Casting Beast & Iceman in Marvel's X-Men Reboot

Published Sep 14, 2026, 5:01 PM EDT Karlis has been obsessing over television and movie news since he first learned how to read. He has worked in tech, as a musician, and in journalism with a well-rounded knowledge base of pop-culture throughout the eras. He claims that he has memorized the entire Internet Movie Database, and to date no one has been able to refute this. Holding a Bachelor's Degree in Religion and Culture from Wilfrid Laurier University, Karlis loves to examine the intersections of popular science-fiction and culture. His latest novel MASS. is available now on Amazon and examines a world where obesity has become a federal crime. The Marvel Cinematic Universe's new X-Men movie will be moving into production soon, but the cast is currently missing two essential mutants in Iceman and Beast. Following the recent casting for Angel, it has become clear that the ensemble intends to put together the original team of heroes from the comics, which included five fantastic and beloved heroes. These first X-Men team members debuted in the 1963 comic X-Men #1, and included Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Angel, Iceman, and Beast. In addition to Angel, Cyclops has been cast with Kit Connor, while Marvel Girl herself, now more commonly known as Jean Grey, debuted in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, played by Stranger Things star Sadie Sink. Rumors have swirled about Beast's casting in the film, and it appears likely that he will be a part of the ensemble. Original casting rumors for Peter Claffey seem to have quieted, and the other considered name of Charles Melton looks to instead be doing Naruto. It is still possible either could get the role, but others must be considered. In addition, while the character has not been rumored about nearly as much, it would make a great deal of sense for Iceman, the youngest member of the original team, to play a part in the upcoming film. Like Angel, Jean Grey, and Cyclops, Iceman played a foundational role in the early X-Men comics, and would therefore be a sensible choice to serve as a member on the MCU's first-generation X-Men team. 6 KJ Apa As Beast A number of stars have come from the cast of Riverdale, including Masters of the Universe's Camila Mendes, Forbidden Fruits star Lili Reinhart, and, of course, Charles Melton. Another member who is currently making a name for himself is KJ Apa, who played Archie on the show. The New Zealand actor has appeared in all kinds of projects since that series ended, including The Map that Leads to You and other films. Next, he will be seen in the upcoming James Stewart biopic, Jimmy. He is handsome, in great physical shape to play a superhero, and has the right kind of charisma for a role like this. Apa would be a great addition to X-Men, and really fits the stronger and most masculine version of the character that the rumored names of Peter Claffey and Charles Melton suggest. 5 Connor Storie As Iceman Connor Storrie recently starred in Heated Rivalry, the excellent queer Canadian hockey show, and seems poised to become a big star. Seeing his romance play out with François Arnaud's Scott Hunter has created one of the most popular gay love stories in recent years on television. Bobby Drake has famously been reframed as a gay character in recent X-Men stories, and this has since resulted in one of the most beloved iterations of the character yet. Storrie has been rumored to be in the running for the character, and while he is a star on the rise and could be a good fit, there is one glaring issue. Notably, Connor Storrie is 26 years old. This would make him older than several of the other cast members, including Sadie Sink and Kit Connor, while Bobby Drake is usually depicted as the youngest member of the team. Depending on how Marvel wishes to approach the character, however, Storrie could still be a great fit for the role. 4 Logan Lerman As Beast Faye's Vision/Cover Images/Instar Images Logan Lerman is a great actor, and could make for a very strong Hank McCoy in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He has been around for quite some time as a performer, breaking through as a lead in 2010's Percy Jackson & the Olympians before starring in The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Lerman is a good-looking actor and carries strong charisma to each of his roles. Embodying the same handsome and smart archetype that performers like Nicholas Hoult have brought to the character in the past, it is hard to deny that Lerman would be a strong fit for the role. After seeing Lerman in Prime Video's Hunters, however, it is clear that the actor has tremendous range that could serve the character very well. At 34 years old, he looks to be the right age for what Marvel is looking for, and has consistently been rumored to be considered for the part. 3 Jack Champion As Iceman Credit: Sebastien Fremont/Starface Photo/Cover Images Avatar's Jack Champion has the potential to be a huge star following his large role in that franchise. In James Cameron's science fiction films, Champion plays Spider, one of the few human characters in the film, who yearns to be one of the Na'vi. Champion imbues the character with passion, innocence, and emotional turmoil. Iceman needs to be a complex character. He is the youngest member of the team, and often feels like an outsider. Champion has already embodied these characteristics in the Avatar series, and could be a perfect fit for the iconic role, which was previously played by Shawn Ashmore. All of this, plus Champion's age, at 21, make him perfect for the role. He has been rumored to be considered for the part and, like the recently cast Asa Germann, previously played an important part in a Scream sequel, fitting into the established pattern of Marvel's casting strategies. 2 Jaafar Jackson As Beast Credit: Glen Wilson / © Lionsgate / Courtesy Everett Collection Jaafar Jackson is exactly the kind of star that the MCU likes to secure. He has genuinely broken through after the tremendous success of Michael, but the shape of the rest of his career is not yet entirely clear. Clearly a talented actor, it remains to be seen what kinds of roles he will be drawn to. Bringing in talent is never a miss, and getting someone like Jackson, who only has a sequel to Michael and a new David Gordon Green project in his future would be perfect. This would follow the casting of other up-and-coming stars like Inde Navarette and Kit Connor. More than this, Jackson would be a great Beast. He showed tremendous humanity in his portrayal of Michael Jackson, and could bring a lot of that to a role like Beast. The contrast between the introspective human side of Beast, and the big, burly, and blue physical shape, could be perfect for someone like Jackson to pull off. Granted, Jackson has routinely been fancast as Nightcrawler since his starring turn in Michael. While that character might feel like an obvious fit for how he looks, Beast would be a much better and more complex role for the actor. 1 Benjamin Evan Ainsworth As Iceman Benjamin Evan Ainsworth is going to be a huge star, and Marvel should move quickly to lock him down for a multi-picture contract. Following his recent performance on House of the Dragon, the young actor has shown incredible acting ability that could be put to use in all kinds of roles. More than this, however, Ainsworth is set to star in The Legend of Zelda movie. Following the tremendous success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie and its sequel, this upcoming film could start an enormous new franchise. With Ainsworth in the central role, he is likely to quickly become a household name. However, most importantly, Ainsworth would be perfect for the role of Bobby Drake. He has shown deep emotional versatility, has a great look, and at 17 years old, would certainly be the youngest member of the team, as the character is supposed to be. In that sense, he would be the perfect addition to the X-Men cast.