Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has confirmed that the MCU’s X-Men reboot will come with a fresh lineup of actors.
During a press briefing on Friday, Feige announced that Marvel plans to recast some of its most iconic heroes—including the X-Men and even Tony Stark—as the cinematic universe continues to evolve. He revealed that the official MCU introduction of the X-Men will happen after Avengers: Secret Wars, slated for release in 2027. The new X-Men film, directed by Thunderbolts helmer Jake Schreier, will feature all-new faces stepping into roles once played by Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry, and the rest of the FOX-era cast.
While many familiar names—like Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming, and Kelsey Grammer—will return for Avengers: Doomsday in 2026, Feige emphasized that Secret Wars will serve as the franchise’s major reset. From that point on, the mutants will officially be part of the MCU, played by an entirely new cast.
Feige also acknowledged that Tony Stark and Steve Rogers will eventually be recast as well. While he admitted it’s tough to imagine anyone other than Robert Downey Jr. or Chris Evans in those roles, he noted it’s not impossible—citing Sean Connery’s iconic run as James Bond and how others have since taken up the mantle.
“I think it’s hard for anybody to do that when an actor has done such a great role,” Feige said. “How are they going to ever replace Sean Connery [as James Bond], right?”
The move to recast major characters lines up with the direction Marvel Comics took after the 2015 Secret Wars arc, which saw the collapse and rebirth of the Marvel Multiverse.
“We’re utilizing that [story] not just to round out the stories we’ve been telling post-Endgame,” Feige explained. “Just as importantly — and you can look at the Secret Wars comics for where that takes you — it very, very much sets us up for the future. Endgame was literally about endings. Secret Wars is about beginnings.”
Feige also made it clear that while fans often throw around the word “reboot,” that’s not how Marvel sees it. He prefers calling it a “reset.”
“Reboot is a scary word. Reboot can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Reset, singular timeline — we’re thinking along those lines,” he said. “X-Men is where that will happen next.”
