Marvel circling the world's biggest movie star for major MCU villain role

Marvel Studios is no stranger to A-list stars. The franchise reenergised Robert Downey Jr.'s career and he has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood history since. It has also launched the careers of A-list stars like Chris Hemsworth and Tom Hiddleston. But the Kevin Feige-led company has also worked with veteran A-listers, including Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Redford, and Sam Neill.

As the Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to grow and evolve, more and more stars are continuing to join it. Look no further than this year's Deadpool and Wolverine, which brought in icons Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds as their established Marvel characters from the Fox X-Men movie series, as well as the upcoming Captain America: Brave New World, which brings in the Harrison Ford.

Now, reports claim that Marvel is interested in adding perhaps the biggest movie star of today to the MCU.

Marvel reportedly interested in The Rock playing X-Men's Apocalypse

According to established insider MyTimeToShineHello, Marvel Studios wants Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to join the MCU in the role of Apocalypse. That would be a pretty huge get, as the film star has become one of the biggest names in Hollywood over these past two decades and is known for taking on roles in larger-than-life franchises.

This isn't the first time this rumor has come up, so this new report only adds strength to the likelihood of it happening. And honestly, it's easy to see why it's such an intriguing one, as The Rock would be a strong choice to play the infamous X-Men villain.

Being a legendary WWE superstar (who just recently returned to the ring at WrestleMania XL), The Rock certainly has the physique needed to ensure that Apocalypse would have that physically imposing presence he is known for. He's also well-accustomed to big-budget movies with ambitious characters to play, taking on beasts in Rampage and surviving Skyscraper. And let's not forget about his regular role in the Fast and the Furious franchise.

He's also pretty familiar with comic book movie franchises, recently playing the unstoppable Teth-Adam in 2022's Black Adam. The movie underperformed at the box office and received mixed reviews from critics, but The Rock's committed performance was undoubtedly one of its strongest aspects, and it did showcase his potential in this genre of movies. He also proved himself as an immortal being, capable of destroying anything around him - much like this role he is rumored to be in the running for.

Apocalypse is one of the X-Men's most nefarious villains. An ancient being that is considered the first of the mutants, he crafted a legacy for himself in Ancient Egypt and had a pretty devoted legion of followers that believed him to be a god. He has since resurfaced in the present day and become a major foe of the X-Men, believing that all mutantkind and humanity needs to be eradicated so that it can all begin again.

The sheer mention of the name Apocalypse in any X-Men adaptation sends chills down the spines of anyone in the vicinity. We have seen that in the critically-acclaimed X-Men: The Animated Series, in which the character was essentially the Big Bad of that series, and in the live-action movie X-Men: Apocalypse, in which the character was portrayed by Oscar Isaac.

The MCU is reportedly planning for the next saga (after the Multiverse Saga concludes) to be focused on the X-Men. Kevin Feige himself confirmed that it would be known as "The Mutants Era". If that ends up being the case, the franchise would need a new big bad. And, well, it doesn't get bigger or badder for the X-Men than Apocalypse.