Marvel Studios is officially bringing the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe with a star-studded cast revealed by studio president Kevin Feige at Disney's D23 Showcase. The upcoming film is slated for release on May 5, 2028.
Inde Navarrette, known for her role in "Obsession," will portray Rogue, while "Star Wars" actor Adam Driver is set to play Nathaniel Milbury, an alias for the mutant villain Mister Sinister. Sadie Sink will reprise her role as Jean Grey, having previously debuted in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day."
Other cast members announced include Maya Boyd as Storm, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott as Professor X, and Samara Weaving as Emma Frost. Feige noted that the revealed cast is not exhaustive.
Adam Driver appeared via video from Pinewood Studios in London, explaining his absence from the D23 event. "When Kevin [Feige] told me to show up for X-Men, I assumed he meant on set," Driver said. "So instead of being there in California, I’m here at Pinewood on this very lonely soundstage." He added that he and Feige had discussed his MCU entry for years and felt this project was the perfect fit. "I’m very excited to be playing Mag… Nope. Even better. Nathaniel Milbury. So I’ll be right here, waiting for everybody to show up," Driver stated.
Navarrette, a self-proclaimed longtime Marvel fan, met with director Jake Schreier to discuss her potential role. "I thought what Jake brought to ‘Thunderbolts’ was what I used to love about Marvel," she said. "It was character-driven, and the whole time I just couldn’t stop yapping about how much I appreciated what he did with Marvel."
The X-Men were first introduced in the 1963 Marvel Comics series by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. The franchise made its major film debut in 2000 with "X-Men," starring actors who portrayed iconic roles. Disney acquired the film rights to the X-Men in 2019 as part of its acquisition of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets. Since then, Marvel has integrated some mutants into the MCU, including Patrick Stewart's Professor X in "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine in "Deadpool & Wolverine."
Several actors from the original "X-Men" films are also expected to appear in "Avengers: Doomsday," including Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming, and Kelsey Grammer. Channing Tatum, who played Gambit in "Deadpool & Wolverine," is also part of the cast.