2021 wasn't quite the "back to normal" year at the movies that we were all hoping it would be, but it was certainly a step in the right direction. If nothing else, most of the 2022 Oscar nominees were at the very least released in actual movie theaters. And 2021 was a solid year for movies with strong contenders expected to do well tonight including The Power of the Dog, West Side Story and Dune.

While this year's Academy Awards broadcast will be dealing with some degree of controversy following the decision to not give out all the Oscars live, it should nonetheless be an interesting show. Follow along with us live as we update the list below as the awards are given out.

Best Picture

• Belfast
• CODA
• Don't Look Up
• Drive My Car
• Dune
• King Richard
• Licorice Pizza
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• West Side Story

Best Directing

• Belfast, Kenneth Branagh
• Drive My Car, Ryusuke Hamaguchi
• Licorice Pizza, Paul Thomas Anderson
• The Power of the Dog, Jane Campion
• West Side Story, Steven Spielberg

Best Actress In A Leading Role

• Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter
• Penélope Cruz, Parallel Mothers
• Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos
• Kristen Stewart, Spencer

Best Actor In A Leading Role

• Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos
• Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
• Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick... BOOM!
• Will Smith, King Richard
• Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth

Best Actress In A Supporting Role

• Jessie Buckley, The Lost Daughter
• Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
• Judi Dench, Belfast
• Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
• Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard

Best Actor In A Supporting Role

• Ciarán Hinds, Belfast
• Troy Kotsur, CODA
• Jesse Plemons, The Power of the Dog
• J.K Simmons, Being the Ricardos
• Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog

Best Writing (Original Screenplay)

• Belfast
• Don't Look Up
• King Richard
• Licorice Pizza
• The Worst Person in the World

Best Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

• CODA
• Drive My Car
• Dune
• The Lost Daughter
• The Power of the Dog

Best Animated Feature Film

• Encanto
• Flee
• Luca
• The Mitchells vs. The Machines
• Raya and the Last Dragon

Best International Feature Film

• Drive My Car, Japan
• Flee, Denmark
• The Hand of God, Italy
• Lunana: A Yakin the Classroom, Bhutan
• The Worst Person in the World, Norway

Best Documentary (Feature)

• Ascension
• Attica
• Flee
• Summer of Soul(...Or When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised)
• Writing With Fire

Best Production Design

• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• The Tragedy of Macbeth
• West Side Story

Best Cinematography

• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• The Power of the Dog
• The Tragedy of Macbeth
• West Side Story

Best Costume Design

• Cruella
• Cyrano
• Dune
• Nightmare Alley
• West Side Story

Best Film Editing

• Don't Look Up
• Dune
• King Richard
• The Power of the Dog
• Tick, Tick...BOOM!

Best Makeup And Hairstyling

• Coming 2 America
• Cruella
• Dune
• The Eyes of Tammy Faye
• House of Gucci

Best Music (Original Score)

• Don't Look Up
• Dune
• Encanto
• Parallel Mothers
• The Power of the Dog

Best Music (Original Song)

• "Be Alive," King Richard
• "Dos Oruguitas," Encanto
• "Down To Joy," Belfast
• "No Time to Die," No Time to Die
• "Somehow You Do," Four Good Days 

Best Sound

• Belfast
• Dune
• No Time to Die
• The Power of the Dog
• West Side Story

Best Visual Effects

• Dune
• Free Guy
• No Time To Die
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Spider-Man: No Way Home

Best Short Film (Animated)

• Affairs of the Heart
• Bestia
• Boxballet
• Robin Robin
• The Windshield Wiper

Best Documentary (Short Subject)

• Audible
• Lead Me Home
• The Queen of Basketball
• Three Songs For Benazir
• When We Were Bullies

Best Short Film (Live Action)

• Ala Kachuu - Take And Run
• The Dress
• The Long Goodbye
• On My Mind
• Please Hold

Did your favorite film of 2021 take home an Oscar?

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is causing quite a stir among Marvel Cinematic Universe fans. There are plenty of questions surrounding the upcoming sequel, and many are eager for answers, especially after that crazy new trailer. X-Men alum Kodi Smit-McPhee is one of the many who has seen the trailer, and he’s apparently just as anxious as everyone else to see the return of Benedict Cumberbatch’s sorcerer. Smit-McPhee actually worked with the actor on the critically acclaimed film The Power of the Dog. And while making the movie, the two had a Marvel-related exchange that left the young actor feeling “slightly insulted.”

The multiverse’s influence on the MCU has only been growing, and the next film in the Doctor Strange franchise will really crack it open. As a result, there are a plethora of possibilities when it comes to character cameos. Kodi Smit-McPhee, who played Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in the X-Men films, is well aware of this. In fact, he recently revealed that while working on The Power of the Dog, he asked Benedict Cumberbatch about a potential role for his famous mutant in the MCU sequel. His response, however, was not what Smit-McPhee expected:

Can you really blame the Stephen Strange actor for being so tight-lipped about the movie, though? There’s a considerable amount of scrutiny that comes with starring in an MCU production, and the stars are always careful about dropping spoilers. (Tom Holland has spoiled more than a few key scenes, though.) So good on Benedict Cumberbatch for not letting anything slip out, even at the cost of potentially “insulting” his colleague.

But what about a role for Kodi Smit-McPhee? Well, during his recent appearance on Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast, he gave a clear answer on whether he’s involved with the Doctor Strange sequel:

Among the list of rumored characters for the film, another X-Men star is currently in the running to show up, though. Many believe that the recent trailer revealed the return of Patrick Stewart’s Professor X, who could seemingly be heard speaking at one point. Stewart, of course, isn’t confirming things one way or the other, though he has provided some great responses when asked about his rumored Marvel return.

It may seem like a longshot, but there’s certainly a chance Kodi Smit-McPhee could reprise his role as the mysterious, teleporting mutant at some point. But given that the actor is enjoying the movies as a fan, I don’t think he’d be too insulted if he wasn’t invited back.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness opens in theaters on May 6th and is one of 2022’s biggest new movie releases. Before you see the movie, be sure to check out its 2016 predecessor, along with some of the classic X-Men films, using a Disney+ subscription.

With Oscar nominations right around the corner, CinemaBlend is taking a look at which films and performances are likely to be in contention for nominations. Let’s look at a the Supporting Actor race. 

Locked In

Kodi Smit-McPhee has surprisingly emerged as a potential winner in the category for his role in The Power of the Dog, with over 20 critics awards and a Golden Globe win now to his name. McPhee’s skilled, understated performance doesn’t fit the typical mold of an Oscar winner, but strong praise for the film as a whole will carry him far. 

The other near-lock in this category is Troy Kotsur for his heartwarming performance in CODA. Earlier in the year, many speculated that the actor would be too much of an unknown to snag a nomination. Now, him and McPhee are the only actors with Golden Globe, Critics Choice, and SAG nominations. He’s likely to be the second deaf actor ever nominated for an Academy Award, 35 years after his co-star Marlee Matlin got her lead actress nomination, and win, for Children of a Lesser God.

Likely Bets

What to do about the Belfast boys? Jamie Dornan and Ciaran Hinds were both widely expected to share the category in a similar fashion to Kaluuya and Stanfield in last year’s Judas and the Black Messiah, DeNiro and Pacino in The Irishman, and Rockwell and Harrelson in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri. However, SAG threw an unexpected curveball by nominating neither performer. The debacle recalls that of 2015’s Spotlight, where both Keaton and Ruffalo missed SAG, despite both securing Critics Choice nominations. Only Ruffalo went onto an Oscar nomination. This town may not be big enough for the two, and if one performer is to triumph over the other, it’ll likely be Hinds, who has more traction from critics awards. Dornan may still be overcoming his Fifty Shades reputation whereas Hinds is a long under-appreciated veteran character actor.

Then there’s Jared Leto for House of Gucci who, despite receiving mixed reactions from critics, has remained in the conversation due to the sheer volume of his performance. It’s capital A acting at its… most. SAG and Critics Choice voters had no problem with that.

Bradley Cooper’s extremely limited screen-time in Licorice Pizza seemed for a while like it would prevent the Academy favorite from securing another nomination. The Screen Actors Guild disagreed, giving him a crucial nomination that has thrown him back into the conversation. It also helps that he is riding the wave of a Best Picture contender.

Dark Horses

Ben Affleck now has a SAG and Golden Globe nomination for his performance in The Tender Bar, though his role is really the only buzz coming out of that film. I feel his path recalls that of Bill Murray in On the Rocks, or Jared Leto in The Little Things last year. He has some key nominations, but I am doubtful that he’ll make it to the finish line. His absence from the BAFTA longlist confirms that suspicion for me. 

J.K. Simmons could benefit from Kidman’s strength in the Best Actress race for his role as William Frawley in Being the Ricardos, but he only has a Critics Choice nomination to his name so far. Mike Faist earned a BAFTA nomination but has missed pretty much everything else, despite being a major standout in West Side Story. The film is such a heavyweight, however, that we can’t count him out entirely. I could also see a world where Jesse Plemons rides The Power of the Dog’s momentum to a supporting actor nomination alongside McPhee.

Unfortunately, Robin de Jesús’s role in Tick, tick… Boom! doesn’t have much traction despite the film’s strength in Best Picture. Jeffrey Wright in The French Dispatch, Colman Domingo in Zola, and Jason Isaacs in Mass have picked up their share of critics nominations but there’s not much to indicate that they’ll show up at the Oscars. 

Currently, I’m predicting McPhee, Kotsur, Hinds, Leto, and Cooper for the nomination. Check back here at CinemaBlend for more category breakdowns.

2021 was probably the worst year in the Golden Globes’ 77 year history. They were rightfully called out earlier this year for a total lack of Black members, as well as other unethical practices, resulting in NBC refusing to air their ceremony for 2022. 

The HFPA is currently in the process of making reforms to their organization, and has recruited 21 new members this year (their total prior was about 86). It was uncertain if the HFPA would even announce nominees and winners for the films of 2021, but on October 15th they confirmed they would hold a ceremony in some capacity, with nominations to be announced December 13th at 6 A.M. PST. 

A consequence of the chaos this year for prognosticators is that we don’t actually have confirmation on what films will be campaigned in comedy or musical, making predicting films like CODA much more difficult. So in my predictions below I’m also predicting category placements.

Motion Picture Drama

If Belfast, Dune, King Richard, and The Power of the Dog don’t all show up here, I’d be shocked. In my mind that leaves open one slot for a wildcard to sneak in. Part of the challenge predicting this year is that we don’t know which films will be slotted in comedy or drama. If CODA is in drama, I think it has a shot here. Despite underwhelming reviews, we shouldn’t underestimate Nightmare Alley or Being the Ricardos either. Spencer and The Tragedy of Macbeth could certainly contend, as could either of Ridley Scott’s films: House of Gucci and The Last Duel. Right now I’m hesitantly predicting CODA, but I expect to be swapping out this slot up until nomination morning.

Drama Actor

Will Smith (King Richard), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Power of the Dog), and Denzel Washington (The Tragedy of Macbeth) are near-locks in this category. The remaining two slots are tricky, as much of the competition they’ll face at the Oscars is on the comedy/musical side. Joaquin Phoenix has a shot for his understated performance in C’mon C’mon (assuming that’s in drama), and though it's a long shot, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nicolas Cage sneak in for Pig. For now, I’m predicting Javier Bardem for his portrayal of Desi Arnaz in Being the Ricardos, and Bradley Cooper for Nightmare Alley.

Drama Actress

Don’t bet against these four: Kristen Stewart (Spencer), Jessica Chastain (The Eyes of Tammy Faye), Nicole Kidman (Being the Ricardos) and Lady Gaga (House of Gucci). As for that final slot, Penélope Cruz and Olivia Colman are certainly in the conversation for their roles in Parallel Mothers and The Lost Daughter respectively, but those films could be a little under the radar for the Globes. They love actors who play musical icons (see Andra Day’s shocking win last year), so I’m predicting they’ll nominate Jennifer Hudson for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin in Respect. 

Motion Picture Comedy / Musical

This was the best year for musicals in recent memory, and unlike some years, the Globes have plenty of riches to pick from in this category. West Side Story, Tick, tick… Boom!, Cyrano, and In the Heights all have a great shot to make it into this lineup. But they’ll be competing with comedies Licorice Pizza and Don’t Look Up. I expect the lineup will be pulled from these six films. In the Heights and Cyrano are probably the most vulnerable of the musicals. Though recency bias would favor Cyrano, I’m predicting it to miss, as it’s the least acclaimed the bunch. Or maybe both will show up at the expense of Don’t Look Up, whose divisive reactions could work against it.

Comedy / Musical Actor

There are four actors in this lineup that no one should be betting against: Andrew Garfield (Tick, tick… Boom!), Peter Dinklage (Cyrano), Leonardo DiCaprio (Don’t Look Up), and Anthony Ramos (In the Heights). The final slot is keeping me up at night. I would love for them to go with Simon Rex for Red Rocket, but that’s probably wishful thinking. I could honestly see them going for Ansel Elgort in West Side Story, but in a year where the organization is on thin ice, I think they’ll know better than to bring that sort of controversy their way. I’m perhaps optimistically going with Cooper Hoffman for Licorice Pizza. Although he is young and hasn’t been as seriously in the awards conversation as his co-star Alana Haim, it certainly helps that he is part of a bigger overall contender. 

Comedy / Musical Actress

The two no-brainers here are Alana Haim for Licorice Pizza and Rachel Zegler for West Side Story. I also expect Emma Stone may pretty easily get a nomination for Cruella, considering that things start to get a little thin beyond here. If CODA is in comedy, Emilia Jones will be nominated. And if Haley Bennett is lead for Cyrano, I’d say the same. If not, the most realistic options in my mind are Melissa Berrera (In the Heights), Jennifer Lawrence (Don’t Look Up), and Renate Reinsve (The Worst Person in the World). I am far too cynical to pick the latter, but I would jump for joy if it happened. I’m settling for Berrera and Lawrence for now.

Supporting Actor

I’m expecting both Ciaran Hinds and Jamie Dornan will make it in for Belfast and Belfast respectively. Jared Leto has a shot here for House of Gucci, especially considering he was surprise nominated for The Little Things last year. For the remaining two slots there are a lot of options. Jon Bernthal has a great shot at coat-tailing off of King Richard. And I’d love to see Robin de Jesus in for Tick, tick… Boom!, a film I expect they’ll adore. I’m predicting those two for now. Kodi Smit-McPhee has been garnering lots of critics awards, but I’m skeptical he’ll perform as well with certain major precursors. Troy Kotsur has been gaining steam for CODA, but like Yuh-Jung Youn or Paul Raci last year, he may be too unknown for the HFPA. I’m also watching out for Mike Faist (West Side Story), Bradley Cooper (Licorice Pizza), and Ben Affleck (The Tender Bar). Unfortunately I don’t have much hope for Jason Isaacs (Mass).

Supporting Actress

Four performances widely expected to be nominated here are Ariana Debose (West Side Story), Caitriona Balfe (Belfast), Aunjanue Ellis (King Richard), and Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog). Fighting for that last slot we have Cate Blanchett (Nightmare Alley), Meryl Streep (Don’t Look Up), Ruth Negga (Passing), and Ann Dowd (Mass). I am also considering Rita Moreno for West Side Story. Though this is somewhat of a long shot, it could be a great moment for the Globes to pick a veteran all-star for what will likely be their favorite musical there. But considering how CODA seems like it’s starting to take off, I’m going with Marlee Matlin.

Director

The contenders who seem most likely here are Steven Spielberg (West Side Story), Kenneth Branagh (Belfast), Denis Villeneuve (Dune), and Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog). Many are predicting Paul Thomas Anderson for Licorice Pizza. I am skeptical. The director has never been nominated for a Golden Globe before. We can’t count out Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up), who was nominated for Vice and The Big Short. Nor should we underestimate Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard) or Guillermo del Toro (Nightmare Alley). However, I’m going with Lin Manuel Miranda for Tick, tick… Boom! Some would call this a long-shot, but I think the film is stronger than many are assuming and this feels like just the kind of celebrity actor-director nomination they’re notorious for embracing.

Screenplay

To make up for the director snub, I’m predicting Paul Thomas Anderson will land his first Golden Globe nomination in screenplay for Licorice Pizza. I also feel confident writer-directors Jane Campion and Kenneth Branagh will be nominated for their widely celebrated films. Despite Being the Ricardos’ lackluster reviews I cannot in good conscience underestimate 7-time nominee, 3-time winner Aaron Sorkin in this category. I’ve got my eye on Don’t Look Up here, as well as King Richard. But I feel the love for West Side Story will be so strong that Tony Kushner will take a nomination.

With the Golden Globe and Critics Choice Award nominations both taking place Monday the 13th, there will surely be a lot to discuss in terms of how it shapes the Oscar race. Check back here on Cinemablend for more awards analysis in the coming weeks.

The magic of Hollywood. Sometimes, an actor films a scene on a blue-screen stage, knowing that the moment they are recording will pop up in another movie, but they have no clue what’s supposed to be happening in the sequence. Such was the case with the hilarious X-Men team cameo in David Leitch’s sequel, Deadpool 2. In the scene in question, Beast (Nichola Hoult) closes a door so that Wade (Ryan Reynolds) can’t see the X-Men in the mansion. But there was no mansion. There was no room. There wasn’t even a door!

Kodi Smit-McPhee is in Savannah, Georgia promoting his upcoming film The Power of the Dog, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Kirsten Dunst. While walking the red carpet, he stopped to speak with CinemaBlend and we brought up that amusing moment. We asked him if he even knew the footage they were capturing was for Deadpool 2, and he said they did… but that’s basically ALL that they knew. Smit-McPhee, who played Nightcrawler in the X-Men franchise, told CinemaBlend: 

Acting! The scene does zip by very quickly, and when you watch it, you do realize that it’s just key members of the X-Men team, staying silent as Beast closes a door -- which wasn’t a door -- before Deadpool spots them. You can watch the scene here:

We are anxiously awaiting word on the future of the X-Men, and how they will be brought into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Kodi Smit-McPhee was playing Nightcrawler for the Fox movies, but Disney bought Fox, and Marvel Studios now has the ability to work in the mutants from the Marvel universe, as well as the Fantastic Four. We do know that Jon Watts has been tapped to helm Fantastic Four, though that movie has no release date yet. As for mutants, they MIGHT start showing up in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, now that Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) has transformed into Scarlet Witch. 

Personally, I want to hear more about the next Deadpool, so we can get more clever, referential jokes like the one Kodi Smit-McPhee describes above.

Looking back, the X-Men franchise was key in the development of the modern comic book movie genre, and 19 years after it started it's still serving up superhero shenanigans. While the Disney-Fox deal has certainly changed what the future could look like for the franchise, there are still a lot of possibilities for interesting-looking spin-offs, not to mention new takes on previously shown characters and events which the folks at Disney and Marvel are surely already working to figure out. Not to be forgotten yet, however, is the main series of films, and it's the next chapter that we're here to discuss today.

After a relatively quick production period, but lots of delays, X-Men: Dark Phoenix is now finally less than a week away from release nationwide. But what is it about? Who is making it? What characters can we expect to appear? We cover all of these questions and more in our What We Know So Far guide below, so read on and learn!

What Have We Seen From Dark Phoenix?

It's been a long road, but September 26, 2018 finally delivered the first trailer from the highly anticipated movie. While that first look went heavy on the stress caused to Jean by meeting with the Phoenix force, and the resulting toll that will take on her friends and the world around her, the final trailer (above) gave us a better sense of some of the other action. This includes cool scenes of that meeting and a lot of the space action that would have led to it.

What Is Dark Phoenix's Release Date?

While June 7, 2019 will finally see Dark Phoenix hit theaters, it was a long road to get there. In 2017, the Marvel Cinematic Universe achieved something never before seen in Hollywood: releasing three franchise titles in the span of one calendar year. Well, in 2018 the X-Men movies were ready to compete. January through June should have seen both Josh Boone's The New Mutants and David Leitch's Deadpool 2 unleashed on the world, with 20th Century Fox is saving X-Men: Dark Phoenix for the winter months, having set it to come out on November 2, 2018.

That changed with some shakeups to scheduling in January and March of 2018, though. First, The New Mutants was pushed from April 13, 2018, to February 22, 2019, then to August 2, 2019 and now it rests at April 3, 2020. Dark Phoenix retained its November release date through the first scheduling change, but late March saw the superhero film get pushed to February 2019.

But then, just two days after the first trailer was released in late September 2018, Fox did more shuffling and set Dark Phoenix down in June 2019. With the exception of Deadpool and Logan, which hit theaters in the first quarters of their respective years, the X­-Men movies have traditionally been spring and summer releases, which makes this new strategy fall more in line with what we generally see.

While February is no longer a stranger to comic book blockbusters in the modern era, thanks to the aforementioned Deadpool and the recent, completely massive success of Black Panther, this release makes a lot more sense for the film. Rumors on the date change have suggested that the studio believes X-Men: Dark Phoenix will simply perform better then, especially in China, which went crazy for the trailer after it came out.

What Is Dark Phoenix's Rating?

Unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the DC Extended Universe, the X-Men franchise has been a bit more experimental when it comes to the ratings of their comic book movies -- and it's resulted in some incredible success. Even though audiences under 18 couldn't see them without a parent or guardian, the aforementioned Deadpool and Logan both managed to bring in tons of cash appealing to more mature audiences. Because of these wins, there are now ratings conversations to be had about many developing superhero titles, but you can bet that X-Men: Dark Phoenix won't be rocking the boat.

To date, all of the main X-Men titles -- including X-Men, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse -- have all been PG-13, and that trend will continue with X-Men: Dark Phoenix. It surely will have (mostly bloodless) violence and thrilling sequences that might be too much for young viewers, but don't expect tons of gore, nudity or profanity.

Who Is Directing Dark Phoenix?

Simon Kinberg has been an important part of the X-Men world for years. He first became involved back in 2006 when he was hired to write the script for Brett Ratner's X-Men: The Last Stand, but has really been a key player ever since X-Men: First Class. Starting with that 2011 movie he has produced all of the franchises' features, and he is also a credited co-writer on X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse. He's also done script work on Dark Phoenix, but the bigger story is the fact that he's making the film as his directorial debut.

It's not often that you see a filmmaker dipping his toe into directing with a major superhero blockbuster, but he does have a good amount of experience within the industry in the last 15 years. We can't say much for the style we expect him to bring to X-Men: Dark Phoenix, but that's just another part of what we're anticipating when we head to the theater.

What Is Dark Phoenix About?

The Dark Phoenix Saga is one of the most famous storylines in the history of Marvel Comics - which fully explains why this movie will actually be the second big screen attempt at adapting it. The franchise tried to put its own spin on the familiar narrative with X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006, but it's widely agreed that the job was botched. Following the continuity-changing events of X-Men: Days of Future Past, the movies saw an opportunity to try and tell the story again, and that's what we're getting in Simon Kinberg's X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

Set a decade after the events of X-Men: Apocalypse (following a pattern set up by the previous two movies), Dark Phoenix is set in the early 1990s, and is set in a world that has changed quite a lot. In the 1980s people everywhere knew about the existence of mutants, but now the X-Men are basically rock stars. Under the leadership of Professor X (James McAvoy), the team is known worldwide for their heroics, and celebrated for them.

All good streaks come to an end, however, and the X-Men find theirs come to a conclusion in outer space. During a cosmic mission, an accident occurs involving what they believe to be a solar flare, but this energy merges with Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) in the process. It's found it greatly enhances her powers, but the team begins to witness some serious changes in her personality, and her lack of control over her new powers.

Those familiar with the Dark Phoenix Saga from the comics -- which is an arc big enough to span two feature films -- will recognize that this doesn't exactly match up with the source material, but it certainly is a hell of a lot closer than what X-Men: The Last Stand delivered. There is still a lot that we don't know about the story take and the adaptation, but we obviously don't have long until we can learn more.

Jean Grey

Jean Grey has been an important character in the X-Men movies from the very beginning, originally played by Famke Janssen, but now she is in her second generation. While Jean was initially introduced as a teacher at Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters, X-Men: Apocalypse was the first film in the canon to show her as a student, brought to life by Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner.

Like many of her fellow X-Men in that film, the young telepath/telekinetic was only just starting to get a handle on her special mutation when she was doing battle with Apocalypse -- but, all the same, still demonstrated some incredible power. We can assume that her abilities and her control over said abilities will be much better at the start of X-Men: Dark Phoenix (there's a lot Professor X can teach in a decade), but even those practiced strengths will be nothing compared to what she is able to do when imbued with the Phoenix Force.

As powerful as Jean is naturally, her abilities intensely escalate when she is transformed into Phoenix, to the point where she becomes one of the most powerful beings in the universe. Opening stargates, destroying matter at the subatomic level, and generating cosmic fire are only a few of the scary skills in her arsenal, but also certainly not helpful is the way that the power tends to corrupt the user.

Charles Xavier a.k.a. Professor X

Going back to X-Men: First Class, we've watched Charles Xavier a.k.a. Professor X come a long way. He earned his doctorate at the age of 30, shortly thereafter establishing Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters, and through X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse we've watched him evolve into the legendary leader we've always known that he would become.

By the time we catch up with him in Dark Phoenix, Professor X will have 30 years of leadership under his belt, but evidently he somewhat becomes a victim of his own bravado. He is very proud of the students that he has taught, and blissful with the reputation and popularity that the X-Men have received. There are obvious positive sides to this, but, unfortunately, the confidence also leads him to send his team into outer space for a mission that they aren't prepared for, leading to Jean Grey's accident.

As a leader and a teacher, Professor X has a very important responsibility when it comes to the X-Men, and one can imagine this mistake having a crucial impact on his arc in X-Men: Dark Phoenix. That said, he shouldn't have a ton of time to devote to self-reflection and self-flagellation if he's properly responding to the threat that the titular force represents.

Scott Summers a.k.a. Cyclops

It's no secret that the X-Men movies don't have a great track record of doing right by Scott Summers a.k.a. Cyclops. The character has been a fan favorite in the comics for decades, but on the big screen he was totally sidelined by a Wolverine-centric approach that painted him plainly as a romantic competitor for the heart of Jean Grey. It's partially because of this shortcoming that the franchise hit the restart button on Cyclops in X-Men: Apocalypse, and now they'll have the chance to properly explore the character in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, portrayed by Tye Sheridan.

Cyclops was only shown wearing his famous visor in the final moments of X-Men: Apocalypse, still learning how to control his optic blasts, but he should be a seasoned veteran with the equipment when we catch up with him. His specific role in the Dark Phoenix storyline still seems to be based on Scott's romantic bond with Jean Grey, with him trying to convince everyone she can be saved when she seems too far gone and dangerous to be allowed to live.

Ororo Munroe a.k.a. Storm

Within the post-X-Men: Days of Future Past continuity, we don't have much experience watching Ororo Munroe a.k.a. Storm as a hero. Portrayed by Alexandra Shipp in X-Men: Apocalypse, we got a glimpse of her upbringing in Egypt, but the titular villain was able to get to her far faster than Professor X. She was enlisted as one of the Four Horsemen, but the all-powerful blue mutant's Svengali-like hold over her was shattered when she saw her hero, Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) in battle. Following her change of heart, Storm started fighting alongside the X-Men, and at the end of the movie we saw her suited up as a full-fledged member of the team.

Unfortunately, that's basically where details stop in regards to what we can expect from Storm in X-Men: Dark Phoenix. Like everyone else, she will be 10 years older and wiser, and have much greater control over her abilities to control the weather, but we don't really know much more than that. Given how limited the character's time on screen has classically been -- going back to the Halle Berry era -- hopefully a nice chunk of narrative will be devoted to her.

Kurt Wagner a.k.a. Nightcrawler

We first got to see the fan-favorite teleporting mutant known as Nightcrawler up on the big screen in X2: X-Men United... but his run didn't exactly last long. Despite putting on a fantastic performance, Alan Cumming didn't return to reprise the part in X-Men: The Last Stand, and in the movie world Nightcrawler was ultimately put on ice for 13 years. That unfortunate trend ended in 2016 with Kodi Smit-McPhee playing a younger version of the character in X-Men: Apocalypse, and next we'll get to see him perform his advanced circus-like antics in Dark Phoenix.

In X-Men: Apocalypse, Nightcrawler was basically used to demonstrate that the world was accepting of his odd appearance -- but we didn't really get to learn much about him. Hopefully Simon Kinberg is able to successfully balance X-Men: Dark Phoenix as a true ensemble, and give Kurt Wagner the proper moments to shine that fans want to see, and that his legacy deserves.

Peter Maximoff a.k.a. Quicksilver

The last seventeen years have brought us an endless list of ridiculously awesome big screen superhero moments, but the usage of Evan Peters' Peter Maximoff a.k.a. Quicksilver in both X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse are certainly near the top. Bryan Singer made impressive use of modern filmmaking technology to craft sequences unlike anything we've ever seen with a speedster character, and in doing so also happened to create two of the most memorable movie music moments of the young century. He's an exciting presence in this franchise, which is why we're stoked that he will be back in X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

The full details regarding Quicksilver's development as a character have not yet been revealed, but we can probably take a few guesses regarding where he is at. Given his personality type, one can imagine that he is absolutely loving the celebrity status that the X-Men have earned, and is happy to take advantage of it every moment that he can -- which is pretty often given the way he moves.

We'll have to wait and see if he winds up reaching out to Magneto to reveal that he is his son (if that hasn't already happened in the last decade), but that situation is made tricky given the status of Magneto at the start of Dark Phoenix, which we'll get into a bit later.

Hank McCoy a.k.a. Beast

Fans were initially disappointed when Hank McCoy a.k.a. Beast didn't make the roster for Bryan Singer's first X-Men movie, but ever since X-Men: First Class he has been a key player. Portrayed by Nicholas Hoult, we have watched the character undergo some serious change -- some quite literally -- but he's certainly developed into the hero that Marvel readers have loved for decades.

Beast will once again be back fighting the good fight in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, serving alongside Jean Grey, Cyclops, Storm, Nightcrawler, Quicksilver, and Mystique under the guidance of Professor X. Hank still seems to have control over his appearance, but we do get a lot of him totally blue and furry during the trailer, so we'll probably be treated to his natural state a lot of time, especially during the action scenes.

Raven Darkhölme a.k.a. Mystique

Similar to Wolverine, Raven Darkhölme a.k.a. Mystique wasn't always a core member of the X-Men character lineup in the comics, but the films have certainly treated her that way. Rebecca Romijn was very memorable in the original X-Men trilogy, but the fact that she has been played by A-lister Jennifer Lawrence since X-Men: First Class has kept her in the franchise's spotlight. At the end of X-Men: Apocalypse she was firmly established as one of the good guys, and apparently that's exactly where she starts at the beginning of Dark Phoenix as well.

Mystique has classically been an enemy of the X-Men, but now that she's a part of the titular team, we'll see her take on a leadership position because she's older and has been fighting longer than most of the other X-Men. It also looks like she'll handle Jean Grey's transformation into the Phoenix by pointing out some important truths to Charles, and by being a true leader and trying to help Jean even though she knows how dangerous she's become.

Erik Lehnsherr a.k.a. Magneto

At the end of X-Men: Apocalypse Michael Fassbender's Erik Lehnsherr a.k.a. Magneto aided in the reconstruction of Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters, but he made the decision not to stick around. Having lost his wife and daughter, and nearly aiding in the destruction of the planet, he decided that it was best that he leave and start a life for himself elsewhere in the world. It's noteworthy that X-Men: Dark Phoenix will address the question of "Where?" and it turns out the answer is super interesting: the island of Genosha.

While Genosha has a bit of a spotty history in Marvel Comics, in Dark Phoenix it will be portrayed as a safe haven for mutants who can't find a home anywhere else in the world -- and it's where Magneto has worked to try and rebalance his life. He finds himself involved with the main narrative because Jean Grey seeks him out for guidance in the midst of his transformation.

The Mysterious Villain

Yes, that's a super vague heading, but the reality is that we don't have much to work with in this area. It's been confirmed that Jessica Chastain will be playing the central villain in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, but in a move that seriously increases our curiosity, the folks behind the film will not identify her character. It has been said that she is an "otherworldly shapeshifter" who is out to control the power of the Phoenix, but nothing else is known beyond that.

We just have a few day now until X-Men: Dark Phoenix is in theaters, so be sure to head out and get the rest of the answers to what this movie has in store for audiences for yourself!

Thanks to his fourth wall-breaking antics and his encyclopedia knowledge of pop culture (both in the X-Men universe and outside of it), Deadpool is a perfect terrain for cameos, if you think about it. The character knows no reverence and he likes to keep people on their toes, particularly through his fast-moving mouth. In that spirit, when it came time to make Deadpool 2, the original film's staggering popularity paved the way for a smörgåsbord of surprise guest appearances, including a few you might've missed!

Therefore, we wanted to take this opportunity to break down all the surprise cameos that were found in 2018's superhero sequel. Because even upon first or second viewing, there's a possibility that you missed a few of the film's biggest and most shocking cameos in Deadpool 2. With that, we want to let you in on the scoop. And be sure to let us know if there are any we missed. Also, it should be a given, but some of these cameos require a spoiler or two. Just a heads-up if you haven't seen the movie.

Matt Damon As "Redneck #2"

There's a very good chance that you missed Matt Damon's cameo in Deadpool 2. The actor is genuinely unrecognizable in the superhero sequel, adopting very heavy make-up, including a prosthetic nose, a fake beard and a body suit with an extended beer gut to disguise his normally-ripped physique. Damon was also not officially officially credited either, adopting the one-time pseudonym of "Dickie Greenleaf" in the credits (a reference to Damon's 1999 film, The Talented Mr. Ripley). Nevertheless, the role of "Redneck #2" was played by none other than Matt Damon himself.

While his voice might've been a giveaway for some people, there are many folks who had no clue Matt Damon was in the film. In fact, there is a good chance that some of you didn't know until you read this article. There's no judgment here; until I started writing this article, I didn't even know myself! In any case, if you skip to the 32-minute mark exactly, you will see Matt Damon in a field, throwing back beers and talking rather extensively about toilet paper with his friend before a time-traveling Cable (Josh Brolin) walks up to their car, electrocutes them and drives away with their truck.

Brad Pitt As "Vanisher"

It's a blink-and-you-miss it cameo, but at the same time, there's a good chance that Brad Pitt's surprise three-second appearance in Deadpool 2 was the biggest cameo you caught in the movie. Throughout the film, the running gag with the invisible, silent character of Vanisher is that it's unclear if he actually exists or if he's just a bunch of empty space. But when the X-Force find themselves killed in increasingly graphic ways due to Deadpool's miscalculations with the wind, there is a brief moment where Vanisher's parachute is caught in the wind, causing him to be electrocuted, then burst into flames.

In that moment, which occurs 73 minutes into the film, we finally get a visible glance at Vanisher. And it's revealed to be none other than Brad Pitt. Because the cameo is so fast, there might be reason to believe that it's just a CG-ed version of the actor, but it appears that it was actually Brad Pitt. Somehow, the filmmakers found time in the A-lister's very busy schedule for the actor to make quick (but very memorable) appearance in the film.

James McAvoy As "Charles Xavier"

One of the best recurring jokes in the original Deadpool movie is the often-commented absence of actual X-Men in this X-Men property. There are only two other characters from the series who made appearances in that film, and Deadpool is often disgruntled by their non-appearances in his film. Sure enough, when it came time for the much-anticipated sequel, which was accompanied with a bigger budget and a higher profile release, there was the strong likelihood of at least a few well-known X-Men making an appearance. But their cameos needed to fit the style of the film, and the filmmakers wanted to honor the winking satire that is crucial to the film's irreverent success.

So, yes, Charles Xavier does make an appearance in Deadpool 2. However, Deadpool himself never gets to meet the character. 29 minutes into the sequel, while the title character is babbling on about the lack of X-Men found in the house, it's revealed that Charles Xavier and several other X-Men are indeed there, but they're intentionally avoiding contact with the foul-mouthed merchant. It's a single shot and another sequence where if you turn your head at the wrong time, you'll miss it entirely. But for the fans who were paying close attention, you got your chance to see several high-profile X-Men, even if Deadpool himself missed his chance to get acquainted.

Nicolas Hoult As "Beast"

Similar to James McAvoy's Professor X, Nicholas Hoult's Beast was also in the X-Men residence as Deadpool was ranting about the dearth of X-Men to be found in his movies. He was the one who was the closest to the sliding door and the one who heard Deadpool coming their way, as the Merc with a Mouth made his long-winded spiel about his movies making more money than the person who invented pants.

The blue mutant ultimately wasted no time trying to discreetly close the doors in the hopes that Deadpool wouldn't discover their appearance. And it seems like he did it successfully, as Deadpool was none the wiser about them being right beside him. Since he's in the center frame, there's a good chance you saw Beast. Nevertheless, it was a surprise — and welcome — cameo, even if Deadpool himself didn't know about it.

Evan Peters As "Quicksilver"

In addition to Beast and Professor X, Deadpool also missed his opportunity to meet Quicksilver. The scene-stealer was in the room with several other X-Men during the aforementioned cameo-filled sequence, and ironically he wasn't quick to close the door when Deadpool was threatening to find more X-Men in the residence. Nevertheless, while the cameo went by in a flash, Evan Peters was there. And gone.

Tye Sheridan As "Cyclops"

Tye Sheridan's Cyclops hasn't been seen much in the X-Men universe. Beyond his appearance in X-Men: Apocalypse, his character has otherwise been played by James Marsden in the first three movies. But we'll get a better chance at seeing Sheridan's take on the character when he appears in this summer's long-delayed Dark Phoenix. And in the meantime, he got a chance to play the role (in very brief fashion) during this cameo with his fellow X-Men in hiding.

Alexandra Shipp As "Storm"

Similar to Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp has played her variation of Storm for only a brief window of time. But we'll see her take on a bigger role in this summer's X-Men: Dark Phoenix. And she made a cameo in Deadpool 2, smirking in the corner as Deadpool was trying to find his fellow X-Men.

Kodi-Smit McPhee As "Nightcrawler"

Much like his other two X-Men: Apocalypse co-stars, Kodi-Smit McPhee is still fairly newly acquainted to the X-Men universe. But he was among the X-Men seen (in hiding) during this memorable sequence in Deadpool 2.

Alan Tudyk as "Luke, i.e. Redneck #1"

Also in this scene, if a little more recognizable than his co-star Matt Damon, is Alan Tudyk. The actor is given less of a disguise (basically just a bandana) and he doesn't have as many lines as his scene partner. But he does get a name: Luke, though the shortly-seen character is also referred to as "Redneck #1." Considering that their on-screen conversation is filled with extensive potty humor, those numerals are probably intentional.

Luke, i.e. "Redneck #1," doesn't get as much to do in this cameo as his famous co-star. And considering that Alan Tudyk isn't as much of a household name as Matt Damon, that might not be surprising. Nevertheless, the cameo is certainly a fun one, and definitely an unexpected one, for fans of the veteran character actor and prominent voice actor.

Ryan Reynolds as "Juggernaut"

This one might not technically qualify as a cameo, since Juggeranut plays a prominent role in the third act. But there's a good chance that people do not know that in addition to his role as Wade Wilson/Deadpool, Reynolds also provided his voice to the role of Juggernaut. Making his first official appearance around 82 minutes into the film, Juggeranut becomes the final foe for which Deadpool must defeat. And it's hard for him to do so, not only due to his massive size and figure, but because Deadpool is constantly geeking out at the sight of such a titan in the comics.

While Juggernaut is typically a man of few words, he does speak from time to time throughout Deadpool 2, and when he does speak, his voice is lent by Ryan Reynolds in the surprise turn. Juggernaut was previously introductied into the X-Men movies in X-Men: The Last Stand. Much like Deadpool himself, he was given a second chance with Deadpool 2. So it's perhaps only fitting that Reynolds provided his voice to the oversized part as well.

Whew. There are all the big name cameos we caught in Deadpool 2. However, if you caught any other discreetly hidden cameos, feel free to let us know what is missing from our ranking in the comment section. And we'll be sure to keep you posted on all the latest movie news — X-Men related and otherwise — right here at CinemaBlend.

Alpha is a simple story. It only has two characters of note, and one of them isn't even human. It's about a prehistoric human boy and his attempt to make it home after being left for dead by his tribe. It's a mostly quiet and emotional journey. It may not come across as the sort of film to be given the 3D treatment, but that is exactly what has happened.

If you're curious if Alpha is your kind of movie, we have an official review that will likely answer all of those questions for you. If you are wondering if it's worth spending the extra money on the 3D experience, that's what we're here for now. Let's dive into Alpha's 3D presentation.

Normally, 3D movies are reserved for animated films with eye-popping colors or special effects action blockbusters. Alpha is not either of these things. However, that doesn't mean that it doesn't fit the 3D mold. Because so much of the story of Alpha is told visually, with little to no dialogue, the environment itself is as important a character as the boy and the wolf. For that reason, it's important that the environment is given as much opportunity, and as much dimension, as possible.

Because the environment is essentially a character on screen, it's clear that a great deal of thought and care has been given to every shot that we see. While Alpha was not filmed in 3D, everything about the way the 3D was done here makes it feel like it was designed to be a 3D movie first. Some of the landscape shots feel like they could have been pulled from one of the 3D nature documentaries that used to be the mainstay of your local IMAX theater. Even the subtitles have been layered in as part of the 3D presentation, an utterly unnecessary move that shows how much care was taken with every inch of the presentation.

Most 3D movies these days seem to forgo the ability to set objects in front of the screen or throw them out at the audience, and while Alpha doesn't go for the easy gimmicks (nobody throws a spear at the viewer at any point), the movie never forgets that it has this ability and it makes sure to use it. Animals come so close to the front of the screen that you want to reach out and touch them, and you begin to wonder why you can't smell them. Everything is so close that the barrier of the screen between you and the story sometimes feels like it disappears altogether.

Creating the depth of an image beyond the window is where most 3D movies spend their time these days, but Alpha takes things a step further and perfects it. You really feel like you could walk into the screen and into the background of virtually any image on the screen. Landscapes go as far back as the horizon. The prehistoric world is mostly empty, meaning that there's little obstructing the view between you and as far back as you can look. It's majestic.

Brightness is always tricky as it largely depends on individual projector performance, but I had no particular issues with brightness during Alpha. The necessity of the story to take place largely at night, with no on-screen light source beyond a campfire, forces the movie itself to have a lot of fairly dark scenes, and while the cinematography keeps these scenes from becoming so dark you can't follow the action, the natural screen effect of 3D glasses does dim things slightly. It's not a detriment to the experience in any real way, but it's certainly there.

The glasses off test can seem a little silly, as it only really matters how the movie looks with your 3D glasses on, but it can give you an idea of just how much is going on with 3D and how many layers of information are sitting on top of each other. Alpha is essentially unwatchable without glasses as so many layers are blurring together that you can't really see anything. Even simple close-up shots that don't need depth have been clearly given the full 3D treatment. As mentioned, even the subtitles are layered into the experience, to the point where you can't read them with your glasses off.

While a great deal is done with 3D effects from beginning to end in this film, there's nothing that is likely to cause you any motion-sickness issues. The vast majority of the movie is really just two characters moving through the 3D space. The 3D is designed to let you enjoy the view, not be wowed by it as a spectacle. What action there is is handled with the same care as the rest of the 3D presentation, so it shouldn't cause you problems.

Alpha may not be a perfect 3D experience, but it's about as close to one as I've ever seen. It really is a visually stunning experience and the 3D only improves that by giving it more room to exist. Alpha is a small movie in many ways, and likely has modest expectations when it comes to box office response, but the film has gone big on 3D to make sure it delivers the best possible experience. If you're going to see Alpha at all, you should see it in 3D.

While summer technically doesn't end for another month or so, the summer movie season tends to wrap up around the end of July, leaving August for the sorts of films that tend to have trouble finding a home. Alpha is just such a film, and while it's understandable why this stray might be overlooked, those that do take the time to get to know it may make a friend for life.

Alpha takes place 20,000 years ago, somewhere on the European continent. Keda (Kodi Smit-McPhee, Nightcrawler of X-Men: Apocalypse) is the son of the chief of a clan of early humans who has earned the right to go on his first hunt. Once a year, his people travel a great distance to hunt a wild beast in order to stockpile enough food for the coming winter. Keda is eager to prove himself worthy of being the chief's son, but when his inexperience gets the better of him during the hunt, he finds himself seriously wounded, and left for dead by his people. He begins to attempt the dangerous journey home alone, but when he is set upon by wolves, and he seriously injures one of them in defending his life, Keda finds an unlikely companion that may greatly increase his chances of making it home.

The plot of Alpha is a simple one. It's a story of a boy and his dog, though technically the film certainly stands alone by purporting to be the first story of its kind. The story is simple, straightforward, and fairly predictable. However, there's an ultimate charm to the simplicity that works well. Much of the credit for that needs to be given to Kodi Smit-McPhee. For the majority of the film, he is the only human on the screen, so if the audience doesn't relate to him, the entire exercise is for naught. Luckily, it's a fairly easy connection to make. Keda is intelligent and capable, so it's believable that he might succeed, though the situation is stacked against him enough that it's far from certain that he will.

If there's a second star of Alpha, it's the environment. It is a visually stunning movie. Since dialogue is kept to a minimum, and entirely subtitled, much of the story is told visually. The wide open spaces and long stretching vistas are a character in the film, as the ultimate villain that needs to be overcome is mother nature herself. Some of these backdrops are green screen, and some of those are obviously green screen, but even those are so impressive as effects that it's easy to give them a pass.

If there's a major complaint to be had with Alpha, I found the pacing and story to be a bit unbalanced. Much of the first act is dedicated to backstory for Keda, meeting his family, his tribe, and watching him learn to be a hunter. While there is absolutely important information in these scenes, the film's brief, sub-100-minute runtime, means that barely over half of it is actually given over to Keda and Alpha. Considering much of these early scenes involve characters who aren't important when we meet them, and don't become important later, it feels like this could have been trimmed to give more time to the main story. Specifically, the building of the early relationship between the two main characters feels unnaturally brief. Likewise, a third-act confrontation that could have been something quite stunning to watch is over almost before it begins.

However, the biggest problem Alpha may have is in finding the right audience. While calling the story a "boy and his dog" movie may make it sound like a film for the whole family, it's really not. While not overly bloody or violent, there is a lot of grim material to get through. It's a story of survival, after all. In addition, since all dialogue is handled with subtitles, young kids may have trouble simply following the story.

I found the subtitles to be a problem myself, not because I had a problem reading, but because I found them mostly unnecessary. Especially after Keda finds himself without another human to speak to, the words become superfluous. Everything Keda says is clear from context and tone, and removing the language could have helped the overall story, perhaps letting the audience relate a bit more to Alpha as well as Keda. The best parts of Alpha are when no words are spoken.

You don't have to love dogs to love Alpha, though I'm sure it helps. I'm not a dog person and even I wanted to find a four-legged friend to scratch behind the ears when the movie was over. While Alpha isn't the heartwarming story of a boy and his dog it may appear to be, it is a visually impressive and compelling adventure that many will surely enjoy.

Dogs have been man's best friends for a long time, but how did this come to be? How did we strike up such an amicable relationship with our canine cohorts? The upcoming movie Alpha aims to answer that question, and you watch the trailer below to get the first taste at the action-packed blockbuster that will forge a powerful friendship between a human and a wolf.

Set 20,000 years ago, Alpha (previously titled The Solutrean) follows a young man, played by X-Men: Apocalypse's Kodi Smit-McPhee, who is surviving in Europe in the Upper Paleolithic era with his mother, father and the other members of his tribe. It's a simple life: hunt for food, look at the stars, and above all else, survive. Unfortunately during one of the tribe's excursions for food, the young man is injured by a stampeding bison, and while the father is able to kill the angered animal, his son is knocked over a cliff and thought to have died.

Fortunately, the young man survived the fall, and after setting his leg straight, he sets off to rejoin his tribe. But there are threats that await him as he travels to his destination, but he won't be alone facing them. Taking pity on an injured wolf that tried to kill him, the young man nurses the canine back to health, and together, they embark on an epic journey. The two of them will still have to survive the elements and fend off other predators (including a sabertooth tiger), but as their adventure progresses, they'll build a bond that is apparently the origin of why humans and dogs are so tightly connected.

Considering that many movies released nowadays are either based on a preexisting property or are prequels, sequels or remakes/reboots, Alpha looks like it will be one of the more unique theatrical offerings next year. Granted, if this trailer is any indication, it won't be dialogue heavy, but the emphasis on the action and quieter moments between Kodi-Smith McPhee's character and the wolf as they grow closer. Visually Alpha looks incredible in certain ways , so we'll just have to wait and see if the story holds up, too.

Directed by Albert Hughes (whose credits include Broken City and The Book of Eli, the latter of which he co-helmed with his brother Allen), Alpha hits U.S. theaters on March 2, 2018, putting it in competition with the Jennifer Lawrence-led Red Sparrow that weekend. While we wait for more updates and previews from Alpha, look through our 2017 movie guide to find something to your liking that will come out in the latter half of the year.

The rebooted X-Men continuity has afforded new actors many opportunities to step into firmly established and iconic roles. One incredibly notable example is Kodi Smit-McPhee, and his brand new take on Kurt Wagner -- known in the Munich Circus as The Incredible Nightcrawler. X-Men: Apocalypse gave us a good introduction to the young actor's Nightcrawler, but how does he plan on developing the character further? For Kodi Smit-McPhee, it's all about toughening him up. The actor explained:

While speaking with THR about the future of his version of Nightcrawler, Kodi Smit-McPhee explained that he wants to harden the character in the next movie. Since the next X-Men film will fast forward the continuity one decade into the future to the 1990s, Nightcrawler will have seen far more combat, and lived through a far greater number of adventures under the guidance of Charles Xavier. This affords the young actor ample opportunity to present audiences with a somewhat more grizzled version of the teleporting superhero, while maintaining the loveable nature at his core. Nightcrawler has long existed as a fan favorite character (on the screen as well as on the page) so we have a feeling that he will still deliver a ton of laughs and thrills in the future.

We've already seen a version of this Nightcrawler before, and we absolutely loved it. Kodi Smit-McPhee based quite a bit of his Kurt Wagner on Alan Cummings' original version of the hero in X2: X-Men United. In the 2003 X-Men classic, Nightcrawler was depicted as an inherently peaceful character, but also incredibly capable in a combat situation. Although the X-Men timeline has changed quite a bit since 2003, it appears that the maturation of the blue-skinned X-Man will remain quite consistent with what we have seen before.

After all, the Nightcrawler White House sequence in X2 is still one of the best action sequences in comic book movie history. Check it out below:

One thing is certain: we are in for an insanely badass version of Nightcrawler in the very near future. We will bring you any and all relevant updates related to the future of the X-Men franchise as more information becomes available to us. X-Men: Apocalypse is currently available on Digital HD, DVD, and Blu-Ray.

The following story will contain spoilers for Bryan Singer's X-Men: Apocalypse, so STOP reading now if you haven't seen it yet.

At the very end of this summer's X-Men: Apocalypse, the timeline that was fractured with Days of Future Past seemed to finally put the young team of mutant warriors on a path that would lead them to some version of 2001's X-Men... also directed by Bryan Singer. The final scene was closing a loop, while also opening a door to a world of possibilities -- all of which remain on the table, even though no real news has broken yet (but more on that in a moment). Even Kodi Smit-McPhee, who stepped into the role of Nightcrawler for this soft franchise reboot, sees what that final shot means for the future of the X-Men series, saying:

This wasn't a complete slate wipe, but it did essentially reset what is possible in the X-Men timeline, meaning that with this new team -- led by Mystique and Beast, and consisting of Jean Grey, Cyclops, Storm, Nightcrawler, and Quicksilver -- doesn't have to skip a storyline because it already has been covered by a previous X-Men film. This means Juggernaut's back on the table. It means Sentinels (which are shown in that Danger Room sequence) are back on the table. And it's a big reason why the Dark Phoenix saga is being rumored as the next storyline for a 1990s based X-Men movie in the near future.

Now, here's where things get complicated. At the moment, Fox does NOT have a tradition X-Men sequel with this cast on its release schedule... which explains why Kodi Smit-McPhee speaks of "hope" at the end of the quote that he gave to THR. The studio wants to make Deadpool 2, and they are done filming on Wolverine 3. There's a New Mutants movie on the horizon, and Gambit has been delayed, but is still a possibility.

But the next X-Men adventure? Right now, it's anyone's guess. The earliest we think it could be in theaters would be 2018, and that's if production starts now. Seeing as how there's no director in place (Singer's moving on to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea) and no script that we're aware of, 2019 seems like more of a reality for the next X-Men movie.

Still, as Kodi Smit-McPhee points out, having the new team in the final shot of X-Men: Apocalypse points to where the team can go in the future. Now, we just need to find out when.

SPOILER WARNING: The following article contains massive spoilers for X-Men: Apocalypse. If you have not yet seen the film, and don’t wish for any details to be revealed before your screening, we recommend clicking away to another one of our wonderful articles.

Like the X-Men movies that came before it, X-Men: Apocalypse is another massive ensemble blockbuster that takes a mix of familiar and new characters and navigates them along different arcs that take them to different places by the time the story ends. Taking place 10 years after the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past, the new movie has the responsibility of continuing the brand new continuity, and establishes heroes who will be absolutely key to the series’ future. But where does the film leave them all individually when the credits roll? That’s what we’re here to break down.

Across the next few pages, we’ve singled out the various heroes of X-Men: Apocalypse, established where they are at the end of the fight with the titular villain, and speculate where we might see them all go in the next few years of the X-Men franchise. Read on, and hit the comments section on each page to tell us where you want to see all of the characters go in the future!

Professor X

James McAvoy’s Professor Charles Xavier sported a beautiful quaff of brown locks through most of his screen time in X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and X-Men: Apocalypse, but those times are over. Thanks to the kidnapping plot orchestrated by the titular villain in the most recent film, and his attempts to transfer his consciousness into Xavier’s body, the professor is now just as hairless as both his comic book counterpart and Patrick Stewart’s iteration of the character

Professor X went through a hell of a lot through the events of X-Men: Apocalypse, but being one of the most resilient people on the planet, he will stop at nothing to help and protect mutants and teach them to live in peace with the rest of humanity. With key individuals (who we will discuss soon) now under his tutelage and the Xavier School For Gifted Youngsters rebuilt, he’s ready to ascend to his most iconic role as the leader and mentor of the X-Men – cue-ball head and all.

Mystique

We’ve seen the post-Days of Future Past timeline affect the trajectory of numerous heroes and villains, but none have been more changed than Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique. While she served as a mostly-mute villainous agent for Magneto in the original X-Men trilogy, the more recent three movies have seen her actually become a key and founding member of Professor X’s team. From what we see at the end of X-Men: Apocalypse, it doesn’t seem like her run as a hero is ending any time soon.

Mystique’s involvement in the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past have made her an icon for mutants around the world (including the young Storm), and after X-Men: Apocalypse it seems like she is finally ready to fully embrace that role. While Professor X is certainly still the leader of the X-Men, Mystique is the one positioned as the one giving shots on the ground during battle. Whether she’ll still be in this same station in the next X-Men movie – set approximately 10 years later – is unclear, as she may find herself handing the reins off to one of the younger members of the squad.

Magneto

Life has never been too kind to Erik Lehnsherr a.k.a. Magneto (Michael Fassbender), from his childhood in Auschwitz, to witnessing the death of his wife and daughter because of an errant arrow. As a result, it’s not a stretch to understand why he wound up teaming with Apocalypse and just trying to end Planet Earth. By the end of X-Men: Apocalypse, however, he does understand that there are reasons to live on in this world, and winds up assisting Professor X’s team in the destruction of En Sabah Nur.

In the final scene of the film, Magneto continues to help the X-Men, working alongside Jean Grey to rebuild Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters, but part of the work doesn’t involve building a room for himself. Instead, he turns down Xavier’s offer to stay on as a teacher, once again venturing out in the world to start a new life for himself. Understanding how this franchise operates, we can probably expect him to pop his head out sometime in the early ‘90s, just as the events of the next X-Men adventure begins to unfold.

Beast

In the X-Men movie franchise, you won’t find a character more loyal than Nicholas Hoult’s Hank McCoy a.k.a. Beast. After meeting Charles Xavier in the early 1960s, McCoy understood that the would-be professor was a man that he would follow to the gates of hell – and he has. Not only does he find himself regularly fighting by his friend’s side on the battlefield, but he also entirely believes in the mission of Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngers, and has spent years helping mutants (like the young Cyclops) hone and understand their abilities.

In the wake of what happened in X-Men: Apocalypse that won’t change. Not only will Beast continue to serve as a teacher in Professor X’s school, but he will also fight alongside Mystique and the other young X-Men who are now assembled into a squad learning to work as a team – occasionally providing the group with the technology, weaponry and transportation needed to accomplish the various missions that lie ahead.

Cyclops

Thanks to Wolverine’s emphasized presence in the original X-Men trilogy, we never really got to see Cyclops’ full potential on the big screen – but that could change very soon. With actor Tye Sheridan taking over the role from James Marsden in X-Men: Apocalypse, and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine exiting stage left after Wolverine 3, we expect the future to be filled with Cyclops-heavy stories that paint him as more than an annoying jerk who gets in the way of the romance between Logan and Jean Grey.

Remember what I was saying earlier about Mystique eventually passing the torch and eventually choosing a new leader for the X-Men? Well, that choice should be Cyclops – though he’s not quite there at the end of X-Men: Apocalypse. While he does get the more comic book-inspired duds that you see above, he is still a nascent in the world of fighting for peace and mutant equality, and has quite a bit to learn from Professor X, Mystique and Beast. That being said, by the time we catch up with him in the 1990s, we expect him to become much more of a leader.

Jean Grey

In the end battle between the X-Men and Apocalypse, Sophie Turner’s Jean Grey unleashes a taste of her power’s full potential – giving us all a quick preview of her connection to the Phoenix Force – but the truth is that she has a long way to go. It’s true that she has been a student of Xavier’s longer than most of her teammates, but her mutation is still far from stable, as evidenced by the fact that she still tends to shake the mansion when she dreams.

On beyond her Phoenix-related future, X-Men: Apocalypse seeds a lot of interesting things for Jean Grey, from her tight bond with Professor X, to her romantic entanglements with Cyclops. These relationships will surely all progress greatly in the timeline gap between the new film and the next sequel, and eventually we do expect them to try and take another crack at the Dark Phoenix Saga.

Storm

Comic book fans know Storm as one of the most important and heroic members of the X-Men, but X-Men: Apocalypse establishes her as having a bit of a villain streak in her origin story. Played by Alexandra Shipp, her first real interaction with the members of Xavier’s school is facing off against them on the battlefield, having been manipulated by Apocalypse to become one of his Four Horsemen. By the end of the movie, however, the presence of her idol, Mystique, helps her recognize the error of her ways, and she becomes a powerful warrior for the side of good.

Professor Xavier was obviously willing to accept Storm into his school with open arms, and presumably the other members of the X-Men are going to be able to get over the fact that she once tried to kill them. It’s true that fact may cause a bit of tension in the early days, but we expect that by the time we catch up with the characters in the 1990s all will be forgiven and they will be functioning as a group like a well-oiled machine.

Nightcrawler

Movie fans fell in love with Nightcrawler thanks to Alan Cumming’s performance in X2: X-Men United, but sadly the character completely disappeared from the franchise after that point. Thankfully, Kodi Smit-McPhee has brought the blue teleporting mutant back into the fold in X-Men: Apocalypse, and based on what we saw at the end of the film, it seems that he will be a character who is around for a long time.

Unlike the original franchise timeline, Nightcrawler will now go down in history as part of the classic X-Men team that also united legendary heroes like Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Storm. Being a part of the group will certainly improve the status of his life, as he goes from being locked in boxes and thrown in cage matches to being a student in Upstate New York who lives in a mansion. Due to the opening scene of X-Men: Apocalypse, we are wondering if the future may reveal a deeper connection between the young Kurt Wagner and Mystique, as she is actually his mother in the comics, but that may be a detail the movie franchise just skips over (again).

Quicksilver

Evan Peters’ Quicksilver became a fan favorite character after his fun performance in X-Men: Days of Future Past, but his part was also a bit controversial given that he was kept out of the action at the end of the film when he would have been quite useful. Fortunately, Bryan Singer and Simon Kinberg learned from his mistake, and it seems that after X-Men: Apocalypse, he isn’t going anywhere.

Quicksilver has an exciting future ahead of him, not only being one of the core members of the X-Men, but also because of the identity of his father. While X-Men: Apocalypse does confirm that Magneto is his dad, the speedy mutant fails to actually share this information – even when it meant potentially giving the master of magnetism something to live for and a change of heart. Presumably it will take another 10 years in the timeline for Quicksilver and Magneto to talk about their connection, but we look forward to seeing how that interaction goes down.

Psylocke

It’s true that Olivia Munn’s Psylocke doesn’t exactly become a "hero" by the end of X-Men: Apocalypse, but given the character’s anti-hero history in the comics, we figured we’d include her on this list. By the end of the movie, she certainly finds herself escaping Apocalypse’s sway, escaping while the First Mutant is being destroyed, but she also doesn’t exactly seem to be a big fan of the X-Men either.

Psylocke is definitely one of the more under-developed characters in X-Men: Apocalypse - having only been written into the script shortly before production started – and there’s definitely plenty of potential avenues to take her in for the future. For example, she was notably a member of the Uncanny X-Force alongside Deadpool, so with some time travel action we could possibly see that adapted for the big screen. Of course, she’s been a member of the X-Men as well, and it’s entirely possible that she could find herself aligning with the team when a new threat rises in the ‘90s.

SPOILER ALERT: The following article contains minor spoilers for X-Men: Apocalypse. If you haven’t seen the film yet, and don’t wish to know any details, please click away to another one of our wonderful articles!

In one of the earliest scenes in Bryan Singer’s X-Men: Apocalypse, we watch Jennifer Lawrence’s Mystique as she finds herself on a mission in Germany. It seems that she has discovered the existence of a fight club that pits mutants against mutants while they are contained in an electrified cage. During this bit of espionage, Mystique winds up rescuing a young Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee), eventually getting him to Xavier’s School For Gifted Youngsters, but the sequence has left us asking a big question: why did Mystique only rescue Nightcrawler and not Ben Hardy’s Angel?

It’s just speculation, but if the X-Men movies are taking elements from the comics, it may be because Mystique is actually Nightcrawler’s mother.

In the pages of Marvel Comics, Nightcrawler’s parentage wasn’t actually revealed until 19 years after his introduction in 1975. In the 1994 issue X-Men Unlimited #4, it was introduced to Canon that the teleporting mutant is actually the son of Mystique and Azazel. After he was born, the parents were force to abandon their child when his life was threatened by an angry mob, and as a result he was raised by the Gypsy queen Margali Szardos. We obviously don’t know if the X-Men movies will construct this backstory on the big screen, but it certainly is very possible that Nightcrawler has the exact same parents as he does on the page.

The most significant evidence here is simple math. If you recall the end of X-Men: First Class, you’ll remember that Mystique chose to abandon James McAvoy’s Charles Xavier and instead leave with a team including Michael Fassbender’s Magneto, Zoe Kravitz’s Angel Salvadore, Alex Gonzalez's Riptide, and, yes, Jason Flemyng's demon-looking, teleporting Azazel:

As marked by the Cuban Missile Crisis, this all took place in 1962. When we meet Nightcrawler in the 1983-set X-Men: Apocalypse, if we assume he is the around the same age as actor Kodi Smit-McPhee, then that means he was born in the early 1960s – the same period when Mystique and Azazel began working together under Magneto.

There isn’t a super firm timeline of events between 1962 and 1973 (the year X-Men: Days of Future Past is set), but we know that things didn’t go super well for Azazel and Mystique. The group suffered a blow when Magneto was arrested for the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, and at some point Azazel wound up being killed and experimented on, as evidenced by autopsy photos:

Mystique, meanwhile, found herself working as a lone soldier for the rights of mutants around the world, presumably carrying out multiple missions like the one we see her on when she is introduced in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Is it out of the realm of possibility that during this time she found herself unable to raise a child and left a young Nightcrawler in safer hands?

Of course, this is just speculation, and there are some occurrences in X-Men: Apocalypse that ding the theory – including the fact that, as mentioned, Mystique specifically rescues Nightcrawler, but doesn’t actually provide a reason why. It’s also interesting that she would be caught up in the daddy drama between Evan Peter’s Quicksilver and Magneto, but not acknowledge the fact that her own secret son is in the room during the conversation. Still, though, the movies could pretty easily take a page out of the comics and do some sci-fi-driven retcon-ing that makes all the puzzle pieces fit.

What do you all think? Is it possible that Mystique and Nightcrawler have a closer connection than what’s directly presented in X-Men: Apocalypse? If not, what’s your No-Prize answer as to why Mystique saved Nightcrawler over Angel? Hit the comments section below with your thoughts and theories

Late last month, actress Sophie Turner posted an intriguing still from X-Men: Apocalypse on her personal Instagram page. The image showcased Turner as Jean Grey standing with Tye Sheridan’s Cyclops in a record store, showing off a fictional LP from the Marvel Comics mutant Dazzler. The picture got a lot of attention, but it should be known that this scene isn’t actually in the finished movie. Instead, it’s part of a mall sequence that sadly didn’t make the theatrical cut of the film.

What was in this mall sequence? Why did it get cut? These are questions fans may find themselves asking coming out of X-Men: Apocalypse, but the good news is that we have the answers for you. When I recently had the opportunity to sit down with director Bryan Singer, he told me all about the deleted scene and why you’ll have to wait until the movie is on Blu-ray to see it for yourselves:

What’s In The Deleted Mall Scene

In the movie, Jean Grey, Cyclops, Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee), and Jubilee (Lana Condor) all journey out for a day at the mall, and while there are parts of the longer sequence still in the theatrical cut, Bryan Singer says there is a lot more fun that was cut together into a montage of sorts. A TV spot has already revealed that the group of young mutants make a stop for some cold drinks (which wind up giving Nightcrawler some distressing brain freeze), but there’s a whole lot more to it than just that. Said the director,

In his description of the sequence, Bryan Singer also went as far as to describe two of the specific beats - including a humorous moment in the record store not involving the Dazzler album:

Do you read about this fun sequence and find yourself really wishing that it wound up in the movie? Well, head to the next page, and you’ll understand from Bryan Singer’s perspective why it just didn’t fit in X-Men: Apocalypse and needed to be excised.

Why The Mall Sequence Was Cut

This sequence sounds pretty cool, right? Are you now wondering why it didn’t wind up making the cut in X-Men: Apocalypse? Well, fortunately Bryan Singer didn’t leave that side of things a mystery during the interview. In the midst of his explanation as to what happens in the mall sequence, he also explained why it wound up hitting the cutting room floor. The reason? When taken in as part of the entire movie, it simply didn’t fit. Said Singer,

As Bryan Singer noted, the good news here is that this mall sequence won’t exactly disappear forever. Instead, we can expect that it will be prominently featured on the movie’s Blu-ray and DVD release (albeit not cut back into the film). Knowing the pattern of how long it takes for X-Men movies to go from theaters to home video, we can probably expect to see the full version of the deleted scene sometime in September.

In the meantime, you can catch X-Men: Apocalypse in theaters on Friday, May 27th, and go to the next page to watch Bryan Singer talk about the mall sequence!

Earlier today, 20th Century Fox unveiled the first official look at Kodi Smit-McPhee has the new version of Nightcrawler, but now he has been joined in the light by a few of the other new castmembers in Bryan Singer's X-Men: Apocalypse. This is because some new set photos from the film have leaked online, giving us our debut peek at Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, and Lana Condor as Jubilee (as well as extra angles on the new Nightcrawler).

Click HERE to see a full, hi-res shot. Then check out the leaked set photos below!

These two images were posted online by Twitter user @FrancescaY, who evidently lives in the area where X-Men: Apocalypse is currently shooting (and as you may be able to tell from her caption, it seems that her mom was the one that snapped the photos). Obviously it's hard to glean any kind of plot information from the images, but they definitely do give us an interesting peek at what the movie is doing with the characters. For starters, it definitely looks like Nightcrawler is wearing Michael Jackson's red jacket from the "Thriller" video, but that's only the tip of the iceberg.

On the far right of the first photo is our first look at Tye Sheridan's young version of Cyclops - stepping in for James Marsden, who played the character in the original X-Men trilogy as well as X-Men: Days of Future Past. Certainly the most notable part of his costume here is his eyewear, which appears to be rather standard blue sunglasses rather than the character's classic visor. This makes sense given that it doesn't appear that he's heading into battle in this scene, but hopefully X-Men: Apocalypse will feature a sequence with the character in his most famous gear (maybe Nicholas Hoult's Beast can build it for him).

Next up, let's take a look at Jubilee - who actually looks like she's wearing a costume straight from the comics. After all, the first shot reveals that Lana Condor is sporting a pair of pink sunglasses on top of her head, and the second shot has her clearly wearing a yellow leather jacket. It's without question the outfit she is best known for wearing, and it looks like X-Men: Apocalypse is paying tribute to that.

Of the four actors featured in the shot, the reveal of Sophie Turner as Jean Grey is perhaps the least exciting - but that's not really anyone's fault. A large plant blocks our view of her costume in both shots - though it looks like she might be wearing some kind of blue pant suit. At least her red hair looks perfect.

Hopefully it won't be too much longer until we get official first looks at these X-Men: Apocalypse characters, but for now, what do you think?

Bryan Singer loves to share. Most of the major casting news on his X-Men films breaks on the director’s social media channels. He knows how to excite fans, but also frustrate them. Early this morning, both Singer and Kodi Smit-McPhee shared looks at young Nightcrawler from X-Men: Apocalypse. But shortly after posting, both images disappeared. Thankfully, EW worked quick, posting a brighter version, showing more detail.

X-Men: Apocalypse will continue the X-Men saga in the years following the massively successful X-Men: Days of Future Past. Bryan Singer is staying with the franchise, and will transition it from the 1970s to the 1980s. (As you’ll recall, this whole timeline reboot really got underway with X-Men: First Class, set in the 1960s.) The decade shift allows Singer the unusual opportunity to reintroduce younger versions of classic heroes he dabbled with in his first X-Men movies. For example, Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Road, Let Me In) will play a younger version of the teleporting mutant Nightcrawler, who we once saw on screen in Singer’s X2: X-Men United, played by Alan Cumming:

It also allows producer Simon Kinberg (a noted Star Wars fanatic) to have some fun with decade-appropriate film memorabilia!

Nightcrawler, aka Kurt Wagner, isn’t the only "X-Men Baby" making a return to the popular franchise. The director has gone back and reprogrammed new versions of the X-Men "Holy Trinity," casting Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, and Alexandra Shipp as Storm. But he hasn’t stopped there. So many former cast mates will be vying for screen time in X-Men: Apocalypse, starting with original First Cast mates James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicolas Hoult. There are rumors that Evan Peters could return as Quicksilver, a fan favorite from Days of Future Past. Lucas Till recently was confirmed to return as Havok, and Singer cast Olivia Munn as Psylocke, a newcomer to the on-screen X-Men universe.

As you can see, the call sheet for X-Men: Apocalypse is pretty damn extensive. We haven’t even dabbled yet in Apocalypse, himself, and the Four Horsemen he’s expected to bring. Singer went ahead and cast the brilliant Oscar Isaac in the role, and we’re praying that the actor’s talent isn’t buried beneath a prosthetic costume, or relegated to a minor subplot because there are so many heroic mutants to tend to. Seriously, we haven’t even talked about Angel or Jubilee, both of whom are expected to appear in this movie.

Singer, though, has earned our trust, after juggling multiple threads in Days of Future Past. We’ll see how he manages it all when the movie reaches theaters on May 27, 2016.

When it was announced last week that Spider-Man would be coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe and was going to be recast, one of the actors I suggested as potentially a great fit for the role was Kodi Smit-McPhee. Well, now it seems that's definitely not happening, as the young actor has instead been pulled into a different comic book movie franchise: X-Men.

Director Bryan Singer has officially announced via his personal Instagram that X-Men: Apocalypse has cast Kodi Smit-McPhee to play a young Kurt Wagner, a.k.a. Nightcrawler. You can see the announcement below:

Fans of the X-Men franchise will note that this is not the first time that we've seen a big screen version of the teleporting mutant Nightcrawler. The character made his live-action debut played by Alan Cumming in X2: X-Men United, and wound up being a fan favorite in the film. Sadly, the British star never wound up playing the role again, even though there were rumors going around for quite a long time that he would return to be a part of X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Kodi Smit-McPhee first got his big break starring alongside Viggo Mortensen in the Cormac McCarthy adaptation The Road, but went on to earn terrific acclaim for his performance in the vastly underrated horror film Let Me In. Last year the young actor got a taste of the blockbuster world starring in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes - though X-Men: Apocalypse should definitely prove to be a completely different kind of experience for him. After all, that movie had him mostly sitting in the woods and doodling, while this new franchise film will feature him covered in blue makeup and sporting a tail.

It was actually almost a year ago - months before the release of Days of Future Past - that Bryan Singer first teased the idea of bringing Nightcrawler back for X-Men: Apocalypse, though this casting news obviously confirms that he wound up going through with it. Kodi Smit-McPhee joins a cast that is filled with many other younger versions of previously established mutants, including Sophie Turner as Jean Grey, Alexandra Shipp as Storm, and Tye Sheridan as Cyclops.

Production is scheduled to start up very soon, though obviously we are still very much in the middle of the casting process. All of the new, young mutants will be joined in X-Men: Apocalypse by James McAvoy's Professor X, Michael Fassbender's Magneto, Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique, Nicholas Hoult's Beast, and Oscar Isaac as the titular villain. Look for it all to come together when the film arrives in theaters on May 27, 2016.

It was less than five years ago that Andrew Garfield was named as the star to play the new big screen version of Peter Parker/Spider-Man, but once again Hollywood has found itself looking for a new performer to take the role. The wallcrawler will soon be getting rebooted into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, officially ending the Amazing Spider-Man series, and that process is going to require a casting period and finding a new actor. But who should the part go to?

In order to help narrow down the perfect choice to play the next cinematic version of Spider-Man, we’ve put together a list of 10 great young actors who could potentially do the part justice. Read on to see our choices!

Kodi Smit-McPhee

Age: 18

What You Know Him From: Let Me In, Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: At the ripe age of 18, Kodi Smit-McPhee is the youngest actor on this list, but that’s really only an extra card up his sleeve. After all, Marvel really should be doing their best to create a contrast between the adult ages of the current Avengers line-up and the youthful Spider-Man. Beyond just being under 20, however, Smit-McPhee has also put on some really stunning performances in his young career, and it’s not hard to have confidence in him doing some comic book-worthy stuff as the nerdy Peter Parker and his heroic alter-ego.

Ansel Elgort

Age: 20

What You Know Him From: Divergent, The Fault In Our Stars

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: Ansel Elgort had one hell of a 2014, earning positive marks for his turns in the young adult science fiction film Divergent and the tear-jerking drama The Fault In Our Stars, and 2015 could get off to a great start by seeing him be cast as the new Spider-Man. He has both youth and popularity working for him, and has even been getting some action-movie exercise thanks to the aforementioned sci-fi franchise. It is possible that same series could wind up creating some scheduling conflicts, but he’d still be a prime choice.

Craig Roberts

Age: 24

What You Know Him From: Submarine, Neighbors

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: It might be weird to see the role of Spider-Man go to another British actor after Andrew Garfield, but Craig Roberts has the talent, attributes, and resume to back him up as a legitimate choice. He has a youthful look that’s right around the Peter Parker-level of nerdy, has his own kind of screen presence, and has proven himself to be a rather talented comedian (and the humor of Spider-Man is certainly one aspect that should carry over from the Amazing Spider-Man movies). His performance in Neighbors also showed that he can do just fine with an American accent, so there’s no issue there.

Douglas Booth

Age: 22

What You Know Him From: Noah, Jupiter Ascending

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: With Jupiter Ascending not doing so hot at the box office, 2015 isn’t off to a great start for Douglas Booth, but that could all turn around if he were to be cast as Spider-Man. Even though he’s only 22, he’s already caught the attention of fantastic filmmakers like Darren Aronofsky and the Wachowski siblings, so it’s not hard to believe that he could wind up charming Marvel Studios Kevin Feige and the rest of the crew at Marvel as well. Booth’s biggest downside is that he’s a bit too pretty to play the nerdy Peter Parker, so they may just need to keep him under the mask a bit more.

Cameron Monaghan

Age: 21

What You Know Him From: The Giver, Shameless

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: Having been acting since he was nine years old, Cameron Monaghan already has a long list of television work on his resume – from Malcolm In The Middle to his current role on Shameless - but his big screen credits have been getting more significant in recent years as well. But while last year saw him playing the best friend role in The Giver, we wonder if a leading role as Spider-Man could be in his future. He has a good look to play Peter Parker – and very different than what Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield brought to the plate – and has the right kind of profile to disappear into the role.

Anton Yelchin

Age: 25

What You Know Him From: Star Trek, Fight Night

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: Given that he already has a fairly significant role in another franchise – playing Pavel Chekov in the Star Trek movies – some might argue that Anton Yelchin’s franchise plate is fully enough at the moment, but one might also make the point that he could be a rather great choice as the new Spider-Man. When The Amazing Spider-Man was in the works, his name was on shortlists right alongside Andrew Garfield’s, and he has not aged out of consideration yet. He can play the nerd, he has charisma, he can be funny – what more do you need?

Taron Egerton

Age: 25

What You Know Him From: Kingsman: The Secret Service

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: It’s quite likely that many of you don’t recognize the name Taron Egerton now, but that may change in a big way after this weekend. The actor is front and center alongside Colin Firth in X-Men: First Class director Matthew Vaughn’s newest film Kingsman: The Secret Service, and his performance has been earning very high marks in early reviews. Admittedly, the actor doesn’t have much of a resume beyond his new movie, but that may just be a perfect opportunity for Marvel – who can snatch him up and get audiences to really identify him as Spider-Man before looking at him as any other character.

Donald Glover

Age: 31

What You Know Him From: Community, Mystery Team

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: As the only actor here over the age of 30, Donald Glover is the oldest actor mentioned on this list – but he’s here simply because he really deserves to be. Controversial as the idea of a black Peter Parker was, Glover got a lot of social media support when casting for The Amazing Spider-Man was going down in 2010, and it’s still hard not to like the idea of him wearing the red and blue suit. While I doubt it will be the case, if Marvel Studios were to consider going with an older Spider-Man for the MCU, I would hope that they would reach out to Donald Glover.

Dylan O’Brien

Age: 23

What You Know Him From: Teen Wolf, The Maze Runner

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: After really launching his career as the star of the MTV series Teen Wolf, Dylan O’Brien has started to really expand his horizons in the big screen world. With him in the lead role, The Maze Runner became one of last year’s big surprise hits – and while that movie is becoming a franchise of its own, O’Brien could really step up his blockbuster game as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man. He showed us some impressive physicality in last year’s young adult fiction adaptation, and while he is perhaps a bit too conventionally good looking, that’s nothing a little bit of makeup can’t help solve.

Freddie Highmore

Age: 22

What You Know Him From: Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Bates Motel

Why He Would Be A Good Spider-Man: Let me be the first to admit it: it would be kind of strange if the same actor played both Norman Bates and Peter Parker. That being said, it’s a credit to Freddie Highmore’s acting ability that I trust he could pull it off. The young actor has been seriously impressive through two seasons of Bates Motel, and it’s not imagine him doing a great job portraying both Peter Parker’s awkwardness and enthusiasm for science and technology. Being the star of his own television series would definitely make it hard for Highmore to play such a key role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but it could be worth it for him.

Jake Paltrow isn’t exactly what you’d call the most prolific director, having not helmed anything since 2007’s middling dream lover comedy The Good Night, which starred older sister Gwyneth. His sophomore effort, at least on paper, sounds exactly like a sophomore effort, but a bunch of big names just came raining down on the project. The water reference will make sense in a minute.

Variety reports that Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Elle Fanning and Kodi Smit-McPhee have all signed up for Paltrow’s sci-fi thriller Young Ones, adding quite a bit of legitimacy to the film.

Hoult has made his splash from one side of the pond to the next, with Warm Bodies performing better than expected. Shannon has been damned near perfect in everything he stars in, more recently in Boardwalk Empire and Premium Rush. The younger Fanning sister has already shown deft maturity as an actress in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Super 8. And Smit-McPhee’s highly dramatic roles in Let Me In and The Road will probably help him for Young Ones, as it appears he will be the central character to film’s story.

The film will take place in a future where humanity has violently turned on itself due to water quickly becoming one of the most limited resources on the planet (Water reference!), and will focus on a 14-year-old boy named Jake who must use his wits to survive. Will Michael Shannon also play General Zod in this film? It might take a while to find out.

To give you a clue as to how long Young Ones has been in development, Elle Fanning was attached to the project almost two full years ago, when Casey Affleck and Jamie Bell were also set to star, and Noah Baumbach was going to produce.

It’s always good to end things on a hopeful note. Young Ones producer Michael Auret of Spier Films says “Jake's engaging tale of hope and courage in a neo-realistic dystopia will have universal appeal.” When someone uses a word like neo-realistic, you know you’ve got a winner on your hands. Below is the promotional poster used for the film back in 2011, courtesy of Collider.

If you weren't convinced by the early review we ran last month, here's further proof that Matt Reeves's American remake of Let the Right One In, titled simply Let Me In, may be pretty great. The international trailer has hit the internet, and it strikes pretty much all the right notes-- moody, vaguely threatening, emotional, tender, with a hint of violence underneath it all. It's so true to the spirit of the first Swedish film that you might even accuse it of being unoriginal, but for an early trailer cut together to assure fans of the original that it won't be an atrocity, it does precisely the right job.

It's kind of remarkable, actually, how faithful it is to the original film. Many shots and settings seems precisely replicated, the lead kid actors seems to be hitting the same emotional beats, and even Kodi Smit-McPhee's haircut seems to be deliberately mimicking Kare Hedebrant's from the original film. Hopefully Let Me In won't cross the line from honoring an original to totally mimicking it, but I have high hopes for now. Check out the trailer below.