Top 10 X-Men Mutants from Movies

Ragtag misfits with superhuman powers? Yes, please! Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 X-Men Mutants from Film.

For this list, we’re choosing X-Men mutants whose powers came to life on-screen and whose characters contributed to the larger story of the film franchise. So sorry, super fans, this ranking is solely based on how the characters are portrayed on-screen, not what happens in the comics.

Originally one of Professor X’s students, Pyro had more than a little trouble fitting in at the school. Due to his feeling that his powers made him better than everyone else, Pyro later switched allegiances from the X-Men to Magneto’s Brotherhood of Mutants. A friend turned enemy and filled with angst against humans, he eventually fought Iceman in an attempt to help kill the mutant behind the cure in “X-Men: The Last Stand.”

Don’t get into a staring contest with this guy! He may always play second fiddle to Wolverine, but as the field leader and teacher at Xavier’s Institute, Cyclops can certainly hold his own. Often portrayed as a sensitive guy, Scot Summers always struggled with his ability to shoot optic blasts out of his eyes. But whether he liked it or not, his ability came in handy many times, most notably when he saved Jean Grey from the poison of Toad’s slime.

A scientist and a statesman, Beast’s outer appearance seemed at odds with his interior. Portrayed by Kelsey Grammer as an older man in “The Last Stand,” there’s a humor and grace to the character. Later films saw Nicholas Hoult as the younger Beast, and the actor brought more of a vulnerability and sympathetic quality to the role. There’s no denying that when Beast lets go of all his hang-ups, he’s an absolute animal in the X-Men’s battles. He’s agile, has super-human strength, can leap like no other, and excels at hand-to-hand combat.

Even though he appeared in only one movie of the franchise, he managed to make a lasting impression on audiences. Due to his powers of teleportation, Colonel William Stryker tried to use Nightcrawler in an assassination plot. Nightcrawler’s not a one trick pony though - he’s also an extremely stealthy creature, moving with grace and in utter silence. His tail often comes in handy to grab objects out of his reach, and his heightened senses alert him when danger is near.

Get too close to this girl and you might regret it. Known for her lethal touch that absorbs other people’s powers and memories, Rogue is a sweet girl with deadly capabilities. She often struggles with her power, since she can’t get close to her boyfriend Iceman, or anyone else for that matter. But there is something undeniably awesome about Rogue when she’s able to be herself and she’s often a key player in helping the X-Men accomplish their missions.

As Jean Grey, she’s a sympathetic heroine with the powers of telekinesis and telepathy. But as the villain known as Phoenix, she’s got powers that make her a sheer force of nature. Famke Jassen does a spectacular job of portraying the two versions of the mutant that are polar opposites in personality and in nature. As Jean, she shares a deep connection with Professor X, but as Phoenix, she fights him ruthlessly. Her duality is what makes her both vulnerable and strong.

Pretty much the best teacher ever, Professor X is the X-Men. Without his school and sage wisdom, the group wouldn’t exist. Portrayed by Patrick Stewart with a sense of class that’s hard to match in the earlier “X-Men” installments, James McAvoy goes the opposite route and brings a swagger and cockiness to the younger character in the later flicks. In either form, Charles Xavier is always questioning and learning as well as using his powers of telepathy and genius to encourage others to better themselves. He always tries to use violence only as a last resort, but that doesn’t mean he’s soft!

He’s the perfect villain for the X-Men due to his ability to control metal with his mind. Portrayed by both Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender in the franchise, each man brings a raw power and mystery to the role. Magneto has the ability to make others doubt themselves and he often relies on tricks of the mind, rather than his talents to influence others. But when he does unleash his powers, it’s truly a sight to behold.

When portrayed by Rebecca Romijn, Mystique is an enigma and absolutely merciless when it comes to her target. When Jennifer Lawrence dons the blue paint, she’s a more sympathetic character with a past. But in either version, she’s 100% a stealth badass with the ability to morph into anyone she wants. Mystique is also the ultimate gymnast-meets-ninja as she’s able to bend her body to get out of any restraint. On top of that, she’s multilingual—there’s nothing she can’t do!

Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:
- Lady Deathstrike
- Sabretooth
- Sebastian Shaw
- Iceman
- Storm

Wolverine may not have the flashiest powers, but his primal strength and age-defying powers are a force to be reckoned with. As the core of the X-Men, Hugh Jackman portrays Wolverine with a combination of heart and true grit that’s hard not to gravitate toward, and – as a character – his is the one that sees the most interesting evolution over time. He’s also got some killer claws and whenever they’re out, audiences know that a good fight is about to go down.

Do you agree with our list? Which on-screen X-Man is your favorite? For more awe-inspiring Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to WatchMojo.com.