Summary
The MCU’s reboot ofX-Menis rumored to introduce Mr. Sinister as the villain, and they need to bring back the same actor who almost played him in a prior film. Marvel is set to introduce numerous new characters into the MCU, withThe Fantastic Four: First Stepsset to bring in the super team this summer, and a planned reboot of theX-Menseries to bring various mutants into the franchise. TheX-Menoriginally made their live-action debut in 2000, helping to kick off the superhero movie craze alongside films likeSpider-Man.
TheX-Menfranchise saw numerous sequels, prequels, and timeline confusion with conflicting story details. However, the beloved characters found a dedicated audience, with actors like Hugh Jackman bringing characters like Wolverine to life in ways fans never thought they would see. Throughout the franchise’s lengthy run, they introduced several of their most dangerous foes, such as Magneto and Apocalypse. Still, one of their best villains never made it into a live-action film. However,Mr. Sinisteralmost appeared in one of Fox’sX-Menfilms, and they had the perfect casting that will hopefully carry over with their new plans.
Mr. Sinister Is One Of X-Men’s Scariest Comic Book Villains
Mr. Sinister is also knownas Dr. Nathaniel Essex, the head of Essex Corp. He became infatuated with studying the mutant X-gene, with his eyes set toward turning humanity into a race of perfect superhumans. Through Essex Corp., he collects mutant genetic material to further his experiments, which are a take on eugenics. His company often allows him to work in the shadows, manipulating people through power and influence. Mr. Sinister has a wide range of powers, making him a unique threat to the X-Men. Beyond being extremely intelligent, he’s a shapeshifter with telekinetic powers, who can control minds and teleport. Mr. Sinister also possesses superhuman strength and is believed to be immortal.
Some of his darkest stories see himteaming up with Apocalypse, releasing the mutant-killing Legacy Virus, and the Mutant Massacre that wiped out hundreds of Morlocks. He also cloned Jean Grey, making Madelyne Pryor, in an attempt to recreate the power of The Phoenix. However, his most heinous act saw him dig up his deceased four-year-old son so that he could experiment on his body. This ultimately led to his wife being horrified and dubbing him “sinister,” giving him his name. With his potential introduction to the MCU, the character comes with numerous dark stories that could plague the X-Men.
Jon Hamm Almost Filmed Scenes As Mr. Sinister ForThe New Mutants
The New Mutantshad a troubled roadto theaters, facing several delays. It wrapped filming in 2017 and was intended for a 2018 release. However, it saw several release date changes, with rumors of reshoots, potential issues with the state of the film, Fox being bought by Disney, and COVID-19 shutting down theaters. It was finally released in late 2020 while many still stayed away from cinemas, earning modest returns and middling reviews. The plot follows a group of mutant teens held captive at a hospital run by the Essex Corporation, hinting at Mr. Sinister’s involvement in the experiments being run.
WhileThe New Mutantsnever shows Mr. Sinister, he was meant to appear in a post-credit scene, teasing the future of the character in the films. It was the intention of director Josh Boone to include the supervillain, giving the character his first live-action appearance. He was even working on getting John Hamm involved to play the character. Hamm’s involvement was rumored to the point that some believed he even filmed scenes as the character.
However, in a 2022 interview withYahoo!, the actor set the record straight. He let fans know that his planned appearance as Mr. Sinister was real, and he discussed it with Boone, but due to the complicated production, it never came to be. He even put the rumor of existing footage to bed, stating that he “never shot anything,” but “was excited to be considered.”
I remember having a conversation with people: I’m a huge comic book fan, especially of theX-MenandThe New Mutants, so I was excited to be considered. But these conversations happen and then life intervenes.
TheX-MenReboot Shouldn’t Squander Jon Hamm’s Perfect Casting
Jon Hamm is a talented performe who has proven himself to be a complex dramatic actor who can also do comedy. He’s an Emmy winner for his famous portrayal of Don Draper on the lauded seriesMad Men, and he even played Tony Stark/Iron Man intheM.O.D.O.K.Hulu series. Beyond sharing a resemblance to Marvel’s Mr. Sinister, he’s shown his range as an actor and is the perfect choice to play Nathaniel Essex in the MCU. With Hamm’s name merely mentioned as potential casting for the role, it sparked rumors strong enough to imply that he had actually shot scenes for the film, showing just how ravenous the fan base is to see it happen.
Given the troubled road aroundThe New Mutantsand its lackluster reception, Hamm’s performance of Mr. Sinister would likely have gone underappreciated had it come to fruition. However, the actor may get another shot at the role if the MCU sees fit to keep him cast as the character. TheX-Menreboot is still a ways off, with Marvel’s plans for their big-screen return tightly under wraps, but if the rumor of the new script featuring Mr. Sinister is true, they cannot squander the perfect casting of Jon Hamm.
