At long last, the X-Men are coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the conclusion of their long-running franchise created by Fox. Disney, having acquired Fox’s film division, now has free rein to use mutants and is working on its own X-Men movie. Now, with mutants like Beast and Charles Xavier already making cameos via the multiverse, excitement is on the rise for who could play Marvel’s most famous mutants.
One mutant that fans are particularly looking forward to seeing rebooted for the MCU is Rogue. Played by Anna Paquin in Fox’s X-Men franchise, the character possesses the uncanny ability to absorb the abilities and powers of others merely by touching them. Excited by the prospect of her return to the big screen, several names have dominated public discourse for talented actors to take on the role.
Given the MCU’s X-Men are an almost entirely unknown entity at this point, it’s unclear how experienced various heroes will be. If Rogue is depicted as a somewhat established veteran hero, similar to her portrayal in X-Men: The Animated Series, Brianne Howey seems like a great fit. Primarily through her time in Netflix’s Ginny & Georgia, Howey has shown great skill in portraying characters with a mix of earnestness, fitting playfulness, vulnerability, and intensity.
This idea for the MCU’s Rogue could even play into the character’s villainous origin before she was recruited to join the X-Men, something that has yet to be explored with her character in live-action. Rogue was underdeveloped in the Fox X-Men movies, and exploring new parts of her story could be a perfect way to differentiate the MCU’s take. Moreover, Howey fits the perfect “established and popular but not A-list” level of stardom that Marvel often seems to target for its characters.
Lily Rabe is another exciting possibility for a Rogue who’s not new to the X-Men or her superpowers. Like Rogue, Rabe has a natural Southern accent that could bring a bit of authenticity to the mutant. Moreover, Rabe has demonstrated incredible range across her various movie and TV show appearances, particularly in various seasons of American Horror Story.
There, she’s played an equal mix of timid and intimidating characters, which lends itself well to Rogue’s complex narrative potential ebbing and flowing from villain to hero. Despite years of great work, Rabe is also not quite a household name, something the MCU has proven interested in to to build up new characters. She certainly has the talent to back up such a casting, which would surely shoot her to superstardom.
Evan Rachel Wood has the talent to play Rogue, with Westworld in particular showing her incredible range. Showing of an aura of pure naivete early in the show and growing into a strong, confident version of her character, Wood could easily tackle the X-Men’s power-absorbing hero. A project like X-Men could finally be her big-screen breakout after starring primarily in successful TV series.
The comic book character Rogue has the mutant ability to absorb the powers and abilities of any being just by touching them. Occasionally, some of their personality traits come along with these abilities, seeping their way into Rogue’s actions. Marvel will want a talented actress like Wood to bring such a complex and varied character to life.
Pedretti is best known for portraying Love Quinn on the Netflix original series You, where she’s shown incredible range and the ability to bounce between vulnerability and confidence. Currently 29 years old, Pedretti is the perfect age to play a confident Rogue and stick with the franchise as an MCU staple. With the MCU at the precipice of a possible soft reboot requiring new leads and definitely eying a new, post-multiverse saga, longevity could be important.
Pedretti has built her career on playing somewhat morally ambiguous characters, which could perfectly highlight Rogue’s villainous backstory, as well as the curse of her power set. Pedretti is certainly ready for a major role in a blockbuster franchise and could make for a perfect addition to the MCU’s X-Men.
Gillies got her start on the Nickelodeon comedy series Victorious as Jade West, eventually going on to portray a starring role as one of the best characters in Dynasty. On Dynasty, Gillies proved that she has the charisma and ability to command respect on-screen necessary for someone as outgoing and confident as Rogue. It seems like a perfect fit.
Gillies has portrayed several dark and brooding characters over the course of her career, something that would tie in nicely with Rogue’s backstory. However, she also has the ability to bring out a lighter and more approachable character, as the mutant hero would surely become given enough time with Xavier’s X-Men.
Ariel Winter is best known for playing Alex throughout Modern Family‘s long run, but the actor has taken on a wide array of diverse film projects since. Winter is, perhaps, a nontraditional choice, which may make her even more perfect for the MCU. Winter clearly has the talent to pull off a leading role, and Rogue could be her big break post-Modern Family.
The actress fits many of the characteristics of Rogue as a character and falls into the perfect age range for a rebooted version. Once again, Ariel Winter certainly falls into that sweet spot of a known actor who’s still on the rise that Marvel Studios seems to like for ensemble projects for which a full cast of A-listers isn’t financially ideal.
Lily James has had hit after hit in the last few years of her career, most recently with the Hulu Original series Pam and Tommy, in which she plays the infamous star Pamela Anderson. James has showcased her incredible range over the years and would certainly make a worthy addition to the MCU’s X-Men. She’s shown everything from charming (Cinderella) to conniving (Rebecca) and everything in between, and it’s undeniable that she has the perfect look for a live-action Rogue.
Cohan is best known for playing Maggie Rhee in The Walking Dead, a role she’s continuing into the sequel spin-off The Walking Dead: Dead City. Given her time playing Maggie, Cohan certainly isn’t a stranger to franchises and long character commitments. If the X-Men prove to be the new anchor heroes the MCU needs them to be, that could be a must-have for Marvel’s Rogue actor.
In The Walking Dead, Cohan’s Southern accent and morally ambiguous journey perfectly showcase the talent she would bring to the role of Rogue in the MCU. The actress is no stranger to the superhero genre either, having made a brief appearance in Batman v. Superman as Martha Wayne and voicing the ill-fated War Woman in the animated series Invincible.
Breaking out in the slow-burn horror movie The Witch and starring in an impressively wide array of movies and TV shows since then, Anya Taylor-Joy is a hot commodity in Hollywood. While Marvel Studios seems to like picking actors from just below the A-tier for their biggest characters, the studio has also shown a willingness to go for popular names. Given the importance of the X-Men in the future of the MCU, a star like Taylor-Joy could be a smart move.
In addition to success in dramas, period pieces, and horror projects, Anya Taylor-Joy has already proven her superhero chops as Illyana Rasputin in the poorly-received New Mutants movie. While the project overall was largely a disappointment, Taylor-Joy’s Magik was a highlight and showcased a cockiness and bravado perfect for Rogue.
Many may recognize Collins’s work as the incredibly fashionable Emily Cooper in Emily in Paris, a series in which the actress found plenty of popularity over the last few years. A somewhat known entity like Collins, who has yet to have her big-screen breakthrough, is a fresh enough face on the Hollywood scene to completely blend with her new role should she be cast in the MCU. Though Collins is currently 35, likely putting her around 40 when Marvel’s X-Men project hits theaters, she has a younger look and could play Rogue at several stages of her story.