ANAHEIM, Calif. — Marvel Studios formally introduced the principal cast of its long-awaited X-Men film and locked in a theatrical release date of May 5, 2028, during Disney’s D23 event on Friday.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige presented the ensemble on stage at the Honda Center. Sadie Sink will play Jean Grey, Kit Connor is Cyclops, Christopher Abbott portrays Professor Charles Xavier, Samara Weaving takes on Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette stars as Rogue and Maya Boyd is Storm. Adam Driver joins as Nathaniel Milbury, the identity associated with the villain Mister Sinister.

Driver appeared via video from Pinewood Studios rather than in person. In the message he referenced long-running discussions with Feige about joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe. “Kevin and I have been talking for years about me joining the MCU,” Driver said. “Now I feel like we’ve found the perfect film, at the perfect time, with characters I care deeply about.”

He briefly joked about playing Magneto before correcting himself and confirming the role of Nathaniel Milbury. Additional remarks captured in coverage of the presentation included: “When Kevin told me to show up for X-Men, I assumed he meant on set. So instead of being there in California, I’m here at Pinewood on this very lonely soundstage. … So I’m very excited to be playing Mag…. Nope. Even better. Nathaniel Milbury. So I’ll be right here, waiting for everybody to show up.”

Feige noted that several of the actors had only just met backstage before walking out together. Sink’s casting as Jean Grey had already been established through her appearance in the recent Spider-Man film Brand New Day. Connor’s role as Cyclops and Weaving’s as Emma Frost had been reported in the days leading up to the event and were confirmed on stage.

Jake Schreier, who previously directed Thunderbolts*, is helming the project. Lee Sung Jin, creator of the series Beef, and Joanna Calo, a writer and co-showrunner associated with The Bear and a collaborator on Thunderbolts*, are among the writers developing the screenplay. Michael Lesslie had earlier been attached to an earlier draft.

The announcement marks a significant step in integrating the X-Men into the main MCU timeline following Disney’s 2019 acquisition of 20th Century Fox and its Marvel film library. Previous live-action versions of the characters appeared in a series of Fox films that began with X-Men in 2000 and featured actors including Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy as Professor X, Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender as Magneto, Halle Berry as Storm, and Famke Janssen and Sophie Turner as Jean Grey. Stewart is set to appear again as Professor X in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for December.

The new film is positioned to arrive after Avengers: Secret Wars, which is expected to conclude the current Multiverse Saga. Marvel has indicated the X-Men project will emphasize character-driven storytelling and the interpersonal dynamics that defined classic comic runs, particularly the work of writer Chris Claremont. Schreier and the writing team have spoken in earlier interviews about focusing on personal stakes and the experience of feeling different or marginalized, themes long associated with the mutant characters.

Abbott, known for roles in Girls, Poor Things and the upcoming East of Eden series, steps into the role of the telepathic founder and leader of the X-Men. Boyd, who has Broadway credits including & Juliet, takes on Storm, the weather-controlling mutant previously played by Berry. Navarrette, who gained attention in the recent series Obsession, will portray Rogue, whose power involves absorbing the abilities and memories of others through touch. Connor, recognized from Heartstopper, becomes the optic-blast-wielding field leader Cyclops. Weaving, of Ready or Not, plays the diamond-skinned telepath Emma Frost. Sink continues as the powerful telepath and telekinetic Jean Grey after her introduction in Brand New Day.

Driver’s casting as Mister Sinister brings a classic X-Men antagonist into the MCU for the first time in a major live-action capacity. The character, a geneticist and long-running foe of the team, has appeared in comics for decades under various aliases, including Nathaniel Essex and Nathaniel Milbury.

Casting for the film had been underway for months, with final rounds of testing reported after the Fourth of July holiday. The process drew widespread attention as Marvel assembled a new generation of actors for the property that once ranked among Fox’s most consistent performers at the box office.

The May 5, 2028, date places the movie nearly two decades after the MCU’s launch with Iron Man in 2008. It also positions the film as an early entry in whatever phase follows the Multiverse Saga. Additional casting and story details have not been disclosed. Filming has not yet begun, though Sink has indicated in recent interviews that production on the X-Men project is expected in the near term.

The D23 presentation drew strong reactions from attendees and online audiences following the formal unveiling. The combination of established names such as Driver and Sink with newer faces including Navarrette and Boyd reflects Marvel’s approach of blending recognizable talent with emerging performers for the mutant team.

Further announcements regarding supporting roles, additional mutants or connections to existing MCU storylines are expected in the coming months as development continues under Schreier and the writing team. The film remains untitled beyond its X-Men branding at this stage.

Marvel Studios is owned by The Walt Disney Company. The D23 event continues through the weekend in Anaheim with additional presentations on other Disney properties.