Fans were surprised by Patrick Stewart's return to the fan-favorite role of Professor Xavier in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. He played a multiversal version of the character from the live-action film franchise which was amalgamated with the hit 90’s animated series version as well.
Stewart’s impressive performance as Professor X stood out in the live-action X-Men franchise. He was joined by a few other actors across the long-running film series who delivered iconic performances that helped grow the franchise. Fans may be excited to see a new adaptation in the MCU, but these performances still stand the test of time.
10 James McAvoy’s Emotional Journey As Charles Xavier Channeled Patrick Stewart’s Professor X
Patrick Stewart’s portrayal of Professor Charles Xavier will stand as an iconic adaptation of the comic character. His tense friendship with Magneto and the dedication he had for his X-Men and their mission gave Stewart a number of dramatic moments to work with that suited the actor’s talents well.
James McAvoy’s portrayal of the character from the prequel series hadn’t yet gained the wisdom of his older counterpart. His journey as he formed the X-Men and fought for mutantkind across the decades allowed McAvoy to really dig into the character. Their impressive performances with different aspects of the same character are both highlights of Fox’s live-action adaptation.
9 Evan Peters’ Beloved Take On Quicksilver Was Unique Enough To Almost Jump Cinematic Universes
X-Men: Days of Future Past introduced its own take on Quicksilver named Peter Maximoff, played by Evan Peters. Peter was a young mutant who helped Xavier break Magneto out of a federal prison in a stunning scene that perfectly displayed his incredible superspeed. While he was only meant to feature in that scene, the character’s role in the franchise would be expanded.
Peters’ performance as the seemingly carefree but troubled mutant led to his appearance as a member of the X-Men in Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix. His take on the character proved to be incredibly popular. Marvel Studios even cast Peters as Marvel's fastest speedster in WandaVision. However, the role was a fakeout and it was all done to toy with fans of the character.
8 Jennifer Lawrence Turned Mystique into A Heroic Member Of The X-Men And A Figure Of History
Rebecca Romijn brought a reimagined Mystique to the big screen in 2000’s X-Men. The shape-changing mutant was a highly-trained member of Magneto’s Brotherhood who appeared in every entry of the original trilogy. While this version was a favorite of fans, it was Jennifer Lawrence’s take on the mutant that really captured the attention of the audience.
X-Men: First Class further reimagined Mystique by establishing a close friendship with McAvoy’s Xavier that affected both of their characters’ growth. Lawrence guided Mystique through a difficult but rewarding storyline. She helped form the X-Men and the Brotherhood. Mystique influenced mutant history and trained a new generation of X-Men before her continuity-breaking death.
7 Alan Cumming Shined As Nightcrawler And Starred In One Of The Franchise’s Most Impressive Scenes
A younger version of Nightcrawler appeared in the prequel series played by Kodi Smit-McPhee. The actor’s take on the character felt familiar to fans of Nightcrawler in X-Men: Evolution. His design was inspired by the previous live-action adaptation that appeared in X2: X-Men United, played by Alan Cumming.
Cumming brought a reserved exuberance to the role of Nightcrawler that faithfully adapted some of the comic character’s personality. Cumming’s performance as Nightcrawler will always stand out thanks to the character’s unforgettable debut. He starred in a teleportation-filled attack on the President in the White House that showcased Nightcrawler’s powers very well.
6 Kevin Bacon’s Sebastian Shaw Stood Out As One Of The Best Villains From The Prequel Franchise
The X-Men franchise is known for a few memorable villains that explored alternate viewpoints to Xavier’s dream of human/mutant harmony. One of the most surprising was Kevin Bacon’s portrayal of Sebastian Shaw, the leader of the mutant-filled Hellfire Club. X-Men: First Class gave the character added depth when he was reimagined into Magneto’s origin story.
This gave Bacon the chance to play with a seemingly ageless and incredibly powerful character. Shaw and the powerful mutants of the Hellfire Club brought a new elegance to the X-Men’s villains. Bacon’s performance as Shaw gave the newly-formed X-Men an opponent who could manipulate governments as easily as his own powerful abilities.
5 Ty Sheridan’s Time As Cyclops Further Built On The Character’s Foundation Laid By James Marsden
One of the biggest failures of the original X-Men trilogy was the limited screen time of James Marsden as Scott Summers/Cyclops. The character played a large role in the first movie, though his presence was continually reduced in the following films. Thankfully, Tye Sheridan was able to build on Marsden’s work when he appeared in the same role in another of Cyclops' film appearances.
Sheridan debuted as Cyclops in 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse. In the film, his powers first manifested in the ‘80s. He quickly established his role as a leader among the younger mutants on the team, which was only furthered by his return in Dark Phoenix. It wasn’t the best adaptation of the iconic comic storyline, but Sheridan still stood out in his portrayal of Cyclops.
4 Famke Janssen Was Able To Capture The Essence Of Jean Grey But Not The Power Of The Phoenix
The original trilogy introduced the X-Men, their enemies, and their mission. However, it also followed the powerful growth of Jean Grey's devastating mutant abilities. This theme would be further explored in the prequel series. Neither managed to truly capture the power of the Phoenix Force, but Famke Janssen's portrayal came closest to adapting the character of Jean Grey.
Janssen brought the character’s love for Scott Summers and her interest in Wolverine to the big screen. She also perfectly portrayed Jean’s struggle with her powers that ultimately led to her loss of control in X-Men: The Last Stand. The movie largely failed the Dark Phoenix Saga, though Janssen’s portrayal of Jean Grey and her final moments still impressed fans.
3 Hugh Jackman Shined As Logan And Became The Star Of Both The X-Men And Wolverine Franchises
The first X-Men movie followed the mysterious mutant named Logan as he searched for clues to his past. Hugh Jackman played the mutant hero and became an instant hit with fans of Wolverine. He quickly took the lead in the original trilogy as one of the main X-Men, despite his usual loner status.
Jackman played the role for 17 years in the main X-Men franchise as well as his own solo trilogy. One of Wolverine's worst tragedies he's suffered came when he met his beautiful but tragic death in 2017’s Logan, ending Jackman’s celebrated portrayal. Fans are still hoping to see Jackman return as Wolverine even as the MCU likely prepares a new take on the character.
2 Ryan Reynolds Was Given Another Chance To Faithfully Adapt The Merc-With-A-Mouth Deadpool
The popular character Deadpool first appeared in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, played by Ryan Reynolds. However, the character had been changed significantly which left fans wanting more from the seemingly perfect casting. Reynolds’ humor blended perfectly with the Merc-with-a-Mouth’s own personality, and fans jumped at any chance to help give Reynolds another shot.
He would thankfully return to the character years later to bring a faithful adaptation of Deadpool to the big screen that broke records as the highest-grossing R-rated film. Reynolds’ success in the role helped Deadpool become the lone surviving character from Fox’s film franchise. Fans are excitedly awaiting the third Deadpool movie following the X-Men’s sale to Disney.
1 Michael Fassbender’s Younger Magneto Was Outshined By Ian McKellan’s Brilliant Performance
While James McAvoy was able to channel some of Patrick Stewart’s legendary performance to bolster his own, the same didn’t quite work out for Michael Fassbender. He was undoubtedly able to put his own spin on Magneto as the character developed over the years. Unfortunately, it’s next to impossible to outdo Ian McKellan’s performance in the original trilogy.
2000’s X-Men first introduced McKellan as Marvel's best villain, Magneto. He was the leader of a terrorist group known as the Brotherhood which was set against humanity due to his own trauma. McKellan brought gravitas and menace to the role which isn’t easily replicated. His performance as Magneto gave legitimacy to the X-Men that helped sell the franchise.