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On Monday, ahead of the Avengers blitz that's about to sweep the country, Fox and director Bryan Singer decided to release images of Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) from X-Men: Apocalypse into the world:
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(Fox)
Yes, Smit-McPhee's Nightcrawler looks a little awkward, more like Artie from Glee than superhero. Part of this is due to the age of the character. Because Apocalypse is set in the '80s, we get to see a much younger Nightcrawler compared with his last cinematic appearance in X2: X-Men United. And he's also much younger than the Nightcrawler we see in the comic books:
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Amazing X-Men No. 1. (Marvel)
Who is Nightcrawler?
Nightcrawler is a blue-skinned mutant with the ability to teleport. In the comic books he's the son of Mystique and Azazel, and though both characters appear in First Class, this element of Nightcrawler's background probably will not be included in Apocalypse.
One of the recurring themes with Nightcrawler is the conflict between his appearance and his heroism. He's the antithesis of what a hero is supposed to look like, yet he's charming, lovable, and completely selfless.
Why are people so excited about Nightcrawler?
Nightcrawler, like Psylocke, is a fan favorite with a flashy power set. But perhaps the most tantalizing prospect of adding Nightcrawler into the mix is Singer's track record with the character. Singer directed X2, in which Alan Cumming played the character, and Singer choreographed an absolutely stunning opening sequence with Nightcrawler's teleportation powers:
(Fox/Marvel)
X-Men: Apocalypse is due in theaters on May 27, 2016.
