FX / Disney+

Cyclops is one of the most integral characters to the "X-Men," as the team's de facto leader and one of the more straight-up heroic characters on the team. He's already been portrayed twice in live-action, by James Marsden in the original "X-Men" film continuity and in a younger form by Tye Sheridan in "X-Men: Apocalypse" and "Dark Phoenix." However, for an "X-Men" reboot in the MCU, Marvel Studios will need a bonafide movie star, and they might have already found their lead in Harris Dickinson. 

If you haven't been on the Harris Dickinson hype train, now's the time. The British actor has made high-profile appearances in award-nominated films like "Triangle of Sadness" and "Babygirl," but he really shines in indie projects like "The Iron Claw" and FX's "A Murder at the End of the World," the latter of which saw him co-star opposite "Deadpool & Wolverine" stand-out Emma Corrin. 

According to insider Jeff Sneider, Dickinson is also highly favored by executives at Marvel, and he could potentially be their pick to inherit the role of Cyclops from Marsden following "Avengers: Doomsday." Of course, an actor simply being considered for a role is a far cry from actually being cast, but it's nevertheless very easy to see an actor like Dickinson sliding perfectly into the persona of a character like Cyclops. With Sony also reportedly looking for a "Harris Dickinson-type" to cast in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," it looks even more likely that Dickinson is spoken for in Marvel's orbit. 

Focus Features / Disney+

Margaret Qualley has become an indie darling, with her most recent role in Ethan Coen's moody, unabashedly queer noir "Honey Don't!" proving she's got movie star chops. The actor, who you might not know is a nepo baby (her mother is Andie MacDowell of "Groundhog Day" fame), has had a few really strong years in Hollywood, from Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," to the critically-acclaimed Netflix series "Maid," and even a Golden Globe-nominated turn in 2024's "The Substance." 

It's not surprising then that Qualley is reportedly being eyed for a pivotal role in the MCU's "X-Men" reboot as Rogue, the anti-hero mutant with the ability to absorb the life force, powers, and memories of anyone she touches. Previously, Rogue was played by Anna Paquin in the original "X-Men" films, but since the movies almost changed Rogue in the comics, a more faithful adaptation is certainly needed for the MCU. Qualley's name has been mentioned frequently by credible insiders like Sneider as Marvel's top choice for the character, and given her growing star power, it seems likely they'd have eyes on her for a big project like "X-Men." 

Whether the rumors of have any truth to them or not, Qualley does seem like a perfect fit for a character as complex as Rogue, and we can definitely see her pulling off the character's iconic hair. She's also used to being involved in conversations around geeky franchises, given her involvement in Hideo Kojima's "Death Stranding" video game. 

HBO / Marvel Comics

Colman Domingo has been everywhere the past few years, racking up two Oscar nominations (for "Rustin" and "Sing Sing"), breakthrough television roles in "Euphoria" and "Fear the Walking Dead," and stretching into comedy with Netflix's "The Four Seasons" and "Drive-Away Dolls." He's even technically already made his Marvel debut by voicing Norman Osborn in the Disney+ animated series "Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man." But in terms of making his live-action Marvel Cinematic Universe debut, Domingo has been in talks with Disney for a little while.

Namely, the actor revealed to Josh Horowitz that he told Disney he won't replace Jonathan Majors as the MCU's Kang the Conqueror, claiming that during his meetings with Marvel he made it clear, "I want to build something from the ground up that is my own." It's not surprising, to that end, that Domingo's name has been mentioned by insiders as a potential contender for Professor X in an "X-Men" movie, which is not at all difficult to imagine considering the breadth of Domingo's acting work thus far. 

While it will obviously be difficult to fill Patrick Stewart's shoes, a brand-new interpretation of Xavier played by an African-American actor like Colman Domingo could strengthen comparisons between Professor X and Magneto with civil rights leaders Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Fortunately, it's hard to do a portrayal worse than the Professor X mistake Marvel made in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness." 

Neon / Marvel Comics

Fan-casting can go a long way in the world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as evidenced by John Krasinski's appearance as Reed Richards in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" or Benedict Cumberbatch's seemingly-perfect casting as Doctor Strange back in 2016. Especially when casting a character as complex as Mystique for a future "X-Men" movie, Marvel may want to rely on an easy slam dunk by casting fan-favorite choice Hunter Schafer in the role. 

The trans actress was one of the many breakout stars of HBO's "Euphoria," before proving herself a movie star in the making with "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" and "Cuckoo." Since Mystique has often been associated with the trans community, due to her powers of shape-shifting, it'd be quite an inspired choice for the MCU to cast a popular and beloved trans actress in the role, especially after many fans consider Raven Darkhölme one of the Marvel characters the "X-Men" movies screwed over the most. 

Fortunately, as rumors surface that Schafer is a top pick by Marvel to inherit the role from Rebecca Romijn and Jennifer Lawrence, Schafer has shown enthusiasm for the opportunity. At the most recent Film Independent Spirit Awards, Schafer told Entertainment Tonight that playing Mystique would be "cool," adding, "These fan casts come around every once in a while, and it's always very sweet and always for characters that I really like." The ball's in your court, Marvel! 

Amazon Prime Video / Disney+

Bryan Cranston has already proven he could dominate the screen as one of the greatest villains in television history, so why not try his hand at doing the same for the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Even though the actor claims he'll be taking a break from acting in 2026 for a long, romantic getaway, Cranston has already made it clear that he has his sights set on one particular character in the "X-Men" universe: the infamous mad scientist known as Mister Sinister. Despite being one of the most iconic "X-Men" antagonists, Mister Sinister has yet to make an appearance in live-action. 

Cranston has already alleged he's down to play a superhero villain who's never been done before, telling Screen Greek, "I'll admit ... Mister Sinister was the character I was thinking about." It'd certainly be a bold way to kick off a new age of mutants in film, as Mister Sinister's storyline heavily revolves around not only the origin of mutants (given his association with Apocalypse), but also fitting pretty well into Marvel's tendency to make their best villains the heroes of their own story (like Thanos or Killmonger).

Surprisingly, Cranston's name has re-emerged in rumors regarding the upcoming "X-Men" reboot, but for a much different role. Several insiders have named Cranston as another potential choice for Professor X, which is easy to imagine since Cranston played a wheelchair-bound billionaire in "The Upside." However, it'd be nice to fulfill Cranston's long-time wish to play a great superhero villain instead. 

Lionsgate Films / Marvel Comics

Sometimes, the most credible rumors come from official Marvel events. Lots of actors have spoiled their own involvement in Marvel projects by attending film premieres, including Brett Goldstein (who cameoed as Hercules in "Thor: Love & Thunder") and Ben Kinglsey (who reprises his role as Trevor Slattery in "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings"). For those fans keeping a lookout at recent Marvel premieres, they may have noticed a familiar face appear at the red carpet for "Thunderbolts*." 

Notably, Nathalie Emmanuel attended the premiere of "Thunderbolts*," despite not having a role in the film or any upcoming Marvel project that fans know of. Emmanuel is best known for playing Missandei on "Game of Thrones" but is no stranger to film franchises, having also appeared in "The Maze Runner" and "Fast & Furious" movies. Many fans have speculated that Emmanuel's appearance at an official MCU premiere could indicate her involvement in a yet-unannounced "X-Men" film, as she'd be a perfect fit for the role of Storm. 

However, another actress who appeared on the "Thunderbolts*" red-carpet is Jodie Turner-Smith, who would also be great as Storm. It's worth mentioning that Halle Berry has already confirmed that she's one major Marvel character left out of "Avengers: Doomsday," and Alexandra Shipp also seems to be over the notion of playing Storm anytime soon after ostensibly playing a background role in 2019's "Dark Phoenix." Perhaps through the multiverse, Emmanuel and Turner-Smith will play two Storms for twice the electricity. 

A24 / Marvel Comics

In a shock to the world of comic book movies, during press for 2024's "Gladiator II," the legendary Denzel Washington revealed he'd be making his Marvel debut in "Black Panther 3," confirming that Ryan Coogler was writing a part for him. Currently, the role Washington is playing is a mystery, but if other rumors are to be believed, he might be the perfect actor lined up for the next big X-Men villain: Magneto. 

Although Magneto, a.k.a. Erik Lensherr, is traditionally a Jewish character associated with Professor X and the Brotherhood of Mutants, re-interpreting the character for a "Black Panther" movie wouldn't be new for Coogler, given he already reimagined Namor as a Mesoamerican mutant in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever." Plus, it'd be interesting to see how the presence of Magneto will affect nations like Wakanda and Talokan, who thrive off of an abundance of vibranium, making them especially susceptible to Magneto's metal-manipulating powers. 

While Magneto and Black Panther don't have many comic book interactions, the history between Magneto and Namor goes back to the characters' earliest comics, so there's no doubt that Coogler could do something incredibly interesting with this casting choice. Besides, given that "Black Panther" is the Marvel movie that made Washington break down in tears, it's possible that playing this iconic villain could be one of the actor's best performances. It's only disappointing that Marvel wasted Giancarlo Esposito on "Captain America: Brave New World," when he could've been the perfect Professor X to Washington's Magneto. 

Netflix; Marvel Comics

Sadie Sink has been on a roll the past few years, from being the Kate Bush-blasting standout of "Stranger Things 4," to recently nabbing a Tony nomination for "John Proctor is the Villain," and even starring in a Taylor Swift's all too powerful "All Too Well: The Short Film." On top of all that, Sink has officially joined the cast of "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," which is an interesting development after insiders claimed that Marvel reportedly wanted the "Stranger Things" star as the X-Men's Jean Grey. 

Currently, Sink's actual role in "Brand New Day" is a mystery, but if the next saga of the MCU is centered around mutants, it makes sense for Marvel to incorporate them into one of their biggest franchises. Spider-Man and Jean Grey have crossed paths before in the comics, and Sink hasn't exactly shut down suggestions that the Phoenix will be her MCU role, telling Josh Horowitz, "It's an awesome rumor ... I know the character, yeah. It's a great character, so that was cool to read," (via YouTube).

Other rumors have suggested different "Spider-Man" characters for Sink to be playing, from a multiversal variant of Mayday Parker, the daughter of Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man, to Gwen Stacy (who, notably, has been played by two iconic redheads in live-action already, with Bryce Dallas Howard and Emma Stone). Still, after Sink's performance in "Stranger Things 4," it's hard to imagine her in any Marvel role that isn't someone as volatile and complex as Jean Grey. 

Marvel Studios; Marvel Comics

Hugh Jackman? Playing Wolverine? Really?

At this point, the shock that Jackman would be reprising the role as James Howlett in "Deadpool & Wolverine," after a beautiful swan song like 2017's "Logan," has worn off. He's one of the longest-running actors in the MCU thus far, having completely redefined the role of Wolverine in 2000's "X-Men" despite being an entire foot taller than his comic book counterpart. Nevertheless, "Deadpool & Wolverine" proved that few actors were as born for this role as Jackman, and if Ryan Reynolds is right, he'll be playing this character until he's 90.

However, Jackman has yet to be confirmed as part of the returning "X-Men" cast in "Avengers: Doomsday," and 25 years in, he's still good at avoiding answering questions about it. But according to rumors, Marvel has every intention of keeping him around as Wolverine, even though an "X-Men" reboot is in sight, with even Kevin Feige acknowledging they're tough shoes to fill.

That being said, rebooting "X-Men" might be tricky, especially after 20th Century Fox already did it with "X-Men: First Class," but even those movies eventually roped in the original casts, Jackman included. Perhaps keeping Jackman around as Wolverine will be the best way to soft-reboot "X-Men," introducing a new cast of mutants, with Jackman as the link to the past to ensure fans of the film franchise come back to see him kick some bubs' butts.

20th Century Studios; Marvel Comics

Speaking of actors reprising their roles from previous "X-Men" films, was any casting done dirtier than Anya Taylor-Joy as Magik in "The New Mutants" in 2020. The middling movie that works best with lowered expectations was delayed several years before finally seeing an anticlimactic release in August 2020, wasting the future "Furiosa" star on one of the coolest characters in the "X-Men" universe. As many fans agree, Taylor-Joy deserves a second chance at playing Illyana Rasputina, and they could even tie in Stefan Kapičić's portrayal of Colossus from the "Deadpool" films.

Taylor-Joy's future in the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn't seem all that far-fetched, either. The actress has been rumored before to be in consideration for a future superhero movie, whether that be playing Black Cat opposite Tom Holland's Spider-Man, or having been in talks to play the Silver Surfer in "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" before the role was given to Julia Garner. 

However, as it seems to be case with Marvel lately, perhaps the best role for Taylor-Joy to play in the MCU is the one she's already originated, considering there's a lot more to Magik than indicated by "The New Mutants." She'd be a great character to join forces with the likes of other magic-based X-Men ladies like Scarlet Witch and Jean Grey, and she even appears in one of the best Doctor Strange comics you need to read. Hopefully, there's some optimistic news for fans of Taylor-Joy and the X-Men sooner than later!