction audiences haven't seen in many years - and that requires an entirely new cast for characters such as Professor X, Magneto, Jean Grey, and more. It's worth noting that we're skewing younger with this list, from the mid-20s to mid-30s for most (but not all) of the X-Men.This Page: Professor X, Magneto, Wolverine, Storm, and Cyclops
Ralph Fiennes as Professor X
Charles Xavier is the most important character in the X-Men; the team's name is based on his name. Now that Patrick Stewart has given 17 years to the character and gone out on a high note in Logan, it's time for someone else to sit in the chair. Ralph Fiennes should be that actor. He's one of the most talented actors working today, and he's already proven that he can take on a major role in a big fandom and deliver a solid performance. After all, not only has he played M in the James Bond films but he's known amongst young adults as the actor who played Voldemort in Harry Potter. Playing Professor X would allow him to play the good guy instead of the villain this time.
Jason Isaacs as Magneto
Both Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender have done incredible jobs playing Erik Lehnsherr in Fox's X-Men universe, but the MCU will still need its own version of the iconic mutant Magneto. The ideal person to follow in their legacies would be Jason Isaacs, who's arguably an underrated actor who has appeared in several movies and TV shows before. In this hypothetical casting, Isaacs appearing as Magneto would allow for an epic Harry Potter reunion with Fiennes, though this time giving Isaacs the upper hand on being the bad guy... sometimes. Perhaps to differentiate Fox's version with the MCU version, Marvel might use the character's original alter ego: Max Eisenhardt.
Scott Caan as Wolverine
Following up on Hugh Jackman's tenure as Wolverine isn't going to be easy, but the right actor with the right traits can potentially give a more comic accurate adaptation for fans to appreciate - and the person to do with would be Scott Caan. Caan not only possesses the much-needed traits to play Wolverine, but he's also an exceptional actor with several years of experience under his belt, which he can leverage to bring Wolverine to life in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And while he typically appears on television, it's not like he hasn't starred in some big movies before.
Freema Agyeman as Storm
Storm has been a wild card in Fox's X-Men universe over the past few years, only appearing twice since the prequel reboot in 2011. Considering that she's a vital character in the comics, and not just to the X-Men world, an actress who can leverage her talents in multiple films is needed - and that actress should be Freema Agyeman, who's known for her roles on Sense8 and Doctor Who. Plus, being around the same age as Chadwick Boseman will allow Marvel to easily develop a relationship between T'Challa and Ororo Munroe. After all, seeing Storm in a future Black Panther movie is something comic book fans are dreaming of happening. This could be the first step to making that a reality.
Henry Hopper as Cyclops
Although Storm should arguably be older than the rest of the X-Men in this hypothetical casting, Cyclops should be around the same age as the rest of the core team, in their late 20s to early 30s - and Henry Hopper falls into that age range. Hopper is primarily known for his roles in Gus Van Sant's Restless and for playing C.K. Williams in The Color of Time. With Cyclops, it's not just about being able to pull off his signature red visor, it's also about being able to balance his unique personality and all of its ups and downs. Hopper has proven that he can do just that in his past films.
Saoirse Ronan as Jean Grey
Jean Grey is more than just a telepath and telekinetic, she's the host for one of the most powerful entities in the Marvel Universe. But beyond that, she's also someone who's merely trying to control her powers and find her place in the world alongside the people she loves. Bottom line, she's a complicated character, and obviously, playing that role convincingly requires someone with great acting chops like Saoirse Ronan. Getting an actress like Ronan for the role would be huge for Marvel, and she's already proven time and again that she has the skills necessary to take on virtually any role that comes her way. Plus, audiences already know that she can pull off red hair thanks to her role in Lady Bird.
Dylan O'Brien as Iceman
Dylan O'Brien is a fan-favorite to play Iceman if the role is recast - and that makes a lot of sense. He's quite popular with young adults thanks to his role in Teen Wolf and The Maze Runner trilogy. But what's important for the next iteration of Iceman is that he be more spirited and use his dry sense of humor to be the comic relief. O'Brien has proven that he can do just that, so why not give him the shot at doing so in the MCU? Of course, if he's not the right person for the job, then Marvel could just cast Aaron Ashmore in the role; he is Shawn Ashmore's twin, after all. That would be an interesting way to differentiate from Fox's films, yet still allow for some familiarity for audiences.
Alex Pettyfer as Angel
Angel is one of the original X-Men who's been criminally underused in the films thus far, despite being given seemingly integral roles in both X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Apocalypse. That should change with a potential MCU version of the character. While it may not seem like an obvious choice, Alex Pettyfer could actually be the perfect person to bring the character to life... for real this time. Sure, his past roles don't necessarily lend confidence for him to take on a role like this, but this could be a chance for him to change his image, similarly to what Chris Evans did when he became Captain America. Moreover, he's already played troubled souls in the past, something that Warren Worthington knows all too well.
Toby Kebbell as Beast
Toby Kebbell should play Beast. He's got all the skills required to pull off the character's inquisitive and animalistic nature. But the character should be primarily CGI this time around. Since Marvel has already been using motion-capture for characters like Thanos, it would be great if they did the same for Beast, someone who's primarily been shown via practical effects in the past. And considering that Kebbell already has extensive experience with motion-capture in Fox's rebooted Planet of the Apes series, he's arguably the perfect person to pull off the role. Furthermore, Kebbell previously said that he would play Doctor Doom again if it was in the MCU, so at least he's open to the idea of appearing in another superhero movie, especially one under Marvel's banner.
Max Mauff as Nightcrawler
There are quite a few things that make Nightcrawler unique compared to all the other mutants in the world: he's all blue, has a devilish tail, can teleport, and has a German accent. While the first three things can be done with makeup and CGI, the latter characteristic is important for proper representation. In that case, Marvel should cast a German actor like Max Mauff. Mauff has the slim physique needed for Nightcrawler in addition to being German, which should be a vital factor in selecting an actor this time around. Furthermore, he's already proven his acting abilities in Hollywood productions such as Sense8 and Bridge of Spies, though he only had a limited role in the Steven Spielberg film.
Danila Kozlovsky as Colossus
Casting Colossus can be tough, especially if a studio is looking to give the character an accurate depiction. Colossus is a Russian mutant that's closely associated with the X-Men, but he's been played by a Canadian and a Serbian in Fox's X-Men films, so perhaps casting an actual Russian actor like Danila Kozlovsky would give the MCU version a boost over the other portrayals. Kozlovsky has already appeared in Hollywood-made films before, such as Vampire Academy, so at least fans know that he's open to appearing in non-Russian made movies. Plus, he's physically built for the role, if Marvel would be looking into taking a more practical route.
Lyndsy Fonseca as Rogue
Xavier's School for Gifted Children may not work for everyone, but it's a place that certainly helped Rogue, someone who started off as a villain but eventually gravitated towards being a superhero. One person that has been mentioned in multiple fan castings over the years has been Lyndsy Fonseca, which makes sense. She not only looks the part but can act it as well, as evidenced by her complex role as Alex in Nikita. While she's well known for that role, playing Rogue would be a great breakout role for Fonseca in the movie sphere. The only problem is that she already appeared in ABC's Agent Carter, but Marvel could work around that... somehow.
Channing Tatum as Gambit
Channing Tatum has been attached to Fox's Gambit movie for several years now. The project has gone through multiple directors and production start delays that it's unclear if it's actually going to happen anymore, despite still having a 2019 release date. If Tatum never gets to play Gambit in Fox's X-Men franchise, then he might as well make the jump to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and give the character a try under Marvel Studios' leadership. He's got the knowledge and desire to give the character an accurate depiction. Of course, it depends on if Marvel even wants to adapt Gambit's story.
Related: Fox Should Just Cancel The Gambit Movie
Ellen Wong as Jubilee
While Jubilee has appeared in the vast majority of X-Men movies so far, her biggest role was in X-Men: Apocalypse and even that was quite limited. So, casting Ellen Wong in the MCU would allow her to really shape the role for general audiences. And fans will already be familiar with Wong due to her part as Knives Chau from Edgar Wright's adaptation of Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. Based on that role alone, Wong has proven that she can portray the character's, well, jubilation as well as innocence that comes associated with being one of the youngest characters on the team.
Stephen Lang as Cable
Out of all the people whose names have been linked to Cable over the years, the best person to actually portray the time-traveling mutant is Stephen Lang. He represents everything that Cable requires in a live-action portrayal. Lang was a fan-favorite to play the character in Deadpool 2 before Josh Brolin's inevitable casting, so perhaps the second time is the charm? There have been plenty of stories in which actors have vied for a role only to be passed up and then approached for it later on, some of which involve comic book movie roles. If there's anyone (other than Brolin, of course) that can bring Cable to life in the MCU, it's Stephen Lang.
Kathryn Newton as Kitty Pryde
Although she's often overlooked, Kitty Pryde is an essential character in the X-Men comics. Actually, she's perhaps the most relatable mutant out of all those characters, which is why she should be played by actress Kathryn Newton. In addition to looking like Kitty Pryde, Newton has proven with her roles in Supernatural, Big Little Lies, and Halt and Catch Fire that she can play a variety of characters that are still relatable in the overall scheme of things and still command the screen all on her own. That's not easy for young actors and actresses to do. It's also worth pointing out that she's appeared in multiple award-worthy projects over the past few years - and for good reason.
Related: Predicting Fox's 2019 and 2020 Marvel Movies
Evan Rachel Wood as Mystique
Evan Rachel Wood is starting to become more and more popular as time goes on, and rightfully so. She's an exceptional actress who doesn't get enough attention on the big screen - but that could all change if she played Mystique in Marvel's X-Men films. Rachel Wood has wowed in the movies that she's appeared in before, but she took her acting skills to a whole new level in HBO's Westworld. Not only did her portrayal of the host Dolores show that she can take on a leading role but also a role that requires a great deal of mystery and, well, a lack of personality... at times.