For a film that was quietly nudged toward the sidelines as Deadpool 2 and Josh Boone’s New Mutants spinoff coalesced, X-Men: Dark Phoenix has now exploded into life, recruiting a host of familiar mutants and a director in Simon Kinberg, one of the many veterans of Fox’s grand cinematic franchise.
Set in the early 1990s, Dark Phoenix mines inspiration from the eponymous comic book by focusing on the young Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) who, after a brief spell in space, is overpowered by the titular cosmic entity. Since its inception, the Dark Phoenix saga has struck a chord with the X-Men faithful, so it’s small wonder why fans are beginning to look toward the film’s November 2018 release date with hushed excitement.
Not only that, but 20th Century Fox essentially put any and all rumors to bed earlier this week by confirming that Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and James McAvoy – the three cornerstones of the studio’s rebooted franchise – are back on board to reprise as Magneto, Mystique, and the young Charles Xavier. Flanked by a small army of familiar mutants – with the exception of Quicksilver (Evan Peters), it seems – there’s also word that Jessica Chastain is negotiating to play Lilandra, the “empress of an alien empire called the Shi’ar, who leads the quest to imprison and execute Dark Phoenix, leading her into conflict with the X-Men.”
So far, so exciting. But there are many roles yet to be filled on X-Men: Dark Phoenix, and though it’ll likely be some time before Fox’s casting process begins to yield some results, That Hashtag Show has posted the next best thing: in-depth character bios for the sequel’s many supporting players. Have at them below!
[HIROSHI] Male, Early- Mid 20s, Japanese, brash Tokyo punk kid with an attitude. Although Hiroshi is young, he can command the attention of a room and is always ready for a fight. Must be able to speak English fluently, but open to an accent (could be Japanese, British…)…LEAD. We are looking for an actor who is actually Japanese for this role. [SHANE]Male, 16, actor must be an adult (18 or over or legally emancipated minor), Caucasian. A cocky, handsome kid with swagger. He is strong and doesn’t back down easily, so he can come off as an insensitive bully at times…LEAD [COLIN] Male, 16, actor must be an adult (18 or over or legally emancipated minor), Caucasian. Handsome, but not arrogant. Always willing to help a friend in need no matter what it costs him. Although he is sensitive, he is not a pushover and will stand up for what he believes…LEAD [BRITTANY] Female 18 to play younger (15-17) Caucasian. Very attractive, charismatic and confident. Possibly a bit edgy with a fiery personality, Brittany is a born entertainer. Strong singing skills are a plus, but not mandatory. SUPPORTING [REDMOND] Male, 50s-Early 60s, open to all ethnicities. An affluent, big, stocky, ruddy American. Not necessarily fit, just physically imposing. Powerful, arrogant and blunt, Redmond is not used to being challenged and steamrolls anyone who opposes him…SUPPORTING [LUCCA]Male, 40s-50s. Brazilian. Ruthless and cunning, will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Must be able to speak English fluently, but can have an accent…SUPPORTING
[JACK]Male, Late 40s-Early 50s, British, open to all ethnicities. Handsome, charismatic and masculine. Jack is very self assured, almost cocky, but too cool to show it. Even in the most tense situations, he never shows fear…SUPPORTING [LUNA]Female, Mid-Late 20s, open to all ethnicities. Beautiful, could possibly have a severe look. Luna is intense and exudes a sense of power. Although she is a commanding presence, she is also slightly unhinged….SUPPORTING [WILLIAM]Male, Early 50s, Caucasian. A grounded, earnest middle-aged man. William carries a heaviness and a deep sense of sadness with him…SUPPORTING [CHARLOTTE]Female, Early-Mid 30s, Caucasian. A caring, warm mother. Charlotte can be stern at times, but she just wants what is best for her child…SUPPORTING
It’s an exhaustive list, and at least at this early stage, it’s impossible to know how big each of those roles will be. One way or another, we’ll be keeping you posted on all the latest casting news for 20th Century Fox’s ensemble movie as more information comes to light.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix has been penciled in for release on November 2nd, 2018.