According to a new report, Marvel may be eyeing someone to be Kitty Pryde in the MCU's future X-Men project.
Of course, a live-action MCU X-Men project has yet to be officially announced. Still, though, with Kevin Feige having said before that mutants will play a large role in the MCU's future, it feels inevitable that the team will form sooner or later.
On top of that, last year's X-Men '97 animated series was very well received by fans, proving that there is an audience ready to see the X-Men once again on the big screen.
Marvel's Rumored Kitty Pryde Casting Choice (Report)
According to industry insider Jeff Sneider, Marvel is considering 15-year-old Julia Butters to play Kitty Pryde (Shadowcat) in the MCU.
Kitty Pryde is one of the younger members of the relatively earliest X-Men teams (pre-the New Mutants team), and has the ability to phase through walls, doors, and the like.
Historically, Wolverine has taken her under his wing and shown her the ropes. She has had romantic relationships with Colossus (the relatively problematic age difference is addressed in the early comics, and the relationship has not really been explored recently) and Star-Lord of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
This is not official in any capacity, but Sneider explained that the Russo Brothers are currently casting for the upcoming Avengers movies (which, timeline-wise, would make sense).
Assuming that some characters could be introduced in those movies before appearing in a project focused more on the mutant team, he said Kitty Pryde could be being cast right now.
He pointed out Butters worked with the Russo Brothers on The Gray Man and is playing a lead role in Disney's upcoming Freakier Friday, giving her contacts and connections to the MCU.
Butters' resume also includes Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (Trudi Fraser), American Housewife (Anna-Kat Otto), Queen of Bones (Lily), and Monsters at Work (Lorelei), among other roles.
How Might Kitty Pryde Fit Into An X-Men Movie?
Based on the information Sneider has reported—true or not—he believes that in a future X-Men-centric project, Kitty Pryde would be among the students studying at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.
Meanwhile, Scott Summers and Jean Grey (potentially played by Harris Dickinson and Sadie Sink, respectively) would be graduates of the school. Presumably, if these rumors prove true, they would be on the first team of X-Men, to then be succeeded by Kitty Pryde and her generation of mutant peers.
This grouping could include other younger X-Men favorites—likely those from before the New Mutants' era, but after the first class. These may include the likes of Jubilee, Havok, or even Polaris—that is mostly based on age though.
Ultimately, once more information on what a future X-Men project could look like is made more public, it will be far easier to speculate.
There is no current date or official announcement for a future X-Men MCU project, but Season 1 of X-Men '97 is available to stream on Disney+.
Gillian Blum has been a writer at The Direct since 2022, reporting primarily from New York City. Though she covers news from across the entertainment industry, Gillian has a particular focus on Marvel and DC, including comics, movies, and television shows. She also commonly reports on Percy Jackson, Invincible, and other similar franchises.
