Kit Connor has been chosen to play Cyclops in Marvel Studios’ X-Men reboot, according to trade reports, joining a cast being assembled for the first standalone X-Men film since Disney acquired 21st Century Fox in 2019.
The 22-year-old British actor is best known for the Netflix series Heartstopper and the A24 war film Warfare. Marvel has not confirmed the casting publicly.
How was the decision made?
Deadline, which first reported the news, said a small group of actors screen-tested after the Fourth of July holiday, with the studio settling on Connor after several weeks.
The choice was made jointly by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and director Jake Schreier, who made Thunderbolts. Drew Starkey had earlier been linked to the role.
| Role | Actor |
|---|---|
| Cyclops / Scott Summers | Kit Connor (reported) |
| Emma Frost | Samara Weaving |
| Jean Grey | Sadie Sink |
| Director | Jake Schreier |
Who is playing Cyclops in the X-Men reboot?
Kit Connor, a 22-year-old British actor known for the Netflix series Heartstopper, has been reported as Marvel Studios’ choice to play Scott Summers, also known as Cyclops, in its forthcoming X-Men film. The news was first reported by Deadline in August 2026 and subsequently carried by Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, though Marvel Studios has not confirmed it publicly and some outlets describe Connor as being in talks rather than formally cast. The film is directed by Jake Schreier and marks the first standalone X-Men production since Disney completed its acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019. Samara Weaving has been reported for the role of Emma Frost, and Sadie Sink appeared as Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Connor would be the third actor to play Cyclops in live action, after James Marsden and Tye Sheridan.
How firm is the reporting?
Accounts vary. Deadline reported Connor as the studio’s choice. Variety described him as in talks for the role, and The Hollywood Reporter said he was circling it.
Deadline reported that Marvel and representatives for Connor could not be reached for comment. An official announcement is expected at the D23 event.
Who else is in the film?
Samara Weaving was reported last week for Emma Frost. Sadie Sink has already appeared as Jean Grey in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the highest-grossing release of 2026.
Several other roles remain the subject of reporting rather than announcement, including Beast, Rogue and Professor X. Cyclops was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and introduced in The X-Men in 1963.
Why this film matters to Marvel
The X-Men were absent from the Marvel Cinematic Universe for two decades because the film rights sat with Fox. The 2019 acquisition returned them, and the studio has been threading mutants into its releases since.
The film is being positioned as a foundation for the studio’s next phase rather than a one-off, which is why casting has drawn the attention it has and why the process ran across the summer.
No release date has been announced.
Update: confirmed
Marvel Studios confirmed the casting at the D23 fan event in Anaheim on 14 August 2026, with Kit Connor appearing onstage alongside Sadie Sink, Christopher Abbott, Samara Weaving, Inde Navarrette and Maya Boyd. The film is directed by Jake Schreier and releases on 5 May 2028.
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Sources for this report
The Redline News Desk
The Redline News desk files and edits world reporting. Every story carries the sources it was built from, and corrections are published on the story itself.
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