Marvel Studios may be bringing the mutants into the MCU, but two of the biggest characters in X-Men could be sitting out the team’s first movie.
A new report claims Wolverine and Magneto won’t be major players in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men reboot, which is being directed by Jake Schreier, who previously helmed Thunderbolts*.
If the information is true, Marvel appears ready to build its new mutant franchise around characters who haven’t always received as much attention on the big screen, which makes sense.
The news comes from insider Alex Perez of Cosmic Circus, who also explained Magneto either won’t appear in X-Men or will have a very limited role.
Leaving both characters on the sidelines would be a pretty significant change from the Fox era. Wolverine became the face of those movies for years, while Magneto was one of the franchise’s most important recurring characters.
Marvel certainly doesn’t need to rush either of them back when there are plenty of other mutants waiting for their shot.
Perez claims the movie will initially focus on five main mutants: Jean Grey, Cyclops, Angel, Beast, and Iceman. Rogue, Maya, and Emma Frost are expected to enter the story later.
Some of Marvel’s mutant roster has already been revealed. At last month’s D23 fan event, Marvel Studios confirmed seven members of the cast for the untitled reboot.
Sadie Sink will lead the team as Jean Grey following the character’s introduction in this year’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Inde Navarrette, the breakout star of Obsession, has been cast as Rogue, while Samara Weaving from Ready or Not will play Emma Frost.
The cast also includes theater actress Maya Boyd as Storm, Christopher Abbott from Wolf Man as Charles Xavier, better known as Professor X, and Kit Connor as Scott Summers, aka Cyclops.
Adam Driver is also joining the MCU as Nathaniel Milbury, aka Mister Sinister. Driver had been rumored for the project for several months before Marvel confirmed his involvement. Asa Germann, known for Gen V and Scream 7, is set to play Warren Worthington III, better known as Angel.
Marvel says additional cast members will be revealed later, so there are still plenty of characters who could enter the picture. For now, though, Wolverine and Magneto apparently aren’t among them.
Perez has a solid track record with Marvel scoops, but this information should still be treated as a rumor until Marvel Studios confirms the full cast and character lineup.
If Wolverine really is absent, it gives Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, Rogue, Beast, Iceman, and the rest of the team more room to establish themselves without Logan immediately taking over the movie.
Keeping Magneto out of the spotlight could also give Mister Sinister a chance to become the major mutant threat instead of returning to the Xavier-versus-Magneto conflict audiences have already seen several times.
There will be plenty of time for Wolverine and Magneto later. Starting Marvel’s X-Men era without leaning on its two most familiar characters could be exactly what makes this reboot feel different.
Marvel’s untitled X-Men movie is scheduled to hit theaters on May 5, 2028.
