Marvel Reportedly Eyes an Oscar-Nominated Star for the ‘X-Men’ Reboot, Even Though She Once Said She Never Wanted to Join the MCU

Marvel’s ‘X-Men‘ reboot is slowly turning into one of the most intriguing casting stories in Hollywood. The studio has already revealed a young core team, a major villain and a release date, but plenty of roles remain unfilled. One of those parts, a Scottish geneticist who has long been a quiet pillar of the mutant world, is now generating its own wave of speculation.

The film is directed by Jake Schreier and is set to open on May 5, 2028. At D23 in August, Marvel announced Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette as Rogue and Maya Boyd as Storm. Adam Driver joins as the villain Mister Sinister.

Now a new report has added an intriguing name to the list. Norwegian actress Renate Reinsve has reportedly met with Marvel Studios about playing Dr. Moira MacTaggert in the ‘X-Men’ reboot. The claim comes from Knight Edge Media, and Marvel has not confirmed any casting for the role.

The detail that makes the rumor so notable is Reinsve’s reputation. She is known primarily for prestige European cinema rather than blockbuster franchises. The scooper who shared the news also noted that she reportedly said about 6 months ago that she never wants to join a Marvel film, so whether the meeting goes anywhere is far from certain.

For casual viewers, Moira is a Scottish geneticist and a longtime ally of Professor Charles Xavier in the comics. She has been a supporting character for decades, often acting as a medical expert and a trusted friend to the X-Men. In more recent comics, she was revealed to be a mutant with the power of reincarnation, retaining the memories of her past lives.

On screen, she has been played before. Olivia Williams portrayed her as a scientist in ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’, while Rose Byrne gave her a very different spin as an American CIA agent in ‘X-Men: First Class’. A new version would give Marvel the chance to reintroduce her in its own way.

Earlier this month, the same scooper claimed that Moira is expected to have only a tiny role in the film and that casting is underway. That would make the possible involvement of a star of Reinsve’s caliber even more surprising. It would also suggest that Marvel may be thinking carefully about even its smaller parts.

A small role does not necessarily mean a small impact. Moira could connect to the movie’s larger story, especially with Mister Sinister in the mix. Marvel has not shared any plot details, so for now everything remains speculation.

Renate Reinsve reportedly met with Marvel Studios for the role of Moira MacTaggert in the ‘X-MEN’ reboot film. (via @KnightGambit) https://t.co/Hqj5SbQDO9

— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) October 25, 2026

Reinsve broke through internationally with Joachim Trier’s ‘The Worst Person in the World’, which earned her the Best Actress prize at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. She was the first Norwegian actress to win an acting award at the festival. She and Trier reunited for ‘Sentimental Value’, which earned her a Best Actress Oscar nomination, along with a BAFTA nomination.

Her other credits include ‘A Different Man’, ‘Another End’ and ‘Armand’. She also appeared in the recent horror film ‘Backrooms’, which has raised her profile in North America. Pairing that kind of acclaim with a franchise role would be a notable move for both sides.

The film still has plenty of gaps to fill. As of the D23 announcement, Wolverine, Magneto and Mystique were among the roles Marvel had not cast. A report from earlier this month also named Peter Claffey as Beast, though that casting has not been officially confirmed.

Each new rumor adds to the sense that Marvel is assembling the ensemble piece by piece. The studio has also leaned toward younger and lesser-known actors, though Moira would fit better with an experienced name. That makes the Reinsve report feel like an interesting outlier.

For now, the story is a meeting and nothing more. Marvel hasn’t commented, and casting talks often go nowhere. Still, the idea of an Oscar-nominated actress stepping into the mutant universe has gotten fans talking, especially given her earlier comments about superhero films.

If the deal does happen, it would be one of the more unexpected casting stories of the year. It would also show how far the studio is willing to go to give its new X-Men team a strong supporting cast.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!