Anirudh Pisharody quickly latched onto a fan’s side-by-side comparison of himself and the blue-skinned mutant, publicly backing the idea of playing Nightcrawler in Marvel Studios’ X-Men reboot. His reply has already fueled online momentum for the still-open role as the new film’s roster continues to fill out.
The ensemble for Marvel’s X-Men flick is still being fleshed out, which leaves plenty of space for speculation about who might fill the remaining spots alongside the performers already locked in. A handful of casting announcements arrived at D23 this year.
Alan Cumming is reprising the role in Avengers: Doomsday. The new X-Men film is expected to function as a reboot of the franchise, which means a different and younger actor could step into the part going forward and bring a fresh interpretation of the teleporting blue mutant to screens.
Pisharody is an Indian-American actor recognized for his work in Never Have I Ever and 9-1-1. He has also appeared in a range of other projects that have helped establish his screen presence across television and film.
On August 23, Pisharody responded to a fan’s tweet that placed his image next to panels of Nightcrawler from the comics. The post declared “Anirudh would devour as Nightcrawler”.
He quoted the message and replied “So, so down,” tagging Marvel Studios and adding a devil face emoji.
Fan reactions poured in quickly under the exchange, with many users urging the studio to take notice. One commenter wrote “Yes, make your move!” while another noted “I would be down if you could master a German accent.” A third declared “Role assigned to you already” and followed with “Remember me when it happens…”. The outpouring shows how readily supporters have latched onto the idea of Pisharody embodying the character’s agile, charismatic energy.
Pisharody is not the only performer drawing attention for an open role. Reacher star Agnez Mo also engaged with fan casting calls on social media when supporters pushed for her to play Psylocke. She replied “Thanks! I’m just gonna put it out to the universe… Psylocke,” tagging the relevant studio accounts.
Names officially confirmed to star in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men movie already include Kit Connor, Samara Weaving, and others. Kit Connor is set for Cyclops, Samara Weaving will portray Emma Frost, and the broader group features Sadie Sink, Inde Navarrette, Maya Boyd, Christopher Abbott, and Adam Driver in key mutant and adversary parts announced around the D23 presentations.
As Avengers: Doomsday approaches its December 18, 2026 theatrical bow and the new X-Men film targets a May 5, 2028 release, further casting revelations are widely expected in the months ahead. Moments like Pisharody’s enthusiastic reply keep the conversation active around which performers might next join the rebooted team and how the franchise will redefine classic characters for a new generation of audiences.
