The X-Men are among Marvel’s most iconic and enduring teams, with a legacy that spans comics, cartoons, and blockbuster movies. Yet for all the films in the X-Men franchise, few characters have been given the proper spotlight they deserve. With Marvel Studios now holding the keys to the X-Mansion following the Disney-Fox merger, fans are hoping that the next chapter of mutant storytelling digs deeper into some of its standout characters.
From powerful leaders and tragic antiheroes to time-traveling warriors and misunderstood shapeshifters, here are 10 X-Men characters that absolutely deserve their own movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe sooner rather than later.
Few characters in the X-Men mythos are as emotionally complex or as iconic as Rogue. Rogue debuted as a villain in Avengers Annual #10 (1981), as a member of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. She permanently absorbed Ms. Marvel’s powers which left Rogue fractured and haunted. That origin forms the bedrock of her character as a young woman raised in a morally grey world. She struggles with guilt, stolen power, and the need to find a home. Her defection to the X-Men under Xavier’s guidance is one of the most emotionally charged redemptions in Marvel lore.
And although we saw some form of origin story for Rogue via Anna Paquin in the original X-Men movies, we can all agree it is not the story she deserved. Restarting the X-Men franchise with a more accurate portrayal of the characters especially Rogue, would go a long way to making the movies successful. A solo film could dive into her early life on the run, her destructive touch, and the emotional toll of living with the voices of others trapped in her mind.
And if we want Rogue, we can’t forget her reason for existing in the first place.
Raven Darkhölme — aka Mystique — has seen, done, and been many things in her lifetime, and that in itself should be enough of a reason to want her origin story brought to the big screen. Mystique made her first full appearance in Ms. Marvel #18 (1978), though she was hinted at in earlier comics. Her backstory is shrouded in secrecy, but we know she is someone not to be trifled with. She raised Rogue, led the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and has been romantically involved with Destiny, her precognitive partner.
Jennifer Lawrence’s version in the X-Men prequel series tried to paint her as a reluctant leader, while Rebecca Romijn’s OG Mystique gave us a deadly assassin, committed to Magneto’s cause. But a solo film could finally reconcile these two portrayals, and show the full, dangerous depth of the shapeshifter. Her longevity allows her to appear across historical settings, making her ideal for a noir-style, time-hopping espionage thriller. Her origin story could explore how a blue-skinned mutant became one of the most feared and adaptable mutants in history.
Colossus first appeared in Giant-Size X-Men #1 (1975), part of the international team assembled by Xavier to rescue the original X-Men. A quiet, soft-spoken artist from a collective farm in Siberia, Piotr was hesitant to leave his family but felt a moral responsibility to use his powers to help others. His mutant ability to turn his body into organic steel gives him incredible strength and durability, but he remained a gentle giant.
Piotr “Peter” Rasputin is the kind of character who deserves a slow burn. He’s not flashy, but his journey from humble Russian farm boy to armored X-Man to protector of mutantkind (and sometimes brother to the dangerous Magik) is rich with potential. Having already won the hearts of fans though the Deadpool movies, it would be a real miss to not give him more screen time. A solo movie could explore the tragic sibling bond between him and his sister Ilya, Cold War-era politics, and Colossus’ artistic dreams clashing with his duty as a soldier.
There has been a lot of focus on Jean Grey in the X-Men movies as a whole, but for good reason. She’s the emotional and psychic heart of the X-Men universe. That being said, her story hasn’t been handled all that well across the movie franchises. Though X-Men: The Last Stand and Dark Phoenix both attempted to tackle her most famous storyline, they faltered by rushing her development and failing to explore the layered tragedy of her character.
Jean first appeared in X-Men #1 (1963), created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby as Marvel Girl. She was the only woman among the original five X-Men, possessing telekinesis and later telepathy. Her transformation into the Phoenix began when she sacrificed herself to save her team from a crashing space shuttle. Reborn as the Phoenix, her power became infinite, but unstable. The Dark Phoenix saga — where that power consumes her and leads to her death — remains one of Marvel’s most iconic story arcs.
A solo film could finally give Jean the time to explore that descent from hopeful student to godlike force, diving into the psychological horror of absolute power and the love triangle that always complicated her loyalties.
Hank McCoy is one of the most intellectually fascinating characters in the Marvel universe. Hank first appeared in X-Men #1 (1963) as a brilliant and agile mutant with oversized hands and feet. Initially appearing human, he later mutated himself further while working on a serum intended to suppress mutant powers. This failed experiment transformed him into the blue-furred Beast we know today, and the moment solidified Beast’s arc as a cautionary tale about self-acceptance and tampering with one’s nature.
Equal parts scientist, philosopher, and brute strength, Beast is often torn between his humanity and his more primal urges. Both Kelsey Grammer and Nicholas Hoult brought different flavors to the role, but neither version truly captured the philosophical heart of Hank McCoy. That being said, both actors were perfect for Hank at their respective ages, and it would be fun to see a movie that incorporates both of them in a movie of Beast’s life
Kurt Wagner: acrobat, swashbuckler, Catholic, and eventually X-Man. Born in Germany to Mystique and the demonic-looking warlord Azazel, Nightcrawler was abandoned due to his appearance and left to be raised in a Bavarian circus before being hunted by villagers and rescued by Professor X.
A solo movie could follow his escape from persecution, his spiritual journey to understand his powers and appearance, and his swashbuckling heroism. With teleportation, charm, and faith as his tools, Nightcrawler’s origin could be one of Marvel’s most emotional stories. Alan Cumming’s brief but impactful turn in X2 gave us a taste of his depth, and though Apocalypse introduced a younger, softer version, Nightcrawler has so much more to offer.
As leader of the X-Men, it stands to reason that Cyclops should get his own story. Scott Summers often gets a bad rap (especially in the movies, but comic fans know that Cyclops is not just the field leader of the X-Men, he’s their anchor, strategist, and, at times, their most controversial figure.
Cyclops was Xavier’s first student and beame team leader. After surviving a plane crash, Scott was separated from his brother Alex (Havok) and sent to an orphanage, where his powers emerged in the form of uncontrollable optic blasts. Xavier gave Summers his iconic ruby quartz glasses to control his energy, and took him in.
A solo movie could briefly touch on his childhood and the tragedies but move swiftly on to focus on Scott as a boy forced into leadership, molded by guilt, and later radicalized as he questions Xavier’s dream. His love for Jean Grey and rivalry with Wolverine would serve as background to a larger story about duty, loss, and becoming your own man.
Lucas Bishop is tailor-made for cinematic storytelling. Born in a dystopian future where mutants are persecuted, Bishop travels back in time to stop threats that could lead to that future, often clashing with the very heroes he’s trying to save.
In his timeline, mutants are branded and interned in camps after the assassination of a mutant hero (often implied to be Professor X). Trained as an officer in Xavier’s Security Enforcers unit, Bishop is a hardened soldier who idolizes the X-Men legends of the past. When he travels back in time and finds those heroes flawed, it shakes his faith and complicates his mission.
His power to absorb and redirect energy is secondary to the emotional energy of his story: a man out of time, trying to prevent history from repeating itself. His film could be a sci-fi noir epic with stakes stretching across centuries. His extremely brief stint on screen in Days of Future Past feels like a waste of such a great character, which Could easily be rectified in the MCU.
If Marvel Studios is looking for their next T’Challa-level icon, they don’t need to look further than Ororo Munroe. Storm is a goddess, a queen, a leader. And one of the most powerful mutants in existence. Yet, we’ve never seen a live-action version of her that scratches the surface of her potential.
Born to a Kenyan princess and an American photojournalist, Ororo was orphaned in Cairo and survived by becoming a skilled street thief under the mentorship of a master pickpocket. As she grew older, her weather-controlling powers emerged, and she was worshipped as a rain goddess by African tribes before being recruited by Xavier. Her origin touches on themes of colonialism, survival, spiritual reverence, and self-determination.
The X-Men movies reduced her down to a seemingly less important character within the team, which is far from accurate, and her story and her character arc deserves to be done right. A Storm solo film could start in Egypt’s streets and end with her leading the X-Men — showing her not just as a force of nature, but as a queen in every sense.
Gambit is the smooth-talking wild card of the X-Men. He’s a kinetic mutant with the swagger of a street thief and the soul of a tragic anti-hero. With his hypnotic charm, rogue sensibilities, and iconic glowing playing cards, Gambit has long been a fan favorite, yet has never received the big screen spotlight he deserves.
Remy LeBeau, aka Gambit, was raised by the Thieves’ Guild in New Orleans, Remy was prophesied as “Le Diable Blanc” — the White Devil — and trained in stealth, combat, and deception. His ability to charge objects with kinetic energy made him deadly, but it was his romantic connection to Rogue and his morally murky past that defined him.
The hope for a Gambit movie has been talked about for nearly 20 years, and fans’ hope for it to come to life has never diminished, and with Channing Tatum finally getting to wield Gambit’s staff in Deadpool and Wolverine, hopefully we are closer than ever to seeing him have his story told.
The X-Men are among Marvel’s most iconic and enduring teams, with a legacy that spans comics, cartoons, and blockbuster movies. Yet for all the films in the X-Men franchise, few characters have been given the proper spotlight they deserve. With Marvel Studios now holding the keys to the X-Mansion following the Disney-Fox merger, fans are Read More