The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is no stranger to fan-fueled casting dreams, but few have sparked as much buzz as John Boyega’s recent tease about joining its ranks. At a panel during the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) on April 14, 2025, the Star Wars alum revealed that Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige once asked him which character he’d like to play in the MCU. Boyega admitted he didn’t have an answer at the time, but when a fan shouted out Bishop, the time-traveling X-Men hero, he enthusiastically responded, “Oh, I’d play Bishop.” This moment, reported widely across platforms like ScreenRant and X, has ignited speculation about Boyega’s potential role in Marvel’s mutant-filled future.
Boyega’s interest in Bishop, a lesser-known but compelling X-Men character, comes at a pivotal time for the MCU. Introduced in Uncanny X-Men #282 in 1991, Lucas Bishop is a mutant from a dystopian future, gifted with the ability to absorb and redirect energy, often depicted as a tactical genius with a signature futuristic arsenal. His brief live-action appearance in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), played by Omar Sy, left fans wanting more. The character’s recent prominence in Disney+’s X-Men ’97 animated series has further boosted his profile, making Boyega’s endorsement feel perfectly timed.
The actor’s openness to the MCU marks a shift from his 2022 stance, when he told Men’s Health that Marvel wasn’t in his plans, favoring indie projects like Breaking and The Woman King over blockbuster franchises. “I want to do nuanced things… it’s real hard to top Iron Man in that universe,” he said. Yet, his C2E2 comments suggest a change of heart, perhaps spurred by Feige’s personal outreach. While Boyega didn’t specify when their conversation occurred, Kotaku notes it could date back to 2015, around the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, when Boyega’s star power was skyrocketing.
Fans on X have embraced the idea, with posts like those from @MCU_Direct and @AgentsFandom amassing thousands of likes, envisioning Boyega’s commanding presence as Bishop. “He’d bring such grit to the role,” one user wrote, reflecting the sentiment that Boyega’s intensity—seen in films like They Cloned Tyrone—could redefine the mutant hero. Some even speculate he could anchor the MCU’s X-Men reboot, expected to follow Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027. Kevin Feige himself has teased mutant integration, telling IGN in November 2024 that “the next few movies” will feature “X-Men players you might recognize,” with Secret Wars ushering in a “new age of mutants.”
But is Bishop the right fit? The character’s time-traveling backstory aligns with the MCU’s multiverse saga, offering narrative flexibility for films like Avengers: Doomsday (2026). Boyega’s physicality and charisma could elevate Bishop beyond his cameo status in Fox’s X-Men films, much like Dave Bautista did for Drax. However, MovieWeb points out past fan-casting rumors—like Boyega as Kang or Black Panther—never materialized, suggesting his Bishop interest might remain speculative. Critics also note that Bishop’s stoic nature could limit Boyega’s range, with some proposing flashier roles like Blue Marvel instead.
The X-Men reboot remains in early development, with no director or cast confirmed, per ScreenRant. Yet, Feige’s track record of securing top talent—think Chadwick Boseman or Chris Hemsworth—makes Boyega a plausible contender. His Star Wars experience, though marred by fan backlash, proved he can handle franchise pressure, and his indie work shows depth that could enrich Bishop’s moral complexity. Financially, casting a proven draw like Boyega makes sense: The Woman King grossed $97 million globally (Box Office Mojo), showing his audience pull.
For now, Boyega’s Bishop dream is just that—a dream. But with the MCU poised to embrace mutants, his C2E2 moment has fans buzzing. Will he wield Bishop’s energy blasts in a post-Secret Wars world, or is this another tantalizing what-if? As Feige told ComicBook.com, the X-Men are “an important part of that future.” If Boyega joins them, he could help shape it.
