X-Men: Apocalypse Heroes Poster Spotlights Jennifer Lawrence in a Big Way

X-Men: Apocalypse's new “Defend” poster not only puts Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique front and center with the heroes, it's the first time the actor gets to show her human face on an X-Men poster.

Lawrence's Mystique stands in front of Quicksilver (Evan Peters), Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee), and Cyclops (Tye Sheridan) with Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) looming over them all just as Oscar Isaac's Apocalypse does in the villain version.

Interesting to see Lana Condor's Jubilee missing from either of the posters. Besides Cyclop's brother Havok, she's the only other mutant we know for sure is involved in the film and presumably would be on the side of the heroes. X-Men fans have been waiting a while to see this character get a real chance on screen, it would be a shame to see her left behind again.

But it's also interesting to see Lawrence finally getting her due on an X-Men poster. She had her first Academy Award nomination in 2010 and has been a top box office draw not only when it comes to “female leads.” For 2011's X-Men: First Class she was just one of the crowd and sporting Mystique's normal look.

She got better recognition by the time X-Men Days of Future Past was released in 2014 but with an Oscar in her hands she still couldn't hold a candle to Hugh Jackman's star power and standing in the franchise.

It makes me curious who would be in the front had Lawrence and Michael Fassbender been on the same poster. And while Lawrence going “human” may have more to do with her separation from Magneto it could also be she was sick of the paint job and finally had more clout to request going without it. Could we see Mystique take a more lead role going forward in the franchise or perhaps spinoff into her own solo film?

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