Marvel Studios Unveils Star-Studded X-Men Reboot Cast at D23

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA – AUGUST 14: (L-R) Maya Boyd, Inde Navarrette, Samara Weaving, Christopher Abbott, Kit Connor, Jake Schreier and Sadie Sink at the Disney Entertainment Showcase at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event on August 14, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Disney)

Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Disney

After months of intense secrecy and widespread speculation, Marvel Studios officially unveiled the core cast of its highly anticipated X-Men reboot during the D23 Expo. Kevin Feige brought the new mutants onstage one by one to the delight of the assembled crowd. Directed by Jake Schreier, the film is scheduled for release in May 2028. The original Fox X-Men franchise ran from 2000 to 2019 across thirteen films, featuring iconic performances from Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, and Halle Berry. This new installment marks the first X-Men film produced under the Marvel Studios banner since Disney acquired Fox in 2019, arriving after Avengers: Secret Wars in December 2027.

Below is the complete list of every confirmed cast member announced so far.

Sadie Sink as Jean Grey

Sadie Sink’s casting as Jean Grey was the least surprising reveal of the event, as she had already debuted in the role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, where her character was introduced as a telepathic antagonist. Sink is best known to global audiences for her emotionally demanding role as Max Mayfield in the hit series Stranger Things.

As one of the X-Men’s most powerful figures, Jean Grey is an Omega-level telepath and telekinetic whose narrative is deeply intertwined with the legendary Dark Phoenix saga. With this casting, Sink becomes the third actress to portray the adult Jean Grey in live-action, following in the footsteps of Famke Janssen and Sophie Turner.

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Kit Connor as Scott Summers/Cyclops

Kit Connor was officially confirmed for the role of Scott Summers, aka Cyclops, ahead of the D23 presentation. Connor is internationally recognized for his breakout role as Nick Nelson in Heartstopper, which he reprised in the 2026 film continuation Heartstopper: Forever. In addition to his television success, he has appeared in A24’s war drama Warfare and lent his voice to DreamWorks’ animated film The Wild Robot.

Connor and Sink share a strong theatrical background, having both performed as Romeo and Juliet in various stage productions on Broadway and in London’s West End.

As the field leader of the X-Men, Scott Summers is a skilled tactician whose strict control extends from his destructive optic blasts to his personal relationships, particularly his long-standing bond with Jean Grey in the comics.

Past actors to portray Cyclops include James Marsden, Tim Pocock, and Tye Sheridan.

Samara Weaving as Emma Frost

Emma Frost is a formidable telepath capable of transforming her body into organic diamond. Originally a supervillain who led the Hellfire Club as the White Queen, she eventually transitioned to becoming a core member of the X-Men.

The character was previously portrayed by January Jones in X-Men: First Class (2011) and Tahyna Tozzi in 2009.

Weaving has had an incredibly active 2026, starring in Ready or Not 2: Here I Come and co-leading IFC’s Over Your Dead Body alongside Jason Segel. Her track record of playing morally ambiguous and sharp-witted characters makes her an excellent fit for the complex role of Emma Frost.

Christopher Abbott as Professor X/Charles Xavier

Christopher Abbott portrays Charles Xavier, the telepathic founder of the X-Men. Known for his versatile performances in films like James White, It Comes at Night, and Possessor, Abbott’s casting suggests a departure toward a more complex, nuanced portrayal of the iconic professor, contrasting with the traditional gravitas of James McAvoy and Patrick Stewart.

Inde Navarrette as Rogue

Inde Navarrette portrays Rogue, the Southern mutant whose power to absorb the abilities and memories of others through physical contact leaves her in constant physical danger, making her an inherently isolated figure. Navarrette previously expressed interest in playing Mystique, though that role remains unannounced. Anna Paquin famously portrayed Rogue in the original Fox X-Men film series.

Maya Boyd as Storm

Maya Boyd joins the cast as Ororo Munroe, better known as Storm, an Omega-level weather manipulator who has not only led the X-Men but also ruled the nation of Wakanda in various comic book storylines. Halle Berry previously played the character in four Fox X-Men films. As a rising newer actress, Boyd’s casting represents the least familiar name of the day, bringing an intriguing fresh perspective to Storm’s pivotal role.

Adam Driver as Mister Sinister

Adam Driver rounds out the main cast as the film’s primary villain. While the official press release did not explicitly name his character as Mister Sinister, the studio confirmed he is playing a “very sinister figure named Nathaniel Milbury.” Since Nathan Milbury is one of Mister Sinister’s well-known aliases, the role is clearly the iconic Victorian-era geneticist.

Nathaniel Essex, better known as Mister Sinister, is a brilliant geneticist from the Victorian era who achieved immortality through dark genetic experimentation. His obsession with mutant genetics, and particularly his fixation on Jean Grey, has been a cornerstone of classic X-Men comic arcs for decades.

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