Marvel's X-Men Movie Finds Its Angel In A Breakout The Boys Universe Star

"The Boys" spin-off "Gen V" was canceled after its second season, but one of its stars still has a future in superheroes. The Hollywood Reporter confirms that Asa Germann, who played Sam Riordan on "Gen V," has been cast as Angel/Warren Worthington III in Marvel Studios' upcoming "X-Men" reboot. 

This comes off the first wave of "X-Men" casting announcements at D23 in August. Germann joins Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, "Obsession" breakout star Inde Navarette as Rogue, Maya Boyd as Storm, Sadie Sink as Jean Grey (coming off of her debut in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day") and Adam Driver as the evil Mister Sinister. 

One of the original five "X-Men," Angel was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby and debuted in 1963's "X-Men" #1. True to his name, he has feathery wings on his back that let him fly (plus angelic good looks). He has previously been played by Ben Foster in "X-Men: The Last Stand" and by Ben Hardy in "X-Men: Apocalypse." It remains to be seen how Germann's portrayal will compare.

"X-Men" is set for release on May 5, 2028.

"X-Men" co-writer Lee Sung Jin has previously suggested the movie could use the original X-Men team lineup. So far, the film has Cyclops, Jean, Grey, and now Angel. If the next heroes cast are Beast and Iceman, it'll have the complete quintet. But even so, it's clear the movie isn't sticking only with the Stan Lee/Jack Kirby "X-Men," since Rogue, Emma Frost, and Mister Sinister are also appearing.

In those classic comics, Angel was a rival to Cyclops, a rich pretty boy competing for Jean's affections against the more reserved Scott Summers. Later "X-Men" stories have highlighted the dissonance embedded in Angel's character. He's an attractive white man from old money, but his wings are extremely obvious physical mutation; he both passes as "normal" and doesn't.

"X-Men: The Last Stand" tackled this (Warren is introduced as a child trying to cut off his growing wings in an act of mutant self-hatred), but Angel was an extended cameo in that movie. For what it's worth, Sam on "Gen V" goes through a rather "X-Men"-esque arc of his family rejecting him because they fear his powers, so we know already Germann can play that.

"X-Men: Apocalypse," meanwhile, did Angel's most famous comic storyline. During the 1980s comic "X-Factor" by Louise Simonson, Warren's wings were amputated. The evil Apocalypse changed Warren into one of his Horsemen, Death, luring him with the promise of new, steel wings. But again, "X-Men: Apocalypse" didn't really service the character; Ben Hardy's Angel was just a henchman for Apocalypse (Oscar Isaac), even if the scene of his wings molting and regrowing as steel is pretty, well, metal.

Angel is a character previous "X-Men" movies haven't served well, so Marvel Studios can rectify that.