With the X-Men’s official return to the big screen on the horizon, casting speculation for the iconic mutant team is rampant. While Marvel Studios has yet to confirm its roster, a new report suggests that Golden Globe-nominated actress Elle Fanning is a contender for the powerful telekinetic role of Jean Grey.
Fanning, known for her roles in Hulu’s The Great and A Complete Unknown, joins a list of actresses previously linked to the part, including Stranger Things‘ Sadie Sink and Twisters‘ Daisy Edgar-Jones. As fan theories continue to circulate, many anticipate an official casting announcement for the highly anticipated reboot could be made at the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con.
Behind the camera, Jake Schreier (Thunderbolts) is expected to direct from a script penned by Michael Lesslie (The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes). When asked recently about his approach to rebooting the beloved franchise, Schreier emphasized a focus on character. “It always starts from character and working with great writers and collaborators,” he stated, “and certainly thinking about how to do something different with any project that you take on.”
The project’s success carries significant weight, as many hope the introduction of the X-Men will revitalize the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has confirmed the mutants are a cornerstone of his long-term strategy, dubbed the “Mutant Saga.”
“You will see that continues in our next few movies with some X-Men players that you might recognize,” Feige explained in a recent interview. “Right after that, the whole story of Secret Wars really leads us into a new age of mutants and of the X-Men. Again, [it’s] one of those dreams come true. We finally have the X-Men back.”
