Nightcrawler Cast For ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’

Young Australian actor Kodi Smit-McPhee has been on the up-and-coming track, since his role as Viggo Mortensen's son in 2009's The Road and opposite Chloe Grace Moretz in 2010's Let Me In. Most recently, he co-starred alongside Kerri Russell and Gary Oldman in 2014's hit film Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, which grossed a massive $708.8 million worldwide. It now appears that Smit-McPhee will be tackling his most high-profile role to-date.

According to EW, Kurt Wagner is returning to the X-Men film franchise, but a new, younger face will be donning the blue skin and pointy tail. X-Men: Apocalypse director Bryan Singer revealed through his Instagram that Smit-McPhee is joining the cast as a younger version of Nightcrawler, a blue-skinned mutant who has the ability to teleport.

Nightcrawler first appeared in the X-Men film series in X2: X-Men United, making his debut during a fan-favorite sequence in the White House that still ranks among one of the most fun to watch scenes in the franchise. Alan Cumming originally portrayed the character in that film, and despite the warm reception he received, the character did not appear in any of the subsequent X-Men films. Nightcrawler is a fascinating character in the comics, with plenty of history and pathos to draw from depending on how Singer plans to rewrite the cinematic history of the X-Men in Apocalypse. Most notable among them are his familial history with several other prominent X-Men characters, as well as his Catholic faith. Smit-McPhee joins Oscar Isaac (A Most Violent Year), who will be playing the main villain Apocalypse. The movie is scheduled for release on May 27, 2016.