Marvel’s Cyclops Casting Has Fans Ready for Kit Connor in the MCU, “The Perfect Jean and Scott”

This post contains SPOILERS for Spider-Man: Brand New Day

As Spider-Man: Brand New Day continues to break box office records left and right, another exciting Marvel Cinematic Universe project is starting to come together. The cast for the long-awaited X-Men reboot is rounding into shape. We already know that Samara Weaving is playing Emma Frost, and Sadie Sink’s mystery character in Brand New Day was revealed to be Jean Grey, adding another popular mutant to the MCU’s lineup. Now, another rising star has joined the ensemble. Earlier today, it was reported that Heartstopper star Kit Connor will play Cyclops. Unsurprisingly, Marvel fans have a lot of thoughts on the news, and most of them are quite positive.

On social media, fans are sharing their reactions to the Kit Connor casting, expressing excitement about the development. One X user went so far as to say the MCU has cast “the perfect Jean and Scott,” feeling Connor “has that Cyclops vibe.” Others are in agreement with that assessment; another user posted that Connor “does have the face of a goody two shoes boy scout,” believing the actor should be able to encapsulate the spirit of the character. Someone else pointed out Connor’s qualities as a performer, saying “he’s handsome, he’s in shape, he can act” and hoped that Connor “gives justice for the role.” Even those who are “not too familiar” with Connor’s previous credits are “pumped for him” and looking forward to seeing what he can do with such a coveted role.

What Kit Connor’s Casting Tells Us About the MCU’s X-Men Reboot

Last year, when Kevin Feige discussed why Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier was hired to helm the X-Men reboot, he specifically mentioned the filmmaker’s ability to connect with “a younger demographic.” Before any actors were cast, the main takeaway fans had was that the MCU’s X-Men would revolve around a young team of mutants, tapping into the property’s knack for telling stories about people who feel alienated from society. This would be a way for the MCU’s film to differentiate itself from the Fox series; the original X-Men movies featured younger mutants like Rogue and Iceman, but the core X-Men team were already adults with superhero experience.

Kit Connor is 22 years old, only a couple years younger than Sadie Sink. With a Cyclops and Jean in their 20s, it’s clear Marvel is skewing quite young for the X-Men cast, which makes sense. Though not officially confirmed, it’s widely expected the MCU’s next saga will essentially be “the Mutant Saga,” placing the X-Men front and center. If the mutants are going to be among the main attractions moving forward, it’s understandable why Marvel is targeting young, rising talent. For starters, this allows them to keep costs in check when locking actors in for multi-picture deals (saving on production budgets). They’ll also have an X-Men team that can grow into their roles over the course of the next decade, making the Mutant Saga feel like a proper journey.

Cyclops is traditionally one of the leaders of the X-Men team, but casting a 20-something in that role suggests the MCU’s Scott Summers will be at the beginning of his path during the events of X-Men. It’s possible the film will riff on coming-of-age elements, following the group as they find their place in the world and learn to control their powers and protect others. Scott’s arc in the first film could be assuming his place as team leader, setting himself up to be the face of the franchise moving forward.

Though there have been trade reports about the X-Men cast, Marvel Studios has yet to officially confirm any actor’s involvement with the film. That could change in the near future. Later this month is the D23 Expo, where Disney’s subsidiaries are expected to highlight upcoming projects. After Marvel made no mention of X-Men at San Diego Comic-Con, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see them peel the curtain back on X-Men, especially with all the casting news circulating. Marvel could use the opportunity to formally announce the new X-Men team and perhaps tease where the narrative will go.