X-Men reboot: is Ben Wang the new Iceman at Marvel?

Marvel Studios appears to have found its Iceman. Deadline reports that Ben Wang is in talks to play the role in the studio's new X-Men film, and with that, Marvel looks set to put the original X-Men lineup together for its first reboot movie.

Credit where it's due first. Some industry sources, including a few new scoopers on Twitter who are fairly new to the Marvel scoop world, hinted that Marvel Studios would cast the original X-Men lineup for the reboot. With the addition of Iceman to the team, that is exactly what has happened.

Deadline reports Ben Wang is in talks to play Iceman

Deadline's exclusive says that ahead of the release of The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, in which he plays a District 12 tribute, Ben Wang is in talks to play Iceman in Marvel Studios' new X-Men movie, according to sources speaking to the outlet. Marvel representatives were not available for comment.

The report adds a caveat of its own. While it is not confirmed, Deadline says it has heard that Gabriel LaBelle, among several other actors, auditioned for the part.

The X-Men reboot's core lineup now looks complete

The real takeaway is that core casting for the X-Men reboot is now nearly finished. Marvel is looking to start shooting next year, so it was already known that this kind of announcement would arrive soon. But that should be it. Don't expect any other original X-Men to join the main team.

Some more classic X-Men names could still be added as second or third tier characters. In fact, we have started hearing rumors about Moira MacTaggert joining the cast. When it comes to the core mutants, the main members of the team, though, this is the end. We now know the cast and the lineup. If you were hoping for Gambit, Colossus, Nightcrawler and others, you will have to wait for future films.

Iceman was the youngest X-Man, and this team skews young

The thing about Bobby Drake is that he's considered the kid of the X-Men. In that original lineup, he was the youngest member. Now, though, Marvel is essentially casting a group of kids as the X-Men from the very beginning. The studio is definitely going with a much younger core group.

We have also heard that the film may draw a distinction between the mutants who are on the X-Men team at the start of the movie and other key mutants, such as Rogue and Storm. Those two are said to still be students at the Xavier Institute, and by the end of the film they have to step up.

For a team like the X-Men, which once ran three separate squads, it's possible Marvel will keep introducing new characters for the next four or five X-Men teams, and we won't be done. Keep in mind too that a fourth Deadpool movie is coming, which Ryan Reynolds is already writing. We're hoping some X-Men, or X-Force members who were once in the X-Men, get introduced there. That film could focus on the characters who fit better with a Deadpool story.

What happens to Hugh Jackman's Wolverine after Avengers: Secret Wars

For me, the biggest question right now is what's going to happen with Wolverine. He isn't in this first film, and that makes sense. We also know that many of the Fox X-Men returning for Avengers: Doomsday will probably finish their run in that movie. There are some recent rumors that they'll be back for Secret Wars.

Still, apart from Wolverine, Deadpool and legacy figures like Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield, I think Fox X-Men such as Gambit or Cyclops won't survive Doomsday and won't come back for Secret Wars, because Secret Wars is supposed to be about building around the new characters. We know that Sadie Sink's Jean Grey will at least be there as a new X-Men character.

If you leave the first reboot film out of it, Marvel has a few years to decide what to do with Wolverine. The regular buzz from industry insiders is that Hugh Jackman will stay on as Wolverine past Avengers: Secret Wars, but I don't think that's certain. You could imagine that the current deal between Jackman and Marvel Studios runs through Secret Wars, with anything after that open to negotiation.

So until Marvel announces that Jackman is returning for Deadpool 4 and we're sure he's Wolverine for this whole first mutant saga, or the studio announces it has picked a new Wolverine for after Secret Wars, I think the question over that character will remain. And without a doubt, Logan is a character who could be much older than the others. That would make sense.

Why I'd want an unknown actor if Marvel recasts Wolverine

Look, I love Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, and I fully support him staying. But it at least needs saying out loud: when Marvel is casting brand new versions of every X-Men member, from Professor X to Storm and Rogue, isn't this the right time to recast Wolverine in the MCU too?

If Marvel goes that way, and this may be a slightly controversial opinion, I hope the studio picks a much lesser known actor. I think that's their only chance at a successor to Hugh Jackman. It would let them do something of their own with the character. In my view, it's possible to cast him in a way that honors Jackman's work while making the role entirely the new actor's own.

A less familiar face, someone without preconceptions attached, would in my opinion find it much easier to take on the role and carry on the legacy of Logan and Wolverine than another well known actor would. That's only my opinion. I think Tom Holland's casting as Spider-Man was perfect. He was a Hollywood actor, but he wasn't a household name, and to me that's the best approach for superhero roles.

So if a recast does happen, my hope is that Marvel makes that call and chooses a complete unknown. I'd have no problem with it, as long as it isn't one of the big names that have been floated over the past half decade, like Cavill, Efron, Taron Egerton or Daniel Radcliffe.

Magneto could be the last big name, with Mister Sinister and Emma Frost to come

One small caution. The core X-Men cast is finalized, and while that's a true statement, I think the first X-Men film will probably feature one more big star, maybe right at the end. Marvel has a lot left to show with Mister Sinister and Emma Frost, who will certainly stay in their villain roles in this reboot.

We still don't know who Magneto is in the MCU. There was a rumor that Adam Driver would play him, and I'm really glad that didn't happen. Some names are coming up, but not from very reliable sources. So if any other X-Men announcement arrives by the end of the year, or before shooting starts, you can assume someone will soon be picked for Magneto. That's the last big name I expect.

So no Wolverine, Bishop, Forge, Nightcrawler, Gambit or Colossus this time, though they'll certainly show up in future films. As X-Men fans, we knew we wouldn't get every character in the first movie, but there's no denying Marvel has brought in almost all the classic characters right at the start. I know people will complain, but if you're complaining about this current X-Men cast and lineup, I think you're not giving them a chance.