Los Angeles: Actor Ben Wang, known for ‘American Born Chinese’, is the latest addition to the cast of Marvel Studios' new ‘X-Men’ film.
The actor is set to essay the role of Iceman in the film. Actors Gabriel LaBelle, Jackson Kelly and Rhenzy Feliz had earlier auditioned for the role, entertainment news outlet Deadline reported.
Iceman is a founding member of the ‘X-Men’ in Marvel Comics. The character was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. In the comics, he can turn his body into organic ice and manipulate water vapour on a massive scale. He is classified as an Omega-level mutant.
Actor Shawn Ashmore has previously played the character in ‘X-Men’ (2000), ‘X2: X-Men United’ (2003), ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ (2006) and ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ (2014).
The film also features Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Adam Driver as Mr Sinister, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, Maya Boyd as Storm, Asa Germann as Angel and Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, among others.
It is set to release in 2028 and is directed by Jake Schreier and produced by Kevin Feige under Marvel Studios. Production is being managed through the UK-based production entity Atlas Hall Productions UK Limited, while distribution is handled by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures.
The studio has been assembling the cast for the new ‘X-Men’ movie following Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox in 2019, which brought the film rights to the mutant franchise under Marvel Studios.
The project gained momentum earlier this year when Schreier, best known for directing Marvel's ‘Thunderbolts’, came on board to helm the film.
The ‘X-Men’ franchise was among Fox's most successful Marvel properties, spawning seven mainline films along with the ‘Wolverine’ spin-off trilogy.
Wang will next feature in ‘The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping’, in which he plays Wyatt Callow.