Some of the most iconic mutant characters from Marvel Comics need redemption in the upcoming X-Men reboot in the MCU after 20th Century Fox failed them. After many members of Fox’s classic X-Men team return to action in Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel Studios is expected to completely reinvent the X-Men team for the MCU. The reintroduction of the X-Men, their supporting cast and their adversaries creates the perfect opportunity for Marvel to finally redeem some of the characters that 20th Century Fox neglected the most.

Marvel Studios is currently in active development of an official X-Men reboot, penned by The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes writer Michael Lesslie. Recent speculation suggests the likes of Sadie Sink, Harris Dickinson and Julia ʙuттers could be in the running for roles including Jean Grey, Cyclops, Kitty Pryde and more. While nothing has yet been confirmed, this implies Marvel Studios is hoping to focus on some underrepresented and underutilized mutant characters last seen in Fox’s X-Men franchise, which means other neglected characters could also get redeemed.

8

Emma Frost

Tahyna MacManus & January Jones Played Emma Frost In Fox’s X-Men Franchise

First appearing to loosely inspire Kayla Silverfox’s sister in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, played by Tahyna MacManus, and later as a lackluster sidekick in X-Men: First Class, with January Jones at the helm, Fox barely scratched the surface of what makes Emma Frost such an iconic Marvel character. Femme fatale Emma Frost is one of the most powerful and significant characters ᴀssociated with the X-Men in Marvel Comics, so it’s a dire shame she has never seen this justice in live-action. Marvel Studios needs to reinvent Emma Frost and make her a much more important character.

While she started out as a villainous member of the Hellfire Club in 1980, Emma Frost went on to become an antihero and later a bona fide hero, even eventually leading the X-Men and branches of Xavier’s School. She never saw this growth in Fox’s X-Men franchise, and was never depicted as more than a minor character, with her full appearance in First Class introducing her as just Sebastian Shaw’s lackey. It would be fantastic to see Emma Frost finally depicted as an independent and formidable hero in the MCU.

7

Ororo Munroe’s Storm

Halle Berry & Alexandra Shipp Played Storm In Fox’s X-Men Franchise

Despite being featured as a main character in almost every installment in Fox’s X-Men franchise, Ororo Munroe, a.k.a. the powerful mutant known as Storm, was never handled quite right. Storm is practically a goddess in Marvel Comics, one of the most powerful characters in the Marvel Universe and one of the most beloved heroes ever to exist. This meant it was pretty disappointing to see her relegated to a supporting character and routinely sidelined in Fox’s X-Men franchise, both in the original and revised timelines where she was played by Halle Berry and Alexandra Shipp, respectively.

With the power to control and manipulate the elements, Storm is a significant ᴀsset to the X-Men team, but her powers were seldom explored, and she got next to no development in Fox’s X-Men franchise. It’s been great to see Storm finally getting some attention in X-Men ’97 and What If…? season 3, but we want her to take center-stage in live-action, too. Storm is one of the few X-Men members who could easily headline a solo MCU movie, especially since her rich Wakanda-connected backstory hasn’t been explored in live-action, so we hope Marvel Studios makes this happen.

6

Remy LeBeau’s Gambit

Taylor Kitsch Played Gambit In Fox’s X-Men Franchise

Gambit is one of Marvel’s most popular and iconic X-Men members, so it was a surprise to see him wasted so monumentally in Fox’s X-Men franchise. Cajun mutant Remy LeBeau only made one appearance in the franchise, portrayed by Taylor Kitsch in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which was a controversial casting choice after Channing Tatum had already been lobbying for the role for several years. Tatum would eventually debut as a comic-accurate Gambit in 2024’s ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, and receive praise for the role, but Fox failed him time and again.

Tatum originally vied to portray Gambit in X-Men: The Last Stand, but his scenes were cut, and plans for an appearance in X-Men: Apocalypse, which would have led to a solo movie, fell through. Kitsch delivered a pᴀssable performance as Gambit, but it was tainted by Origins’ poor performance and the fact that the character never made another appearance in the franchise. Tatum is reprising the role of Gambit in Avengers: Doomsday, but there are hopes that a comic-accurate version of the energy-wielding hero will appear in the MCU’s future X-Men stories.

5

Apocalypse

Oscar Isaac Played Apocalypse In Fox’s X-Men Franchise

En Sabah Nur is one of the X-Men’s most powerful, threatening and long-running villains in Marvel Comics, but this did not translate whatsoever into Oscar Isaac’s portrayal of the incomparable Apocalypse. Marvel Comics’ Apocalypse is a mutant enhanced with technology from the Celestials who even has connections to Kang the Conqueror, having met during Kang’s time ruling Ancient Egypt as Rama-Tut. Apocalypse has acquired many significant powers over his long life, so it would be great to see some of these brought to the forefront in the MCU.

Oscar Isaac’s depiction of Apocalypse was not exactly comic-accurate and rendered the villain little more than a vulturous mutant who stole others’ powers. X-Men ’97 season 2 is expected to make Apocalypse a powerful threat to Marvel’s animated X-Men team, but it would be great to see him get this treatment in the live-action MCU, too. Apocalypse could become a long-running and ever-present foe to the MCU’s new X-Men team, especially given his prominence in Marvel Comics’ history and possibly in the history of the MCU, too.

4

Warren Worthington III’s Angel

Ben Foster & Ben Hardy Played Angel In Fox’s X-Men Franchise

As a founding member of Marvel Comics’ X-Men team back in 1963, Angel is perhaps one of the most important mutants ever to appear in the Marvel Universe. You never would have guessed that based on his evolution in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise, however, as Warren Worthingon III was severely neglected and almost completely ignored. Ben Foster played Angel briefly in X-Men: The Last Stand, while Ben Hardy took on the role as a Horseman of the тιтular villain in X-Men: Apocalypse, but neither captured exactly what makes Angel such a fantastic hero.

Angel has had some incredible stories in Marvel Comics, particularly those where he became Archangel or teamed up with fellow founding X-Men member Iceman. Unfortunately, Fox barely scratched the surface of Angel’s history and development, which was a dire shame, and should be rectified in the MCU. It would be brilliant to see a faithful interpretation of Marvel’s original X-Men team brought into the MCU, which could finally see Angel become a core part of the X-Men team and one of the MCU’s most important, powerful and beloved superheroes.

3

Kitty Pryde’s Shadowcat

Sumela Kay, Katie Stuart & Elliot Page Played Shadowcat In Fox’s X-Men Franchise

After making a series of cameo appearances, Kitty Pryde was finally portrayed by Elliot Page in Fox’s X-Men franchise, and while this performance was solid, a lot of Pryde’s Marvel Comics history and personality was lost. Instead, Page’s Kitty Pryde was nothing more than Bobby Drake’s new possible love interest and a spanner in the works of his relationship with Rogue. Anything that made Marvel Comics’ Shadowcat unique and interesting was removed, but the MCU has the perfect opportunity to change this completely.

Shadowcat has been among one of the first names reported to be recast for the MCU, which suggests that Marvel Studios might give Kitty Pryde a much more substantial role in the MCU. Elliot Page’s version of the phasing hero was pᴀssable, but never had that much to do, and contributed to one of X-Men: The Last Stand’s most embarrᴀssing moments alongside the Juggernaut. It’s high time Shadowcat got reinvented for the MCU, and The Fabelmans’ Julia ʙuттers, who has been suggested for the role, would be a fantastic choice.

2

Rogue

Anna Paquin Played Rogue In Fox’s X-Men Franchise

One of the most noticeable casualties of Fox’s X-Men franchise veering away from the Marvel Comics backstories and designs of many characters was Rogue, who was hardly the supremely powerful villain-turned-hero from the comics when brought to live-action. Anna Paquin’s Rogue was stripped of anything that made her exciting and entertaining to watch, leaving behind just a whiny teenager that didn’t have much to do beyond fall in love with Iceman – a theme is forming here. Marvel Studios needs to reinvent Rogue completely for her official MCU debut.

Rogue was the adoptive daughter of Mystique in Marvel Comics who turned her back on a life of villainy after stealing Captain Marvel’s powers and become a steadfast hero and crucial member of the X-Men. This entire arc was highlighted perfectly in X-Men: The Animated Series, but Fox’s live-action Marvel movies missed the mark time and again. It would be brilliant to see a comic-accurate Southern version of Rogue in the MCU, perhaps following in the footsteps of her X-Men ’97 counterpart, and not the disappointing interpretation of Rogue from Fox’s X-Men franchise.

1

Scott Summers’ Cyclops

James Marsden & Tye Sheridan Played Cyclops In Fox’s X-Men Franchise

Perhaps the biggest victim of 20th Century Fox wasting some of its most important X-Men characters was Scott Summers’ Cyclops. Portrayed by James Marsden in the classic trilogy and Tye Sheridan in the revised timeline, Cyclops should have been a cornerstone of Fox’s X-Men franchise. This was not the case, however, so one of Marvel’s most significant, powerful and potential-filled X-Men heroes was ignored, wasted and, eventually, killed off. Cyclops’ treatment by 20th Century Fox has been a huge point of contention for years, so Marvel Studios needs to do better.

Cyclops is one of the most notable X-Men characters in Marvel Comics’ history. He was a founding member of the X-Men, one of the team’s most powerful members, their field leader and eventually the team leader altogether. He was involved in some of Marvel’s biggest and most game-changing storylines, and has been the subject of scandal, controversy and romantic trysts over and over, but Fox neglected to make him the least bit interesting. Cyclops is perhaps Fox’s biggest failure, but the upcoming X-Men reboot for the MCU is said to be recreating him straight away, which is incredibly exciting.

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