Ben Wang is in talks to play Iceman in Marvel Studios' X-Men reboot, according to Deadline. Wang, known for leading Karate Kid: Legends and starring in Disney+'s American Born Chinese, would take on the role of Bobby Drake, a mutant who generates ice. The character has been part of the X-Men since the original comics of 1963.
The deal is not yet finalized. According to SlashFilm, Wang was up against Gabriel LaBelle, Jackson Kelly, and Rhenzy Feliz for the part. He is now Marvel and Disney's frontrunner.
The film has assembled a wide ensemble: Christopher Abbott as Professor X, Adam Driver as Mister Sinister, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, Maya Boyd as Storm, Asa Germann as Angel, and Sadie Sink as Jean Grey. Jake Schreier, who directed Thunderbolts* earlier this year, is behind the camera. Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo, who created Beef and The Bear respectively, wrote the script. The film is targeting May 5, 2028.
For Wang, the role would mark a significant escalation. He made his Disney+ debut in American Born Chinese in 2023, led Karate Kid: Legends opposite Jackie Chan in 2025, and plays a District 12 tribute in The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping. Iceman was previously played by Shawn Ashmore across four Fox X-Men films, last appearing in Days of Future Past in 2014.
