X-MEN Rumor Says THE LONG WALK Star Cooper Hoffman Is Marvel's Top Pick for Cyclops
The X-Men rumor mill keeps cranking out potential casting choices, and this latest one could end up splitting fans right down the middle.
If the newest report is legit, Marvel Studios may have found its Scott Summers, and it’s an actor who probably wasn’t sitting at the top of many fan casting lists.
As the X-Men casting rumors continue, we can see this next one proving to be somewhat divisive, as Cooper Hoffman is said to be Marvel's top choice to play Cyclops.
Marvel Studios is reportedly moving quickly to assemble the cast for its long-awaited X-Men reboot. While none of the major trades have confirmed any of the recent rumors, several reliable insiders have been sharing names that are supposedly on Marvel's radar, and the list keeps getting more interesting.
One of the bigger rumors making the rounds claims that Adam Driver (Star Wars) is in talks to take on the role of Magneto. Now another familiar insider, MTTSH, is reporting that Hoffman is the studio's "top choice" to play Scott Summers, better known as Cyclops.
Hoffman has earned plenty of praise for his performances in The Long Walk, Licorice Pizza, and Poetic License. Still, he's probably not the first actor most fans picture when imagining the confident field leader of the X-Men.
That said, Marvel has surprised audiences with unconventional casting choices before, and those decisions have often paid off.
At 23 years old, Hoffman is also the same age as Sadie Sink, who continues to be rumored for Jean Grey after reportedly joining Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
The rumors don't stop there. We've also heard that Inde Navarrette (Obsession) is on Marvel's radar for Rogue, while Bill Skarsgård (It, Eternals) has been linked to Professor X.
Although the reboot is expected to focus primarily on the classic lineup of Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Iceman, and Angel, recent reports claim that Emma Frost, Rogue, and Storm will also have roles in the film.
Other names that continue to surface include Hunter Schafer (Euphoria, Cuckoo) for Mystique, Cynthia Erivo (Wicked For Good) for Storm, Odessa A’zion (I Love LA, Marty Supreme) for Rogue, and Wagner Moura (The Secret Agent, Civil War) as the villain Mr. Sinister.
The movie isn't expected to begin filming until sometime next year, but reports suggest pre-production could get underway before the end of 2026. If that's the case, it makes sense that Marvel is ramping up its casting search now.
From everything we've heard, casting is well underway, even if official offers haven't gone out yet. Once Marvel gets closer to locking in its ensemble, it probably won't be long before the major Hollywood trades start confirming who actually made the shortlist.
There's also a chance MCU fans could meet some new mutants before the reboot arrives. Insider @Cryptic4KQual recently claimed that Avengers: Secret Wars will feature "new mutants different from the Doomsday cast," which could serve as an early introduction to the next generation before they headline their own film.
Marvel has already tapped Jake Schreier to direct the reboot following his work on Thunderbolts. Meanwhile, Sonny Lee Sung Jin (Beef) and Joanna Calo (The Bear) have come aboard to write a new draft of Michael Lesslie's screenplay.
Kevin Feige also recently offered some insight into the direction of the film, confirming that the next X-Men movie will lean into a younger cast.
"Jake’s an incredibly smart guy, and he’s an incredibly talented filmmaker. We had a great experience with him on Thunderbolts, and if you saw that movie, what he did with those character interactions—he also has his pulse on, shall we say, a younger demographic... because X-Men, as it was in the comics, will be a very youth-oriented, focused and cast movie."
If Cooper Hoffman really is Marvel's leading choice for Cyclops, it'll certainly spark plenty of debate among fans. What do you think of the possible casting choice?