More than 25 years after Marvel’s X-Men ushered in a new age of superhero movies, Marvel Studios plans to reboot the franchise with a new X-Men movie. First teased in 2019 by studio boss Kevin Feige, the relaunched X-Men film franchise will feature a new cast and the opportunity to reignite the Marvel Cinematic Universe with fresh (mutant) blood.
As with other in-development projects at Marvel Studios, the company is keeping its plans tightly under wraps. But as anticipation for the next phase of the MCU builds, Marvel can’t stay silent for long.
Here’s everything we know about Marvel Studios’ X-Men plans for the future.
The MCU X-Men will be ‘youth-focused’
The headlining cast of the Fox-era X-Men franchise is still kicking. Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine co-starred in 2024’s Deadpool vs. Wolverine, and many familiar X-Men faces (e.g., Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden) will appear in 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday, possibly for the final (final) time — unless some survive until 2027’s Avengers: Secret Wars.
But Feige says that an all-new team of X-Men is imminent. Like the original X-Men comics, Marvel is making a “youth-focused reboot,” he told The Playlist in 2025. “That may be reflected in mutant castings, and it’ll definitely be felt in the tone and perspective of the film.”
(Feige has also referred to the MCU reboot as a “reset,” heralding the post-Secret Wars, post-Multiverse Saga era as a “singular timeline — we’re thinking along those lines.”)
As for what youth-focused means beyond actors’ ages, X-Men reboot director Jake Schreier has offered other hints about its “tone and perspective.” Schreier told The Playlist that “the core idea of what X-Men is involves complexity” and “internal conflict.” Added Schreier, “These characters are wrestling with their identity and place in the world — that’s inherently interesting and complex material.”
Teenagers and young adults trying to find their place in the world certainly sounds like an opportunity for a new kind of storytelling in the MCU, at least on the big screen. The youngsters of the MCU have mostly appeared in television series like Hawkeye, Ms. Marvel, and Ironheart.
A new X-Men cast for MCU Phase 7
As previously noted, expect a younger cast than the 30-somethings of the original X-Men movie as Marvel Studios builds toward a new group of actors to lead the next phase of the MCU. One of those gifted youngsters may have already been exposed years ago: Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel.
Ms. Marvel’s self-titled Disney Plus series kicked off some mutant-mongering back in 2022, when the show revealed (or at the very least, implied) that Kamala was a mutant, or part mutant. A year later, Kamala officially became a member of the X-Men in Marvel Comics.
Beyond that tease, Marvel hasn’t made any official casting announcements for its new X-Men movie, but we may know at least one new mutant in the MCU. At this point, that may be a spoiler for an upcoming MCU movie, so… spoiler alert!
Actor Sadie Sink (Stranger Things) is heavily rumored — and has been since the beginning of her addition to the MCU — to be playing Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Jean Grey, aka Marvel Girl and Phoenix in Marvel lore, was previously portrayed onscreen by actors Famke Janssen and Sophie Turner in multiple X-Men movies. Jean’s arrival in the MCU via Spider-Man would certainly be an interesting move on Marvel’s behalf, though not unlike welcoming a new Spider-Man to the film universe a la Avengers: Civil War.
With filming expected to begin in 2026 or early 2027, expect casting news on Marvel Studios’ new X-Men to be revealed soon — either through Hollywood trades or Marvel itself.
Who’s making Marvel Studios’ new X-Men
In addition to director Jake Schreier, who previously helmed Marvel’s Thunderbolts* and comedy-dramas like Robot & Frank and Paper Towns, Marvel has tapped Michael Lesslie to write the screenplay for the next X-Men movie. Lesslie has plenty of franchise experience and history with adapting existing works. His credits include The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Assassin’s Creed, and Macbeth.
Beyond naming a writer and director, Marvel Studios hasn’t said much yet about who else is working on the film. We’ll update when Marvel reveals details about roles like cinematographer, composer, and costume designer, all of which will inform the tone of the new X-Men.
When are the X-Men coming to the MCU?
The whole team? Probably not until at least 2028. Disney and Marvel Studios have just two films on the calendar for 2026 and 2027: Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
Further out, Disney has claimed four dates for untitled Marvel Studios movies in 2028, and X-Men could be among them. Those dates are:
- Feb. 18, 2028
- May 5, 2028
- Nov. 10, 2028
- Dec. 15, 2028
According to Hollywood reporter Jeff Sneider, the May date is booked for X-Men. Marvel is also reportedly working on Fantastic Four and Black Panther sequels that may land the same year.
