X-Men Apocalypse: Tom Hardy In Contention For Title Role

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ and ‘Inception’ star Tom Hardy is being circled for the title role as ancient all-powerful mutant Apocalypse in ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’.

News that Fox have been circling the actor appeared towards the bottom of an article over on The Wrap about the men being sought by Marvel Studios to star in ‘Doctor Strange’.

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“Tom Hardy was once rumoured to be in contention for ‘Doctor Strange,’” reads the article, “Though he has recently been courted for [Warner Bros’] ‘Suicide Squad and the title role in ‘X-Men: Apocalypse,’ so don’t expect to see him join the [Marvel Cinematic Universe] anytime soon.”

This is big news and certainly the first we’ve heard of a casting process for ‘X-Men’ villain, which makes it bizarre that this little bit of news wasn’t given more fan-fare by The Wrap.

As mentioned in their piece Hardy is also among the names being chased to start in Warner Bros’ ‘Suicide Squad’ alongside Will Smith, Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Both that film and ‘Doctor Strange’ would require a lengthy, multi-film contract, which an actor like Hard might be reluctant to sign.

‘Apocalypse’ however would likely be a single movie with a big pay-day.

Wherever he ends up its clear Hardy’s future lies in a comic book movie of some kind. He’s already appeared in one, as Bane in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ but it was his mask, not his face that people remember.

‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ will be released on May 27, 2016. ‘Doctor Strange’ will hit cinemas on July 8, 2016 and ‘Suicide Squad’ will also be released at some point in 2016.

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Picture credits: WENN / DC Comics / 20th Century Fox