Mutants have been referenced in the MCU for a while now. However, with Wolverine’s appearance in Deadpool 3 and Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, the X-Men are finally officially part of the Marvel cinematic universe. However, outside of the latest Deadpool sequel, little is known about the team’s future in the MCU. It can be safely assumed the group will appear in their own film and will feature a new team of mutants. The X-Men comics saw countless mutants join the team over the years, so here are a few that fans hope will make the cut.
9. Kitty Pryde
Kitty Pryde is a mutant that joins a long line of X-Men that were done dirty by the Fox films. She appeared in a cameo in X2: X-Men United and officially appeared in The Last Stand, played by Elliot Paige. Still, many fans felt the character was severely underutilized. The character is a mutant who can phase through solid matter. Her Jewish heritage made her a prime target for Magneto, who frequently tried to get her to join his brotherhood of mutants. Pryde also has ties to the Guardians of the Galaxy, meaning she could potentially join that team going forward as well. Kitty is a fun character that would fit into the cinematic universe perfectly.
8. Nightcrawler
Like Kitty Pryde, Nightcrawler also appeared in the Fox films. He was a major player in X2: X-Men United yet shared little with his comic counterpart. This version of Nightcrawler was better received than Kitty, but he can still be better portrayed. The character appeared in Apocolypse as well as Dark Pheonix. Nightcrawler (real name Kurt Wagner) is able to teleport by traversing through something called the Brimstone Dimension. Kurt can also stick to walls, see in the dark, and blend into shadows. His comic origin sees him as the son of Mystique, something the films neglected to include. The character was done better justice than some other characters, but an MCU appearance could make him even more like his comic incarnation.
7. Iceman
Iceman is a character that was almost used to his full potential but was ultimately pushed to the wayside. The character was a major player in the second film but was primarily used as a love interest. He did have some stand-out moments, like in Days of Future Past, but they weren’t enough. Iceman, real name Bobby Drake, has the power to lower his body temperature to sub-zero levels. He can freeze anything around him including water molecules in the air. Iceman was one of the original members of the team when they were introduced in 1963, meaning it would be perfect for him to be one of the original members of the new team. In addition to this, Bobby was also one of the main characters in the classic cartoon Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, and fans would love to see them together in live-action.
6. Gambit
Gambit was one of many, many failures in X-Men: Origins Wolverine. The character was there but barely resembled his comic counterpart. He was to receive a solo movie starring Channing Tatum, but those plans fell through. Including him in the MCU is the perfect way to give the character the respect he deserves. Gambit has the power of molecular acceleration, meaning he can take potential energy in any object and turn it into kinetic energy. Put simply, he can turn anything into an energy weapon. He usually does this with his trademark playing cards, which he launches at enemies with explosive results. The Cajun character more than deserves some live-action redemption, and fans hope this will happen soon.
5. Bishop
Bishop is a mutant from a dystopian future. He gets thrown back in time, decades before he was born. Here, he joins the X-Men and becomes a valued member of the team. Bishop is able to absorb various forms of energy and launch it outwards. He also has super strength, speed, a healing factor, and a robotic arm. Bishop was a soldier tasked with hunting down rogue mutants, and he was one of the best. Bishop’s archenemy is Cable, who has already appeared in Deadpool 2. It is unclear whether or not Cable will return in Deadpool’s jump to the MCU but seeing him fight with Bishop on the big screen is something long-time fans have wanted for years.
4. Angel
Yet another mutant who deserves better than the Fox X-Men films gave him is Angel. A fan-favorite character, Angel was heavily included in the marketing for The Last Stand. He did appear, but he was basically a cameo. He never even suited up with the team like the poster led fans to believe. Salt was rubbed even further into the wound when he appeared in Apocolypse. This time, he was a glorified henchman who was killed off not long after he appeared. As the character’s name implies, Angel has giant wings that give him the power of flight. Fans are desperate to see the character given the respect he deserves, and hopefully, this will happen sooner rather than later. Angel also had a brief run with The Avengers, meaning we could see this on the big screen in the future.
3. Darwin
Darwin is one of the most powerful mutants there is and is responsible for one of the films’ biggest slaps in the face. Darwin’s main power is reactive adaptation, meaning his body can react to any attack. This means Darwin is a mutant that is practically indestructible and a powerful ally to the X-Men. Darwin’s first, and only, live-action appearance sees him dying in his first major battle. This enraged many fans who wanted to see this underrated character fight with the team. Darwin is close to being invincible, and yet he died almost instantly. Darwin deserves a chance to shine, and the MCU is the perfect place for it to happen.
2. Firestar
One of the most popular mutants who oddly enough hasn’t appeared in any live-action X-Men film is Firestar. Firestar, real name Angelica Jones, has a fascinating origin that sees her overcome grief, turmoil, and even cancer. The character is a fighter in more ways than one. She would be perfect not just to appear in a movie but lead it. Angelica would excel in her own solo movie or even as the main protagonist in an ensemble film. The character can expel massive heat waves from her body. She does this by absorbing microwaves from Earth as well as the stars and converting it into energy. Like Iceman, Angelica was one of the main characters in Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, meaning she would be a perfect companion for the wall-crawler in the MCU.
1. Jubilee
Fans are hoping that the next iteration of the X-Men will take on the same feel as the ’90s animated series. A great way to do this is by having Jubilee be part of the team. She has appeared before as a side character in Apocolypse and an unnamed cameo in the first movie. Like so many others on the list, Jubilee is overdue for a cinematic rejuvenation. She isn’t the most fascinating mutant from a power standpoint. She can expel what she refers to as fireworks. This is exactly what it sounds like – she can create sparks that can be used to blind enemies or destroy certain objects. This isn’t what makes her a fan favorite. Her character is one of the more interesting ones in the lore, as evident in her appearance in the animated series.
