The X-Men live action film series has featured no shortage of iconic villains from the mighty mutant team’s comic book adventures — from Magneto to William Stryker, from the Sentinels to Apocalypse. Even the Shadow King has appeared in live action as the main villain of the Legion TV series.
However, there’s one major X-Men villain who has yet to make his live action debut: Dr. Nathaniel Essex, aka Mister Sinister. Born in Victorian-era London, Sinister is an immortal mad scientist obsessed with creating a world of genetically perfect beings, with himself as ruler. To that end, he’s tormented countless mutants in his twisted experiments — chief among them being Cyclops, who was raised in an orphanage that served as a front for Sinister’s research.
With the mind of a genius, the heart of a showman, and a complete and utter lack of morals, Mister Sinister is one of the X-Men’s most cunning, ruthless villains — not to mention one of their most flamboyant. But despite his popularity, he has yet to appear on film. Granted, he was being set up as a major villain in the last few Fox films, with the name “Essex” being referenced in both X-Men: Apocalypse and Deadpool 2. Jon Hamm was even cast as Sinister himself for The New Mutants, but his appearance was ultimately cut from the film. But with the X-Men’s inevitable arrival to the MCU growing ever closer, Mister Sinister would be the perfect villain to kickstart the mutants’ return to the big screen. And when that day comes, here are a few actors who’d be perfect for the role.
Hugh Laurie
There are many words that one could use to describe Nathaniel Essex. To name just a few: sophisticated, witty, theatrical, sardonic, and of course, English. As it happens, these are also all words that one could use to describe Hugh Laurie. The prolific actor is best known to American viewers for his role as another misanthropic, egotistical doctor — Dr. Gregory House from the long-running medical drama House. But across the pond, he’s famous for his extensive comedy background, from Rowan Atkinson’s Blackadder to the sketch comedy series A Bit of Fry and Laurie with Stephen Fry.
However, Laurie is no stranger to villainous roles either. He played a deadly arms dealer in the 2016 John Le Carré adaptation The Night Manager, and was even the villain in the ill-fated Disney sci-fi flick Tomorrowland. Indeed, despite his great accomplishment as an actor, Laurie’s been in everything from Stuart Little to Monsters vs. Aliens to the notorious flop Holmes and Watson. In other words, he’s not the kind of actor who’s likely to turn down an MCU role. And that’s certainly a relief, because Hugh Laurie has exactly what it takes to give Mister Sinister the charm, class, and cruelty he needs.
Eddie Redmayne
Of course, being an immortal shapeshifter, there’s no reason that a younger actor can’t play Nathaniel Essex. After his breakout role in Les Misérables, Redmayne received several awards for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything. And just a year later, he became the stuff memes are made of with his scenery-chewing turn as a spacefaring supervillain in Jupiter Ascending. These days, he’s most famous for his role as Newt Scamander, protagonist of the Fantastic Beasts series, giving him plenty of experience as a major player in a fantasy franchise.
However, after the poor performance of The Secrets of Dumbledore earlier this year, the future of the Fantastic Beasts series looks anything but bright. As such, it’s possible that Redmayne will jump ship to Warner Bros.’ top competitor for his next blockbuster role. And as an Oscar-winning thespian who’s had experience with hammy villain roles, he’d be right at home in Mister Sinister’s jet-black cape.
Matt Smith
Speaking of younger actors, Redmayne isn’t the only performer who’s in need of a new franchise to join. Matt Smith is best known for his starring role as the Eleventh Doctor in Doctor Who, making him something of a celebrity among sci-fi fans. Since then, he’s earned acclaim for his role as Prince Phillip in The Crown — but he’s also been in films like Terminator: Genisys and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, so the man clearly hasn’t strayed far from his campy roots.
And of course, he’s risen to internet meme stardom this year with his role as the villainous Milo in Sony’s Morbius, meaning he’s technically already played a Marvel villain. Plus, he’s set to be a main cast member in the upcoming Game of Thrones spin-off House of the Dragon, meaning his schedule could very well be booked for the foreseeable future. Even so, Smith can play whimsical and over-the-top just as well as cold and menacing. So in the event that he does get the chance to play Mister Sinister, he’d be a perfect fit for the role.
Peter Capaldi
Of course, if the Eleventh Doctor isn’t available, his successor is just as valid an option. While he’s best known for his portrayal of the Twelfth Doctor in Doctor Who, Peter Capaldi has been in everything from World War Z to the Paddington movies. And of course, he also appeared as the Thinker in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, giving him prior experience as a comic book villain. And as any Doctor Who fan can tell you, Capaldi is a performer of tremendous range, capable of being a snarky rock star one moment and a terrifying force of nature the next. In fact, the Twelfth Doctor’s most acclaimed episode is essentially just an hour of Capaldi talking to himself — so if that isn’t a testament to his acting chops, nothing is.
Matthew Rhys
Best known for his starring roles in shows like The Americans and Perry Mason, a leading man like Matthew Rhys isn’t exactly a traditional pick for an eccentric supervillain like Mister Sinister. Plus, unlike the rest of the actors on this list, he has no experience with mainstream Hollywood blockbusters. But as it happens, he has plenty of experience playing a Disney villain.
Animation fans will likely recognize Rhys as the voice of Emperor Belos, the main villain of the Disney Channel cartoon The Owl House. Rhys’ portrayal of Belos is downright chilling, bringing the cunning, manipulative mastermind to life with incredible skill. If Rhys brought that same level of performance to Mister Sinister, he’d no doubt become one of the MCU’s greatest villains.