The Significance of Elliot Page Playing Kitty Pryde
The X-Men are set to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Pictures, previously known as 20th Century Fox. While the studio typically recasts roles to give their unique spin, the MCU has been more open to having iconic actors reprise their Marvel roles thanks to their embrace of the multiverse. Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire returned as Spider-Man in No Way Home, and Patrick Stewart played a variant of Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Now, Hugh Jackman is set to return as Wolverine in Deadpool 3, which is expected to feature the return of many previous characters from the Fox X-Men universe.
The X-Men franchise has always been progressive, with the comic book serving as a metaphor for social issues such as racism, Apartheid, conversion therapy, and fake news. The current X-Men storyline revolves around the mutant nation of Krakoa, as mutants begin to be led to freedom and safety. The comic New Mutants recently introduced a trans character, Escapade, providing a significant step forward for the franchise.
Kitty Pryde, also known as Shadowcat, while being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community in her bisexuality, is not a trans character. Elliot Page, a notable trans actor, who came out in 2020, has been suggested for the role. However, Hollywood has a reputation for having cisgender actors play trans roles. Would it be enough for Page to represent a member of the LGBTQIA+ community by playing a bisexual female? Or should the character transition and be a trans man like Page himself? These are all important questions that creatives need to consider.
While there are no plans for the X-Men in the MCU as of yet, Page could return as the character in Deadpool 3, which is rumored to be the final curtain call for the Fox X-Men franchise. Page could also reprise his role as Kitty Pryde in the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars set for release in 2027. If the film takes inspiration from the 2015 event of the same name, it will feature various multiverses smashed together to create one composite universe.
Page is a great actor and a significant outspoken advocate for transgender rights. Marvel Studios should consider bringing him in as another part, even if he does not reprise his role as Shadowcat in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga. The Marvel Universe should reflect the world outside our own in its heroes and the people that bring them to life.
The X-Men are joining the MCU with Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Pictures, formerly 20th Century Fox. Typically the studio tends to recast roles to give their own unique spin on them, as was the case with Tom Holland as Spider-Man or, recently, Mahershala Ali as Blade. Yet thanks to their embrace of the multiverse, the MCU has now been more open to having iconic actors reprise their previous Marvel roles. Both Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire returned as Spider-Man in No Way Home. Patrick Stewart played a variant of Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Now Hugh Jackman will return as Wolverine in Deadpool 3.
Updated June 14, 2023: This article has been updated following the release delays to the MCU schedule, including Deadpool 3 and Avengers: Secret Wars
Deadpool 3which will be the kick-off of the 2024 summer movie season, is set to feature the return of many previous characters from the Fox X-Men universe. Morena Baccarin, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Brianna Hilderbrand, Shioli Kutsuna, and Stefan Kapicic are set to reprise their roles as Vanessa, Blind Al, Dopinder, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Yukio, and Colossuss respeticetevly. This might be the fitting farewell to the Fox X-Men franchise that Dark Phoenix did not provide. With that in mind, is it possible that Elliot Page could return Kitty Pryde?
Page famously came out as a trans man in 2020 and has been one of Hollywood’s most notable trans actors. After his transition, he was still willing to play female characters, despite some controversy. Would he reprise his role as Shadowcat? Because X-Men could be the perfect place for him to make a statement with the role.
The X-Men Have Always Been a Progressively Forward Franchise
X-Men was created in the 1960s as a comic book that provided a metaphor for racial tensions at the time. Parallels have been drawn between Professor X as Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Magneto as Malcolm X figures for their mutant causes. Yet the X-Men as a franchise represents a wide array of social issues.
In 1988 the X-Men’s island nation of Genosha acted as a metaphor for South African Apartheid. In Joss Whedon’s 2004 story arc, the mutant cure was analogous to conversion therapy, a practice that attempted to “cure” members of the LGBTQ+ community. And in 2018, X-Men Red took on the concept of fake news when Cassandra Nova programmed people’s minds to flood the media with mutant hate. X-Men has civil rights ingrained in its narrative. It’s part of the comic’s DNA.
As each generation of X-Men spoke on the conflicts of their time, one wonders if now they will address one of the most present social issues: trans rights. The comic’s current storyline revolves around the mutant nation of Krakoa, as mutants begin to be led to freedom and safety. The X-Men comic New Mutants recently introduced a trans character. Escapade premiered in a one-shot and is returning in October. It’s a huge step forward for X-Men and one a hypothetical X-Men film should not shy away from
Playing Kitty Pryde Now Provides a Unique Opportunity
Kitty Pryde, AKA Shadowcat, though being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community in her bisexuality, is not a trans character. She identifies as a female. And that identity may restrict Page from playing the role. Some point out that Hollywood has a reputation for having cisgender actors play trans roles. And like white actors to blackface, cisgender actors have dressed as or pretended to be their opposite gender, unfortunately, often for the sake of comedy.
Hollywood has entered an era where characters designed to be of a certain race, gender, or sexuality are offered to a person who most closely mirrors that character’s identity, or at least theoretically so. It can create better opportunities for marginalized groups and has made the Hollywood community more diverse overall. Movies are often made for specific actors or even highlight the struggles of particular groups of people, so it does make sense to cast actors who can bring a deep understanding to the role.
If Elliot Page were to play Kitty Pryde in X-Menwould it be enough that he was representing a member of the LGBTQIA+ community by playing a bisexual female, or should the character transition and be a trans man like Page himself? Would it even be necessary? These are all important questions the creatives need to have. Page’s other superhero project, The Umbrella Academy, worked in his transition into the story, and his character transitioned to Viktor Hargreeves. This crafted a meaningful change in the narrative while also featuring prominent trans characters in a major leading role.
Directors often design character-driven films with specific actors in mind, e.g., Brendan Fraser in The Whale. That is done for the same artistic reason – the actor’s identity reflects the film’s narrative. But would allowing a trans man to play a female role increase the opportunities for trans people? Or would it merely misrepresent cisgender characters? Transgender people are already poorly represented in Hollywood, and Elliot Page has a unique opportunity to step into one of his previous iconic roles and show be a prominent transgender hero in a major superhero movie.
Page Could Return In Deadpool 3
Currently, there are no plans for the X-Men in the MCU as of this writing. While Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige has said the X-Men will be coming, and mutant references have been dropped in Ms. Marvel and Black Panther: Wakanda Foreverit is likely the MCU’s introduction will not come until after the Multiverse Saga and could be the beginning of Phase 7. By that time, at least in 2028, Elliot Page will be about 40 years old, well above the age the character of Kitty Pryde is traditionally in the Marvel Universe.
However, Elliot Page could return as the character in Deadpool 3. That film appears to be taking place in the Fox X-Men Universe and will play a role in the larger Multiverse Saga. Page could play an older version of Kitty Pryde, one that has transitioned and is a part of the larger story. With Deadpool 3 rumored to be the final curtain call for the Fox X-Men franchise, it would be appropriate to have Page’s Shadowcat return. Plus, it would be nice to have Page work on an X-Men project not affiliated with Brett Ratner or Bryan Singer.
Page Could Have a Future in the MCU
Page could also reprise his role as Kitty Pryde in the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars set for release in 2027. If that film takes inspiration from the 2015 event of the same name, it will feature various multiverses smashed together to create one composite universe. Page’s Pryde, alongside various other pre-MCU Marvel favorites, could appear as cameos in this universe composite universe. It could also allow for some fun references to Shadowcats’ wider comic history, like featuring Page as a multiversal Star-Lord, which Kitty Pryde did become in the comics for a short time.
Page is a great actor. If he does not reprise his role as Shadowcat in the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, Marvel Studios should consider bringing him in as another part. As an Academy Award-nominated performer and a major outspoken advocate for transgender rights, they would be a vital addition to the franchise and one that could help the franchise flourish in the ever-changing 21st century. The Marvel Universe is the world outside our own, and it should reflect that in its heroes and the people that bring them to life.
