The Original Rogue Just Gave Inde Navarrette Her Blessing for Marvel’s ‘X-Men’

Marvel Studios spent Friday night finally pulling back the curtain on its long-awaited ‘X-Men‘ reboot, unveiling a fresh mutant lineup during its D23 presentation in Anaheim. Among the biggest surprises was the casting of Inde Navarrette, best known for her breakout role in ‘Obsession,’ as Rogue, a character whose live-action legacy has largely been defined by Anna Paquin’s more subdued take across the original Fox trilogy that ran through the 2000s.

That casting reveal set off an immediate wave of reaction online, with fans and fellow performers weighing in on what direction this new version of Rogue might take. Kevin Feige confirmed the full lineup during the panel, revealing Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Maya Boyd as Storm, and Navarrette as Rogue, with Adam Driver joining as the villainous Mister Sinister.

Among the well-wishes flooding in, one carried particular weight within the fandom. Lenore Zann, who voiced Rogue in the original 1990s “X-Men” animated series, “X-Men ’97,” and the “Marvel Rivals” game, posted a video message from Dublin welcoming Navarrette into the role, gloves on for the occasion. In the clip, Zann told Navarrette she couldn’t wait to meet her and looked forward to seeing what she brings to the character, signing off in her signature Southern drawl with well wishes and a reminder to “spread some sugar around.”

Navarrette responded warmly to the gesture on social media, calling it an honor and thanking Zann for the kind message. The two continued exchanging messages publicly, with Zann telling her she was “so welcome, Sugah” and joking about grabbing coffee together the next time she’s back in Los Angeles.

For a large segment of the X-Men fanbase, Zann’s version of Rogue remains the definitive one, having originated the character’s voice back in 1992 before returning for “X-Men ’97” in 2024. That portrayal captured a fuller version of the character than the films ever did, showing off her flight, super strength, and comic-accurate confidence rather than confining her to the more restrained, tortured depiction audiences got from Paquin.

That distinction matters heavily to critics assessing Navarrette’s casting. According to SlashFilm, previous live-action Rogue never got the chance to fly or use her full power set on screen, something fans are hoping this new MCU take finally corrects given how thoroughly “X-Men ’97” reestablished what a fully realized version of the character looks like.

Navarrette’s casting caps what’s been described as one of the fastest rises among the entire new roster, having gone from a supporting role on a canceled CW show to landing a lead part in Marvel’s mutant reboot within roughly six months. Director Jake Schreier is helming the film from a script credited to “Beef” creator Lee Sung Jin and “The Bear” co-showrunner Joanna Calo, with the movie set for release on May 5, 2028.

The X-Men haven’t assembled together on screen since Fox’s 2019 film ‘Dark Phoenix,’ which starred James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Sophie Turner, making this new roster the franchise’s first true team assembled within the MCU itself. With more casting announcements still expected in the coming weeks, Navarrette’s introduction alongside Zann’s public blessing has already given fans one of the most heartwarming moments to come out of this year’s D23 reveal.

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