Veterans from Fox’s old X-Men cast are returning for one last hurrah in Avengers: Doomsday, but after that, Marvel Studios will (seemingly) finally be ready to turn the page and start a new era for the mutants on screen. In development is an X-Men reboot, to be directed by Thunderbolts* helmsman Jake Schreier. A cast has yet to be officially announced, but there’s been no shortage of rumors, with speculation revolving around several young, rising stars being eyed to play the heroes. Kevin Feige has mentioned the MCU’s X-Men reboot will be a “youth-orientated” film, but there’s room for veteran actors as well. Based on the latest rumors, a recent Oscar nominee could be in the running for a key villain role.
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According to insider MyTimeToShineHello, The Secret Agent star Wagner Moura is “reportedly the top choice to play X-Men villain Mister Sinister in the MCU.” As you might expect, this has sparked a wave of fan reactions. People are split on the idea of Moura playing Mister Sinister. Some offered other options, such as Antony Starr, Jon Hamm, Luke Evans, and Josh Hartnett, feeling Moura (while talented) would be miscast in the role. Others were excited about the prospect of the actor possibly joining the MCU. It is important to keep in mind this is just a rumor for the time being, so fans should take this update with a grain of salt.
Will Wagner Moura Play Mister Sinister in the MCU?
Assuming this rumor is true, it’s easy to understand why Marvel is interested in getting into the Wagner Moura business. After accumulating several credits over the past couple of decades (including portraying Pablo Escobar on the crime dramas Narcos and Narcos: Mexico), the veteran thespian’s profile rose considerably over the past year thanks to his critically acclaimed performance in The Secret Agent (for which he won a Golden Globe and received the aforementioned Oscar nomination). He’s followed that up by voicing Brander Lawson on Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord and signing on for a role in the Ocean’s Eleven prequel starring Margot Robbie and Bradley Cooper. Simply put, Moura is an in-demand talent, and Marvel would love to scoop him up for a meaty villain role.
Over the course of his career, Moura has played a variety of characters, including his fair share of villains. Anyone who can skillfully bring drug kingpin Pablo Escobar to life could certainly do the role of a comic book villain justice. What’s more is that the part could give Moura a compelling arc to explore. In the comics, Mister Sinister began life as Nathaniel Essex, a scientist fascinated by the concept of human evolution. He crosses paths with Apocalypse, who genetically mutates Essex into Mister Sinister. Sinister is one of the more ruthless villains in Marvel Comics history, seemingly lacking basic human empathy. More recent portrayals of the character in the comics have added bits of flair and charisma, so there would be different directions for Moura’s performance to go. Someone with his range would do an excellent job.
Of course, there’s no guarantee that Mister Sinister will be part of the X-Men reboot yet, but Marvel fans would love to see him on the big screen. Sinister is one of the more notable X-Men villains who has yet to get a chance to shine in a film. The closest we ever got in the Fox series was a post-credits scene in X-Men: Apocalypse, where a vial of Wolverine’s blood was placed in an Essex Corp. briefcase. The stinger seemed to be setting up a development for a future X-Men movie, but it was never followed up on. Rather than try to tackle Magneto storylines again, incorporating Mister Sinister into the proceedings would be a way to make Marvel’s X-Men reboot feel fresh. Perhaps it could also be a way to do Apocalypse justice on the big screen, after the disappointment of X-Men: Apocalypse.
Hopefully, Marvel confirms details about the X-Men reboot in the near future. While not officially dated, it’s been expected it will eventually secure one of Marvel’s 2028 release dates, making it one of the first films to arrive after Avengers: Secret Wars. If that’s the plan, cameras will have to start rolling in 2027, so Schrier and Co. should be looking to put the cast together soon. Perhaps there will be some announcements during Marvel’s panel at San Diego Comic-Con this year. The main attraction will be Avengers: Doomsday, but Marvel has always been willing to offer the Hall H crowd teases of what’s to come next.
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