Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige has revealed that actor Adam Driver has repeatedly turned down roles in the Marvel Cinematic Universe over the years, joking that it has become a "long-lived tradition." Speaking on Josh Horowitz's podcast, Feige said he has had "many conversations" with Driver about potential characters, but the Star Wars actor consistently passes despite cordial discussions. The comments matter because they arrive amid swirling casting rumours for Marvel's upcoming X-Men reboot, adding intrigue to speculation about Driver's future involvement.

The remarks follow reports from tipsters MyTimetoShineHello and ApcHorseman suggesting Driver could play a major X-Men villain, initially claimed to be Magneto before being corrected to Mister Sinister. Marvel's "youth-oriented" X-Men reboot, led by director Jake Schreier, is expected after next year's Avengers: Secret Wars, with other casting speculation swirling around actors including Inde Navarette. The MCU has already begun introducing mutant characters via Namor and Kamala Khan, and will feature X-Men characters in December's Avengers: Doomsday, as Marvel continues building toward a fuller X-Men integration.