Marvel Studios' X-Men roster isn't taking its cues from the comics, cutting three founding mutants. Few projects have had as many fancasts thrown its way as Jake Schreier's X-Men. Part of the reason fans were so fixated on throwing their opinions in the ring was that Kevin Feige and Co. were taking their sweet time putting the team together. Well, the wait is finally over, as Marvel Studios finally unveiled the actors who will star in the 2028 film.
Feige took the stage at D23 in Anaheim, California, to tease upcoming MCU projects, including VisionQuest and Avengers: Doomsday, and showed footage from both. However, not even new shots of Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom could steal headlines from the X-Men.
To close out the Marvel Studios section of the panel, Feige and Sadie Sink brought out the new additions to the MCU family, Kit Connor, Christopher Abbott, Samara Weaving, Inde Navarrette, Maya Boyd, and Adam Driver. He also announced that they would be playing Cyclops, Professor X, Emma Frost, Rogue, Storm, and Mister Sinister, respectively.
Positive momentum for a surefire hit like X-Men is great news for a franchise that's in desperate need of a winning streak after a couple of lackluster phases. Fans have also been happy to soak in the victory after years and years of faith that they would one day get a proper reboot of the property. But what everyone seems to be overlooking is that Schreier's movie is still missing a few key faces.
Of course, the X-Men got their start in Marvel Comics in the 1960s, when icons Stan Lee and Jack Kirby were running the show. They envisioned a title focused on a group of young heroes growing up at a school dedicated to teaching metahumans. Cyclops and Jean Grey were their headliners, being Professor X's star pupils.
The lovebirds weren't alone on campus, though; they had three teammates who were just as important to building the X-Men's foundation. Marvel Studios still hasn't brought them into the fold. That doesn't mean they'll sit on the sidelines forever, so it's worth knowing what makes them special.
Founding X-Men That Have Yet To Be Cast In Marvel Studios' Reboot
Beast
The Marvel Universe is home to many smart people, many of whom are also superheroes. There's Reed Richards, Tony Stark, Shuri, and Hank Pym, to name a few. Professor X doesn't reach out to any of them when he has a technical issue; instead, he has his good friend Hank McCoy take a look.
Hank met Charles Xavier at a crucial time in his life, when his mutant powers were only starting to bloom. Xavier gave his new student a place to learn about his abilities without fear of judgment or worse. And that move paid off because the hero who became known as Beast upgraded everything from Cerebro to the Danger Room.
Beast is no stranger to appearing on the big screen. He's had major roles in X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix. Kelsey Grammer is even going to reprise his role from The Last Stand and The Marvels in Avengers: Doomsday, giving the furry character another oppurtunity to show off what he's got in live-action.
Maybe Marvel Studios believes Beast could use a break before brushing shoulders with a new generation of mutants in the MCU.
Iceman
Bobby Drake didn't have a solid grasp on his powers when they first emerged. After freezing a bully, he found himself behind bars. Professor X rescued him and offered him a spot at his school. Bobby knew it wasn't a deal he could refuse, so he followed Xavier and became the second official member of the X-Men.
Like his fellow mutants, Iceman has changed drastically over the years. At first, people viewed him as sort of a joke character. However, he's become classified as an Omega-level mutant in the comics, putting him in the same tier as Storm and Magneto.
Iceman has yet to get the oppurtunity to show what he's really made of in a movie. Despite appearing in four Fox films, his biggest feats included building an ice wall and cooling a soda for Wolverine. When it comes time for Marvel Studios to get him out of cold storage, it better be ready to let him loose.
Angel
Warren Worthington III couldn't wait to become a hero. Not long after he grew wings, he started fighting crime as a vigilante. Professor X caught wind of his noble deeds and made him an X-Man.
It wasn't always smooth sailing for Angel, who briefly turned into one of Apocalypse's Four Horsemen. He's also had a few brushes with death, which is par for the course in Marvel Comics.
Angel made a few unmemorable appearances in Fox's X-Men movies. In Apocalypse, he even followed in his comic book counterpart's footsteps and became one of the Four Horsemen.
Marvel Studios doesn't need to fly down that road again, especially since Archangel is already a key player in X-Men '97. Instead, Warren should get some time to be himself and embrace his heroic side.
