Adam Driver breaks long-standing Marvel rejection streak with major villain role

The actor says director Jake Schreier and Kevin Feige helped seal his decision

Adam Driver has explained why he finally accepted a role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe after repeatedly turning down opportunities to join the franchise.

The actor will play Dr Nathaniel Essex, better known as Mister Sinister, in Marvel’s upcoming X-Men reboot. Speaking during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Driver said his enthusiasm for the mutant superhero team was a major factor behind his decision.

“I was a big fan [of ‘X-Men]. I mean, I was a fan of the other things too, but this one felt like the right time,” he said.

Driver also credited director Jake Schreier, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and the screenplay for bringing him on board. He described the script as “really cool” and said the different elements came together at the right moment.

His casting marks a change after years of declining Marvel offers. Feige previously revealed that he had approached Driver about several projects, describing their repeated meetings followed by the actor turning down roles as a longstanding tradition.

Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Feige said Marvel would like to work with Driver and praised him for being cordial and upfront during their conversations.

Driver has also spoken about his hesitation towards joining a franchise with such a large audience. He acknowledged that a major superhero film would attract considerable attention, making any disappointing performance particularly visible. He also said he did not want to get the role wrong.

In the new X-Men film, Mister Sinister will serve as the main antagonist. The character is described as a superintelligent, shape-shifting telepath.

Driver will face a superhero team featuring Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, Kit Connor as Cyclops, Christopher Abbott as Charles Xavier, Maya Boyd as Storm and Asa Germann as Angel.

The project marks Driver’s first major role in the Marvel franchise after years of turning down its offers.