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Alright, now we continue with the next generation of X-Men. The "Giant-Sized X-Men". In the comics, after the original team had disappeared during a mission, Charles assembled a new team of X-Men to go and rescue the old team. A few of these new members have remained some of the iconic Marvel characters of all time, and it's because of them that the world of the X-Men was saved from going away forever due to a dip in popularity. Despite it being the 70s, there was a much larger emphasis on diversity. For part 2, I'm fancasting a Canadian rage machine, an African goddess, a German superstar, a Russian powerhouse, an Irish anomaly, and a Japanese fireball. The only one I'm excluding for now is Thunderbird, but I'll explain why later down the line.

One thing I forgot to mention last time that should be made clear going forward, there are a few notable characters I won't be casting across this fancast. Deadpool is kinda of a no-brainer, and I see no reason why we can't keep Josh Brolin as Cable. True, he was Thanos, but CG purple alien man vs human time-traveling badass...you can kinda connect the dots there. And then there's X-23. I'm a big X-23 fan, and honestly, I loved Dafne Keen's portrayal so much that I would be so thrilled if we just brought her back as an older version of the character if she continues her acting career. But on to Part 2, since we have got some very important mutants. Since all my choices in Part 1 were a bunch of white people, this'll be my chance to explore the character we could also see in the first X-Men movie for the sake of diversity. They don't have to do that since the Avengers when they first started, were all white, and no one minded but who knows? My point is, I'm excited to get into this. So, let's fancast the All-New, All-Different, Giant-Sized X-Men!

James "Logan" Howlett aka Wolverine
Oh...Wolverine. Wolverine, Wolverine, Wolver-goddamn-rine. What can I even say about this character? I mean, he's my favorite member of the X-Men. He's been my favorite since I was a little kid, but I don't know, even I have to admit, the FXCU had a bit of a...Wolverine problem. Let's be honest, the Fox X-Men movies were mostly "The Wolverine show guest-starring the X-Men". To the point where we literally got a show called Wolverine and the X-Men. Not to dis Wolverine and the X-Men in any way since it was a great series, but the sad truth is that it was made mostly to capitalize on the success of the movies and Wolverine's prominent role in them, and the show use of Wolverine reflected that. Especially since X-Men Origins: Wolverine was released around the same time, but I'm getting ahead of myself. My point is, if the MCU is going to tackle the X-Men and the larger X-Men universe, then they need to give some major spotlight to other characters. Besides Wolverine, the FXCU only gave the same amount of respect to Professor X, Magneto, and...maybe Mystique. Again, we'll get to her later. Now because I'm still a huge Wolverine fan, I don't want him to just not be there at all, and I'm not saying he should get zero development or layers to him. All I'm saying is he should take a bit of a back seat this time. At the very least, save him for the sequel. So who is Wolverine? The character has had a very long and complicated history, so I'll try and keep this short. James Howlett, later known by his nickname, Logan, gained his powers when he was a child, and he witnessed the death of his father. After being forced to flee from his home, he spent many years facing various enemies, meeting various lovers, fighting in both World Wars, meeting Captain America, learning the art of the samurai, and most prominently, being "enrolled" into the Weapon X Program. It was there that Wolverine's entire skeleton was coated in Adamantium, one of the strongest metals in the Marvel universe, and he lost his memory. After that, Wolverine ended up working for the Canadian Government, not having anywhere else to go, and was given his iconic costume and tasked with bringing down the Incredible Hulk. Such an epic showdown caught the attention of Professor X, who saw potential in Wolverine and recruited him into the X-Men. Logan is brash, hotheaded, and prone to what he calls a "beserker rage". He doesn't get along well with Cyclops but he still respects him, and despite his rough exterior, what separates him from his enemies is that he has a heart. He's seen by a lot of the younger X-Men as a father figure and has formed close bonds with a lot of members, and even other Marvel superheroes outside of the X-Men. Including Captain America, the Hulk (more or less), and weirdly enough, Spider-Man. His mutant power is, of course, his iconic adamantium-coated bone claws that come out of his knuckles, superhuman senses, and an incredible healing factor that's allowed him to live for an insane amount of time. As sick as we all are of seeing him, we can't deny that Hugh Jackman as Wolverine became so popular for a reason. He embodied everything that made the character so great. He even got to play Old Man Logan. The man put so much into playing this character, and it's hard to imagine someone being able to top him. That being said, however, I still think that Tom Hardy would make for an excellent Wolverine, but I'm changing my casting for two reasons. First off, pretty much everyone casts him, and second, after playing Bane, and especially Venom, it's highly unlikely that we'd ever see him as Wolverine. I'll be honest, I'm still not sure what people see in Daniel Radcliffe that says he's Wolverine. It's not that I can't look past his days as Harry Potter, I mean I loved him in Guns Akimbo, but I don't know, it just doesn't feel right to me. Maybe it's just that he feels "too Hollywood" if that makes any sense. And I can say the same about Taron Edgerton. Let's be honest here- before he was Wolverine, who the hell was Hugh Jackman? If we really want to make magic twice, then I think we need to cast another relatively unknown actor. I want a more grizzled-looking Wolverine. I want a Wolverine who really looks like he has seen and been through some serious shit. Think Luke in The Last Jedi. I'm not saying they should make him super old, just give me the vibe that is a Wolverine who has seen war, and fought some tough opponents before joining the X-Men. He needs to be, plain and simple, an animal! A Wolverine! For these reasons, I went with Milo Gibson. I know I'm not the first person to fancast him, but I mean, just look at him! Tell me this dude doesn't look like Wolverine! For me, it's his performance in All the Devil's Men that really sells me on his ability to play Wolverine. He's got that almost savage and burly look that I'm aiming for, he can definitely bring the intensity, he's in fabulous shape, and has a very fitting voice. No, I don't care that he's not 5'3. I'm not casting an actor who is his exact height. I'm going for the man I feel like suits the character the best, and at least is relatively close to their height, and for me, Milo fits it like a glove.

Ororo Munroe aka Storm
Storm! The Mistress of the Elements! Arguably the most famous Omega-Level Mutant on the X-Men. Ororo Munroe actually hails from an ancient royal line that can be traced back to the Great Rift Valley of Africa, but her mother, Princess N'Dare, eventually abandoned the royal lifestyle, went to America, married an African American photojournalist named David Munroe, and after Ororo was born, they moved to Egypt. However, when she was five years old, Ororo's parents were killed in an Arab-Israeli conflict, and after that, she spent years living on the streets, and she became a thief, under the teachings of a man named Achmed El-Gibar, the self-proclaimed king of thieves. It's hard to say when her powers were first unlocked, but she first found out about them after abandoning her life as a street rat, and nearly dying in the Sahara Desert. Ororo returned to her homeland of Kenya, and she and the local tribes believed her to be a goddess, and she used her powers to protect her people. That is until Charles Xavier, who already knew about her for quite some time, showed up, explained to her that she was a mutant, and then asked her to join the X-Men. To which she accepted. If you couldn't tell by her name, Storm can control the weather. She typically goes for creating blasts of lightning, which is usually enough to do the job, but if the situation calls for it, she can also summons powerful winds, blizzards, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, among other things that'll f*ck up your day. The only thing holding her back, believe it or not, is her claustrophobia. During the event that killed her parents, she was buried under rubble next to their bodies. So, yeah, understandable. To me, something just never felt right about Fox's version of Storm. I don't know if it was Halle Berry, or the way the character was written, or her dialogue, but something about her just never sat right with me. She just didn't feel like Storm fully realized. And I'll be honest, I sometimes forget that Alexandra Shipp's version even exists. Now a lot of people have said that Storm is the X-Men we're most likely to see first given how, in the comic, she's actually a prominent love interest of Black Panther. We may end up seeing her in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. If so, then I hope they cast her right. I want a powerful and dominating Storm. Someone who commands your attention every time we see her. There were a lot of actresses I considered for Storm. For a while, a lot of people assumed Michaela Coel would be playing Storm in Wakanda Forever, but word is she's playing a character named Aneka. Some of the actresses I heavily considered for my pick for Storm were Janelle Monáe, Tika Sumpter, Sonequa Martin-Green, Issa Rae, Jodie Turner-Smith, Yaya DaCosta, Sydelle Noel, and Betty Gabriel. I think they could all bring something to the table when it comes to Storm, but the main thing I was going for was presence and elegance. Could they have the powerful presence of a goddess, but also the elegance of a fine dancer? I also want someone in their mid to late 30s, early 40s at the most. Storm was definitely one of the hardest characters for me to cast, but I think I found someone in the form of Deborah Ayorinde. You need not look further than her performance in the Amazon Prime series Them, where she plays Livia 'Lucky' Emory. She absolutely gives off Storm vibes in that show. She has this sense of wonder to her, but she also gives off a feeling of power and determination. Like she's not going to take any shit from anyone, and really, that's something that Storm needs. Determination. She isn't a pushover. You f*ck with her, and your ass is grass! Now, there is just one problem with casting Deborah as Storm. She's technically already been in the MCU. She previously appeared on Luke Cage. However, while I haven't actually watched that show yet, from what I could look up, it wasn't that big of a role, and on top of that, the character is also dead. So, I think this is one of those cases where maybe we can get away with bringing her back, and no one would really care.

Kurt Wagner aka Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler. Another one of my favorites. I mean, the movie was just so amazing. And Jake Gyllenhaal was so-

Wait, I've done this joke before, haven't I?

Never mind. My point is, while Wolverine is still at the top, for my runner-up, it always switches around between Nightcrawler and Beast. Either way, Nightcrawler is awesome! The origin of Kurt Wagner is also kinda awesome. His mother is, get this, Mystique, and his biological father is Azazel, a mutant who's also a sort of demonic cult leader or something like that, but Mystique raised him alongside a man named Christian Wagner. Although "raised" is a strong word because Mystique, being...well, Mystique, yeeted him into a river when he was still a baby after the local townsfolk were horrified by his appearance. Azazel, as part of some kind of incredibly stupid and convoluted scheme, saved Kurt and put him in the care of someone else, who then enrolled Kurt into a circus, which is where he used his mutant powers to become a star performer, with everyone thinking he was just a guy in a costume. Said circus was bought by a Texan millionaire, and Kurt was placed in a freakshow. Naturally, Kurt was against the idea, and he ran away, and after a series of events that lead to the death of his step-brother, Stefan, and Kurt being framed for a crime he didn't commit, Professor X showed up to offer Kurt a chance at a better life. And Kurt's been fighting the good fight ever since as the X-Men's Incredible Nightcrawler! Now, I don't actually know if the whole blue skin and fur, the three fingers and toes, and the tail are all related to him having the X-Gene or if it's because his father is Azazel who bears a very similar appearance, or both, but I do know that his primary mutant power is teleportation. Nightcrawler, in many ways, is the soul of the X-Men. Nightcrawler is hopeful, he is carefree, and he's just such a sweetheart! You'll never find a more kind and gentle member of the X-Men. That said, he's also a bit of a thrill-seeker, with a love for adventure, in spite of being a bit socially awkward sometimes. No matter how much the world hates him just for how he looks, Kurt will always persevere, and keep on smiling through. He's the personification of "don't judge a book by its cover". He's even the subject of one of my all-time favorite comic panels. You know the one, where William Stryker points at him and says "Human?! You dare call that...thing--human?!?" It's a brilliant showcase of why Kurt is so special. Kurt's also a very devoted Catholic. Which, according to Kurt, was his way of learning to not let words get to him. His religious faith is something I'm hoping the MCU, at the very least, acknowledges since it is an integral part of his character. Also, can we give Nightcrawler some swords this time? They're a great look for him. I think we can all agree that Alan Cumming did an amazing job as Nightcrawler. He had the look, the build, and could pull off a decent accent. The character himself was very much fun, but also had an element of mystery to him, which I liked. And they even managed to work in the religious elements of the character in an interesting way that tied into the movie's themes. I have less of an opinion on Kodi-Smit McPhee. I feel like a lot of the X-Men in the 2nd Generation X-Men movies, he was just sorta "there". It wasn't a bad casting choice, it's just that they didn't do a whole lot with him. Honestly, do any of you even remember a single line his version of Nightcrawler had? Previously, I casted both Daniel Radcliffe and Bill Skarsgård. Sadly, Bill Skarsgård has now joined the MCU as a different character. 10 bucks says you all forgot that he was in Eternals as Kro. God knows I keep forgetting. Talk about a waste of a great actor. Now because no one even remembers jack shit about Kro, and the fact that Kro was a CGI character, we could still get away with casting him again as Nightcrawler, but for fun, I'd challenge myself to do something different. I still think Radcliffe would be a lot more fitting for Nightcrawler than Wolverine, but I tried to see if I could find an actual German. And low and behold, I actually found someone. Enter Louis Hofmann. He's 24 years old, which is a bit younger than what I'd want, but damnit he would be so good as Nightcrawler! Just look at any picture of this guy. His whole look just screams "Nightcrawler". And I mean that as a compliment. You probably haven't seen him in a lot of things. He's mostly been in German movies, of course, but he does speak English, and even still, his performance in Center of My World alone shows why'd be a great Nightcrawler. He can have fun with a role, but not be over-the-top. He can also bring out that softness and gentle nature that makes Nightcrawler who he is at his center. His biggest role in an American film from what I could look up was the Bank Manager in Red Sparrow, but I definitely think he has the potential to be in something bigger, and really make a name for himself. He's good at playing characters who are unassuming but are a lot more capable than you might think. And that's really something you could say about Nightcrawler as well. Not to mention, he is a multi-award-winning actor. If you want other examples of his talent, go watch The Forger or The White Crow, and I guarantee you will see why he is my Nightcrawler.

Piotr Rasputin aka Colossus
Good ole Colossus. He is to the X-Men what Hulk is to the Avengers and the Thing is to the Fantastic Four. The muscle! The powerhouse! However, despite being literally tough as nails, he's actually similar to Nightcrawler in the sense that, on the inside, he's very gentle and loving. He's an artist. A walking tank with the heart of a poet. His origin is actually pretty simple. Piotr Nicolaevich Rasputin grew up on his family's farm in Russia. He and his two siblings, with Piotr being the middle child, all happened to be mutants. Piotr in particular used his powers, which he gained after the supposed death of his older brother, to help around the farm and he was generally accepted by his neighbors. One day, Professor X showed up and asked Colossus to join the X-Men, and after thinking it over, he accepted. Colossus has gone on to become a very beloved member of the team. He's formed close bonds with Wolverine, to the point where they created an iconic combo move together, Storm, Nightcrawler, and especially Kitty Pryde aka Shadowcat, with who he has an on and off again romance. His mutant power is of course his metallic armor that covers his skin. And Piotr is already a big dude so that only triples strength. Is it just me, or was Colossus surprisingly one of the best supporting characters in the FXCU? Both Daniel Cudmore and Stefan Kapicic have brought something different, but memorable to the character. In X-Men, we see him painting briefly in one scene, which shows that they remembered that he's more than just a fighter. Everyone remembers the scene in X2 where Stryker's men invade the X-Mansion, and Colossus not only wrecks two soldiers but helps Wolverine evacuate everyone! That's who Colossus is. A fighter on the outside, a good friend on the inside. In The Last Stand, we see him and Wolverine do their iconic Fastball Special. And he has some really cool fight scenes in Days of Future Past. Cudmore's version also occasionally shared scenes with Kitty, alluding to their relationship. In Deadpool and its sequel, Colossus is obviously played up more for comedy, but they still managed to make the character feel like Colossus. If they just made him the butt of Deadpool's jokes, then there really wouldn't even be a reason for him to be in those films. He's tough but also caring, and thoughtful. While Deadpool gets on his nerves, Colossus genuinely does seem to care about him on some level. He's just fun to watch, and it works. Now I said that we can keep Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Josh Brolin as Cable, but what about Colossus? Honestly, while I'd love to see Stefan's version of the character return outside of Deadpool 3, I do have one slight issue with him. You see, Stefan only does the voice of the character. Colossus is actually entirely CG, with motion capture done by Andre Tricoteaux. Not a bad idea on paper, but my problem is that I don't just want to see Colossus always armored up. I mean look at that bit where he's eating cereal. Yeah, it's funny that he's eating while in his armor, but still, I think it kinda misses the point of the character. While I wouldn't be opposed to Stefan's version staying, I want a singular actor who can play both sides. Although that being said, Stefan, if he wanted to, could also play Colossus on set going forward. He's got the look and the build, so I think he could do it. I know Florian Munteanu was a popular pick for a while, but now we have him in the MCU as Razor Fist aka the dude Shang fought on the train in Shang-Chi. One actor who I came across that I've really grown fondly of is Danila Kozlovsky. You might recognize him as Prince Oleg on Vikings, where he definitely has the physicality and presence to pull off Colossus. You want to talk about range? He was also Dimitri in Vampire Academy of all things! How insane is that? Granted, it wasn't his best performance, but everything in that movie was shit, so we won't hold it against him too much. And he was great in Hardcore Henry, a film that just deserves more attention in general. He can do an action flick, he's not afraid to bulk up, and is already in great shape, and we know he can play the soft-spoken tough guy. So yeah, in the right hands, I could totally see him as Colossus.

Sean Cassidy aka Banshee
What can you say about Banshee?....No, seriously, what can you say about him? There's not a whole lot to his character. Sean Cassidy is a mutant who was born into a wealthy Irish family. After his parents died, he and his cousin and fellow mutant, Tom, inherited a large fortune and a castle called Cassidy Keep. He worked for the organization known as Interpol for a while, but while on a mission, his wife was killed, and his daughter was taken into the care of his aforementioned cousin, Black Tom Cassidy, and he raised her as his own. Sean, filled with grief, was easily tricked into a life of crime, but Professor X was able to save him in the nick of time, and eventually recruited him as an X-Man. Banshee, true to his name, is loud, boastful, over-the-top, confident, jovial, has a very thick Irish accent, and is also loud in the literal sense since his main power is his sonic scream, which he also uses to fly. One thing I'd like to mention is that Banshee's daughter, Siryn, actually made a cameo in X2. Most of you probably don't remember (and I don't blame you if you do), but Banshee himself appeared in the TV movie, Generation X. Remember that movie? That mediocre shitfest where Emma Frost and Banshee assembled a team of D-List mutant heroes to go fight Matt Frewer? Exactly. No one does, and it should stay forgotten. My point is that Banshee is in the movie, and was played by Jeremy Ratchford, who also voiced the character on X-Men: The Animated Series. And the performance was...fine. He's mostly outshined by Finola Hughes as Emma Frost. I actually liked his inclusion in First Class. Caleb Landry Jones made for a fairly decent Banshee. My only issue is that he was a bit too soft-spoken for my taste. I would say that we might've seen a more confident banshee down the line, but then in Days of Future Past, he dies off-screen, and we just never hear from him again. The point is, I want a fun and over-the-top Banshee. I want someone with a lot of energy. My runner-up is probably Colin O'Donoghue. I think he could have a lot of fun with the character, and bring something fresh to the table, but look, we all know who the obvious choice here is. You take one look at a picture of Banshee, and you can't help but realize he looks exactly like Domhnall Gleeson. Or maybe it's the other way around? Energetic, goofy, but also good-natured. Really, what more could you ask for from Banshee? He is a bit older than I'd like, but you can't deny that he would be so much fun as Banshee. I can just imagine him chewing up every scene he's in. And even though I didn't like that they made the character of General Hux into a joke, I still think Gleeson played him well. Check him out in About Time and Frank and you'll see what he can really do that makes him right for Banshee. And honestly, the Peter Rabbit movies are guilty pleasures of mine, mostly because of Gleeson. So yeah, this one's kind of a no-brainer.

Shiro Yoshida aka Sunfire
And now we come to Sunfire. Shiro Yoshida is a walking ball of anger because wow does he have it out for the United States, and rightfully so! His mother was exposed to the radiation of the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima and she died during his birth, and his dad became a diplomat to the United Nations, and thus Shiro was raised mostly by his uncle, Tomo. Tomo took Shiro to a site in Hiroshima, and when Shiro touched the ground, the radioactive soil somehow triggered the X-Gene within him, and Shiro spent months training under his uncle, who gave him the codename of Sunfire. This Japanese master of flames was then tasked by his uncle to attack the Capitol building in Washington, where Shiro's father was at the time. Sunfire waged a one-man war against the U.S.A., and, soon enough, the X-Men arrived on the scene and attempted to stop him, and while they technically did, Sunfire still escaped. Sunfire was torn between listening to his father, who tried to get him to stop, and his uncle, only for his uncle to kill his father, and in response, Sunfire killed his uncle. After being arrested and socially outcasted for his crimes, Sunfire spent some time working for the supervillain, the Dragon Lord, but an encounter with Namor showed him the error of his ways, and he chose to redeem himself and became a hero of Japan, and over time, started to hate America just a little less. Naturally, Professor X took interest in him, and he briefly joined the X-Men. While he did leave the team, he's still frequently associated with them. Sunfire is a character I find to be really interesting, and I think he has a lot of potential. He has ties to Namor, Ironman, and even Big Hero 6, so I feel like there's enough to work with for him to be introduced in say, Armor Wars, or perhaps a Shang-Chi sequel, an Eternals sequel, or he could even have his own solo movie or miniseries. Hey, if Simu Liu is interested, then so am I. Shiro, at his core, is a warrior. He's always ready for a fight, even when he has no reason to, and arguably is more hotheaded than Wolverine. He's very moody, doesn't play well with others, has a pretty big ego at times, and is just an overall very rude person, but you do get where he's coming from. He's also one of Marvel's strongest fire-based heroes. This is a guy who regularly converts solar radiation into super-heated plasma that can reach temperatures of about 1,000,000º Fahrenheit, and the plasma is most often released as force blasts from his hands! Ho! Ly! Shit! And yet, despite all of that, Sunfire really hasn't gotten much attention outside of the comics. He hasn't had any live-action appearances, and even in animation and videogames he's barely ever showed up. Not even the Big Hero 6 movie or series paid respect to him! This needs to change! Obviously, we're looking for Japanese actors who can handle intense action and do "angry". I've been wanting to cast someone from the severely underappreciated Alice in Borderland, which is one of my favorite shows right now, in something for a while now, and honestly, Dôri Sakurada could do this in his sleep. He plays my favorite character on the show, and my only concern would be his American accent since I don't actually know if he can speak English. But if you want someone who we know for sure can speak English, then I could also see Brian Tee in the role. If you really wanted to go younger, I guess I could see Ryan Potter, as a nod to Big Hero, in the role as well. Yoshi Sudarso could also do it, but in the end, I went with Andrew Koji. Most pictures I could find of this guy were of him scowling so that kinda says it all. But in all seriousness, he's 34, which is about the exact age I would want, he's already in great shape, and if you look at him in Warrior and Snake Eyes, you can see the raw intensity that is definitely necessary for Shiro. The guy really is a great actor with a bright future ahead of him, and I think Sunfire would be a great addition to his resume.

And those were my Giant-Sized X-Men! I doubt we'll see all of them in the MCU, but who knows? Stranger things have happened, and Marvel is ready to give just about every new character their own series or movie nowadays, so maybe we could see all of them. The possibilities are pretty much limitless at this point, and I'm curious to see what route the MCU takes. But we're not out of the woods yet. Next time, we go into the X-Men of the 80s and 90s. In the meantime, let me know who you'd fancast for the Giant-Sized X-Men, and hopefully, we can have a lively conversation. Until next time, have a great night, be safe, and take care!

Description
Alright, now we continue with the next generation of X-Men. The "Giant-Sized X-Men". In the comics, after the original team had disappeared during a mission, Charles assembled a new team of X-Men to go and rescue the old team. A few of these new members have remained some of the iconic Marvel characters of all time, and it's because of them that the world of the X-Men was saved from going away forever due to a dip in popularity. Despite it being the 70s, there was a much larger emphasis on diversity. For part 2, I'm fancasting a Canadian rage machine, an African goddess, a German superstar, a Russian powerhouse, an Irish anomaly, and a Japanese fireball. The only one I'm excluding for now is Thunderbird, but I'll explain why later down the line.

One thing I forgot to mention last time that should be made clear going forward, there are a few notable characters I won't be casting across this fancast. Deadpool is kinda of a no-brainer, and I see no reason why we can't keep Josh Brolin as Cable. True, he was Thanos, but CG purple alien man vs human time-traveling badass...you can kinda connect the dots there. And then there's X-23. I'm a big X-23 fan, and honestly, I loved Dafne Keen's portrayal so much that I would be so thrilled if we just brought her back as an older version of the character if she continues her acting career. But on to Part 2, since we have got some very important mutants. Since all my choices in Part 1 were a bunch of white people, this'll be my chance to explore the character we could also see in the first X-Men movie for the sake of diversity. They don't have to do that since the Avengers when they first started, were all white, and no one minded but who knows? My point is, I'm excited to get into this. So, let's fancast the All-New, All-Different, Giant-Sized X-Men!

James "Logan" Howlett aka Wolverine
Oh...Wolverine. Wolverine, Wolverine, Wolver-goddamn-rine. What can I even say about this character? I mean, he's my favorite member of the X-Men. He's been my favorite since I was a little kid, but I don't know, even I have to admit, the FXCU had a bit of a...Wolverine problem. Let's be honest, the Fox X-Men movies were mostly "The Wolverine show guest-starring the X-Men". To the point where we literally got a show called Wolverine and the X-Men. Not to dis Wolverine and the X-Men in any way since it was a great series, but the sad truth is that it was made mostly to capitalize on the success of the movies and Wolverine's prominent role in them, and the show use of Wolverine reflected that. Especially since X-Men Origins: Wolverine was released around the same time, but I'm getting ahead of myself. My point is, if the MCU is going to tackle the X-Men and the larger X-Men universe, then they need to give some major spotlight to other characters. Besides Wolverine, the FXCU only gave the same amount of respect to Professor X, Magneto, and...maybe Mystique. Again, we'll get to her later. Now because I'm still a huge Wolverine fan, I don't want him to just not be there at all, and I'm not saying he should get zero development or layers to him. All I'm saying is he should take a bit of a back seat this time. At the very least, save him for the sequel. So who is Wolverine? The character has had a very long and complicated history, so I'll try and keep this short. James Howlett, later known by his nickname, Logan, gained his powers when he was a child, and he witnessed the death of his father. After being forced to flee from his home, he spent many years facing various enemies, meeting various lovers, fighting in both World Wars, meeting Captain America, learning the art of the samurai, and most prominently, being "enrolled" into the Weapon X Program. It was there that Wolverine's entire skeleton was coated in Adamantium, one of the strongest metals in the Marvel universe, and he lost his memory. After that, Wolverine ended up working for the Canadian Government, not having anywhere else to go, and was given his iconic costume and tasked with bringing down the Incredible Hulk. Such an epic showdown caught the attention of Professor X, who saw potential in Wolverine and recruited him into the X-Men. Logan is brash, hotheaded, and prone to what he calls a "beserker rage". He doesn't get along well with Cyclops but he still respects him, and despite his rough exterior, what separates him from his enemies is that he has a heart. He's seen by a lot of the younger X-Men as a father figure and has formed close bonds with a lot of members, and even other Marvel superheroes outside of the X-Men. Including Captain America, the Hulk (more or less), and weirdly enough, Spider-Man. His mutant power is, of course, his iconic adamantium-coated bone claws that come out of his knuckles, superhuman senses, and an incredible healing factor that's allowed him to live for an insane amount of time. As sick as we all are of seeing him, we can't deny that Hugh Jackman as Wolverine became so popular for a reason. He embodied everything that made the character so great. He even got to play Old Man Logan. The man put so much into playing this character, and it's hard to imagine someone being able to top him. That being said, however, I still think that Tom Hardy would make for an excellent Wolverine, but I'm changing my casting for two reasons. First off, pretty much everyone casts him, and second, after playing Bane, and especially Venom, it's highly unlikely that we'd ever see him as Wolverine. I'll be honest, I'm still not sure what people see in Daniel Radcliffe that says he's Wolverine. It's not that I can't look past his days as Harry Potter, I mean I loved him in Guns Akimbo, but I don't know, it just doesn't feel right to me. Maybe it's just that he feels "too Hollywood" if that makes any sense. And I can say the same about Taron Edgerton. Let's be honest here- before he was Wolverine, who the hell was Hugh Jackman? If we really want to make magic twice, then I think we need to cast another relatively unknown actor. I want a more grizzled-looking Wolverine. I want a Wolverine who really looks like he has seen and been through some serious shit. Think Luke in The Last Jedi. I'm not saying they should make him super old, just give me the vibe that is a Wolverine who has seen war, and fought some tough opponents before joining the X-Men. He needs to be, plain and simple, an animal! A Wolverine! For these reasons, I went with Milo Gibson. I know I'm not the first person to fancast him, but I mean, just look at him! Tell me this dude doesn't look like Wolverine! For me, it's his performance in All the Devil's Men that really sells me on his ability to play Wolverine. He's got that almost savage and burly look that I'm aiming for, he can definitely bring the intensity, he's in fabulous shape, and has a very fitting voice. No, I don't care that he's not 5'3. I'm not casting an actor who is his exact height. I'm going for the man I feel like suits the character the best, and at least is relatively close to their height, and for me, Milo fits it like a glove.

Ororo Munroe aka Storm
Storm! The Mistress of the Elements! Arguably the most famous Omega-Level Mutant on the X-Men. Ororo Munroe actually hails from an ancient royal line that can be traced back to the Great Rift Valley of Africa, but her mother, Princess N'Dare, eventually abandoned the royal lifestyle, went to America, married an African American photojournalist named David Munroe, and after Ororo was born, they moved to Egypt. However, when she was five years old, Ororo's parents were killed in an Arab-Israeli conflict, and after that, she spent years living on the streets, and she became a thief, under the teachings of a man named Achmed El-Gibar, the self-proclaimed king of thieves. It's hard to say when her powers were first unlocked, but she first found out about them after abandoning her life as a street rat, and nearly dying in the Sahara Desert. Ororo returned to her homeland of Kenya, and she and the local tribes believed her to be a goddess, and she used her powers to protect her people. That is until Charles Xavier, who already knew about her for quite some time, showed up, explained to her that she was a mutant, and then asked her to join the X-Men. To which she accepted. If you couldn't tell by her name, Storm can control the weather. She typically goes for creating blasts of lightning, which is usually enough to do the job, but if the situation calls for it, she can also summons powerful winds, blizzards, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, among other things that'll f*ck up your day. The only thing holding her back, believe it or not, is her claustrophobia. During the event that killed her parents, she was buried under rubble next to their bodies. So, yeah, understandable. To me, something just never felt right about Fox's version of Storm. I don't know if it was Halle Berry, or the way the character was written, or her dialogue, but something about her just never sat right with me. She just didn't feel like Storm fully realized. And I'll be honest, I sometimes forget that Alexandra Shipp's version even exists. Now a lot of people have said that Storm is the X-Men we're most likely to see first given how, in the comic, she's actually a prominent love interest of Black Panther. We may end up seeing her in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. If so, then I hope they cast her right. I want a powerful and dominating Storm. Someone who commands your attention every time we see her. There were a lot of actresses I considered for Storm. For a while, a lot of people assumed Michaela Coel would be playing Storm in Wakanda Forever, but word is she's playing a character named Aneka. Some of the actresses I heavily considered for my pick for Storm were Janelle Monáe, Tika Sumpter, Sonequa Martin-Green, Issa Rae, Jodie Turner-Smith, Yaya DaCosta, Sydelle Noel, and Betty Gabriel. I think they could all bring something to the table when it comes to Storm, but the main thing I was going for was presence and elegance. Could they have the powerful presence of a goddess, but also the elegance of a fine dancer? I also want someone in their mid to late 30s, early 40s at the most. Storm was definitely one of the hardest characters for me to cast, but I think I found someone in the form of Deborah Ayorinde. You need not look further than her performance in the Amazon Prime series Them, where she plays Livia 'Lucky' Emory. She absolutely gives off Storm vibes in that show. She has this sense of wonder to her, but she also gives off a feeling of power and determination. Like she's not going to take any shit from anyone, and really, that's something that Storm needs. Determination. She isn't a pushover. You f*ck with her, and your ass is grass! Now, there is just one problem with casting Deborah as Storm. She's technically already been in the MCU. She previously appeared on Luke Cage. However, while I haven't actually watched that show yet, from what I could look up, it wasn't that big of a role, and on top of that, the character is also dead. So, I think this is one of those cases where maybe we can get away with bringing her back, and no one would really care.

Kurt Wagner aka Nightcrawler
Nightcrawler. Another one of my favorites. I mean, the movie was just so amazing. And Jake Gyllenhaal was so-

Wait, I've done this joke before, haven't I?

Never mind. My point is, while Wolverine is still at the top, for my runner-up, it always switches around between Nightcrawler and Beast. Either way, Nightcrawler is awesome! The origin of Kurt Wagner is also kinda awesome. His mother is, get this, Mystique, and his biological father is Azazel, a mutant who's also a sort of demonic cult leader or something like that, but Mystique raised him alongside a man named Christian Wagner. Although "raised" is a strong word because Mystique, being...well, Mystique, yeeted him into a river when he was still a baby after the local townsfolk were horrified by his appearance. Azazel, as part of some kind of incredibly stupid and convoluted scheme, saved Kurt and put him in the care of someone else, who then enrolled Kurt into a circus, which is where he used his mutant powers to become a star performer, with everyone thinking he was just a guy in a costume. Said circus was bought by a Texan millionaire, and Kurt was placed in a freakshow. Naturally, Kurt was against the idea, and he ran away, and after a series of events that lead to the death of his step-brother, Stefan, and Kurt being framed for a crime he didn't commit, Professor X showed up to offer Kurt a chance at a better life. And Kurt's been fighting the good fight ever since as the X-Men's Incredible Nightcrawler! Now, I don't actually know if the whole blue skin and fur, the three fingers and toes, and the tail are all related to him having the X-Gene or if it's because his father is Azazel who bears a very similar appearance, or both, but I do know that his primary mutant power is teleportation. Nightcrawler, in many ways, is the soul of the X-Men. Nightcrawler is hopeful, he is carefree, and he's just such a sweetheart! You'll never find a more kind and gentle member of the X-Men. That said, he's also a bit of a thrill-seeker, with a love for adventure, in spite of being a bit socially awkward sometimes. No matter how much the world hates him just for how he looks, Kurt will always persevere, and keep on smiling through. He's the personification of "don't judge a book by its cover". He's even the subject of one of my all-time favorite comic panels. You know the one, where William Stryker points at him and says "Human?! You dare call that...thing--human?!?" It's a brilliant showcase of why Kurt is so special. Kurt's also a very devoted Catholic. Which, according to Kurt, was his way of learning to not let words get to him. His religious faith is something I'm hoping the MCU, at the very least, acknowledges since it is an integral part of his character. Also, can we give Nightcrawler some swords this time? They're a great look for him. I think we can all agree that Alan Cumming did an amazing job as Nightcrawler. He had the look, the build, and could pull off a decent accent. The character himself was very much fun, but also had an element of mystery to him, which I liked. And they even managed to work in the religious elements of the character in an interesting way that tied into the movie's themes. I have less of an opinion on Kodi-Smit McPhee. I feel like a lot of the X-Men in the 2nd Generation X-Men movies, he was just sorta "there". It wasn't a bad casting choice, it's just that they didn't do a whole lot with him. Honestly, do any of you even remember a single line his version of Nightcrawler had? Previously, I casted both Daniel Radcliffe and Bill Skarsgård. Sadly, Bill Skarsgård has now joined the MCU as a different character. 10 bucks says you all forgot that he was in Eternals as Kro. God knows I keep forgetting. Talk about a waste of a great actor. Now because no one even remembers jack shit about Kro, and the fact that Kro was a CGI character, we could still get away with casting him again as Nightcrawler, but for fun, I'd challenge myself to do something different. I still think Radcliffe would be a lot more fitting for Nightcrawler than Wolverine, but I tried to see if I could find an actual German. And low and behold, I actually found someone. Enter Louis Hofmann. He's 24 years old, which is a bit younger than what I'd want, but damnit he would be so good as Nightcrawler! Just look at any picture of this guy. His whole look just screams "Nightcrawler". And I mean that as a compliment. You probably haven't seen him in a lot of things. He's mostly been in German movies, of course, but he does speak English, and even still, his performance in Center of My World alone shows why'd be a great Nightcrawler. He can have fun with a role, but not be over-the-top. He can also bring out that softness and gentle nature that makes Nightcrawler who he is at his center. His biggest role in an American film from what I could look up was the Bank Manager in Red Sparrow, but I definitely think he has the potential to be in something bigger, and really make a name for himself. He's good at playing characters who are unassuming but are a lot more capable than you might think. And that's really something you could say about Nightcrawler as well. Not to mention, he is a multi-award-winning actor. If you want other examples of his talent, go watch The Forger or The White Crow, and I guarantee you will see why he is my Nightcrawler.

Piotr Rasputin aka Colossus
Good ole Colossus. He is to the X-Men what Hulk is to the Avengers and the Thing is to the Fantastic Four. The muscle! The powerhouse! However, despite being literally tough as nails, he's actually similar to Nightcrawler in the sense that, on the inside, he's very gentle and loving. He's an artist. A walking tank with the heart of a poet. His origin is actually pretty simple. Piotr Nicolaevich Rasputin grew up on his family's farm in Russia. He and his two siblings, with Piotr being the middle child, all happened to be mutants. Piotr in particular used his powers, which he gained after the supposed death of his older brother, to help around the farm and he was generally accepted by his neighbors. One day, Professor X showed up and asked Colossus to join the X-Men, and after thinking it over, he accepted. Colossus has gone on to become a very beloved member of the team. He's formed close bonds with Wolverine, to the point where they created an iconic combo move together, Storm, Nightcrawler, and especially Kitty Pryde aka Shadowcat, with who he has an on and off again romance. His mutant power is of course his metallic armor that covers his skin. And Piotr is already a big dude so that only triples strength. Is it just me, or was Colossus surprisingly one of the best supporting characters in the FXCU? Both Daniel Cudmore and Stefan Kapicic have brought something different, but memorable to the character. In X-Men, we see him painting briefly in one scene, which shows that they remembered that he's more than just a fighter. Everyone remembers the scene in X2 where Stryker's men invade the X-Mansion, and Colossus not only wrecks two soldiers but helps Wolverine evacuate everyone! That's who Colossus is. A fighter on the outside, a good friend on the inside. In The Last Stand, we see him and Wolverine do their iconic Fastball Special. And he has some really cool fight scenes in Days of Future Past. Cudmore's version also occasionally shared scenes with Kitty, alluding to their relationship. In Deadpool and its sequel, Colossus is obviously played up more for comedy, but they still managed to make the character feel like Colossus. If they just made him the butt of Deadpool's jokes, then there really wouldn't even be a reason for him to be in those films. He's tough but also caring, and thoughtful. While Deadpool gets on his nerves, Colossus genuinely does seem to care about him on some level. He's just fun to watch, and it works. Now I said that we can keep Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Josh Brolin as Cable, but what about Colossus? Honestly, while I'd love to see Stefan's version of the character return outside of Deadpool 3, I do have one slight issue with him. You see, Stefan only does the voice of the character. Colossus is actually entirely CG, with motion capture done by Andre Tricoteaux. Not a bad idea on paper, but my problem is that I don't just want to see Colossus always armored up. I mean look at that bit where he's eating cereal. Yeah, it's funny that he's eating while in his armor, but still, I think it kinda misses the point of the character. While I wouldn't be opposed to Stefan's version staying, I want a singular actor who can play both sides. Although that being said, Stefan, if he wanted to, could also play Colossus on set going forward. He's got the look and the build, so I think he could do it. I know Florian Munteanu was a popular pick for a while, but now we have him in the MCU as Razor Fist aka the dude Shang fought on the train in Shang-Chi. One actor who I came across that I've really grown fondly of is Danila Kozlovsky. You might recognize him as Prince Oleg on Vikings, where he definitely has the physicality and presence to pull off Colossus. You want to talk about range? He was also Dimitri in Vampire Academy of all things! How insane is that? Granted, it wasn't his best performance, but everything in that movie was shit, so we won't hold it against him too much. And he was great in Hardcore Henry, a film that just deserves more attention in general. He can do an action flick, he's not afraid to bulk up, and is already in great shape, and we know he can play the soft-spoken tough guy. So yeah, in the right hands, I could totally see him as Colossus.

Sean Cassidy aka Banshee
What can you say about Banshee?....No, seriously, what can you say about him? There's not a whole lot to his character. Sean Cassidy is a mutant who was born into a wealthy Irish family. After his parents died, he and his cousin and fellow mutant, Tom, inherited a large fortune and a castle called Cassidy Keep. He worked for the organization known as Interpol for a while, but while on a mission, his wife was killed, and his daughter was taken into the care of his aforementioned cousin, Black Tom Cassidy, and he raised her as his own. Sean, filled with grief, was easily tricked into a life of crime, but Professor X was able to save him in the nick of time, and eventually recruited him as an X-Man. Banshee, true to his name, is loud, boastful, over-the-top, confident, jovial, has a very thick Irish accent, and is also loud in the literal sense since his main power is his sonic scream, which he also uses to fly. One thing I'd like to mention is that Banshee's daughter, Siryn, actually made a cameo in X2. Most of you probably don't remember (and I don't blame you if you do), but Banshee himself appeared in the TV movie, Generation X. Remember that movie? That mediocre shitfest where Emma Frost and Banshee assembled a team of D-List mutant heroes to go fight Matt Frewer? Exactly. No one does, and it should stay forgotten. My point is that Banshee is in the movie, and was played by Jeremy Ratchford, who also voiced the character on X-Men: The Animated Series. And the performance was...fine. He's mostly outshined by Finola Hughes as Emma Frost. I actually liked his inclusion in First Class. Caleb Landry Jones made for a fairly decent Banshee. My only issue is that he was a bit too soft-spoken for my taste. I would say that we might've seen a more confident banshee down the line, but then in Days of Future Past, he dies off-screen, and we just never hear from him again. The point is, I want a fun and over-the-top Banshee. I want someone with a lot of energy. My runner-up is probably Colin O'Donoghue. I think he could have a lot of fun with the character, and bring something fresh to the table, but look, we all know who the obvious choice here is. You take one look at a picture of Banshee, and you can't help but realize he looks exactly like Domhnall Gleeson. Or maybe it's the other way around? Energetic, goofy, but also good-natured. Really, what more could you ask for from Banshee? He is a bit older than I'd like, but you can't deny that he would be so much fun as Banshee. I can just imagine him chewing up every scene he's in. And even though I didn't like that they made the character of General Hux into a joke, I still think Gleeson played him well. Check him out in About Time and Frank and you'll see what he can really do that makes him right for Banshee. And honestly, the Peter Rabbit movies are guilty pleasures of mine, mostly because of Gleeson. So yeah, this one's kind of a no-brainer.

Shiro Yoshida aka Sunfire
And now we come to Sunfire. Shiro Yoshida is a walking ball of anger because wow does he have it out for the United States, and rightfully so! His mother was exposed to the radiation of the atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima and she died during his birth, and his dad became a diplomat to the United Nations, and thus Shiro was raised mostly by his uncle, Tomo. Tomo took Shiro to a site in Hiroshima, and when Shiro touched the ground, the radioactive soil somehow triggered the X-Gene within him, and Shiro spent months training under his uncle, who gave him the codename of Sunfire. This Japanese master of flames was then tasked by his uncle to attack the Capitol building in Washington, where Shiro's father was at the time. Sunfire waged a one-man war against the U.S.A., and, soon enough, the X-Men arrived on the scene and attempted to stop him, and while they technically did, Sunfire still escaped. Sunfire was torn between listening to his father, who tried to get him to stop, and his uncle, only for his uncle to kill his father, and in response, Sunfire killed his uncle. After being arrested and socially outcasted for his crimes, Sunfire spent some time working for the supervillain, the Dragon Lord, but an encounter with Namor showed him the error of his ways, and he chose to redeem himself and became a hero of Japan, and over time, started to hate America just a little less. Naturally, Professor X took interest in him, and he briefly joined the X-Men. While he did leave the team, he's still frequently associated with them. Sunfire is a character I find to be really interesting, and I think he has a lot of potential. He has ties to Namor, Ironman, and even Big Hero 6, so I feel like there's enough to work with for him to be introduced in say, Armor Wars, or perhaps a Shang-Chi sequel, an Eternals sequel, or he could even have his own solo movie or miniseries. Hey, if Simu Liu is interested, then so am I. Shiro, at his core, is a warrior. He's always ready for a fight, even when he has no reason to, and arguably is more hotheaded than Wolverine. He's very moody, doesn't play well with others, has a pretty big ego at times, and is just an overall very rude person, but you do get where he's coming from. He's also one of Marvel's strongest fire-based heroes. This is a guy who regularly converts solar radiation into super-heated plasma that can reach temperatures of about 1,000,000º Fahrenheit, and the plasma is most often released as force blasts from his hands! Ho! Ly! Shit! And yet, despite all of that, Sunfire really hasn't gotten much attention outside of the comics. He hasn't had any live-action appearances, and even in animation and videogames he's barely ever showed up. Not even the Big Hero 6 movie or series paid respect to him! This needs to change! Obviously, we're looking for Japanese actors who can handle intense action and do "angry". I've been wanting to cast someone from the severely underappreciated Alice in Borderland, which is one of my favorite shows right now, in something for a while now, and honestly, Dôri Sakurada could do this in his sleep. He plays my favorite character on the show, and my only concern would be his American accent since I don't actually know if he can speak English. But if you want someone who we know for sure can speak English, then I could also see Brian Tee in the role. If you really wanted to go younger, I guess I could see Ryan Potter, as a nod to Big Hero, in the role as well. Yoshi Sudarso could also do it, but in the end, I went with Andrew Koji. Most pictures I could find of this guy were of him scowling so that kinda says it all. But in all seriousness, he's 34, which is about the exact age I would want, he's already in great shape, and if you look at him in Warrior and Snake Eyes, you can see the raw intensity that is definitely necessary for Shiro. The guy really is a great actor with a bright future ahead of him, and I think Sunfire would be a great addition to his resume.

And those were my Giant-Sized X-Men! I doubt we'll see all of them in the MCU, but who knows? Stranger things have happened, and Marvel is ready to give just about every new character their own series or movie nowadays, so maybe we could see all of them. The possibilities are pretty much limitless at this point, and I'm curious to see what route the MCU takes. But we're not out of the woods yet. Next time, we go into the X-Men of the 80s and 90s. In the meantime, let me know who you'd fancast for the Giant-Sized X-Men, and hopefully, we can have a lively conversation. Until next time, have a great night, be safe, and take care!