MCU X-Men - Part 2

[Mangle77]

What would you say to Bryan Cranston as Xavier?

 

[Detective Conan]

What would you say to Bryan Cranston as Xavier?

I always forget that Xavier in the comics is American as opposed to his English portrayals from the movies. Cranston would make a fine Xavier(dunno if he’d be a proper fit since Cranston tends to play morally shady characters like Walter White). He’s also has expressed interest in playing a villain. Most notably Mr. Sinister; which would be cool.

Personally I think he’d crush it as Magneto(Cranston is of Jewish ancestry himself so his casting would bring authenticity for the role since that’s the characters background in the comics ). Though Cranston would be good as Xavier, I feel it’d be too distracting seeing as he’d look like he’s playing a “good-guy verison of Walter White” without the facial hair & glasses. Cranston knows how to make a bad guy empathetic enough that you almost want to root for him despite knowing he’s morally wrong which are the ideal qualities an actor needs to have to do Magneto justice. So I think Cranston would be a better fit for Magneto than Professor X.

 

[MasterCat]

Bryan Cranston is at least 16 years too young for the role. Al Pacino "met with the Marvel guy" to play a character but Feige has said "Not right now... someday, someday."
I don't know what he's been waiting on so long, but saving the old man for Magneto would justify it.

 

[Havok83]

At 62, he is perfectly fine for the role. Marvel isn’t going to hire someone damn near 80 for the part

 

[Protar]

I don't think they'll go *too* old with Magneto. Definitely on the older side to distinguish from the most recent, young portrayal. But thinking long term, they'll want Magneto to stick around for a good 10-15 years and that's once they introduce him into the MCU. If it takes them till 2023 (after their currently planned slate) to make MCU X-men films, and if they take a break from Magneto at first, it could well be 8 years from now until we see the MCU's version of Magneto. So we need an actor who will still be spry enough to act in action-packed superhero films in twenty years time.

 

[Detective Conan]

Bryan Cranston is at least 16 years too young for the role. Al Pacino "met with the Marvel guy" to play a character but Feige has said "Not right now... someday, someday."
I don't know what he's been waiting on so long, but saving the old man for Magneto would justify it.

Cranston is 62. By the time they get to Magneto in the MCU(assuming they take a 5-7 year hiatus on making X-Men films after Dark Phoenix is released) Cranston would likely be in his 70’s at that point.

 

[MasterCat]

At 62, he is perfectly fine for the role. Marvel isn’t going to hire someone damn near 80 for the part

But how will they make critics praise Cranston's performance as a Holocaust survivor?
Have critics been wrong to criticize the prequel X-Men not being the right ages?

 

[Detective Conan]

But how will they make critics praise Cranston's performance as a Holocaust survivor?
Have critics been wrong to criticize the prequel X-Men not being the right ages?

I’m unsure they’ll even keep the Holocaust aspect of Magneto’s origin in the MCU.

 

[MasterCat]

I’m unsure they’ll even keep the Holocaust aspect of Magneto’s origin in the MCU.

Then the first four Fox films (through DoFP) will be the best X-Men films ever made. Period.

 

[Marvel united]

Then the first four Fox films (through DoFP) will be the best X-Men films ever made. Period.

Ehhh, it would be a new take that is true to the spirit of Magneto. An 80 year old Erik is highly impractical

 

[MasterCat]

Ehhh, it would be a new take that is true to the spirit of Magneto.

Well we won't know that until such a movie comes out. All we'll know is that it's a red flag about ignoring the way the character is engaged with real history, which last time around dragged what could have been two forgettable popcorn films way up in quality with him.

An 80 year old Erik is highly impractical

Because you expect the character to do stunts? Well, what Marvel character isn't highly impractical for Al Pacino?

 

[Jh7058622]

At 62, he is perfectly fine for the role. Marvel isn’t going to hire someone damn near 80 for the part

Viggo Mortensen is my dream for an "older" Magneto.

 

[Superhero 101]

Bingo Virgo would be my ideal magneto

 

[Havok83]

But how will they make critics praise Cranston's performance as a Holocaust survivor?
Have critics been wrong to criticize the prequel X-Men not being the right ages?

Say the character was in stasis for several years. His mutation made him age slower. Allude to the Holocaust without directly referencing it. There are several ways around it. There’s also makeup to make a younger actor appear older.

Because you expect the character to do stunts? Well, what Marvel character isn't highly impractical for Al Pacino?

Not to be morbid, but an 80 year old is nearing the end of his life cycle. There are also health implications that come with old age that can affect performance and availability. An 80 year old might be fine for a one and done villian but Magneto is multidimensional and should be utilized like Loki. He’s actually the type of character that could even carry his own film. Marvel needs to think long term and not cast someone that would be into their 90s after several films

 

[Boom]

The catalogue of human history is littered with atrocities. They can update Magneto's origin and still remain in keeping with the spirit of the character.

 

[Protar]

Is the holocaust really specifically necessary for Magneto's backstory? There are other genocides and atrocities that could be worked into his backstory instead. Stasis is another possibility, but there's got to be a good reason for him to be put in stasis.

 

[Iceman]

Viggo Mortensen is my dream for an "older" Magneto.

Bingo Virgo would be my ideal magneto

Could be interesting. I’m trying to visualise it. I love Viggo so I certainly wouldn’t say no.

 

[Havok83]

Is the holocaust really specifically necessary for Magneto's backstory? There are other genocides and atrocities that could be worked into his backstory instead. Stasis is another possibility, but there's got to be a good reason for him to be put in stasis.

No. The Holocaust itself was a retcon added in much later and wasnt a part of Magneto's original backstory. It helps fleshes him out and adds motivation, but they can allude to it in a film without directly referencing it. We dont need to see flashbacks

 

[MasterCat]

Is the holocaust really specifically necessary for Magneto's backstory? There are other genocides and atrocities that could be worked into his backstory instead. Stasis is another possibility, but there's got to be a good reason for him to be put in stasis.

You can't be Erik Lehnsherr or Max Eisenhardt unless you're German or Ashkenazi. And if you change his name and backstory, the whole film is no longer faithful to the comics.

 

[Havok83]

You can't be Erik Lehnsherr or Max Eisenhardt unless you're German or Ashkenazi. And if you change his name and backstory, the whole film is no longer faithful to the comics.

Absolutely none of these films are 100% faithful to the comics. Every single one of them as taken liberties in order to adjust for what makes the most sense on screen. He doesnt need to be German or Jewish to be named Erik Lehnsherr as thats not even his real name in the comics.

The dynamic between Xavier and Magneto works bc they are peers. They should remain relatively close in age and it wouldnt be a good idea to make Xavier an 80 year old as well.

 

[Protar]

I would not mind seeing a middle eastern or north African actor play Magneto - tie his backstory into the war and turmoil of that region. He could still be Jewish. I'd love to see Alexander Siddig's Magneto for example.

 

[Iceman]

I would not mind seeing a middle eastern or north African actor play Magneto - tie his backstory into the war and turmoil of that region. He could still be Jewish. I'd love to see Alexander Siddig's Magneto for example.

My preference (and I'm not Jewish), is for Magneto to be Jewish. I would rather they kept that as far as possible. Updating the atrocity concerned is a bit less of an issue for me.

 

[Havok83]

Yeah they shouldnt change Magneto's background. There are so few Jewish X-men as is. Its really just him, Kitty and Iceman for the most part

 

[Protar]

I agree he should be kept Jewish. Which is why - if they do choose to update his backstory and tie it into more contemporary history - he should be middle-eastern.

 

[MasterCat]

The dynamic between Xavier and Magneto works bc they are peers. They should remain relatively close in age and it wouldnt be a good idea to make Xavier an 80 year old as well.

No, the dynamic between Xavier and Magneto works because they were friends. It's just as powerful if Erik is old enough to be Xavier's dad.
Heck, it's downright Shakespearean, which the "one is MLK, the other is Malcolm X" pitch doesn't capture.