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D23 Stage Twist: Adam Driver Says 'I'm Magneto,' Then Reveals He's Actually Mr. Sinister

Marvel Studios unveiled the core cast for the rebooted X-Men at D23 Expo, led by Sadie Sink and Kit Connor, but it was the way Adam Driver's role got revealed that stole the whole show.

Yu-Ting Lin, Managing Editor
D23 Stage Twist: Adam Driver Says 'I'm Magneto,' Then Reveals He's Actually Mr. Sinister

On stage, he first claimed to be Magneto. Then the camera cut, and Adam Driver revealed his character's full name: Nathaniel Milbury—better known as Mr. Sinister. This deliberately staged misdirection turned out to be the one moment at D23 Expo's X-Men reboot cast reveal that landed through performance rather than just another name on a list.

The lineup is officially confirmed, with Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier at the helm. Sadie Sink carries over her Jean Grey role from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, staying put in the Marvel universe. Kit Connor plays Cyclops, Samara Weaving takes on Emma Frost, Christopher Abbott is Professor Charles Xavier, Maya Boyd plays Storm, and Inde Navarrette rounds things out as Rogue. Add in Driver's Mr. Sinister, and all seven appeared together on the D23 stage.

Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed that the cast met each other for the first time backstage before walking out together—meaning the team's "first meeting" was itself baked into the presentation.

The story returns to the comics' original premise: the X-gene awakening during puberty, and Professor Xavier founding a school for gifted youngsters to protect and train these young mutants who face rejection from society. No further plot details were released.

X-Men hits theaters May 5, 2028, following Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027.

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