Maya Boyd Starts Training for Storm in ‘X-Men’ With Daredevil Star Charlie Cox’s Coach

Marvel’s mutant era is still more than a year away from theaters, but the people building it are already getting to work. Superhero movies are won in the gym as much as on the soundstage, and the new generation of actors is expected to show up ready. That means early preparation has become a quiet but important part of every big franchise launch.

The new ‘X-Men‘ film from director Jake Schreier is set for release on May 5, 2028, with production scheduled to begin in 2027. It marks the first X-Men movie produced by Marvel Studios since Disney acquired 20th Century Fox. The announced cast includes Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott as Professor X and Adam Driver as the villain Mister Sinister.

Now, one of the team’s newest members has already started her preparation. Maya Boyd has begun training for her role as Storm, and a photo from the gym shows her posing with her trainer, Naqam Washington, who is also Charlie Cox’s coach. In the picture, both smile and flash peace signs in a well-equipped training facility.

Maya Boyd has begun training for her role as Storm in ‘X-MEN’ Her trainer is Naqam Washington, who is also Charlie Cox’s coach. https://t.co/23IdF1u2pn

— Cosmic Marvel (@cosmic_marvel) November 1, 2026

Boyd was revealed as the new Storm by Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige at D23 on August 14. The 23-year-old Broadway performer will make her feature film debut in the role. She made her Broadway debut in 2023 in ‘Merrily We Roll Along’ and later took the lead role in ‘& Juliet’, performing from April 2024 to June 2025.

She also built a following of more than 450,000 on TikTok through skits, family videos and singing clips. When the casting was announced, Boyd reacted on Instagram by calling it an honor to be Storm. She follows Halle Berry and Alexandra Shipp as the character’s screen portrayers.

Washington is the founder of Arazi Fitness and is best known for helping Cox build the physique needed to play Matt Murdock in ‘Daredevil’. After Cox landed the part, he was personally trained by Washington, who designed a dynamic workout to develop full-body strength, agility and endurance. The routine included rowing machine sprints, prowler sled pushes and treadmill sprints with incline changes.

The coach has also helped Cox prepare for ‘Daredevil: Born Again’, where the actor reportedly ate six to seven meals a day with a focus on lean proteins, complex carbs and healthy fats. Washington has described his approach as modern, sport-specific training, and he has said that gaining lean muscle depends heavily on what an actor eats outside the gym. Cox himself has praised Washington, calling his trainer awesome in interviews.

Storm is one of Marvel’s most recognizable Black superheroes, first appearing in Marvel Comics in the 1970s and long counted among the most powerful members of the X-Men. Boyd’s casting drew a warm reaction from many fans, including those who had asked for a dark-skinned Black actress to portray the character’s African heritage. Marvel has not shared details about the physical demands of her performance.

Still, her stage background suggests she is no stranger to rigorous preparation. She spent more than a year in the lead of a Broadway musical, and moving into a Marvel production adds a new layer of physical conditioning. Working with a coach who has already prepared a Marvel lead for a physically demanding role could give her a head start.

The timing of the training is notable because the film is not expected to begin production until 2027. That gives Boyd a long runway to get ready. It also reflects how seriously the studio’s actors approach their superhero parts well in advance of cameras rolling.

Marvel has yet to reveal casting for several major roles, including Wolverine, Magneto and Beast. The project also has a script by Michael Lesslie, and the studio has kept most story details secret. For now, the biggest signs of progress come from moments like this, when cast members share glimpses of their preparation.

For fans, the gym photo is a small but encouraging sign that the X-Men reboot is moving forward. It shows Boyd taking the role seriously and building toward the physical presence a character like Storm demands. With a release date locked in and the first cast members already training, the next chapter of the mutants is slowly taking shape.

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