With Marvel assembling a new class of X-Men, the casting comes with the added pressure of finding actors fans will want to watch argue in a mansion for the next decade. The powers are part of the appeal, of course, but so much of the team’s popularity comes from what happens between missions. These people have to live together, and saving each other’s lives doesn’t necessarily make sharing a home any easier.
Bobby Drake is an especially fun part of that equation. One of the original five X-Men, he brings a sense of humor to a group that can get very serious very quickly. His laid-back attitude also makes it easy to underestimate him, which tends to be a mistake when you’re dealing with someone whose control over ice extends far beyond throwing a few snowballs.
Ben Wang has entered talks to play Bobby Drake, better known as Iceman, in Marvel Studios’ new X-Men movie, according to new reports. The Karate Kid: Legends and The Long Walk star, who will next be seen by audiences as District 12 tribute Wyatt Callow in the upcoming The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, will take over the role previously played by Shawn Ashmore in Fox’s movies. His deal has not yet closed, however, and according to the report Marvel representatives could not be reached for comment. If negotiations work out, Wang will join Kit Connor as Cyclops, Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, and Asa Germann as Angel. The ensemble also includes Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Adam Driver as Mr. Sinister, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, and Maya Boyd as Storm. Jake Schreier is directing from a screenplay by Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo, with Kevin Feige producing.
Who Is Iceman in Marvel’s ‘X-Men’?
Created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby, Bobby debuted alongside Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, and Angel in The X-Men #1 in 1963. He was the youngest member of that original lineup, and his early snowman-like appearance gave little indication of how powerful he would become. Watching Bobby move through a fight on an ice slide remains one of the great visual pleasures of an X-Men story, though, so expectations should be high about what Kevin Feige and the MCU‘s team can offer when it comes to Bobby. His personality is just as useful to the team. Put Bobby beside Scott Summers, and you have someone perfectly equipped to test a leader’s patience without necessarily meaning any harm. There’s an appealing gap between how casually he can carry himself and what he’s capable of doing. A new movie could have plenty of fun with that before asking him to take his abilities more seriously.
Bobby’s identity as a gay man is also central to his modern comics history, giving a new adaptation meaningful material beyond his place in the team’s battles. His relationships, insecurities, and growing understanding of himself deserve room alongside the spectacle. There’s a whole person underneath the ice, and that’s who audiences need to get attached to this time around.
X-Men is scheduled to premiere in theaters May 5, 2028.
via Collider