Top Gun: Maverick’s Glen Powell has been getting plenty of buzz since starring as “Hangman” in the long-awaited sequel. Now, the star’s career is seemingly going into overdrive, as his name is being attached to different projects. Like many rising stars following a career breakthrough, Powell’s name has been linked to the big M – Marvel. Fans have been theorizing that the actor will play Cyclops in Marvel’s eventual X-Men reboot and, now, Powell has finally responded to those rumors.
It must be flattering to have your name thrown into the X-Men conversation. But the Set It Up actor was actually surprised by the rumors himself. Glen Powell revealed to Variety that he didn’t even know that he’d been linked to the role of Scott Summers a.k.a. Cyclops. In his words:
Before Comic-Con, everybody was like, ‘Dude, are you Cyclops?’ No, I’m not. Nobody has called me. I don’t even have one contact info for Marvel, so I have no idea what people are talking about.
While Glen Powell appeared to be shocked by the Cyclops rumors, he might actually be a suitable candidate to play the mutant with the optic blast. The actor played an antagonist of sorts in the Top Gun Sequel, but he really does seem to fit the traditional hero archetype of a good-natured and by-the-book strategic leader. He’s played similar characters in films like Hidden Figures, which certainly allowed him to show off his more earnest side.
He hasn’t been the only actor to face rumors regarding an X-Men role. Actors have been linked to Cyclops’ known frenemy and teammate Wolverine for some time now. Since Hugh Jackman finished his run in the role with 2017’s Logan, there’s been speculation about who will replace him. Two names keep popping up as potential successors for Jackman – Taron Egerton and Daniel Radcliffe. Radcliffe reacted to the Wolverine rumors, saying he hasn’t been contacted by the studio. On the other end, Egerton got honest about the rumors and mentioned his meeting with Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige.
The X-Men talks have been ramping up since Kevin Feige revealed the mutant superhero team will join the Marvel Cinematic Universe at some point. There are some blank spots in the MCU’s upcoming Phase 6 lineup, so one of those could be reserved for a mutants-centric title. While fans theorize and consider their favorite actors, the team is poised for a comeback through the animated Disney+ series X-Men ’97. The sequel to the original 1990s Fox series will see the original lineup return with new additions, with the original series’ main antagonist — Magneto — as their leader.
But as exciting as that is, I’m still curious as to what lies ahead for the characters in the live-action realm. And with any luck, maybe Glen Powell will indeed be a part of such a production.
Glen Powell will next be seen in the war drama Devotion with Jonathan Majors, which arrives in theaters on November 23rd as part of the 2022 schedule of upcoming movies. Also, be sure that you keep up to date on the plethora of Marvel movies that are on the way.