Although there’s still no official date for an X-Men movie in the MCU, we know it’s coming. The word “mutant” has already been used twice in the universe, and we even got a Charles Xavier cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. As the leader of the team, Cyclops must be in the film, and the character himself has pitched ideas to Kevin Feige in one recent comic. With all that in mind, let’s start thinking about who could be cast in the role. Here are eight actors who should play Cyclops in the MCU’s X-Men.

Charles Melton

     Warner Bros

Charles Melton is known for his role as Reggie on Riverdale. The actor has shown he can be arrogant, but at the end of the day, he’ll do anything to protect his friends and family. All of those are qualities that would make him a great Cyclops. His performance in The Sun is Also a Star proved he’s a great rom-com leading man, so he’d be more than capable of selling Cyclops’ love story with Jean Grey, as neither James Marsden’s version nor Tye Sheridan’s had the best romantic stories with their versions (although per no fault of their own).

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Charlie Plummer

     Curzon Artificial Eye

Charlie Plummer was once one of the finalists for the Spider-Man role and lost to Tom Holland, but they could be contemporaries if they decide to start the MCU X-Men at a young age, while they’re still discovering their powers. Plummer is both sensitive and intense, making him the perfect actor for a confused, non-confident version of Scott Summers. The actor has also played cocky roles before, so the character’s arc from confused teenager to leader of the X-Men would be in great hands for as many movies as necessary.

Regé-Jean Page

     ABC

Regé-Jean Page is charismatic, suave, cool under pressure, and smart. So much so, that he’s been fan-cast as James Bond by many. We believe he would be a great Cyclops, as the character is a great leader, with an incredible understanding of the battlefield and what to do next. The Cyclops shown in the films don’t have those qualities, and lack the charisma a leader should have. Page would make Cyclops a smart, capable leader worth following. The love triangle with Jean and Wolverine wouldn’t be a problem, as he’s proven before (in Bridgerton) he can also play that kind of emotion.

Taron Egerton

     Apple Inc.

Taron Egerton has already shown his acting skills in both drama (Rocketman) and action (The Kingsman), and has admitted he’s discussed a role with Marvel. Although most people believe he would be a great Wolverine, we think he’d be an even better Cyclops. The actor has proven again and again, that he can play a tortured character, and no one has suffered more in Marvel than Scott Summers. Egerton has the hero with an edgy attitude down, and if the MCU wants to avoid some of the same problems with Fox’s iteration of the character, those characteristics would make for a good start.

Lucas Hedges

     Fox Searchlight Pictures

Lucas Hedges can do it all. His best performances have proven he can play dark, charming, romantic, and desperate roles, and can be those things all at once. Hedges is another young actor the MCU should be looking at if they decide to start with a young Scott Summers, who is still learning to control his powers. The actor could play both the confusion and the intelligence of the character, which will make him a great leader in the future. Hedges has shown he’s more than capable of changing tones in the blink of an eye; a necessary ability in the MCU and their continuous changes between drama and comedy.

Austin Butler

     Warner Bros. Pictures

Who would’ve thought that Elvis and Cyclops could be performed by the same actor? Austin Butler has been a working actor since 2007, but it’s only through his performance as Elvis that Hollywood has finally noticed him. The leader of the X-Men would be well represented. Butler could show Summers’ all-American boy scout looks and attitude, and it’s already established that the actor knows how to hold the camera’s attention while acting as someone who is as conflicted with himself as he is with the whole world, something else he has in common with the X-Men character.

John Boyega

     Bleecker Street

John Boyega has already shown he can be one of the lead characters in a big franchise, even if he and his character deserved better. Be it in the X-Men franchise or in another role, the fact that Boyega hasn’t already been hired by Marvel is surprising. The actor has proven again and again that he’s lead actor material; he knows how to do both comedy and drama, and has an intensity and depth that would make everything his Cyclops is living, much more raw, emotional, and real (as shown in most of his performances, especially in Small Axe).

Glen Powell

     Paramount Pictures

Glen Powell has already denied he’s been offered the role, but so did She-Hulk’s Tatiana Maslany and Hawkeye’s Hailee Steinfeld before playing the parts. As his best performances have shown in the past, Powell has many things in his favor: he can be charismatic; he can be a jerk; he can be a romantic lead; he can command a room; he can be cocky, and he can be cool; all qualities that would work well for Cyclops. His confrontations with Miles Teller in Top Gun: Maverick also proved he can fight with someone else, even being in the wrong, and still make for incredible cinema. With that in mind, his rivalry with whoever they cast as Wolverine would be fun, fighting for the soul of the X-Men and the love of Jean Grey. If Powell becomes Cyclops, we vote for red-headed Zoey Deutch as Jean, as we’d do anything to see these two fall in love again.