Cynthia Erivo wants to take on the role of Storm in Marvel’s X-Men universe

After captivating audiences as the gravity-defying Elphaba in Wicked, Cynthia Erivo is setting her sights on another iconic role—Storm, the weather-manipulating mutant from Marvel’s X-Men. The actress revealed her interest in playing the character during her appearance at the National Board of Review Awards Gala in New York City this past Tuesday.

"I really want to play Storm," Erivo told a member of the organization when asked about her future aspirations. "I know it sounds frivolous, but I think we haven't fully explored the depth of her character and the inner turmoil she experiences. I believe there's potential to do something meaningful with that."

Storm, also known as Ororo Munroe, is one of Marvel's most powerful mutants, able to control the weather. Her complex backstory includes her journey from a street thief in Cairo to being worshipped as a goddess in Africa and even becoming the Queen of Wakanda as the wife of Black Panther. Despite her immense power, Storm struggles with claustrophobia, stemming from a childhood trauma where she was trapped under rubble with the bodies of her dying parents.

The role of Storm has been portrayed by Halle Berry in the X-Men films, starting with the 2000 movie and continuing until X-Men: Days of Future Past in 2014. Alexandra Shipp then took over the role in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019). With Disney now owning the rights to the X-Men, the characters are entering a new era.

The X-Men '97 animated series, which is a continuation of the 1990s cartoon, premiered on Disney+ in 2023, with Alison Sealy-Smith voicing Storm. Sealy-Smith also voiced the character when she made her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in What If...? season 3. Marvel has continued to integrate X-Men characters into the MCU, with the arrival of Deadpool and Wolverine.

Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige recently teased more X-Men appearances in future films. "You’ll see that continue into our next few movies and some X-Men players that you might recognize," Feige said in November. "The whole story of Secret Wars will lead us into a new age of mutants and X-Men."

Janelle Monáe, the star of Dirty Computer and Knives Out: Glass Onion, has also expressed interest in playing Storm in a live-action film. In 2020, Monáe told Empire, "One of my dreams has always been to play Storm. I don’t know if she’ll appear in Black Panther, but it would be a dream to see her there."

Monáe praised the actresses who have played Storm before, saying, "A lot of women have played Storm and done an exceptional job. I would love to join that line of artists and give Storm the justice she deserves."

Meanwhile, Erivo continues to bask in the success of Wicked, which has been a box office hit since its release in December. The film, based on the Broadway musical, is generating award buzz and is set to continue its success into 2025 with the release of Wicked: For Good, the second half of director Jon M. Chu's adaptation.

Erivo, along with her co-star Ariana Grande, is currently in high demand, and whether or not she steps into the role of Storm, the sky’s the limit for this talented actress.