Marvel’s X-MEN Reboot May Have Found Its Storm in POOR THINGS Star Suzy Bemba
Marvel Studios may be getting ready to introduce a whole new generation of mutants to the MCU, and one of the biggest pieces of the X-Men puzzle could be falling into place.
With D23 happening tonight and speculation mounting that Marvel will finally unveil the reboot's cast, a new name has surfaced for Ororo Munroe, better known as Storm.
According to insider Jeff Sneider, French actress Suzy Bemba is currently in the mix to play the MCU's Storm. Bemba has been building an impressive career over the past few years, and if this casting rumor turns out to be legit, Marvel could be looking at her for a much bigger role than simply joining the first lineup of mutants.
While speaking on The Hot Mic, Sneider also suggested that Ryan Coogler, who is set to direct Black Panther 3, may have been involved in choosing the actress who will eventually play Storm.
That's especially interesting because rumors have continued to point to Storm making her MCU debut in Black Panther 3 rather than the upcoming X-Men reboot.
If Marvel actually goes in that direction, Ororo could be introduced alongside Wakanda and establish her place in the MCU before eventually joining the X-Men.
It could also allow Marvel to gradually grow the mutant roster across multiple movies instead of cramming every major character into the first film.
Storm certainly has enough history with Wakanda to make the connection work. In Marvel Comics, Ororo Munroe and T'Challa have a long romantic history and were eventually married, making her Queen of Wakanda for a period of time. She has also operated well outside the X-Men, serving as a member of both the Avengers and Fantastic Four.
For anyone unfamiliar with Bemba, she's best known for her work in Poor Things, Homecoming, and the horror movie Kandisha. Born in 2000, the actress was chosen as one of European Film Promotion's 2024 European Shooting Stars and previously landed on Unifrance's "10 to Watch" list.
Bemba has also been active in improving working conditions for performers. She founded the Actors Association, an organization created to support French actors and push for stronger protections on film sets.
If Bemba does land the Storm role, she'll be taking on one of Marvel's most important mutant characters.
Ororo Munroe was born in New York to a Kenyan mother and American father, later growing up in Cairo before traveling throughout Africa. Her mutant abilities give her extraordinary control over weather and atmospheric conditions, allowing her to summon lightning, manipulate wind, create rain and fog, and use those abilities to fly.
After Professor Charles Xavier recruited her into the X-Men, Storm became far more than another member of the team. She eventually emerged as one of its greatest leaders and one of the most powerful mutants in Marvel Comics.
Of course, Bemba's involvement hasn't been confirmed, and with a possible D23 announcement coming, we may not have to wait long to find out how much truth there is to the rumor.
The rumored cast for Marvel Studios' X-Men is already taking shape. Kit Connor is currently attached as Scott Summers/Cyclops, Sadie Sink is set to play Jean Grey, and Samara Weaving is reportedly playing Emma Frost.
Adam Driver is also said to be playing the film's villain. Previous speculation connecting Driver to Magneto has reportedly been debunked, leaving Mister Sinister and Sebastian Shaw as the two characters he's now believed to possibly be playing.
Then there's Professor X, and the situation surrounding Charles Xavier remains especially interesting heading into D23.
Christopher Abbott, Tom Pelphrey, Bill Skarsgård, Will Poulter, and Harris Dickinson have all reportedly been in contention for the role. However, scooper @MyTimeToShineH is now claiming that Abbott has officially landed the part of Charles Xavier. That hasn't been confirmed, so we'll have to see whether tonight brings an answer.
There are a couple of other mutant roles floating around as well. Cailee Spaeny still appears to be a likely choice for Rogue, while Charles Melton has repeatedly been mentioned as taking on the role of Beast. But, it was recently reported that he walked away.
Should all or even most of these names pan out, Marvel's new X-Men team is going to look very different from the versions audiences have seen before. That's probably exactly what the franchise needs after decades of Fox's mutant movies.
Storm is an especially important piece to get right. She's powerful enough to stand alongside the MCU's biggest heroes, but what makes Ororo such a great character isn't just the lightning and massive weather displays. She's a natural leader with a regal presence and a fascinating history that extends far beyond Xavier's school.
Giving her an introduction in Black Panther 3 could also provide Marvel with a cool way to give Ororo some room to breathe before bringing her into the larger mutant story. From there, she and other characters could become part of an expanded roster in a second X-Men movie.
Marvel Studios' X-Men reboot is currently expected to hit theaters in 2028. With D23 potentially bringing official casting news tonight, we could soon find out whether Suzy Bemba really is Marvel's choice to summon the storm.