This Should Absolutely Be The Next Big Bad X-Men Villain After ‘Apocalypse’ 

This Should Absolutely Be The Next Big Bad X-Men Villain After ‘Apocalypse’

Comic book fans know that in the “X-Men” universe, villains don’t get much bigger than Apocalypse, who’ll threaten the new team in “X-Men: Apocalypse.” I mean, come on. Not only is the movie named after him, but he’s also literally named after the end of the world. How do you top that?

But it’s also no secret that 20th Century Fox is looking to continue the “X-Men” franchise beyond this sixth film, which means they

need a baddie who’ll be able to raise the stakes after En Sabah Nur (Oscar Isaac) and his ominous blue skin get taken down. Good thing “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston has just the person for the job — namely, himself.

While at a New York Comic Con panel for his new show on Crackle, “SuperMansion,” Cranston disclosed the Marvel villain he would most like to play in a movie: Mr. Sinister. For those of you playing at home, that’s this guy:

This isn’t the first time Cranston’s expressed interest in playing a Marvel villain recently; while on the red carpet for his new film “Trumbo,” he told

that he’d “like to do some big superhero villain in some Marvel classic,” but that he’d want the character to be created from scratch for him. “Don’t know what I would do but it would be nasty,” he added.

Mr. Sinister (real name Nathaniel Essex) isn’t a brand new character, but he certainly fits that “nasty” description. In the comics, he is a mutant-obsessed geneticist who’s been pulling the strings behind the scenes of the X-Men’s lives, especially Cyclops, since before they were born. He’s also been alive since the 19th century thanks to an immortality boost from Apocalypse, and his connections to the current cast of characters makes him a perfect addition to the series.

In fact, it’s rumored that 20th Century Fox is already searching for a Mr. Sinister to play the villain in their “Gambit” movie, as a leaked casting call from earlier this year sought out an “elegant and intelligent” man in his ’40s and ’50s who’s an “appealing entrepreneur with an unexpected dark side.” Yeah, that sounds like a role Cranston can play, don’t you think?