The X-Men movies nearly featured some very familiar faces, many of whom later appeared in Marvel projects. The X-Men franchise helped redefine the superhero genre, paving the way for the modern Marvel movie boom. Interestingly, some major superhero movie actors came to joining the X-Men universe long before they found fame in other comic book roles.

The X-Men movies launched a cinematic universe that ultimately spanned decades, beginning with X-Men (2000) through to Logan, Dark Phoenix and ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool 2. Throughout these, numerous recognizable faces almost played some of Marvel’s greatest mutants. From future Avengers to Netflix’s Defenders, some surprising stars were considered for mutant roles, often turning them down or losing out due to behind-the-scenes changes.

8

Angela Bᴀssett Was First Choice For Storm

Bᴀssett Ultimately Played Queen Ramonda In Black Panther

Before Halle Berry donned the cape as Storm, X-Men screenwriter David Hayter revealed that Angela Bᴀssett was the original choice to play the weather-controlling mutant. In fact, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Bᴀssett was so firmly in mind that she was essentially considered a lock for the role. The casting would have been perfect.

Bᴀssett boasts a very distinctive delivery style and a commanding, almost severe presence. These are perfect traits to embody the imposing Storm. Bᴀssett had already established herself with powerful roles in films like What’s Love Got to Do with It and Strange Days, and her authoritative screen presence would’ve brought gravitas to Storm.

Unfortunately, negotiations didn’t work out, and Fox ultimately cast Berry, whose take on the character spanned four main films. Bᴀssett would ultimately find superhero success as Queen Ramonda in the Black Panther films. Had she accepted the X-Men role, her MCU journey might never have happened. Yet, Bᴀssett remains a top fan-casting for the MCU’s Storm.

7

Charlize Theron Turned Down Jean Grey

Theron Ultimately Played Clea In Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness

Long before becoming a sci-fi action icon in Mad Max: Fury Road and The Old Guard, Charlize Theron was offered the role of Jean Grey in the original X-Men trilogy. According to an interview cited by Observer, Theron turned down the part after being offered it by director Bryan Singer. This left the door open for Famke Janssen to step into the role.

Jean Grey’s arc (from telepathic mutant to the cosmic Dark Phoenix) became one of the trilogy’s central storylines. Theron’s intense screen presence would have offered a much different portrayal. While it’s unclear why she declined, the timing may have conflicted with other career moves in the early 2000s.

Theron eventually joined the superhero world with her appearance in the MCU’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness post-credits scene. While she is yet to appear in a full narrative, her introduction teased multiverse incursions and a possible return from Dormammu. Nevertheless, her near-miss with X-Men remains one of the franchise’s biggest what-ifs.

6

Sigourney Weaver Was Supposed To Play Emma Frost

Weaver Ultimately Played Alexandra In The Defenders

Sigourney Weaver nearly brought her sci-fi pedigree to the X-Men universe as Emma Frost. As reported by SuperHeroHype, Weaver was in talks to play the powerful telepath and former Hellfire Club member in earlier drafts of X-Men: The Last Stand. At the time, the idea was to introduce Frost as a major antagonist, or at least a morally complex presence, in the increasingly dark narrative of the third film.

Weaver, fresh off a string of genre-defining performances in the Alien series, would’ve lent both elegance and menace to the role. Ultimately, the script changed, and Weaver never joined the X-Men fold. Weaver’s unique talent of rapidly switching between tender and formidable would have worked incredibly well for the morally ambiguous Emma Frost.

Ironically, she later played the villain Alexandra in Marvel’s The Defenders on Netflix. This gave audiences a taste of what her presence in a Marvel property could feel like. However, Emma Frost remains a missed opportunity.

5

Channing Tatum Nearly Played Gambit Before His Doomed Solo Movie

Tatum Ultimately Played Gambit In ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine

Channing Tatum is almost synonymous with Gambit. Not because he played the role, but because of his long, tragic ᴀssociation with the character. However, even before his now-infamous solo movie was announced and stalled repeatedly, Tatum was nearly cast as Remy LeBeau in X-Men: The Last Stand.

Tatum told Uproxx, he came “really close” to landing the part. Unfortunately, the role was removed from the overcrowded sequel, and producers ultimately went with Taylor Kitsch for X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Tatum’s Southern charm and action chops made him a fan-favorite choice, and his pᴀssion for the role led to him being attached to a standalone Gambit film for years.

Unfortunately, delays, rewrites, and eventually Disney’s acquisition of Fox led to the movie’s cancellation. Tatum was finally able to don the purple body armor in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, a film which corrected many of Fox’s X-Men missteps. Thrillingly, Tatum has also been confirmed to play Gambit in the MCU’s Avengers: Doomsday.

4

David Harbour Was Turned Down For The Blob

Harbour Ultimately Played Red Guardian In Black Widow

Before gaining worldwide fame as Hopper in Stranger Things and suiting up as Red Guardian in the MCU, David Harbour auditioned for a far less glamorous role: the Blob in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Reportedly, Harbour didn’t just read for the part, he actually started gaining weight to play the morbidly obese mutant. He was reportedly turned down after executives believed he looked too unhealthy for the role.

Harbor joked that he was “too fat” to play Blob, with the character’s large frame created through major prosthetics. The part eventually went to Kevin Durand. Harbour later reflected on the experience with humor, noting how surreal it was to be rejected for looking like the character.

It all worked out in the end, as Harbour’s rise in Hollywood brought him to more prominent roles. Harbour’s eventual turn as Red Guardian proved to be a highlight in each of his appearances, including Thunderbolts*. Still, his almost-debut in the X-Men universe is a strange footnote in the long list of missed casting connections in superhero history.

3

Chris Hemsworth Was Very Close To Playing Gambit

Hemsworth Ultimately Played Thor Throughout The MCU

Long before he became Thor, Chris Hemsworth came heartbreakingly close to joining the X-Men universe as Gambit. In an interview with Variety, Hemsworth revealed that he got very close to playing Gambit in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. The casting ultimately went to Taylor Kitsch, whose portrayal was met with mixed reviews.

Hemsworth noted his disappointment at the time, having struggled to find major movie roles after leaving his television tenure. Interestingly, another role Hemsworth missed out on around this time was the lead in GI Joe. This ultimately went to fellow Gambit hopeful, Channing Tatum.

Thankfully, Hemsworth landed the role of Thor shortly after, skyrocketing him to fame in the MCU. Had he been cast in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, his entire trajectory might’ve changed. Moreover, the Marvel Cinematic Universe could have lost one of its most iconic heroes.

2

Rosario Dawson Was Supposed To Play Cecelia Reyes

Dawson Played Gail In Sin City And Claire Temple In Daredevil

Rosario Dawson is now probably best known in the superhero genre for her portrayal of Claire Temple across Netflix’s Defenders shows. Her comic book legacy actually goes back much further to Sin City and its sequel, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. Years later, Dawson was set to play Dr. Cecilia Reyes in Fox’s The New Mutants.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Dawson was cast in the role but exited before filming began, with Alice Braga eventually replacing her. Cecilia Reyes is a mutant doctor who serves as a mentor to the younger characters. This would have allowed Dawson to join yet another major superhero property.

At the time, Dawson was deeply involved in Marvel’s TV universe, and her presence in a Fox film may have complicated branding and scheduling. Still, Dawson’s departure from New Mutants was a missed chance to bring her charisma to the X-Men world. Though the film suffered from delays and lukewarm reviews, Dawson’s presence could have helped the troubled production.

1

Russell Crowe Turned Down Wolverine

Crowe Ultimately Played Nikolai Kravinoff In Kraven The Hunter And Zeus In Thor: Love And Thunder

Hugh Jackman was famously cast just weeks before X-Men (2000) began filming, but what many don’t know is that the role was offered first to Russell Crowe. According to Digital Spy, Crowe pᴀssed on the part and recommended his friend Jackman, who was then a little-known Australian actor. The decision changed superhero history.

While Crowe had just come off major success with films like L.A. Confidential and would soon win an Oscar for Gladiator, he reportedly didn’t connect with the role or the idea of signing on for multiple films. In time, his advice to consider Jackman proved fateful. Jackman went on to portray Logan for nearly two decades, becoming one of the most iconic comic book actors of all time.

Crowe would find his superhero roles as Kraven the Hunter’s father in Nikolai Kravinoff and Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder. He also gave a celebrated performance as Superman’s alien father, Jor-El, in the DCEU. Yet, if Crowe had accepted the role of Wolverine, the X-Men franchise, and perhaps the entire superhero movie landscape, would have looked very different.

Sources: Observer, SuperHeroHype, Uproxx, Variety, & Digital Spy