Oliver Platt to Join X-Men: First Class; Kevin Bacon to "Surprise"
Posted 08.16.10 by Ryan
Casting on Matthew Vaughn's upcoming adaptation of X-Men: First Class continues to escalate after news that Jason Flemying had joined the cast, and Rose Byrne was poised to do so as well. Deadline reports that the cast is adding another member, though this time it will not be another super-powered mutant.
According to Deadline's report, Oliver Platt has been added to the cast, in the role of "The Man in Black," who is not a mutant or (likely) one of the mutant students attending Professor Xavier's (James McAvoy) "School For Gifted Youngsters." We assume the character will be as mysterious as the countless other characters named "The Man in Black."
Whether Platt will be joining Kevin Bacon as one of the movie's villains is also unknown, though which character Bacon is going to play is still a hotly speculated matter by online fans. While speaking to MTV about Bacon's role, Vaughn said he wouldn't reveal which character Bacon would play, but said that the Footloose actor's performance "will surprise you."
I'll put it that way: He will surprise you with the kind of things he will do in this movie. He's not going to be what you expect at all when you first meet him in the film, you will be surprised that it's him. I don't think it would be right to give [his character] away, but he's really going for it. He's really up for it, and he's going for it. I'm just thrilled that we could get him.
With shooting set to start in "three weeks" according to screenwriter Jane Goldman, more details are sure to leak out. Until then, the following is for sure: McAvoy is playing Xavier, Michael Fassbender is playing Xavier's rival, Magneto, Caleb Landry Jones is playing Banshee, Nicholas Hoult is playing Beast, Alice Eve as Emma Frost, Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Edi Gathegi as Darwin, and Lucas Till as Havok.
Next Showing: X-Men: First Class opens June 3, 2011