RUMOR: Three-Time Oscar Winner Daniel Day-Lewis Is Being Eyed To Play Magneto In Marvel Studios' X-MEN Reboot

RUMOR: Three-Time Oscar Winner Daniel Day-Lewis Is Being Eyed To Play Magneto In Marvel Studios' X-MEN Reboot

Once upon a time, casting rumours for The Fantastic Four: First Steps were endless. Now, it's the turn of the X-Men reboot as we have another wild casting rumour to share with you, this time for Magneto...

By JoshWilding - May 17, 2025 12:05 PM EST
Filed Under: X-Men

With Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier set to direct Marvel Studios' X-Men reboot, the rumour mill continues churning out possible names for the highly anticipated movie (which, for what it's worth, we've heard is currently being referred to as Uncanny X-Men internally at the studio).

We're not putting too much stock into any of these casting claims, but following this past week's Professor X and Jean Grey rumours, there's a possible update on the MCU's Magneto. 

According to scooper @MyTimeToShineH, Marvel Studios is eyeing three-time Oscar winner Sir Daniel Day-Lewis for the role of the Master of Magnetism. Would he ever really consider a superhero movie role? We wouldn't bank on it, though the same might have once been said for Sir Ian McKellen. 

It's worth noting that this comes after the insider said, "No new [X-Men] cast will be introduced in the upcoming Avengers films, because the focus is on giving closure to the original characters. Casting hasn’t started yet because director Jake Schreier hasn’t officially signed on. That’s why Sadie Sink isn’t playing Jean Grey."

"That said, there are three roles Kevin Feige has specific actors (or at least types) in mind for: Xavier, Magneto, and Storm. The names he’s considering feel a bit too big to actually land, but you’ll see — I’ll mention them soon. Aside from those three, I haven’t heard of any other actors being considered yet," they added. 

So, while the studio would like Day-Lewis to play Magneto, no offer has gone out, and he's likely just indicative of the type of actor Feige would like to see fill the role in the MCU. After McKellen and Michael Fassbender, we're not shocked to see that Kevin Feige is aiming high. 

Day-Lewis won the "Best Actor" Oscar for his roles in My Left FootThere Will Be Blood, and Lincoln. He's also known for In the Name of the Father, Gangs of New York, Phantom Thread, and The Last of the Mohicans

McKellen is confirmed to return as Magneto in Avengers: Doomsday alongside Sir Patrick Stewart as Professor X. They'll be joined by Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique), James Marsden (Cyclops), and Channing Tatum (Gambit), though this X-Men team feels far from complete. 

Meanwhile, a lesser-known social media scooper, @mainmiddleman, has claimed that Kirby Howell-Baptiste (The Sandman) and Jodie Turner-Smith (The Acolyte) are contenders to suit up as the MCU's Storm post-Avengers: Secret Wars. Hereditary star Alex Wolff is also said to be in talks for an unknown role. 

Marvel Studios' X-Men reboot doesn't have a confirmed release date. 

X-MEN: Working Title For Marvel Studios' Upcoming Reboot Revealed; [SPOILER] Has Big AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY Role
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X-MEN: Working Title For Marvel Studios' Upcoming Reboot Revealed; [SPOILER] Has "Big" AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY Role

RUMOR: X-MEN Reboot's Leads Revealed; Colman Domingo Eyed For Professor X, Daisy Edgar Jones For Jean Grey
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RUMOR: X-MEN Reboot's Leads Revealed; Colman Domingo Eyed For Professor X, Daisy Edgar Jones For Jean Grey

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RedFury
RedFury - 5/17/2025, 12:40 PM
This would be absolutely off the wall if it happened lol. It's actually incredibly hard to believe, and I'm surprised anyone would even put it out as a rumour until it had more teeth. It would be an amazing pull, but him coming out of retirement for a super hero movie is something I don't think anyone would ever have guessed hahaha.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 5/17/2025, 12:42 PM
@RedFury - technically , he’s already out of retirement since he’s acting in a movie that he’s son directed and co wrote with him.
RedFury
RedFury - 5/17/2025, 12:50 PM
@TheVisionary25 - oh okay, so maybe he's looking in making a big public comeback then. Though if the rumour has any salt to it, I would bank on it being all about the massive paycheck he'd get for doing it lol. Or maybe he just really loves the X-Men.
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 5/17/2025, 12:51 PM
@RedFury - or he could find Magneto to be the fascinating character he is

Stranger things have happened lol
SuperiorHeckler
SuperiorHeckler - 5/17/2025, 3:01 PM
@RedFury - I'll say it: Daniel Day-Lewis is too good to lower himself and his craft for a comic-book genre movie. (But, maybe he needs the money???) 🤔
RedFury
RedFury - 5/17/2025, 5:00 PM
@SuperiorHeckler - lol you're saying what a lot of us are thinking I'm sure. Not to say there isn't a comic-book movie out there for his extreme talents. It just seems like the MCU would be a bit of a waste for his level of ability. Unless the X-Men films are something outside of the usual MCU style.
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 5/17/2025, 5:15 PM
@RedFury - User Comment Image

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Ryguy88
Ryguy88 - 5/17/2025, 7:30 PM
@RedFury - no way he takes this role, but would be amazing if he did and would indicate they have some great ideas in the script if he's interested.
Ryguy88
Ryguy88 - 5/17/2025, 7:30 PM
@SuperiorHeckler - legacy money for his kids.
Battinson
Battinson - 5/17/2025, 12:41 PM
Duuuuuuudes that would be [frick]ing awesome!!! DDL is my favorite actor, There Will Be Blood is my favorite movie. He'd be [frick]ing epic
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 5/17/2025, 2:09 PM
?si=3RPpAXxlx_WcZOuv
TheNewYorker
TheNewYorker - 5/17/2025, 12:45 PM
Hahahahaha YEAH RIGHT! Hahahahahahah
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 5/17/2025, 2:15 PM
@TheNewYorker -

A White Magneto would be a hate crime for lefties.

They would wail that Magneto should have been black.
epc1122
epc1122 - 5/17/2025, 2:23 PM
@MakeAmericaGrea - that’s not true. They just don’t get hung up if a black actor is cast.
SuperiorHeckler
SuperiorHeckler - 5/17/2025, 2:54 PM
@epc1122 - It's not about getting "hung up" on a race-swap. It's a matter if it's appropriate for the original source character. We are told that Black Panther can NEVER be anything other than black because being an African Prince is fundamentally integral and necessary to the character itself. In the case of Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto) he is a Jewish concentration-camp survivor. And THAT is as fundamentally integral and necessary for his character as being an African Prince is to T'Challa. 🤨
cubrn
cubrn - 5/17/2025, 3:20 PM
@SuperiorHeckler - Jewish people can be black (Sammy Davis Jr, hello?) but I've never known of a white African prince to exist.
epc1122
epc1122 - 5/17/2025, 3:31 PM
@cubrn - would you stop trying to make sense 😂. People get upset when Perry white, zod, and jimmy olsen are black when it really doesn’t matter. 🤦🏻‍♂️
Makiveli21
Makiveli21 - 5/17/2025, 3:39 PM
@cubrn - google Dricus Du Plesis. He’s the white African prince.
cubrn
cubrn - 5/17/2025, 3:57 PM
@Makiveli21 - He's a right wing MMA fighter.
WruceBayne
WruceBayne - 5/17/2025, 3:59 PM
@epc1122 - let’s not forget Nick Fury.
China1975
China1975 - 5/17/2025, 4:06 PM
@cubrn - maybe, black panther, could be white if the king adopted him! So we could finally have a white Black
BigPhilbowski
BigPhilbowski - 5/17/2025, 4:37 PM
@MakeAmericaGrea - oh look you're back again. Care to answer my question yet? About why you have no issues with an Arab/Chinese man being played by a white Irish guy and praise it for comic accuracy while in the same comment claiming race changes to comic characters are the worst thing they can do? Oh and I've another one to add. Why do you find children attractive? You said the other day that a 13yr character wasn't hot enough for you. Come on. We're all waiting
BigPhilbowski
BigPhilbowski - 5/17/2025, 4:39 PM
@SuperiorHeckler - do you think there were no black Jews at the time of ww2? I'm assuming you also get this worked up over Batman Begins blantent race swapping to a white guy right?
SuperiorHeckler
SuperiorHeckler - 5/17/2025, 4:54 PM
@cubrn - For the sake of this conversation; we are specifically referring to 1930's Germany and the introduction of concentration-camps for Germany's Jewish population. And although there are some historic references to a small minority of black prisoners, no intelligent, mature adult automatically associates that exact time, place and circumstance with individuals like Sammy Davis, Jr. And if you REALLY wanted to stretch credibility to justify a white Black Panther (which is patently ridiculous!); there are most certainly caucasian Africans (mostly South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe.) Numerous European communities established themselves within Africa during the 17th century. 🤨
SuperiorHeckler
SuperiorHeckler - 5/17/2025, 4:56 PM
@BigPhilbowski - I'm not about to waste additional time explaining it to you. Please see my original reply to "cubrn". (Or at least have an adult read and explain it to you if that helps.) 🫤
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 5/17/2025, 5:00 PM
@BigPhilbowski -

Henri Ducard wasn't raceswapped. A White man played a White man.

You think Ra's al Ghul could be Chinese?

Who is the 13 year old character?
cubrn
cubrn - 5/17/2025, 5:03 PM
@SuperiorHeckler - So you admit that black Jewish people exist but can't name one instance of a white African prince.
gambgel
gambgel - 5/17/2025, 5:10 PM
@TheNewYorker - MTTS is a parody account at this point.
Battinson
Battinson - 5/17/2025, 5:31 PM
@MakeAmericaGrea - ''best I can do is make him a black lesbian''- that guy from Pawn Stars probably
BigPhilbowski
BigPhilbowski - 5/17/2025, 6:08 PM
@MakeAmericaGrea - that's the best you could come up with to justify ypur racism after running away everytime time yo u were asked for the last 3 weeks. But pathetic. And yes, he is chinese/Arab.

Literally a main part of his character. So go on. Justify why it's OK to race swap him to a white guy but so bad to do the opposite.

And sorry it was a 14yr old not 13. When you said the actress cast as Ellie wasn't hot enough to play her. You know, Ellie the 14yr old in the 1st game and season. Nothing but another pedo
BigPhilbowski
BigPhilbowski - 5/17/2025, 6:11 PM
@SuperiorHeckler - so they existed and it wouldn't change magnetos character at all. So you're argument is bullshit
IAmAHoot
IAmAHoot - 5/17/2025, 12:45 PM
Did anyone forget that Daniel Day-Lewis retired from acting; and only came out of that retirement to be in a movie because it was being directed by his son?
Wahhvacado
Wahhvacado - 5/17/2025, 12:45 PM
I just don't see him taking the role but who knows.

What interesting ways would he method act Magneto?
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 5/17/2025, 12:50 PM
@Wahhvacado - he can pay using a Fake 20 bill yo experience segregation in real time
Polaris
Polaris - 5/17/2025, 12:46 PM
Omg. There's no way this happens, right? It would be crazy
McMurdo
McMurdo - 5/17/2025, 12:59 PM
@Polaris - zero chance. But can you imagine. It'd be Xmen 97 Magneto brought to life.
Polaris
Polaris - 5/17/2025, 2:13 PM
@McMurdo - Yeah, it would be incredible. Even though it won't be him, it's good news they're looking for a "DDL type" if there's truth to this rumor
NonPlayerC
NonPlayerC - 5/17/2025, 12:47 PM
would it be fantastic, yes. Do I believe it..... No

TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 5/17/2025, 12:47 PM
If true then I admire the ambition but I don’t think DDL will ever be in a superhero film , atleast not a franchise that has him as a recurring character rather then one-off…

Of course he would be great but sadly I don’t see this coming to fruition.

My choice is still Daniel Craig!!.

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RedFury
RedFury - 5/17/2025, 12:56 PM
@TheVisionary25 - Craig would be the perfect casting. He would make an incredible Magneto.
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