‘X-Men Apocalypse’ adds Nightcrawler with Kodi Smit-McPhee

Director Bryan Singer continues to use his Instagram account to keep X-Men fans updated on the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse. After posting some production art from the film earlier this week, the director used the social photo network to announce the casting of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes actor Kodi Smit-McPhee as the new, younger version of the teleporting mutant Nightcrawler.

“Excited to welcome @kodismitmcphee to the cast of #XmenApocalypse as young #Nightcrawler,” wrote Singer in a caption accompanying a photo of Smit-McPhee.

Previously Singer announced who would play who will play a young Jean Grey, Storm, and Cyclops on his Twitter feed.

Smit-McPhee most recently played the son of Jason Clarke’s character in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and will now take on the role popularized by Alan Cumming in 2003’s X2, the second installment of the original series of X-Men movies.

James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, and Nicholas Hoult are all set to reprise their roles for X-Men: Apocalypse, which is said to be the conclusion of the trilogy that began with 2011’s X-Men: First Class.

Smit-McPhee will join franchise newcomers Alexandra Shipp, Sophie Turner, and Tye Sheridan, who play young versions of Storm, Jean Grey, and Cyclops, respectively, as well as Oscar Isaac as the powerful mutant Apocalypse.

Channing Tatum will be playing Gambit in a standalone film, so expect a major set up there as well.

X-Men: Apocalypse is scheduled to hit theaters May 27, 2016.