I made a joke the other day on Twitter noting that X-Men: First Class was so packed with characters that the first 60 minutes of the film would wind up being all character introductions. It was a joke, sure, but there’s also no denying the fact that this sucker is at the point where it’s literally overflowing with talent. Fun for hardcore X-Men fans who are itching to see more of their favorite mutants come to life on screen, but one can’t help but wonder whether it was really necessary to include this many characters in one film, and, well, whether it will come back to bite (or scratch – where’s that Wolverine cameo, anyway?) them in the end.
If anyone can handle all these mutants, though, it’s director Matthew Vaughn (Kick-Ass), and he’ll certainly have his hands full. Late additions (via Deadline) to the already packed cast include January Jones (Mad Men) playing Emma Frost (instead of the previously rumored Alice Eve), Zoe Kravitz playing a character named Angel (who some suggest is an alternate name for a young Storm), and Oliver Platt as “The Man in Black” (no Lost references please!). Other additions include Bill Milner (Son of Rambow) as a young version of Magneto (to be played by Michael Fassbender later in the film) and Morgan Lily as a young Mystique (to be played by up-and-comer Jennifer Lawrence later in the film).
And for those who need a refresher on the folks already signed on: James McAvoy is playing Professor Xavier, Nicholas Hoult will play Beast, Caleb Landry Jones will play Banshee, Lucas Till will play Havoc, Edi Gathegi will play Darwin, Rose Byrne will play McAvoy's love interest Moira MacTaggert, and Kevin Bacon will play the not-yet-announced lead villain.
Do you think this film has too many cast members, or should an X-Men film always include a big ensemble cast?
