A new rumor claimed that Marvel Studios has found its next Magneto for its upcoming X-Men reboot, and fans are conflicted, to say the least. Before Marvel Studios reboots the X-Men under director Jake Schreier for Phase 7 and beyond, Fox's legendary mutants, including Sir Ian McKellen's Magneto, will return one last time in Avengers: Doomsday. Whoever becomes the next Magneto will have no easy task, especially as McKellen is reportedly the "MVP" of Doomsday. That's not to say that the British acting legend is the only one to play Magneto in live-action, as Michael Fassbender assumed the role in Fox's later movies.
Scooper MyTimeToShineHello took to X to claim that Star Wars: The Force Awakens actor Adam Driver has boarded the MCU's X-Men reboot as a villain. While MTTSH has a track record of mixed reliability, things got interesting as insider Apocalyptic Horseman corroborated the news, stating that Driver has joined the Phase 7 blockbuster and that "he's playing Magneto."
As one would expect, the rumor has drawn mixed reactions, ranging wildly from extreme excitement to outright anger. Much of the positivity stemmed from Driver's performance as Kylo Ren, aka Ben Solo, in Star Wars' sequel trilogy, where he proved he could portray a morally complex character who blurs the line between light and dark, delving into extremism in pursuit of his cause.
Magneto's Jewish heritage and origins as a Holocaust survivor are crucial to his character (and a potential problem for the MCU's X-Men reboot). That left many hopeful that Marvel Studios would cast a Jewish actor as Magneto, such as Harry Potter star Jason Isaacs, who has long been a popular fan casting choice.
Neither Ian McKellen nor Michael Fassbender is Jewish, and it seems Marvel Studios will continue that streak, as neither is Adam Driver. The MCU cast a Jewish actor to play Ben Grimm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps with Ebon Mass-Bachrach, sparking hopes that Magneto would get the same treatment.
Before Apocalyptic Horseman chimed in to declare that Driver will play Magneto, MTTSH had only claimed that he would be "a villain." Initially, it was widely theorized that Mr. Sinister, rumored to be the X-Men reboot's main villain, was the role for Driver, and many agreed he would be a strong choice.
Regardless of which role, if any, goes to Driver in the new mutant era, some have expressed criticism that the A-lister is attached to the project at all. In recent years, Hollywood has faced backlash for regurgitating the same faces into every major release, prompting calls for fresh faces and more unknown talent to be cast, especially in a potentially career-making role like Magneto.
Magneto Isn't Adam Driver's First Major MCU Casting Rumor
Just over three years ago, Driver was reportedly in talks to launch another MCU superhero team reboot, seemingly being among those considered to play Reed Richards in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, before Pedro Pascal landed the role.
On The Hot Mic podcast, Jeff Sneider claimed that Driver turned down the Mr. Fantastic role "very early" because he "couldn't connect with the character on the page." As the actor was clearly open to a major MCU role with long-term commitments like Richards, but only passed on that particular character, it stands to reason that Marvel Studios would quickly find him a new role.
Despite the clear issue of Driver's lack of Jewish heritage, the California-born 42-year-old clearly has the talent and villainous experience to play Magneto. If the rumors pull through and Driver becomes the MCU's Master of Magnetism, one has to wonder how he will play into the reboot's narrative, as it's tough to imagine Magneto being positioned as the main villain of yet another X-Men flick.
Marvel Studios isn't expected to start shooting its X-Men reboot under Jake Schreier until next year, so it's interesting to see casting heating up so early. As Sadie Sink is rumored to play Jean Grey in Avengers: Secret Wars after boarding the MCU with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, fans could see Driver's Magneto and more of the new mutant era alongside her as soon as December 17, 2027.
