MCU‘s upcoming X-Men reboot has finally locked in its mutants. But one of the franchise’s most iconic villains went unannounced. The studio has not announced the cast for Magneto, and fans would love to see this one controversial name in the mutant’s shoes.
Lee Pace, known for Foundation and The Lord of the Rings, has become the internet’s clear favorite to play Magneto. While Marvel has not confirmed the cast, journalist Jed Fontaine said multiple industry sources claim Marvel has already cast Pace as the powerful mutant.
Several fans have voted for Pace, pointing to his commanding screen presence, looks, and intense acting style. @Juhboness wrote, “Lee Pace as Magneto is one of those fancasts that just makes too much sense. The presence, the voice, the intensity… he could absolutely own this role.” @the_poptheory praised Pace’s performance as Brother Day in Foundation, writing, “Anyone who watched his performance as Brother Day in Foundation knows Lee Pace possesses the exact ruthless, commanding, god-tier presence Magneto requires.”
However, there is an obvious complication with the fancast. The actor has previously featured in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Ronan the Accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel. That makes his casting more likely to stir a debate than a typical fancast. However, that won’t be the first time an actor has been recast for another role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Robert Downey Jr., who previously played Iron Man in the MCU, is set to play Doctor Doom in the upcoming Avengers film. Bringing Pace to play Magneto shows Marvel could use the approach of reusing actors in major roles. That approach may divide fans who prefer established MCU actors to remain tied to their original characters.
The new X-Men cast gives Marvel plenty of room for surprise additions
While Marvel has announced the core cast, several major characters remain unannounced. Beast, Wolverine, and Nightcrawler were absent from the D23 announcement. The studio has also yet to announce its cast for Iceman and Gambit. That said, these reveals suggest Marvel may be saving the biggest surprises for later in the rollout.
So far, the MCU has confirmed Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, and Christopher Abbott as Professor X. The studio aims for a 2028 release window.
