The Marvel Cinematic Universe may have just found another of its original X-Men.
“Karate Kid: Legends” and “The Long Walk” star Ben Wang is currently in talks to play Bobby Drake, a.k.a. Iceman, in the upcoming “X-Men” feature. Wang would join Sadie Sink (Jean Grey), Kit Connor (Cyclops) and Asa Germann (Angel) as one of the original five X-Men that debuted in Stan Lee and Jack Kirby’s foundational 1963 comic. This leaves Beast as the only member of the original crew to join the film.
Christopher Abbott, meanwhile, has been cast as team leader Professor X, while Adam Driver will play the villainous Mr. Sinister. Rounding out the mutant crew are Inde Navarrette, cast as Rogue, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost and Maya Boyd, who will play fan-favorite Storm.
Jake Schreier will direct the “X-Men” reboot, returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after helming “Thunderbolts*” (later known as “The New Avengers”). Joanna Calo, Lee Sung Jin and Michael Lesslie will pen the screenplay.
“X-Men” is currently slated as the first film out the gate after “Avengers: Secret Wars.” That movie, currently dated for December 2027, will draw Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribić comic of the same name, which provided the Marvel Comics universe a clean avenue for a line-wide soft reboot — keeping some elements the same while incorporating new details, like bringing Miles Morales into the main Marvel universe.
This may provide the MCU an explanation for why the mutants are now a major presence after mostly not appearing on Earth-616 in the Infinity Saga and Multiverse Saga. There have been a few instances of mutants appearing in the MCU’s main continuity. Sadie Sink’s Jean Grey was previously introduced in “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” while Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel was revealed to be a mutant herself in her flagship Disney+ series.
“X-Men” will release in theaters on May 5, 2028.
Deadline was first to report the news.
