Prior to the acquisition of FOX by Disney, FOX had a number of Marvel-related projects in development. Because FOX had the screen rights to both X-Men and Fantastic Four characters, one of the projects in development surrounded fan favorite comic book character, the intangible Shadowcat, real name Kitty Pryde. That project appears to have been shelved for the time being, though projects centering on both the Fantastic Four and the X-Men are in development for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whether or not Kitty Pryde, or Kate Pryde as she’s known in modern comics, could become a part of the MCU isn’t yet known.
Kitty was introduced in an Uncanny X-Men storyline in the 1970s as a teenager, an immature young woman who ended up with the X-Men before a new team of teens was formed. She grew up to become a leader for several teams made of mutant superheroes, teach young mutants, and have a lot of romances with different characters named Peter. She’s got a long history to draw from if writers decide to incorporate her character into the future of the MCU. Whether she’s introduced as a teenager or an adult, though, could inform the story choices made for the character. Any of these actors would be able to bring something unique to the character.
Sadie Sink
Because of her impressive performances in both the Fear Street trilogy and Stranger Things on Netflix, there’s no doubt a lot of fans doing armchair casting will be choosing Sadie Sink to portray any number of their favorite fictional characters. Her red hair might have more fans gravitating toward casting her as X-Men’s Jean Grey, but as someone still playing high school students, if Kitty was introduced in the next few years, Sink would make a solid choice to play her as well.
Kitty is very different from Sink’s Max on Stranger Things. While Max is initially standoffish, Kitty is bubbly and wants to ingratiate herself with the X-Men right away. She can also be pushy though, getting herself into trouble when she crosses lines with the team. It would be a very different role for Sink to play, one that would allow her to explore a different side of her acting abilities.
Alisha Boe
Alisha Boe has also made a name for herself thanks to a Netflix series: 13 Reasons Why. There, her character went through a huge amount of trauma, allowing Boe to really display her dramatic prowess. Playing Kitty Pryde would allow her to show off a potentially lighter side to her acting skills, much like it would for Sink.
Like Sink, Boe has a knack for sarcastic line deliveries that would make her a good fit for playing a budding teen superhero. Boe could also lean in to how naive Kitty is when she first teams up with the X-Men. There’s an earnestness to the character that always wants to do the right thing, even though she does make a lot of selfish decisions when she tries to be the hero.
Odeya Rush
Odeya Rush got her big break in movies that were adaptations of books for young adults a few decades ago. She had lead roles in both The Giver (adapted from Lois Lowry’s novel) and Goosebumps (adapted from R. L. Stine’s series that kids devoured in the 1990s). Since then, she’s gone on to appear in popular coming of age stories like Dumplin’ and Lady Bird.
Rush has proven herself a versatile actress already, as most of her roles require a blending of comedy and drama that are more true to life than the average teen fare. She likely won’t be playing teens for too much longer, as she’ll want to transition to more mature roles, but Kitty’s story doesn’t necessarily have to start in the MCU as it did in the comics. After all, Spider-Man’s origin story didn’t play out on screen, and the Fantastic Four movie won’t be an origin story either. Rush could play a slightly more mature Kitty, struggling to be taken seriously in a world of superheroes who still see her as a kid in training.
Zoey Deutch
Zoey Deutch's name has come up in a lot of fan casting sessions of popular characters. She was rumored to be a contender for the DC Extended Universe’s Batgirl before Leslie Grace landed the part. That’s largely due to Deutch already having proven herself capable of tackling an action-heavy role.
Deutch starred in the first onscreen adaptation of Vampire Academy as the best friend and assigned protector of a member of vampire royalty. The teen movie allowed Deutch to showcase her ability to keep pace in a carefully choreographed fight scene, and her previous experience with the Disney Channel has more than proven her comedic chops. Like Rush, she’s a better candidate for a slightly older Kitty, as she’s already transitioned to more mature roles in dramas and romantic comedies.
Alison Brie
If the MCU wanted to skip Kitty Pryde’s teen years and head straight for her days as team leader and sometimes space explorer Kate Pryde (making her a potential contender for that Disney Plus series set in space), a great fit for the role would be Alison Brie. Though she’s primarily known for her role as girl-next-door characters in comedies, she’s got a hugely diverse body of work behind her that has allowed her to more than show off her range.
Brie already has experience with Marvel projects, but in voice over work. She’s voiced Black Widow for a Marvel video game, and will be guest starring in the upcoming Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur animated series. She would, however, make a great addition to the MCU, and it would continue the trend of seeing nearly every member of the Community series cast in the movies. Brie would make a great foil for Chris Pratt’s Star Lord, and someone who could take on the mantle from him, which Kitty does in the comics for a time.
The Mutants, which appears to be the MCU’s movie adaptation of the X-Men, is still in development.