After the major success of X-Men: Days of Future Past, we got word of a sequel would be started right away. With that announcement came word that more characters will be introduced, in some cases reintroduced. Just two weeks ago I posted the names that were testing for the younger versions of characters Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Storm. We all figured that official word would come some time after, that time was last night. Bryan Singer took to his Twitter page to let us know who has been casted for the popular characters!

There’s no doubt that James Marsden, Famke Janssen, and Halle Berry are all loved by X-fans because they are the originals, they started it all. But now it’s time for them to move over as younger versions of their mutant characters have been officially casted.

X-Men: Apocalypse director Bryan Singer has announced that Tye Sheridan (Mud), Sophie Turner (Game of Thrones), and Alexandra Shipp (Drumline: A New Beat) have been casted as the younger versions of Scott Summers a.k.a. Cyclops, Jean Grey a.k.a. Phoenix, and Ororo Munroe a.k.a. Storm for the highly anticipated sequel.

Here’s the official announcement from Bryan Singer’s via Twitter:

As I said above, all three stars were mentioned a few weeks ago when I posted the names that were testing for these very roles. Although only Sheridan was mentioned as a frontrunner at the time, my personal choice for the roles were all three of these young talents.

Sheridan is one of the incredible rising stars of today, if you haven’t seen Mud or Joe, I highly recommend you doing so. And although Sophie Turner’s Sansa character from Game of Thrones was a bit eh at the beginning, the last few seasons have really showed off Turner’s abilities. Her character is now one I just can’t stop watching, only helps when she’s pretty easy on the eyes. As for Alexandra Shipp, I honestly can say I’ve never seen her on screen. But has unknown casting in any X-Men movie ever failed us before?

Here’s Sophie Turner’s reaction to being casted in the very big/popular role:

X-Men: Apocalypse will be set in the 1980s. Sheridan, Turner, and Shipp will be playing the younger versions of the heroes played by James Marsden, Famke Janssen, and Halle Berry in the original X-Men movies (as well as Days of Future Past). They will be joining other newcomer Oscar Issac, who will be playing the title villain Apocalypse. It’s also rumored that both Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool and Channing Tatum as Gambit could possibly make appearances, since both have solo movies scheduled for that same year. It would be the second time around for Reynolds as Deadpool (that dreadful X-Men Origins movie), but would be the debut for Tatum.

The movie will bring back the core characters from the prequel trilogy – James McAvoy as Professor Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Magneto, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Nicholas Hoult as Beast, as well as Evan Peters’ Quicksilver character from Days of Future Past. Hugh Jackman is currently in talks to return as Wolverine, but nothing official yet.

From what we know, Apocalypse will close out the story and characters started in X-Men: First Class, apparently with ‘mass destruction’. The villain Apocalypse is the first mutant ever, who was born thousands of years ago (a la the DOFP post-credit scene). As for the story, it’s been said that it will somewhat focus on Mystique and her relationships with Magneto and Beast. But I’m sure as summer draws closer, we’ll have much, much more on Apocalypse.

X-Men: Apocalypse will start filming this spring for a May 27th, 2016 release date. Directed by Bryan Singer starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Evan Peters, Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, and Alexandra Shipp.