Variety is reporting that Kelsey Grammer is set to play Beast, aka Hank McCoy, the oversize blue-furred biochemist who was one of the original X-Men, but who has yet to appear in an X-Men film.  Beast will play a major role in the new X-Men movie, which is being directed by Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake).  Marvel's Avi Arad told Variety that Grammer was chosen because he can project the intelligence of Beast, a scientist with a genius IQ.

Variety also noted that Vinnie Jones, the former British football star who has acted in Snatch and Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, will portray the Juggernaut, the giant metal-clad bad guy who just happens to be Professor Xavier's half-brother.

Kitty Pryde and Angel are the only remaining key roles to be cast, and Maggie Grace, from the TV series Lost, is thought to be in negotiations with Fox to play Kitty.  Halle Berry, James Marsden, Famke Janssen, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are all set to reprise their roles in the new X-Men saga, which is slated to begin shooting in Vancouver in July and will likely debut on Memorial Day 2006.