Ready the Horsemen...Here comes Apocalypse!
Variety reports that the upcoming Bryan Singer film X-Men: Apocalypse has cast Oscar Isaac in the role of Apocalypse, the film's central villain. Apparently, Singer had been meeting with actors for the past couple of weeks but Variety's sources said Isaac always seemed like the type of actor Singer wanted for the role and the long-time favorite from the start.
The 35-year-old Guatamalan is best known for his starring role in the 2013 film Inside Llewyn Davis and has had roles in the films The Bourne Legacy, Sucker Punch and the 2010 adaptation of Robin Hood. He also has roles in the upcoming movies A Most Violent Year and Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
X-Men: Apocalypse will be the third in the trilogy of X-Men films that began with X-Men: First Class (set in the 1960s) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (partially set in the 1970s). The movie is expected to be set in the 1980s and will reportedly feature younger versions of classic characters such as Cyclops, Jean Grey and Storm, in addition to the returning cast of James MacAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Hugh Jackman, Nicholas Hoult and Evan Peters.
Created in 1986 by Louise Simonson and Jackson Guice, Apocalypse first appeared in X-Factor (vol.1) #6 as the master of a group of villains called the Alliance of Evil. Later stories revealed that he was En Sabah Nur ("The First One"), the first mutant born 5,000 years ago in Aqaba, Jordan. A scientific genius, Apocalypse has a variety of powerful mutant abilities that have been augmented with Celestial technology.
Seemingly immortal, Apocalypse traveled the world, convincing civilizations that he is a god and manipulating them into fighting wars. After spending many years in suspended animation, Apocalypse awoke in the modern era, briefly employed the Alliance of Evil, then recruited various mutants to serve as his personal guard, The Four Horsemen.
Isaac will be the first actor to signficantly portray Apocalypse in live action, although the character appeared in a brief teaser after the closing credits to X-Men: Days of Future Past, played by Brendan Pedder. Previously, he had appeared in the animated series X-Men (voiced by John Colicos and James Blendick), X-Men: Evolution (voiced by David Kaye), and in an unspeaking role in Wolverine and the X-Men.
X-Men: Apocalypse is scheduled to arrive in theaters on May 27, 2016.