Rumors of the X-Men making their way to the MCU have been circulating for a while now. The fans have expectedly begun to cast their favorite stars in the many roles that make up the famous mutant team. Specifically, there is growing anticipation as to who will don the white locs of the iconic mutant heroine, Storm.
While Halle Berry brought the role of the vibrant leader to life in previous X-Men live adaptations, it’s pretty certain that Marvel Studios will go a different route and cast someone else for the role of the thunderous superhero in any upcoming versions.
Obviously spoiled for choice, there are several women that would more than likely be in the running for the role of Ororo Munroe, so here’s our pick for the actresses most likely to succeed in portraying one of the first Black female comic book characters ever.
China Anne McClain
If China Anne McClain is selected for the role of Storm, she will join Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Angela Bassett, and a host of other talents who would have starred in DC and Marvel adaptations. She portrayed Lightning in The CW’s Black Lightning and has been a household name since she was a young girl. McClain has the talent, charm, wit, and experience to knock Storm out of the park. There might be concerns that she is too young for the role, but the introduction of the Multiverse has taught us that anything is possible in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and there’s always the possibility that she can exist in a different timeline.
Anna Diop
Another actress who is already familiar with playing a superhero, the brilliant Anna Diop has earned praise for her portrayal of Starfire, a member of the Titans in the HBO Max superhero series, Titans. Both characters are quite similar, being able to redirect energy, as well as being descendants of royalty. Diop has proven in the past decade that she is more than capable of succeeding in any role brought her way, and we’d love to watch her bring her powerful acting energy to the MCU. She’s brought fierce roles to life in the past, and Storm would fit right in her roster of badass women to play.
DeWanda Wise
Her portrayals of no-nonsense leading women should automatically slot the fantastic DeWanda Wise into the conversation of strong female leads that can elevate the role of Storm in the MCU. She was originally set to star as Maria Rambeau in Captain Marvel but pulled out due to conflicts in her schedule. She’s shown off her action movie chops in the recently released commercial hit Jurassic World, so Storm should be right in her wheelhouse. Other roles in Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It and the miniseries Shots Fired prove that her strengths lie in conveying powerful emotions.
Keke Palmer
In need of no introduction, there’s no role that the multitalented Keke Palmer has not given her all. Kicking off her career as a child star, the now 29-year-old actress has enjoyed much critical acclaim for her performances in film, television, and stage. The MCU would be a perfect addition to her already boast-worthy and lengthy career. She recently starred as powerful characters in the Jordan Peele directed horror Nope, the thriller, Alice, and the animated film, Lightyear. It’s safe to say that Palmer was made to embody strong female characters on screen.
Zoë Kravitz
No stranger to heroic portrayals, actress and singer Zoë Kravitz will undoubtedly make an excellent Storm. She’s shown off her fierce side with performances as Angel in X-Men: First Class, Christina in the Divergent series, Toast in Mad Max: Fury Road, and most recently, Catwoman in The Batman, the latter of which earned her critical acclaim. Kravitz might have her hand busy with the expansion of Matt Reeves’ Batman universe, but it’s obvious she would absolutely nail the role of Storm.
Janelle Monáe
With a slew of jaw-dropping roles in the past couple of years, Monáe has proven why they should definitely be in the running to take on Storm in the MCU. With so much wit, strength, and class in their previous roles, exuding the confidence that is attached to the powerful mutant will come easy to them. From Hidden Figures, to the Oscar-winning Moonlight, Monáe might have initially won hearts as a musical talent, but their acting skills are phenomenal.
Beyoncé Knowles-Carter
That’s right! The multi talented entertainer is considered a jack of all trades, and her acting performances have actually been on the receiving end of praise for years. While she was previously rumored to be a potential Black Panther 2 cast member, that’s not the case anymore. Luckily, with her good rapport with Disney, Knowles-Carter might make her MCU debut one of these days, and who better for Queen Bey to play than Ororo Munroe? We’re certain she’d kill it, and this image from ApexForm is pretty convincing, looks wise.
Naomie Harris
Naomie Harris began her illustrious career when she was a child, and the British actress has starred in several high profile films and plays and earned acclaim for her multifaceted performances. Another seasoned actress with experience in the superhero film genre, she recently appeared in Sony’s Venom: Let There Be Carnage. Harris would make an excellent Storm, and it should be noted that she bears a striking resemblance to some of the comic book versions of the classic heroine.
Freema Agyeman
One of Britain’s queens of sci-fi, Freema Agyeman became a household name in the late 2000s by starring as Martha Jones in the acclaimed BBC series and cultural phenomenon, Doctor Who, and its spin-off, Torchwood. She was also a member of the short-lived Sense8, which has gone on to maintain a cult following. Agyeman as Storm just makes sense, and she should seriously be one of the contenders for the role. Better yet, she’s portrayed an African Princess in the The Carrie Diaries, so all the flags seem to be green for this potential casting.