The Marvel Cinematic Universe is on the cusp of introducing the X-Men in a real and meaningful way. It's unclear how exactly Marvel will be doing this, but the number of hints sprinkled in both films and Disney+ television series feels like audiences won't have to wait too long. Among the mutants, Nightcrawler happens to be a fan favorite, and the actor who takes on the role will be tasked with delivering a layered character performance.
With it also being unclear what age the X-Men will be, that means that there's a wide range of actors from various age brackets that are more than talented and deserving of being given the chance to introduce Nightcrawler to the world via the MCU.
8 Austin Abrams
Austin Abrams might not be a name most people reading this recognize, but that isn't due to a lack of talent. He's the type of character actor people would say they've seen in a number of things, but simply don't know his name. The balance of talent and unknown stardom makes him an ideal candidate for Marvel casting directors.
Physically he looks the part, and the X-Men feel like a point of opportunity for many young actors to blossom into stars in projects that let them showcase their talents to a massive audience. In shows like Euphoria Abrams has been able to showcase that he can play the quiet reserved guy who is more than capable of speaking his mind when he feels like he's being overlooked or underappreciated.
7 Jamie Campbell Bower
Nightcrawler is one of the more popular members of the extensive cast of mutants that make up the X-Men. Ideally, fans would want an actor in the role with natural charisma and likeability, but a different direction might be what's best. No one would say Jamie Campbell Bower isn't those things in real life, but in front of the camera, he's able to capture an unnerving vibe that makes it feel like he has a volcanic eruption of emotion hiding just under the surface.
He stole the show in the latest season of Stranger Things and will likely be appearing in major Hollywood projects in the years to come. Campbell Bower playing Nightcrawler doesn't mean that the character will take a villainous route, but it could add a bit of heaviness to many of the moral and religious quandaries the character is often seen debating about to himself.
6 Xolo Mariduena
Now, Xolo Mariduena might be too busy playing the Jaime Reyes version of Blue Beetle in DC Studio's film of the same name, but a dreamer can dream. What makes the idea of Mariduena playing the role of Nightcrawler so tempting has to do with the similarities between Latin culture and Nightcrawler.
A lot of Latin cultures are rooted in religious beliefs and how individuals come to terms with their relationship with said religion. This personal connection could be elevated by an actor of Latin descent, and among many of the talented Latin actors in Hollywood, Mariduena is one of the hotter names thanks to his role in the cult hit Karate Kid television show, Cobra Kai.
5 Jacob Tremblay
Some rumors tied to Marvel and how the MCU will introduce mutants have suggested that the first class of mutants will be younger teenagers forced with facing the societal backlash towards their kind. Jacob Tremblay has worked in Hollywood for a long time and came out of the gates swinging in his award-winning film Room, which was released in 2015 and starred Brie Larson.
Since then he's mostly done comedic roles, but it's clear he can walk the line between comedy and drama. Nightcrawler feels like a character he could play, and the moment audiences experience it they might feel as if he was destined to play the role. His slighter frame, head shape, and hair all feel like the transformation into the teleporting mutant won't be too much of a stretch, either.
4 Timothee Chalamet
Arguably one of the biggest up-and-coming stars happens to be a young man by the name of Timothee Chalamet. He's already managed to land leading roles in large properties like the science fiction epic Dune, so a jump to the world of superheroes isn't too farfetched. Chalamet has presented himself as an actor who loves to be challenged with his roles and playing Nightcrawler in the MCU would offer him that opportunity.
Depending on the direction Marvel goes with the character, it could provide Chalamet with a canvas to explore the darker inner workings of a mutant who has to balance their religious ideals with the reality of their circumstances.
3 Sunny Suljic
With God of War: Ragnarok releasing in 2022, people across the globe were able to get a reintroduction to Sunny Suljic. He plays Atreus, the son of the God of War, Kratos. Atreus in the sequel is essentially one of the main leading characters and drivers of the narrative. Suljic was able to bring a lot more nuanced performance to the character as Atreus, like Suljic himself, is growing from a boy to a young man.
Far too often voice actors are seen as lesser talent than live-action actors, but that is so far from the truth. Marvel seems to prefer bringing in lesser-known actors for younger roles, so if the X-Men and Nightcrawler are planned as a group of teenagers and young adults, Suljic makes sense in terms of what that character would be presented as on the big screen.
2 Bill Skarsgard
One defining part about Nightcrawler is that he's not meant to be conventionally attractive and charming but rather a deeply troubled and complex person. He's a man that often finds himself struggling with the duality of man and how his mutant identity conflicts with his religious beliefs. Nightcrawler wins people over due to his kindness and charm in the face of his actual appearance.
Bill Skarsgard is an unconventionally attractive man who is capable of some of the most astounding non-verbal facial acting. His performance of Pennywise the Clown in the IT films is haunting, and though Nightcrawler wouldn't demand the same sinister manifestations, Skarsgard would have plenty of room to bring life to a fan-favorite character in the same way.
1 Rami Malek
It's unclear how exactly the X-Men are going to be portrayed in the MCU, but the idea of some of the mutants being older mentors or cautionary tales is totally possible at this point. Marvel has found a great blend of established stars and newcomers to flesh out the roster of characters in both the films and Disney+ television series.
Rami Malek is as accomplished as they come when looking at male actors in their prime, and he'd immediately bring a feeling of prestige and complexity to a property like X-Men that is looking to introduce itself to the world for what feels like a third time in the last two decades. Nightcrawler is also the type of unconventional character Malek would likely prefer, as opposed to playing Cyclops or some other altruistic mutant.