The Long Walk’s Garrett Wareing Says He’s ‘So Badly’ Hoping to Play Iceman in the MCU

Marvel’s mutant universe has been the subject of nonstop speculation ever since Hugh Jackman’s return as Wolverine in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ cracked the door open for the X-Men to officially join the MCU. With several familiar Fox franchise faces already confirmed for ‘Avengers: Doomsday,’ including Patrick Stewart’s Professor X and Ian McKellen’s Magneto, fans have spent months debating who might step in for the roles that haven’t been recast yet.

Iceman has become one of the most frequently discussed characters in that ongoing conversation, especially after original franchise actor Shawn Ashmore spoke about his hopes for whoever takes over the role next. Ashmore, who played Bobby Drake across four X-Men films, described the situation as bittersweet but said he’s genuinely excited to see how a new incarnation of the character comes together.

Now a rising star has publicly thrown his hat into the ring for the part. Garrett Wareing, best known for his roles in ‘The Long Walk’ and Netflix’s ‘Ransom Canyon,’ shared during a red carpet appearance that he’d love to play Iceman in the MCU.

Speaking on the Spirit Awards red carpet about his dream hero and villain roles, Wareing didn’t hold back about his interest in the character. “I wanna play Bobby, Iceman, so badly. That’s what I’m hoping for,” Wareing said, according to Collider.

Wareing’s career has picked up significant steam over the past year, following his breakout performance as Stebbins in Francis Lawrence’s adaptation of Stephen King’s ‘The Long Walk.’ That role saw Wareing and his co-stars walking between eight and 15 miles a day during filming to authentically capture the grueling dystopian competition at the center of the story.

The film earned Wareing recognition well beyond box office numbers, with the cast and crew receiving the Robert Altman Award at the Film Independent Spirit Awards earlier this year, an honor Wareing accepted alongside co-star Joshua Odjick, director Francis Lawrence and Mark Hamill. That same red carpet appearance is where Wareing shared his hopes for landing the Iceman role.

Beyond ‘The Long Walk,’ Wareing has built a diverse résumé that began with his acting debut opposite Dustin Hoffman in 2014’s ‘Boychoir’ at just 13 years old. He’s since appeared in ‘Independence Day: Resurgence,’ the Steven Soderbergh-produced sci-fi thriller ‘Perfect,’ and had a recurring role on NBC’s ‘Manifest’ before landing his breakthrough part as Lucas Russell in ‘Ransom Canyon,’ which has already been renewed for a second season.

Interest in who might take over as Bobby Drake has only intensified given how much attention the broader X-Men integration into the MCU has received. With numerous actors floated across fan-casting discussions for various mutant roles, Wareing’s public comments mark a rare instance of an actor directly expressing genuine interest in a specific X-Men part rather than fans simply speculating from the outside.

That kind of open campaigning isn’t unheard of in Hollywood, but it does add a notable data point to the ongoing conversation about how Marvel Studios plans to handle its expanding mutant roster. Whether Wareing’s comments translate into any actual casting consideration remains entirely speculative at this stage, since Marvel has not announced any plans regarding a new Iceman.

Ashmore, for his part, has expressed excitement about seeing what a new incarnation of the character could look like, noting that playing Iceman across the original X-Men franchise changed his life and remains a meaningful part of his career. That sentiment suggests whoever eventually inherits the role will be following in the footsteps of an actor who genuinely cherished the character.

For now, Wareing’s comments add his name to a growing list of actors publicly expressing interest in joining Marvel’s expanding X-Men lineup, even as the studio continues keeping its actual casting plans tightly under wraps. Given his rising profile following ‘The Long Walk’ and ‘Ransom Canyon,’ it wouldn’t be surprising if his name continues coming up in these conversations going forward.

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