The X-Men franchise has a rich cinematic history, showcasing a range of characters from Marvel’s superhero universe. While the film series produced by Fox has faced criticism for its uneven quality, it nevertheless brought to life numerous iconic mutant personalities, often leaving audiences captivated, even amid a timeline that frequently confuses viewers. Throughout the series, fans have been introduced to several older iterations of beloved mutant heroes and villains, highlighting the nuanced storytelling found in the comic source material.
Over the years, the films have featured a variety of surprisingly senior mutant characters. Whether these portrayals stem from older versions of well-known figures or the unique attributes of their powers, the franchise indeed includes some aged characters worth noting. Here, we explore the ten oldest X-Men characters depicted on screen, ranked according to their estimated ages.
10. Cyclops in X-Men: Days of Future Past
Estimated Age: 57 Years Old
James Marsden’s portrayal of Cyclops is set to continue in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, marking his return after four films in the X-Men series. After a prominent role in the original X-Men movie and its sequel, X2: X-Men United, the character met a tragic end in X-Men: The Last Stand. Nonetheless, he returned in X-Men: Days of Future Past, presenting the oldest version of Cyclops we have seen to date. Born around 1966, his character’s age in the future scenes set in 2023 places him at approximately 57 years old.
9. Storm in X-Men: Days of Future Past
Estimated Age: 59 Years Old
Halle Berry’s Storm first appeared in the original X-Men film in 2000, continuing to play a significant role through the series. In X-Men: Days of Future Past, we see her in one of her oldest depictions yet, after initially appearing as a young adult in X-Men: Apocalypse. While the younger version, portrayed by Alexandra Shipp, was around 19 in 1983, this factors into Storm’s estimated age of 59 years old during the altered 2023 timeline.
8. Mystique in X-Men: The Last Stand
Estimated Age: 73 Years Old
Mystique, portrayed by Rebecca Romijn, showcases an interesting evolution through the series. Notably, she was at her most mature in X-Men: The Last Stand. The character’s backstory in X-Men: First Class establishes her as a child, estimated to be around 10 years old during its 1944 scenes, which places her birth year around 1944. Consequently, this implies that she was around 73 years old in The Last Stand, making her one of the oldest characters in the franchise’s narrative.
7. Beast in X-Men: Days of Future Past
Estimated Age: 80+ Years Old
Beast, renowned as one of the original X-Men characters in the comics, made a delayed entry to the big screen with Kelsey Grammer’s portrayal in X-Men: The Last Stand. A few years later, Nicholas Hoult took over the role in the prequels, allowing fans to gauge him as he is in the timeline. In X-Men: First Class, set in 1962, he appears to be about 22 years old, which positions his birth around 1940. This context suggests that Grammer’s version of Beast would be over 80 years old during the lengthy scenes of Days of Future Past.
6. Magneto in X-Men: Days of Future Past
Estimated Age: 93 Years Old
As a key figure in the X-Men storyline, Magneto has made multiple appearances throughout the franchise, initially played by Ian McKellen and later recast with Michael Fassbender in the prequels. His estimated birth year is around 1930, given that younger versions of the character appear to be about 14 years old in the 1944 scenes. This results in an astonishing 93-year-old Magneto fighting alongside the mutants in the 2023 sequences of Days of Future Past, solidifying his legacy in the series.
5. Professor X in Logan
Estimated Age: 97 Years Old
Professor X, an essential figure within the X-Men narrative, portrayed by Patrick Stewart and later James McAvoy, reaches one of his oldest forms in Logan, set in 2029. The film paints a picture of an elderly Charles Xavier nearing the end of his journey, and his age can be approximated through earlier film timelines. Considering he was around 12 during scenes set in 1944, this positions his birth around 1932, making him approximately 97 years old at the time of Logan.
4. Sabretooth in Deadpool & Wolverine
Estimated Age: 189 Years Old
Though Sabretooth is not widely regarded as a cornerstone character of the franchise, his portrayal has evolved over time, first depicted by Tyler Mane and later by Liev Schreiber in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Tracking Sabretooth’s origins, it’s established that he was born around 1835, allowing for an age estimation of roughly 189 years old during the events of Deadpool & Wolverine. His regenerative powers contribute significantly to his extended lifespan, which is apparent in the films.
3. Wolverine in Logan
Estimated Age: 194 Years Old
As one of the flagship characters of the franchise, Wolverine possesses a well-known regenerative healing factor that contributes to his longevity. Hugh Jackman’s portrayal has helped solidify this character’s prominence in superhero cinema, dating back to the year 2000’s X-Men. Born circa 1935, the events of X-Men Origins: Wolverine affirm this timeline, which places his age at approximately 194 years old during his role in Logan, making him one of the oldest portrayed characters in the series.
2. Azazel in Deadpool & Wolverine
Estimated Age: 2000-4000 Years Old
Despite rather limited screen time, Azazel debuted in the franchise as a member of the Hellfire Club, played by Jason Flemyng. His most recent appearance was a cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine. His age, however, is nebulous—comic lore hints that he could be between 2000 and 4000 years old, making him one of the oldest entities within the entire cinematic universe.
1. Apocalypse in X-Men: Apocalypse
Estimated Age: 9983 Years Old
Undoubtedly, the character with the greatest age in the X-Men cinematic landscape is Apocalypse, portrayed by Oscar Isaac in X-Men: Apocalypse. Born around 8000 BC, Apocalypse’s character boasts a staggering age of 9983 years old by the movie’s timeline. Scenes depicting his older self in the film confirm this remarkable longevity, maintaining his status as a formidable antagonist throughout history.
In conclusion, the X-Men franchise has managed to present a unique array of characters, many of whom defy the bounds of time through their complex narratives and rich backstories. As we look forward to future installments, these characters remind us of the enduring nature of powerful storytelling in superhero films.