Ex-X-Men star wants Storm played by actress of ‘darker complexion’ in the MCU

Whatever their feelings on the Fox franchise, X-Men fans widely agree that the movies did Storm dirty. Despite being one of the most beloved mutants from the pages of Marvel comics, she only ever had a small supporting role in the films, whether she was played by Halle Berry in the original trilogy and Days of Future Past or by Alexandra Shipp in Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix. Many have also criticized the decision to cast two actresses who don’t match Ororo Munroe’s darker skin tone in the source material.

There’s hope that Storm will be adapted more accurately when the MCU gets around to rebooting mutantkind, then. And it seems Shipp herself would be all for it. In an interview with ComicBookMovie, the actress seemed to rule out the option for her to return and voiced her hope that “a woman of darker complexion” be the one to bring the heroine to life next. Shipp thinks it’s “time” for that kind of “representation” in the X-Men universe.

“In future, I think I’d like to see a woman of darker complexion play Storm,” Shipp explained. “I think it’s about time that we see that representation, and I’m more than happy to see that. I think it would be really great. The little girl in me would really like to see that.”

Berry, for her part, seems more open to the idea of reprising her incarnation of Storm in the MCU, going by recent comments. And, with her old co-star Patrick Stewart returning as Charles Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, maybe it’s not all that impossible. Still, while we’re not entirely sure what Marvel Studios has planned for the Children of the Atom, a new Storm is likely to be introduced at some point, regardless of any nostalgic crossovers that might be on the way.

Fans have pitched a range of actresses as perfect candidates for the role before, with Janelle Monae, Dominique Jackson and even Black Panther‘s Lupita Nyong’o being popular choices. Deadpool 2‘s Zazie Beetz has also thrown her name into the ring. Whoever ends up as our next Storm, hopefully they’ll finally be able to do the character justice.