The much-awaited introduction of the X-Men in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is closer to becoming reality. After the announcement that Samara Weaving is joining the Jake Schreier-helmed X-Men film, Deadline reports that Scott Summers, aka Cyclops, has also been cast. And this news is a real heartstopper.
Kit Connor, whose breakout role in the Netflix adaptation of Heartstopper won over many hearts, is being eyed to take on the role of the leader of the mutant band of heroes. Connor has a number of upcoming projects confirmed, and was most recently seen in Warfare and Heartstopper Forever.
The ghosts of Cyclops Past
If Kit Connor is indeed the chosen one, he’ll have big shoes to fill. James Marsden took on the role of Cyclops in 1999’s X-Men and starred as the character in its two sequels, though his role was cut short in X-Men: The Last Stand when Cyclops was killed off due to Marsden’s scheduling conflicts.
Marsden hasn’t been the only actor to play the beloved X-Men leader. Tim Pocock had a small role as young Cyclops in the much-reviled X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Tye Sheridan played the character in X-Men: Apocalypse and X-Men: Dark Phoenix.
Connor’s addition to the MCU would mean that both leads from Heartstopper are part of the franchise. Joe Locke joined the universe as Billy Maximoff in Agatha All Along.
Marsden will be reprising his role of Cyclops after two decades in Avengers: Doomsday. It isn’t clear how his character will intersect with the new Cyclops. Marsden will be joined by a few other X-Men characters, including Sir Patrick Stewart as Professor Xavier, Ian McKellen Magneto/Erik Lehnsherr, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner, and Rebecca Romijn as Mystique. Kelsey Grammer’s Dr. Hank McCoy/Beast, who had previously reprised his role to appear in The Marvels, will also be in the film.
What do we know about the X-Men in the MCU?
Marvel has been tight-lipped about what the X-Men’s big-screen entry into the MCU will be. We know that Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier is on board to direct, with Joanna Calo, Lee Sung Jin, and Michael Lesslie credited as the film’s writers.
So far, mutants in the MCU haven’t been referred to as such. When the Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver were introduced in Captain America: The Winter Soldier, they were called 'enhanced.' The controversy around Scarlet Witch’s mutant affiliations aside, she and Quicksilver are both now dead in the MCU.
Kamala Khan/Ms. Marvel was the first MCU character to be directly called a mutant, which was very confusing because her comic book counterpart, up until that point, had been an Inhuman. She’s now a mutant and part of the X-Men in the comics.
As for building a new X-Men team for the MCU, the only character introduced is, spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Sadie Sink as Jean Grey. Her backstory and powers are quite different from that of her comic book origins, which gives us an inkling that the franchise will be taking a new and different route with these classic characters.
As more news is shared, we will have a clearer picture of what the MCU take on the X-Men will be.
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