X-Men: Dark Phoenix - 6 Reasons To Be Excited

From the beginning, the X-Men movies have always aimed high with the calibre of actors on their roster. From Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, to James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, to Peter Dinklage and Oscar Isaac, the films have made a point of hiring some of the most gifted performers of their time.

Now, it's the turn of Jessica Chastain. The Zero Dark Thirty actress has a tendency to elevate any material she's given, and has long been sought after for comic book roles: she came close to taking what became Rebecca Hall's part in Iron Man 3 (though the role, originally the film's central villain, was heavily rewritten), and popped up on a great many fan wish lists for Captain Marvel, before Brie Larson landed that role.

Word is that, like McKellen and Dinklage before her (though not so much Isaac), Chastain's Dark Phoenix role - whose name has not been officially revealed - should be rather more layered than your standard boo-hiss bad guy.

The actress likens her character to "the vet who tells you you need to put your dog down. There’s something very clinical about it."