Eight actors from Fox's X-Men Universe have confirmed appearances in the MCU, reprising their roles, or a variation of, as the X-Men prepare to debut.
SUMMARY
- Eight actors from Fox's X-Men Universe have, or will be reprising their roles in the MCU, introducing several mutants to the Multiverse Saga.
- Evan Peters appeared in WandaVision, Patrick Stewart returned in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Kelsey Grammer reprised his role in The Marvels.
- Deadpool 3 will feature Ryan Reynolds returning as Deadpool and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, marking their first appearances in the MCU.
Marvel Studios has now confirmed eight actors from 20th Century Fox's X-Men Universe in the MCU, with each of them reprising their roles ahead of the official introduction of the MCU's mutant superhero team. Prior to Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019, the latter studio developed an expansive film franchise focused on mutant characters from Marvel Comics, beginning with 2000's X-Men and concluding with 2020's The New Mutants.
Throughout the MCU's Multiverse Saga, however, Marvel Studios has brought back several actors from Fox's X-Men Universe, introducing some iconic mutant characters to the MCU as heroes from MCU-adjacent realities.
After Disney acquired Fox's properties, including the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige teased the development of a mutant-centric project in the MCU. News on the much-anticipated project had been scarce for several years, but it was recently reported that Marvel Studios has begun to meet writers for the MCU's X-Men reboot.
While the X-Men prepare to officially make their MCU debut, however, several previous iterations of the team's core characters have already made appearances in the MCU, with eight actors from Fox's X-Men Universe reprising their roles, or a variation of their roles, in the MCU, debuting a selection of mutants in the Multiverse Saga.
Evan Peters Returned In WandaVision
The first actor from Fox's X-Men Universe to make a surprising appearance in the MCU was Evan Peters. Peters originally debuted as Peter Maximoff, a.k.a. Quicksilver, in X-Men: Days of Future Past in 2014, which saw the young speedster recruited by time traveler Wolverine, James McAvoy's Professor X, and Nicholas Hoult's Beast to free Michael Fassbender's Magneto from his Pentagon prison. Peters made further appearances as Quicksilver in X-Men: Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix, and became a fan-favorite character in the franchise, thanks to his humor and epic speeding scenes. Evan Peters' debut in Phase 4's WandaVision came as a huge shock for MCU audiences.
WandaVision, Marvel Studios' first Disney+ series, dealt heavily with Wanda Maximoff's grief over losing her parents, brother, and love-interest. This made Evan Peters' Quicksilver an exciting and welcome addition to the series, but this also caused a great deal of confusion, as the MCU's Pietro Maximoff had previously been portrayed by Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Avengers:
Age of Ultron. WandaVision's series finale revealed that Peters' version of Quicksilver is actually the actor Ralph Bohner, who had been enchanted by Kathryn Hahn's Agatha Harkness. Peters has yet to make another appearance in the MCU, but it's possible he could return as his version of Quicksilver from Fox's X-Men Universe.
Patrick Stewart Returned In Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness
Patrick Stewart's portrayal of Charles Xavier, a.k.a. Professor X, has seen him become one of the longest-running superhero actors, having played the role since 2000's X-Men, and making his most recent appearance in the MCU's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in 2022.
Xavier was introduced as the leader of the X-Men and the headmaster of Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters in Fox's X-Men Universe, bound to a wheelchair after being shot in the spine by Magneto during X-Men: First Class. The younger version of the character was portrayed by James McAvoy, but Stewart has become synonymous with the character, making his MCU return even more effective.
In Phase 4's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Patrick Stewart wasn't portraying the version of Professor X seen in Fox's X-Men Universe, but rather a variant of the character from Earth-838.
This version of Professor X used a bright yellow wheelchair, similar to the one shown in Marvel Comics, and was a member of the Illuminati, a team of superhero leaders who studied the multiverse and ensured its protection. This version of Professor X was killed by Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch during her multiversal rampage, but a second version of the character received a mention by name in the post-credits scene of The Marvels.
Earth-838's Illuminati comprised Patrick Stewart's Professor X, John Krasinski's Mister Fantastic, Lashana Lynch's Captain Marvel, Hayley Atwell's Captain Carter, Anson Mount's Black Bolt, and Chiwetel Ejiofor's Baron Karl Mordo, the Sorcerer Supreme. All but Mordo were killed by the Scarlet Witch.
Kelsey Grammer Returned In The Marvels
Kelsey Grammer debuted as Hank McCoy, a.k.a. Beast, in 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand, shown to be a serving member of the United States Cabinet in the role of Secretary for Mutant Affairs.
Despite his political status, Beast joined the X-Men during their final battle against Magneto and Jean Grey's Phoenix in The Last Stand, but X-Men: Days of Future Past revealed that Beast had been killed during the war, though Nicholas Hoult's younger version of the character still appeared.
Days of Future Past's timeline change resurrected Grammer's version of Hank McCoy, and he subsequently became the first mutant actually from Fox's X-Men Universe to appear in the MCU.
At the end of 2023's The Marvels, Teyonah Parris' Monica Rambeau manages to close the hole in the fabric of the universe caused by Zawe Ashton's villainous Dar-Benn, but finds herself trapped on the other side.
The Marvels' post-credits scene revealed that Rambeau had traveled to Fox's X-Men Universe, where she was met by a variant of her mother - the superhero Binary - and Kelsey Grammer's Beast, presumably inside the X-Mansion.
Grammer's appearance in The Marvels was a huge surprise, but created a clear connection between the MCU proper and Fox's X-Men Universe that will be important for upcoming projects such as 2024's Deadpool 3.
Ryan Reynolds Joins The MCU In Deadpool 3
After portraying a hated version of Deadpool in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Ryan Reynolds reprised the role in 2016's Deadpool and 2018's Deadpool 2, bringing a more comic-accurate version of the antihero to Fox's X-Men Universe.
It's hard to imagine anyone else in the role of Deadpool, especially since Marvel Comics' Merc-with-a-Mouth describes his appearance as "Ryan Reynolds crossed with a shar-pei." Fox's Deadpool franchise had always been adjacent to the main X-Men stories, only featuring the full team in a hilarious cameo appearance in Deadpool 2, but 2024's Deadpool 3 will proudly release as a part of the main MCU continuity.
Deadpool 3 will proudly release as a part of the main MCU continuity.
Ryan Reynolds will be returning to the role of Wade Wilson, a.k.a. Deadpool, in Deadpool 3, and he is, so far, the only actor and character from Fox's X-Men Universe who has been confirmed to be making the move to the MCU permanently.
Deadpool 3 is expected to spend some time in Fox's X-Men Universe, and could potentially include several cameos from Fox's superhero team, but will also set the stage for mutants to debut en masse in the MCU proper. The multiversal storyline and mutant focus of Deadpool 3 is thought to be setting up Deadpool as a major player in the MCU's future.
Hugh Jackman Joins The MCU In Deadpool 3
Despite retiring the role of James "Logan" Howlett, a.k.a. Wolverine, with 2017's emotional Logan, Hugh Jackman will be reprising the role once again alongside Ryan Reynolds in Deadpool 3. Jackman and Reynolds previously performed opposite each other in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but Deadpool 3 will give them a chance to redeem this interaction.
Although perhaps not a comic-accurate version of Wolverine, Jackman's portrayal of the clawed mutant has become incredibly popular since his debut in 2000's X-Men, which makes his return very exciting, but his eventual real retirement from the role even more heartbreaking, though a new actor will don the claws for the MCU's official X-Men team.
Hugh Jackman made more appearances than anyone else in Fox's X-Men Universe, portraying Wolverine in nine projects spanning X-Men to Logan, but Deadpool 3 will mark his first appearance in the MCU proper. While there are rumors that Jackman could also return for 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars, this has yet to be confirmed.
Logan explored Wolverine's death in Fox's X-Men Universe, and while Deadpool 3 presumably takes place beforehand, it seems as though Wolverine will remain in his home reality, whereas Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool will make a permanent move to the MCU. Nevertheless, it will be great to see Jackman reprise the fan-favorite role at least one more time.
Both Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart claimed to be retiring from their superhero roles after 2017's Logan, but Stewart returned as Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Deadpool 3 will mark Jackman's return.
Stefan Kapičić Joins The MCU In Deadpool 3
Stefan Kapičić has voiced Colossus, the metallic member of the X-Men, in both Deadpool and Deadpool 2, and will be reprising the role in Deadpool 3 as part of the MCU's Phase 5. Kapičić took over the role from Daniel Cudmore for Fox's Deadpool franchise, though the dramatic changes in the character have never been mentioned, particularly his ability to switch between human and metal forms. Kapičić was confirmed to be returning as a part of Deadpool 3's cast in April 2023, though not much is known about his return, or whether he will become an MCU mainstay alongside Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool following the Phase 5 multiversal adventure.
Colossus first appeared as a cameo, portrayed by Donald Mackinnon, in 2000's X-Men, before Daniel Cudmore portrayed the Russian mutant in X2, X-Men: The Last Stand, and X-Men: Days of Future Past. Cudmore was offered the role for 2016's Deadpool, but turned it down after learning his voice would be dubbed over by Stefan Kapičić.
Brianna Hildebrand Joins The MCU In Deadpool 3
Brianna Hildebrand was confirmed to be returning as Negasonic Teenage Warhead in Deadpool 3 in May 2023, after portraying the young mutant in both Deadpool and Deadpool 2. Negasonic Teenage Warhead is always seen as the sidekick to Kapičić's Colossus, though is shown to be an official member of the X-Men in Deadpool 2.
Similarly to Kapičić, Hildebrand's role in Deadpool 3 is unclear, as it's possible she could also be making a permanent move to the MCU, or her appearance could simply be in a cameo capacity alongside Colossus and Shioli Kutsuna's Yukio.
Shioli Kutsuna Joins The MCU In Deadpool 3
Shioli Kutsuna's Yukio debuted in Deadpool 2 as a new member of the X-Men, partner to Brianna Hildebrand's Negasonic Teenage Warhead, and prospective recruit for Deadpool's makeshift team. Yukio was previously portrayed by Rila Fukushima in 2013's The Wolverine, with her abilities altered to make her able to foresee individuals' deaths, including Wolverine's during the events of Logan. Deadpool's version of Yukio, however, has the power to manipulate electricity and a genius-level intellect, which may come in handy during Phase 5's Deadpool 3. Though it's unclear what Yukio's role in Deadpool 3 will be, it's exciting to see so many X-Men characters on the way to the MCU.
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