Ben Wang has entered talks to play Iceman in Marvel Studios' new X-Men movie. The role is one of the clearest early casting moves around a reboot that is already lining up its core roster for a May 5, 2028 theatrical release.
Iceman and Bobby Drake
Iceman, also known as Bobby Drake, is a founding member of the X-Men, first appearing in The X-Men #1 in September 1963. The character's cryokinesis has made him one of the most durable names in the franchise, and Marvel Studios is now weighing a new face for a part that has already been played by Shawn Ashmore in the X-Men films of the 2000s.
Ben Wang and the cast
Ben Wang plays District 12 tribute Wyatt Callow in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, which puts the actor in another high-profile studio project even before this Marvel casting decision is settled. Gabriel LaBelle, Jackson Kelly and Rhenzy Feliz were among the other actors who tested for the part, a sign that the role has been treated as a competitive hire rather than an automatic handoff.
Jake Schreier is directing X-Men from a script by Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo, with Kevin Feige producing the film. Christopher Abbott is cast as Professor X, Adam Driver as Mr. Sinister, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, Maya Boyd as Storm, Asa Germann as Angel and Sadie Sink as Jean Grey.
Marvel Studios’ release plan
May 5, 2028 is the date Marvel Studios has set for X-Men in theaters, which gives the studio a long runway to finalize the lead ensemble around Ben Wang if the talks become a deal. Marvel representatives could not be reached for comment, and the role talk remains unconfirmed, so the next real signal will be whether the casting moves from discussion to contract.
