First Look At Kodi Smit-McPhee As Nightcrawler

Fans of the X-Men franchise may have a little while to wait before the release of X-Men: Apocalypse, but while breaths remain bated for the return of favorites like Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) and Storm (Alexandra Shipp), director Bryan Sing has satiated at least a few X-Men cravings by releasing a first look at Kodi Smit-McPhee as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler. Smit-McPhee has showcased some stellar acting chops in films like Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and The Road. While Alan Cumming spectacularly embodied the role of Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in X-Men 2, it appears that fans won't be disappointed by Smit-McPhee's interpretation of the teleporting mutant.

X-Men: Apocalypse has begun production, and Singer released the first official look at Smit-McPhee as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler in a video via Instagram. Smit-McPhee is seen kneeling in a readied stance, dressed in a classic Kurt Wagner ensemble (red-trimmed jacket, matching shirt, and khakis) while the rest of his person is full-on Nightcrawler. The X-Men films are known for capturing the intricate details of their characters in mutant form, and Smit-Mcphee's blue, scaled skin, clawed fingers, and glowing orange irises make him no exception. The brevity of the clip doesn't take any satisfaction away from this "first look" — quite the contrary! In a mere six seconds, Nightcrawler is seen materializing from an outline of smoke before vanishing, leaving nothing but a black backdrop behind.

I'll admit it: Wolverine is usually the main catalyst to my X-Men fervor, but with this first glimpse of Smit-McPhee as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler, I think I may have a new favorite.

X-Men: Apocalypse hits theaters May 27, 2016.