The X-Men are coming… Eventually! Right now, Marvel is focused on factoring the Fantastic Four into the MCU, a plotline that will kick off in this summer’s The Fantastic Four: First Steps and then continue in Avengers: Doomsday when the foursome encounter their nemesis, Doctor Doom. After that, it’ll finally be time for the Children of the Atom to take charge — rumors have long stated that the Multiverse Saga will be followed by the Mutant Saga. 6c1j4j

As things currently stand, screenwriter Michael Lesslie is the only creative officially connected to the incoming X-Men reboot, but enough reports have been swirling lately to suggest Marvel is ramping things up behind the scenes. A recent rumor claimed that Kevin Feige isn’t letting go of recent returnees the Russos after Secret Wars and has signed them up to “oversee” the new X-Men (presumably in a producing capacity rather than directing).

When it comes to the cast, it’s too soon to tell, but numerous actors have already been linked to certain characters, thereby whetting our appetites for what the MCU’s own X-Men line-up might look like. These are just rumors, but who knows, maybe when it comes time for Feige to use Cerebro to cast the film he’ll track down some of these talents. To us, our X-Men?

Cynthia Erivo (Storm) 6na55

In the wake of Wicked Mania, Cynthia Erivo was rumored to have “actual interest” in playing Storm in Marvel’s X-Men reboot. This was ultimately proven true when the Elphaba actress itted as much in a recent interview. “I really want to play Storm,” Erivo said, unequivocally. “I know it sounds frivolous, but I think we haven’t uncovered how grand she is and all of that inner turmoil that she has. So I think there’s a world in which we could do something with that.” If you care to find her, look to the thunderous skies.

Ayo Edebiri (Storm) 4612g

On the other hand, Marvel reportedly isn’t putting all its Ororo Munroe eggs in one actress, as at least two more stars have been rumored to be in the running for the coveted role. Erivo had better watch out because The Bear veteran and all-round Irish icon Ayo Edebiri has also been said to be circling the character. Interestingly, Edebiri was originally cast in Thunderbolts* before the 2023 strikes delays caused her to, well, bolt.

DeWanda Wise (Storm) 4271u

And that’s still not it for Storm contenders. Much like Edebiri, DeWanda Wise is another one that got away from the MCU, as Wise was originally hired as Maria Rambeau in Captain Marvel before scheduling conflicts meant she had to cede the role to Lashana Lynch. Could the Jurassic World: Dominion actress make her belated Marvel debut as Storm, or will Erivo or Edebiri (or someone unknown) beat her to it?

Sadie Sink (Jean Grey) 5w6q4s

Outside of David Harbour, it’s surprising that none of the mega-popular Stranger Things cast have ended up in the MCU to date, so in many ways it would make sense for Marvel to snap up Sadie Sink for its X-Men movie as soon as she wraps the final season of the Netflix hit. Sink would be a very obvious casting for a young Jean Grey, however, so this particular rumor may well be more fan-cast fiction than fact.

Jack Champion (Cyclops) 116n2m

Fun fact: Avatar: The Way of Water and Scream VII star Jack Champion has already appeared in the MCU… In Avengers: Endgame, he’s credited for the all-important role of “Kid on Bike.” Maybe in a few years, fans will be bugging Feige to retcon this bicycling boy as a young Scott Summers, assuming this rumor he could be playing Cyclops really is true.

Harris Dickinson (Cyclops) 1x5di

On the other hand, Harris Dickinson is also said to be in reaching distance of donning Cyke’s visor. The Iron Claw actor certainly would fit the more traditional look and build of the X-Mean’s field leader, but it should be pointed out that the scoopers are having a civil war over his potential MCU involvement — with some saying he is in the running and others saying he’s not — so take an extra big pinch of salt when it comes to this one.

Gambit (Unknown) ly1z

Bad news, Channing Tatum lovers, it seems Marvel isn’t interested in bringing the Deadpool & Wolverine favorite back to play the prime Gambit in the MCU. Insider Daniel Richtman reports that the studio is opening the doors to casting a new actor as Remy LeBeau. If that’s true, someone is about to make a name for themselves here.

Kitty Pryde (Unknown) 196l36

The same source likewise claims that Marvel is in the process of casting the part of Kitty Pryde. It’s about time that Shadowcat came back to the big screen, as we haven’t seen Kitty in live-action since 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past, but it’s currently anyone’s guess who could play her. Personal request: Marvel, if Kitty’s pet dragon Lockheed could her this time that would be fab (Lockheed didn’t deserve to get trapped in The New Mutants).

Zac Efron may be all grown up now (and, whoa, does he have some muscles), but no one can ever forget his performance as Troy Bolton in High School Musical. And, as it turns out, two young actors whose stars are rising were also so heavily influenced by this iconic character that they decided to pursue their big acting dreams.

Drew Starkey told Dazed Digital, “I got a little bit of Troy Bolton in me.” Like the teen who put Efron on the map, Starkey shared, “basketball was my first love.” He explained that he spoke to his father, the Kent State University women’s basketball coach, about the path he wanted his life to take. He said, “No, Dad, I want to sing and dance, you know, I’m meant to be an actor.”

HSM fans loved hearing this. One X wrote, “troy is truly one of the most influential characters in cinema history.” She added, “girls wanted to be with him, boys wanted to be him.” Another X asked, “when are we going to talk about the impact troy bolton has on our society.”

Starkey isn’t the only one who loves Troy! Efron’s The Iron Claw co-star Harris Dickinson shared in an interview with Variety that Efron’s performance helped him figure out what he wanted to do with his life. He was torn between the Marines and theater and said, “this is incredibly cheesy and vulnerable – but I thinking, ‘Oh, if Troy Bolton can do it…'”

It’s not a surprise that both actors were so influenced by Troy. Picture this: the year was 2006, the first High School Musical movie premiered on the Disney Channel, and Efron’s character’s swagger and sweetness was clear from his first introduction.

Like many teen drama characters who came before and after him, Troy is a talented athlete who also can seriously sing. His love story with Gabriella Montez (played by his now ex Vanessa Hudgens) was a key part of the plot. But Troy’s athletic prowess and musical talent were always at war with each other. His ultimate decision to let himself love both these parts of himself was one of the most moving parts of the last movie. And let’s not forget his perfectly swoopy hair. It just fell so nicely on his forehead. There is always so much nostalgia in the air for High School Musical that it’s no wonder fans continue to wonder if a new movie will be made.

It looks like Troy cast a magical spell on Starkey and Dickinson, whose careers are both more than a little bit impressive. The former starred in the teen dramas The Hate U Give and Love, Simon along with the 2024 William S. Burroughs novella adaptation Queer. And no one can forget his turn as Rafe Cameron on Outer Banks. The latter is currently getting everyone talking as Nicole Kidman’s much younger love interest in Babygirl and also appeared in the 2023 miniseries A Murder At The End of the World.

Dickinson was born in 1996 and would have been 10 when the first HSM film came out, and Starkey, who was born there years earlier, was 13. Those were the perfect ages to be motivated by a teenage character’s coming-of-age storyline and desire to follow his two dreams. And now we’re all reminded to rewatch the whole High School Musical series from start to finish. That’s never a bad idea.

At this point, most of us have heard about Nicole Kidman‘s erotic film. But there is a difference between hearing about it, and seeing it.

A24’s Babygirl depicts the power struggle between CEO Romy (Kidman), and her much younger intern Samuel (Harris Dickinson). While Hollywood has toyed with storylines depicting power dynamics before, director Halina Reijn brings more nuance to the eroticism therein. In a recently released trailer, viewers witness how out of control Romy’s life gets when she allows herself to give in to temptation.

The trailer opens with what most would suspect. After meeting Samuel in a chance encounter outside the office, Romy shows attraction for the younger man. Her experience in life and in business makes it seem as though she would be the dominant person in the relationship, as she says in the trailer.

“You’re very young. I don’t want to hurt you,” she tells Samuel in an elevator. This dynamic is quickly subverted in the following scenes. Perhaps what is most telling about Babygirl is that people who hold such power want what they can’t have. They want to lose it. That is certainly what this drama is communicating.

Romy appears to have the perfect life. Married with children to the loving Jacob (Antonio Banderas), she should have no reason to seek an extramarital affair. But when Romy is introduced to the electric Samuel, part of the reason she strays is specifically because it is forbidden. Not only is she married and there is the age gap to consider, but her role as his employer makes everything taboo. Samuel makes the first move by picking Romy as his mentor.

“I’m not a part of that program,” Romy tells him.

“Oh no, you are. You’re on the list,” he insists.

Romy has perhaps never been challenged by a man like Samuel before, which is what makes things get so out of hand. Their relationship quickly becomes inappropriate, veering into the sexual. When Samuel tells her to get on her knees, she automatically refuses. Instead of the typical dominant-submissive dynamic shown in Hollywood movies that portray the utmost seriousness, Samuel laughs. Not at her expense, but at the situation. He understands that while her instinct may be to deny obeying someone else, it is a secret desire of hers.

“Is that what you want">

“With Babygirl, the question was: “How can I love all parts of myself?” Because I like the parts of myself that are accepted by society, but I detest parts of myself, am embarrassed by parts that aren’t. I wanted to make a movie to tell myself that sex is something that we can celebrate and enjoy. Instead of thinking: ‘Oh, my God, why do I have all these taboo, forbidden fantasies?’ This is really the story of a woman who liberates herself.”

This element Reijn speaks of is often lacking in erotic thrillers that inspired the film. While Reijn points to Indecent Proposal as an inspiration, she also acknowledges that these films didn’t show the female perspective as well as they should. Babygirl will the female perspective and not judge it either. Viewers can catch Babygirl in theaters, premiering Dec. 25, just five days shy of the Motion Picture Academy’s deadline for a film to be entered for Oscar consideration, so we’ll see what comes of that.

One of the most coveted roles in all of cinema is up for grabs once again, so it was natural that every single semi-recognizable British actor of a certain age would find themselves linked to the part of James Bond at least once, with Harris Dickinson a name that comes up more often than not.

On paper, he certainly ticks all of the boxes required to vacate the tux left ready for dry cleaning by Daniel Craig when he bowed out in literally explosive fashion at the end of No Time to Die; Dickinson is 27 years old, boasts a jawline that could cut glass, has proven his dramatic chops in the likes of Where the Crawdads Sing and Triangle of Sadness, while he’s even got experience in the blockbuster espionage arena thanks to Matthew Vaughn’s prequel The King’s Man.

Does that mean he would be interested, though? Well, in an interview with Total Film, Dickinson didn’t say he wasn’t not interested in becoming the next iteration of 007, but he did it the mere prospect is daunting enough in and of itself.

“I mean, listen, man, you’d be a fool to not entertain that role. I’m loving seeing the development of James Bond and seeing how it changes over the years. I think Daniel Craig was such a good Bond that I’d almost be quite frightened to try. Who knows what they’re doing with Bond? I’m intrigued.”

It’ll be a while before Eon Production announces the identity of the next Bond, but Dickinson is already a dark horse favorite among many ers of the long-running spy series, so don’t discount his chances by any means just yet.