X-Men: 7 Best & 7 Worst Casting Decisions In The Franchise So Far

4. Michael Fassbender - Erik Lensherr/Magneto

Though he was accused of allowing his natural Irish brogue to creep in to the second half of First Class, Michael Fassbender owns Matthew Vaughn's reboot from top to bottom. He is given easily the best moments, from the Tarantino like assassination of two hiding Nazi officers through to his role in the Cuban missile crisis sequence, and it is no accident that the film deems him important enough to welcome him to screen with a Vader-like ominous theme tune. Fassbender does emotionally wounded intensity like few other actors, and there is a rawness in his performance as Lensherr that doesn't always rely on strong outbursts, thanks to the depth he adds to the character. While Sir Ian McKellen is the definitive Magneto, Fassbender is the definitive Erik, on a dark journey of self-discovery that translates his personal anger into a grand, Machiavellian scheme in a relatable way. He is charismatic, irresistibly watchable and the perfect counter-point to James McAvoy's clipped, reasoned Xavier.