In the build-up to the start of principal photography on X-Men: Apocalypse, director Bryan Singer has been hard at work cultivating the movie’s production aesthetics. Concept artwork is regularly thrown up on his Instagram as a way of keeping fans in the loop and alerting diehard aficionados to the presence of new and returning characters. And if today’s latest post is any indication, one of those appears to be none other than Warren Worthington III – aka Angel.
In Fox’s X-Men Cinematic Universe, Angel last appeared onscreen in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand as played by Ben Foster. It has long since been assumed that we wouldn’t see the character resurrected for another feature, but in the aftermath of Days Of Future Past – which significantly altered the series’ timeline – the character looks prepped for another stint on the big screen.
In the image posted by Singer, Angel is captured in a gigantic cage of sorts situated in an arena housing several hundred onlookers. His imprisonment could suggest his emergence as one of the Four Horsemen – roused into being by the film’s big bad Apocalypse – or of course, Singer may have another fate in store for the winged mutant.
Whatever fate befalls him, we have no clue as to who might be playing him. Foster’s name has not been connected to the production yet, which indicates a new cast member might be stepping into his shoes. Eastenders star Ben Hardy, who joined the movie last month, is hotly tipped to be donning the feathery costume after he missed out on the role of Young Cyclops. His blonde locks suggest one area of compatibility – but lest we forget that actors go above and beyond to transform themselves physically; a dye job is no big deal.
X-Men: Apocalypse arrives in theaters on May 27, 2016.