Peter Claffey is reportedly Marvel’s new Beast in the X-Men reboot

You know how Marvel loves a dramatic reveal? Well, the studio seems to have snapped up another key player for its big X-Men reboot – this time for one of the trickier roles, Beast. Reports are swirling that they've picked out Irish rising star Peter Claffey to play Hank McCoy, and, not for the first time, the internet has exploded straight into opinion mode.

Peter Claffey, known for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, is reportedly Marvel's choice for Beast in the new X-Men film.

Peter Claffey Gets Furry

First appeared over at Knight Edge Media: Peter Claffey, who's probably still best known as Ser Duncan the Tall from HBO's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, has apparently landed the gig as Marvel's newest Beast. That rumour started its life as a random suggestion from industry scooper Jeff Sneider back in April 2026, and, once out there, fans seemed about as keen as you'd expect, given that Claffey's got the whole "built like a mutant scientist" look nailed already.

Since then, a fair few other online scooper types have backed up the original story. Marvel haven't said a word officially, but that hasn't stopped fans from getting properly invested – or, let's be honest, a bit noisy about it on social media. Various Twitter users seem delighted with the idea, calling it everything from 'peak casting' to just a plain old 'hell yeahhhhh'. If anyone's worried Claffey wasn't tall enough, relax: the man's 6'5, so physical presence absolutely not an issue.

• Peter Claffey: Cast as Beast? (Marvel hasn't confirmed, but it's looking more nailed on every day.)
• Charles Melton: Was apparently in the mix for Hank McCoy but bailed – too busy trying to juggle the X-Men gig with commitments to the upcoming Naruto live-action adaptation.
• Kelsey Grammer: Played Beast back in 2007 and is back as a time-twisted version in this year's Avengers: Doomsday.
• Nicholas Hoult: Handled a younger Beast in the First Class trilogy.

X-Men Reboot Cast (So Far)

The rumor mill’s also turned up quite a bit about the rest of this new X-team. If you've not been keeping score: Christopher Abbott is tipped to be Professor Charles Xavier; Sadie Sink gets the always-hard-luck job of Jean Grey; Kit Connor is your new Cyclops; Samara Weaving is down for Emma Frost; Inde Navarrette as Rogue; Asa Germann for Angel, and Maya Boyd as Storm. Also worth noting, Adam Driver is set to play classic X-villain Mister Sinister. Not a bad line-up – if it all turns out to be true.

The X-Men reboot is aiming for a UK production start in early 2027, eyes set on a May 5, 2028 cinema release.

Whoever's on this X-Men casting team, the internet reckons they deserve a pay rise. Multiple fans have chimed in to praise the way Marvel's picking actors for what is, let's be honest, a pretty daunting ensemble. Sure, there'll be moans later when a favourite is snubbed, but for now, the mood is mostly thumbs-up.

Because it's Marvel, and because everything leaks out in dribs and drabs, the studio hasn't officially confirmed Claffey's casting as of late October 2026. So, unless Marvel decide to give up the goods before then, it's a waiting game till 5 May 2028 when the reboot finally lands in cinemas.