The MCU's X-Men Reboot Can't Forget This Classic Mutant Hero Nobody Is Talking About

Published Sep 26, 2026, 9:45 AM EDT

Nicholas Raymond is an author and journalist based out of Alabama, where he proudly roots for the Alabama Crimson Tide football team. A graduate of the University of Montevallo, he has a degree in mass communication with a concentration in journalism.

When building the team for the X-Men reboot, Marvel Studios shouldn't overlook Banshee, a character who has the potential to be a great addition to the story. So far, Marvel has the makings of a very promising starting lineup of X-Men heroes who are set to lead the MCU into a new era after Avengers: Secret Wars. But as strong as the cast already is, Marvel likely still has names to add to the list before all is said and done.

Three of the five original X-Men are already confirmed to be on hand in the reboot. Sadie Sink will be reprising her role as Jean Grey, whom she played in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Joining her are Cyclops and Angel, who will be portrayed by Kit Connor and Asa Germann respectively. At least two more iconic X-Men heroes - Rogue (Inde Navarette) and Storm (Maya Boyd) are set to appear as well. There's also Samara Weaving's Emma Frost, but her comic history suggests she may not be a member right away.

When it comes to the question of who may be next to join the ensemble, the two names who get brought up the most are Beast and Iceman, as both are the only two missing characters from the original lineup. And of course, there's naturally a great many fans who would be happy to see new versions of Wolverine, Nightcrawler, Kitty Pryde, Colossus, or Gambit grace the silver screen with the rest of the mutants in the film. While one or two of these fan-favorite characters could conceivably join, most will likely be saved for later.

As the MCU's X-Men cast continues to take shape, all sorts of names are naturally being discussed, but one that's getting very little attention compared to the rest is Sean Cassidy. Although less recognizable than the likes of Nightcrawler or Colossus, Banshee would be an appropriate choice for a key role in the upcoming movie.

Banshee In Marvel Comics Explained

Banshee wasn't a member of the original X-Men squad, but he was a recurring player in their comics prior to the mid-1970s reshuffle that added Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler, and Colossus to the mix. Debuting in 1967's X-Men #28, Sean Cassidy is Banshee, a green-and-yellow mutant from Ireland who possesses the ability to emit powerful sonic blasts. If not defended or avoided properly, Banshee is so dangerous that he can immediately dispose of extremely formidable Marvel characters, from Captain America to Cyclops.

Because of this incredible power, Banshee was able to serve as an opponent to the entire team in his first outing. Banshee was an operative of the evil organization known as Factor Three. But it was discovered that Banshee's actions weren't his own, and so the X-Men worked to free Banshee from Factor Three's control.

The Factor Three storyline played out across several issues, with Banshee serving as an ally (but not an official team member) while the X-Men made efforts to defeat them for good. After the Factor Three threat was eliminated in X-Men #39, Banshee continued to make recurring appearances, while also trying to avoid life as a costumed superhero. But various challenges kept sweeping him back into the X-Men's orbit.

Banshee's importance to the X-Men's history received another notch in Giant-Size X-Men Annual #1, which revolutionized (and revived) the X-Men for a new era. This second generation of X-Men saw some of the original characters take a backseat to new X-Men heroes, such as Wolverine and Colossus. Among this brand-new X-Men lineup was Banshee, who helped fit the underlying theme of the team, which was that each member represented a different corner of the world. Being Irish, Banshee certainly fits that bill.

Ever since, Banshee has rotated on and off several different X-Men teams, coming back to play pivotal roles in all manner of crucial X-Men story arcs for the next several decades. And he remains relevant even today in 2026.

Why Banshee Would Be An Excellent Choice For An MCU X-Men Roster Spot

Based on his roots in Marvel Comics, Banshee is an underrated candidate for a role in the MCU's X-Men reboot, primarily for two reasons. Looking at the roster Marvel is assembling, it's likely that the vast majority of its heroes will be in line with the original concept of the team. The X-Men were introduced as a team of teenagers who were students in an academy set up exclusively for mutants. But as they aged and adult heroes joined the fold, the entire tone shifted. Given the age of Jean Grey and those of the actors already cast, Marvel will indeed tell a story centered on young superheroes.

When Banshee began associating with the X-Men, there was an obvious contrast, in that Sean Cassidy was a much older and experienced superhero. He wasn't assigned an age, but there was a sense that he was somewhere in his late 20s or 30s. That age gap would create a decidedly different dynamic for Banshee in terms of his relationships with the other X-Men.

It's worth noting that Professor Xavier is older too, but the difference between him and Banshee is that only the latter would be joining them in the field, which is all the more reason for someone like him to be involved. It may be easier to understand Professor Xavier putting his students in harm's way if he had a seasoned mutant accompanying them, almost as a chaperon.

Additionally, Banshee has received very little representation in movies. Played by Caleb Landry Jones, Sean Cassidy served as a member of the first team in the 2011 X-Men origin story film, X-Men: First Class. Because of his lack of visibility in Marvel movies, it wouldn't be difficult to make a Banshee role come across as something fresh to audiences. A character with his powers and background is something people have only seen once, and that was 15 years ago in a project that isn't exactly one of the most famous X-Men movies.

And with that in mind, Marvel would be able to easily sidestep the challenge of ensuring that Banshee lives up to what came before, which is exactly what it would have to do if it tried to immediately reintroduce someone like Wolverine to fill the role of an on-the-field mentor figure.

Banshee Could Help Set Up Additional X-Men Characters (Including Juggernaut)

Compounding Banshee's case for inclusion in the X-Men reboot is the vast amount of storytelling potential that comes with him. After all, Banshee comes complete with his own archenemy, Black Tom Cassidy. Introduced as Banshee's cousin, Black Tom Cassidy is a B-list X-Men villain who boasts a long-running rivalry with Banshee.

But perhaps the most notable facet of Black Tom Cassidy's story is his choice of allies. Black Tom Cassidy is the longtime partner-in-crime of the Juggernaut. In fact, many of Juggernaut's battles with the X-Men have been motivated by his loyalty to Black Tom Cassidy, meaning that Marvel could use Banshee's conflict with his cousin to facilitate Juggernaut's MCU debut.

Plus, he has a super-powered daughter named Siryn, a major X-Men superhero in her own right. Assuming that Marvel plans to keep the X-Men train running for years upon years, introducing Siryn via Banshee could help the MCU create a meaningful link between its original mutant team and one of its future X-Men generations.

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  Jean Grey

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  Rogue / Anna Marie

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  Scott Summers / Cyclops

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  Samara Weaving

  Emma Frost