Despite offering the role to Taylor Lautner, Superhero Hype is reporting that 20th Century Fox are going with actor Nicholas Hoult for the role of the mutant ‘Beast’ in “X-Men : First Class” (As I mentioned earlier in the week, I strongly doubted Lautner would be able to free himself from “Abduction” without breaking his contract, so not surprised he won’t be doing this one). Hoult replaces Ben Walker, who dropped out of the production in favour of theatre work.

You’ll recall that Kelsey Grammer played the character of Beast in the ill-fated “X-Men : The Final Stand”.

Hoult, whose credits include “About a Boy” and TVs “Skins”, is also attached to another studio tentpole, “Mad Max : Fury Road”, but due to that film’s postponement (it now lenses in Feb), will shoot “X-Men” first.

Also newly onboard the Matthew Vaughn directed prequel is Caleb Landry Jones (“Friday Night Lights”), who has been cast as ‘Banshee’, according to Latino Review, and Lucas Till (“Hannah Montana : The Movie”), who according to EW, is playing the brother of popular bespectacled “X-Men” mutant, Cyclops.

EW has also debunked the widespread rumour that Vaughn’s “Kick-Ass” star Aaron Johnson will be playing Cyclops in the film. Apparently Johnson, though pictured lunching with Vaughn and “X-Men : First Class” star James McAvoy recently, won’t be involved in the film.

You’ll notice that, with the film lensing in London, a lot of the cast are British.