Marvel Fans Don't Deserve This Epic X-Men Casting

Image via Marvel/Disney Published Aug 18, 2026, 5:42 PM EDT Rotten Tomatoes | Letterboxd | Metacritic Carolyn Jenkins is a voracious consumer of film and television. She graduated from Long Island University with an MFA in Screenwriting and Producing where she learned the art of character, plot, and structure. The best teacher is absorbing media and she spends her time reading about different worlds from teen angst to the universe of Stephen King. Sign in to your Collider account It really is true that it is impossible to please everyone. The comic fans crowd is particularly vocal, especially when it comes to something the MCU has been holding back on for years. After the demise of the Fox universe of X-Men, it was only a matter of time before Kevin Feige added them to the current roster. Marvel has struggled with its new phase, and the celebrated mutant ensemble was the obvious direction to go in. The MCU universe officially introduced its first classic team member in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, finally bringing the Omega-level mutant, Jean Grey, to the forefront. Sadie Sink filled that role seamlessly, and as soon as she did, other announcements started rolling out. Heartstopper star Kit Connor has been cast in the role of Cyclops, while Obsession’s Inde Navarrette rightfully claimed the part of Rogue. Despite these promising young performers putting a fresh spin on the X-Men, the internet does what the internet does best and has some loud and obnoxious opinions about it. X-Men Fans Need to Give This Cast a Chance As anyone who has spent a modicum of time in the Star Wars fanbase can say, a toxic fandom is a killer. Marvel has already been on the brutal end of the loud majority, particularly when it comes to female-fronted superhero movies. Once again, the female cast of the X-Men have gotten the brunt of abuse from online discourse. Sadie Sink has been a target because of her affiliation with Stranger Things, despite already proving her worth in Spider-Man. Jean Grey was the emotional lynchpin of the film, connecting with Peter when it came to grief and loneliness. Even more confusingly, Inde Navarrette has also come under fire, even though fans had been campaigning for her to play Rogue since her monumental breakout in Obsession. If there is anyone suited to play the emotionally traumatized mutant who can’t touch the person she loves, it's Navarrette, who conveyed her torment in Obsession with a single look. Rogue’s entire life is a horror show, and the Obsession star is poised to be the perfect new face for the fan-favorite role. Online discourse has taken to calling the casting “Disney X-Men,” which seems to be a cheap shot at Sink’s previous work, dismissing her powerhouse roles in Spider-Man and The Whale. So-called fans also seem to be ignoring the introduction of rarely seen characters in live-action. Emma Frost is finally getting the feature film she deserves after being disrespected in X-Men: First Class. Samara Weaving is about as perfect a casting as the telepath can get. The hiring of Adam Driver as Mr. Sinister also hints at more mature storylines in the future. Sinister was hinted at in the tragically maligned movie New Mutants, but he was never officially seen. The famous X-Men villain’s history with cloning technology hints at the possibility of including Madelyne Pryor and maybe even Emma’s iconic clone-daughters, the Cuckoos. The world is apparently the X-Men’s oyster, if fans would just give these actors a chance. All of this toxic discourse is based on the announcement that occurred at D23. There is no evidence of what the MCU has prepared, and it is far too early to tell what kind of story they will be telling. Marvel has come a long way since its gritty and realistic portrayals in the Fox movies. The X-Men are ready for their weirdest and most comic-accurate phase yet. It’s time to get on board. Release Date May 5, 2028 Director Jake Schreier Writers Joanna Calo, Lee Sung Jin, Michael Lesslie Producers Kevin Feige Franchise(s) Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), X-Men Cast Inde Navarrette Rogue / Anna Marie Kit Connor Scott Summers / Cyclops Samara Weaving Emma Frost