Dawn of the Planet of the Apes actor cast as Nightcrawler in X-Men: Apocalypse

By Rick Marshall February 18, 2015

dawn of the planet apes actor cast nightcrawler x men apocalypse kodi smit mcphee — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Bryan Singer continues to make his Instagram account one of the best ways for X-Men fans to get updates on the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse. After posting some production art from the film earlier this week, the director used the social photo network to announce the casting of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes actor Kodi Smit-McPhee as the new, younger version of the teleporting mutant Nightcrawler.

“Excited to welcome @kodismitmcphee to the cast of #XmenApocalypse as young #Nightcrawler,” wrote Singer in a caption accompanying a photo of Smit-McPhee.

Excited to welcome @kodismitmcphee to the cast of #XmenApocalypse as young #Nightcrawler. @alexvaughanphoto

A photo posted by Bryan Singer (@bryanjaysinger) on Feb 17, 2015 at 8:21pm PST

Smit-McPhee most recently played the son of Jason Clarke’s character in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and will now take on the role popularized by Alan Cumming in 2003’s X2, the second installment of the original series of X-Men movies. Widely regarded as the best film of that trilogy (and regarded by some as the best film in the overall franchise), X2 was directed by Singer and featured Cumming as the teleporting, blue-skinned mutant whose demonic appearance belied his gentle demeanor.

Smit-McPhee will join franchise newcomers Alexandra Shipp, Sophie Turner, and Tye Sheridan, who play young versions of Storm, Jean Grey, and Cyclops, respectively, as well as Oscar Isaac as the powerful mutant Apocalypse.

Returning stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, and Nicholas Hoult are all set to reprise their roles for X-Men: Apocalypse, which is said to be the conclusion of the trilogy that began with 2011’s X-Men: First Class.

X-Men: Apocalypse is scheduled to hit theaters May 27, 2016.

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