The MCU's X-Men Cast Means Marvel Is Fixing A Big Problem That's Hurt Its Box Office

Published Aug 8, 2026, 9:45 PM EDT Liz Declan is a Lead Writer for ScreenRant, primarily covering movies. She is a massive fan of Star Wars, the MCU, and Supernatural. In addition to writing, Liz loves attending and covering conventions and interviewing actors. Find her on TikTok and Instagram @va.va.vera Marvel Cinematic Universe fans have been waiting literal years for the franchise to fully bring the X-Men into MCU movies and shows, and finally, it's actually happening. Most notably, as many had suspected, Sadie Sink's mysterious character in Spider-Man: Brand New Day was confirmed to be Jean Grey, signaling the beginning of the MCU's X-Men. Along with that major reveal, Marvel confirmed Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, and Kit Connor is heavily rumored to be the MCU's Cyclops. For now, these actors are the only confirmations (or almost confirmations), yet many more stars are rumored to be in talks. Thus far, there has been considerable discourse about who will be playing the iconic role of Professor X. While many names have been tossed around, currently, one seems the most likely, and that's Bill Skarsgård. Additionally, there have been rampant rumors about Magneto's casting, with one of the most prominent names getting tossed around being Adam Driver. That's far from confirmed, and Kevin Feige actually commented on the rumors in a way that suggested Driver won't be joining the MCU. (Although that hasn't stopped yet another recent X-Men Adam Driver rumor that he is in talks for Sebastian Shaw.) For now, everyone outside of Sink, Weaving, and (maybe) Connor is only rumored, but that is very likely to change soon. Next weekend, Disney will be hosting their massive D23 event, and many are expecting X-Men castings to be a major focus. While we await confirmation on that, though, there is already one clear change the MCU is making with these X-Men casting decisions and even the rumors, and it's actually good news not only for those characters and the upcoming reboot but also for the MCU overall. Marvel Movies Haven't Been Connecting With Gen Z Audiences Although millennials (and older generations as well) have been obsessed with the MCU more or less since Iron Man hit the big screen in 2008, that same diehard dedication largely hasn't happened with younger audiences. That isn't to say that no one in Gen Z—or Gen Alpha, for that matter—doesn't like the MCU. That is, of course, not the case. However, there's little doubt that the MCU isn't seeing the same amount of interest and success with Gen Z as it long has with older generations. Unfortunately, San Diego Comic Con 2026 was one example of why that's the case. As much excitement as there is about Avengers: Doomsday, when many of the stars of that upcoming movie hit the stage, it became so much more obvious that the cast of the film skews significantly older than Gen Z audiences. Among the biggest stars in the movie are Robert Downey Jr. (61), Pedro Pascal (51), Chris Evans (45), Chris Hemsworth (42), and James Marsden (52), among others. These are absolutely beloved and brilliant actors; however, it's evident that they are not Gen Z, and while actors can certainly still appeal to viewers outside their generation, it's understandable that Gen Z might not feel drawn to these stories. Thankfully, the MCU seems to be changing that with their X-Men casting choices, and that may be exactly what the franchise needs. The MCU's X-Men Cast Could Help Address Marvel's Gen Z Problem Although the MCU hasn't confirmed many X-Men cast members yet, those who have been announced or are heavily rumored suggest that these characters will be portrayed by significantly younger stars than many of their previously mentioned MCU counterparts. Sadie Sink is just 24 years old, for example. Even beyond her age, though, Sink is going to appeal to Gen Z audiences because of her filmography thus far. That is, Sink is currently best known for her role as Max Mayfield in Stranger Things, a show that absolutely appealed to Gen Z and had a massive following within that age demographic. The same is true of Kit Connor, if he is indeed going to be the MCU's Cyclops (which isn't confirmed but has seemed like a more substantial 'rumor' than other casting rumors so far). Connor is even younger than Sink at 22 years old, and he, too, has been in roles that Gen Z audiences know and love. In fact, interestingly, Connor is perhaps best known for the streaming series Heartstopper and its follow-up movie Heartstopper Forever, in which he starred opposite Joe Locke, who is the MCU's Billy Maximoff. Like Sink's role on Stranger Things, Connor's role in Heartstopper and Heartstopper Forever means a built-in, younger fanbase already being invested in the star heading into a potential X-Men role. Of course, there are still many characters yet to be cast—and, in fairness, Weaving is a bit older at 34 years old—but already, these have been positive signs for the MCU's X-Men, which arguably, in turn, means a positive sign for the MCU's future as a whole. The X-Men Reboot Should Be Marvel's Biggest Franchise Launch In Years While it may seem a little dramatic to say that the future success of the MCU rests upon how well its reboot of the X-Men does, the launch of the X-Men will be massive for the MCU, and it does feel like a crucial next step for the franchise to get right. Since Avengers: Endgame, the MCU has seemed to struggle with finding its footing and moving forward, but the X-Men absolutely offers the possibility to change that. This is a major Marvel franchise, and it's one that audiences have long wanted to see. Perhaps even more importantly, there is so much that can be done once the X-Men are fully introduced. The reboot movie is one thing (and will no doubt be huge in its own right), but these characters can mean various sequels, shows, and crossovers even beyond that movie that will undoubtedly give the MCU years of new stories to explore. If the stars are young and already closely followed by Gen-Z, then this could be the exact appeal the MCU needs to bring in new viewers and keep the franchise going with younger generations now invested. Of course, for now, it's not clear whether this is actually the MCU's plan. Only Sink and Weaving are officially confirmed, and even if Connor will be Cyclops, as is heavily suspected, then there are still numerous other characters to be cast. However, the choices the Marvel Cinematic Universe seems to be making for X-Men suggest that the franchise may finally be making this pivotal change.