Marvel Studios' next mutant team might not stay a mystery much longer. A new X-Men film is set to become the first live-action installment of the franchise fully produced and distributed by Marvel Studios, with Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier attached to direct. The film currently has no release date or confirmed cast, arriving in 2028 and entering a new era after Avengers: Secret Wars. The little-known details surrounding the reboot could all change in the coming weeks.
Over the years, Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con (SDCC) earned its reputation for major fandom moments. Thunderbolts* and Eternals both had their full casts walk out onto the stage together for the first time, while the reveals of Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), and Blade (Mahershala Ali) have also done down in MCU Hall H history. The recent gold standard was 2024, when Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.) turned Hall H into a viral sensation that redefined the fifth Avengers film, going from Kang Dynasty to Doomsday.
Marvel Studios skipped SDCC entirely last year, but the studio is reclaiming its traditional Saturday night slot on July 25 for the 2026 show, its first Hall H appearance since that Doctor Doom bombshell. The stakes are especially high this time around, too. X-Men, eyeing a 2028 release, is expected to help kick off the MCU's next saga once Avengers: Secret Wars closes out the Multiverse Saga in 2027, and Marvel could use this platform to make casting announcements.
Casting rumors about the project have been circulating since Marvel Studios first announced it, with a few surfacing in the past few weeks. Schreier reportedly met with actors across Hollywood, including Obsession breakout Inde Navarrette.
In a recent interview, Navarrette named Schreier alongside directors like Ryan Coogler and Greta Gerwig as a dream collaborator and confirmed the two had already met, making it clear she'd be interested in joining the MCU if the right role came along.
From a timeline perspective, Marvel Studios' Hall H panel lands less than one week before Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31, and that film is already believed to be quietly setting up Sadie Sink's arrival as the MCU's new Jean Grey. Using Hall H to confirm that casting the weekend before release would be a huge moment, sending Brand New Day audiences into theaters ready to also start the next young mutant journey.
From an official standpoint, Marvel Studios seems to be using most of its Hall H time this year to build hype for Avengers: Doomsday, but other projects like VisionQuest, Secret Wars, Black Panther 3, and the X-Men reboot could be fun surprises.
Rebooted X-Men Casting Rumors
As of writing, every name attached to the 2028 X-Men movie is speculation outside of Sink, who has quickly become one of the safer bets thanks to her expected path from Brand New Day into Avengers: Secret Wars.
Harris Dickinson has been an actor who's floated to the top for Scott Summers, who could help lead the young team opposite Sink's Jean Grey.
Additionally, Navarrette's meeting with Schreier sparked theories that she could be in the running for characters like Mystique or Polaris. Marvel landing the actress coming off of Obsession could be a major win for the studio, as it seeks to maintain its relevance.
There's also a fresh name entering the mix. A new rumor (via James Mack) that Marvel has spoken with How to Train Your Dragon star Mason Thames about a role in the MCU is circulating, though the project or character remains unclear.
Other rumors include Charles Melton as Hank McCoy, Odessa A'Zion or Sophie Thatcher as Rogue, and Patrick Wilson as Professor X. Again, Hall H could be a great time to make some of these official. But prior to that event, there's been little legitimate reporting on the MCU's new X-Men cast.
One of the X-Men's most famous characters, Wolverine, has been notably missing from the rumor mill. For whoever ends up landing the Logan role, Hugh Jackman is a tough act to follow; and with him still suiting up as the character in Deadpool & Wolverine (and probably in a 2026 or 2027 Avengers film), there's reason to believe Marvel will focus on other X-Men before a Wolverine recast.
The irony of the current mutant status in the MCU is that Doomsday is bringing back the old Fox X-Men universe team, with Professor X (Patrick Stewart), Magneto (Ian McKellen), Cyclops (James Marsden), Nightcrawler (Alan Cumming), Mystique (Rebecca Romijn), and Beast (Kelsey Grammer).
Avengers: Doomsday arrives December 18, giving fans one last look at the old guard before Marvel Studios hands the reins to a new generation, possibly introduced as soon as Secret Wars in 2027.
