Due to the overflow of comic book movies in theaters and the tendency to now link the words “superhero movie” with “summer blockbuster,” many forget that the "X-Men" films were one of the first mainstream superhero franchises to hit theaters back in 2000. Three years later, "X2" (2003) arrived and its success continued the "X-Men" momentum—a momentum that stalled when"X-Men: The Last Stand" (2006) and"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (2009) brought in lower numbers and interest than the other films.

With 20th Century Fox’s plan to reboot the series as a prequel, director Matthew Vaughn’s "X-Men: First Class" (2011) revived the X-Men franchise. Producer Bryan Singer used the film’s success as a way to bridge the 2000 films with the reboot in the wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey adventure "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (2014) which proved to be Fox’s biggest X-Men success thus far. All of this set the stage for Singer’s new film "X-Men: Apocalypse." With all of the overlapping timelines and changes to characters for convenience, I’ve put together a character guide to help you prepare for the newest "X-Men" film.

Let’s start with the folks we already know:

1. Professor X

Real Name: Professor Charles Xavier
Portrayed by: James McAvoy
Mutation: Telepathy (and a wide array of extra powers that fall under this telepathic umbrella, including mental detection of nearby mutants, mind control and mental possession) and genius-level intellect

Fulfilling his duties as the leader of the X-Men, Professor X has thrown away his own self-doubt to teach and guide the next generation of mutants, as well as face any threats that may arise. X-Men: Apocalypse will take place roughly a decade after the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past, and Xavier has re-opened his school for Gifted Youngsters for mutant kids in need of safe haven.

2. Beast

Real Name: Hank McCoy
Portrayed by: Nicholas Hoult
Mutation: Genius-level intellect, super-strength and agility, oversized hands and feet, animalistic physical characteristics (blue fur, ape-like facial features, pointed ears, fangs and claws)

Hank McCoy is one of Professor X’s most dedicated friends and students, and he stuck by Xavier’s side during his darkest time in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Regardless of his improvements to accept himself, McCoy still hides his mutation as he struggles to be “Mutant and Proud.”

3. Mystique

Real Name: Raven Darkhölme
Portrayed by: Jennifer Lawrence
Mutation: Shape-shifting and a natural appearance of blue skin and yellow eyes

The X-Men prequel series has focused on Raven’s evolving opinions and understanding of the place for mutants in this word. In X-Men: First Class, Raven creates her persona Mystique with help from Magneto who suggests that she should embrace her shape-shifting abilities and stop hiding her true self in order to fit in. Since siding with Magneto over Xavier but then soon leaving the Hellfire Club, Mystique has been pursuing her own goal of liberating mutants from human control, but the threat of Apocalypse will influence Raven to return to fight alongside the X-Men.

4. Quicksilver

Real Name: Peter Maximoff
Portrayed by: Evan Peters
Mutation: Superhuman speed (not just moving quickly—he can also think and react at supersonic speeds) and the enhanced physiology, durability, stamina and agility that comes with it

Quicksilver proved to be one of X-Men: Days of Future Past’s best new additions, as his brief scenes stole the screen. In X-Men: Apocalypse, viewers can expect to see Quicksilver as a member of the X-Men as he figures out who his father is.

5. Havok

Real Name: Alex Summers
Portrayed by: Lucas Till
Mutation: Generates strong plasma blasts through absorbing cosmic radiation into the cells of his body and transforming it into energy

After his cameo in X-Men: First Class, Lucas Till will return as the energy-basting Havok. In X-Men: Apocalypse, Havok will brings his younger brother Cyclops to Professor Xavier to train him to control his powers, a change from the comics where Cyclops is Havok’s older brother.

6. Agent Moira MacTaggert

Portrayed by: Rose Byrne

Moira MacTaggert is a CIA agent who was obsessed with the investigation of Sebastian Shaw in X-Men: First Class. She sought out the help of Charles Xavier to better understand mutants, though Xavier erased her memory of it all and she will not know him when they meet again in X-Men: Apocalypse.

Now, onto the newbies:

7. Cyclops

Real Name: Scott Summers
Portrayed by: Tye Sheridan
Mutation: Fires optic blasts from his eyes fueled by absorbing ambient energy such as sunlight

At this point in his life, Cyclops isn’t the model students that many X-Men fans may expect. Nevertheless, Scott will show us some awesome energy beams projected from his eyes—powers that are uncontrollable without his signature shades.

8. Jean Grey

Portrayed by: Sophie Turner
Mutation: Powerful telekinesis (along with telekinetic flight, shield and blast), telepathy (accompanied by mind link, mind control and psionic blast and shield, among other abilities), and the extremely powerful mythical power of the Phoenix Force (which allows her to have precognitive visions, disintegration and fire generation, as well as enhances her other telepathic and telekinetic abilities)

Jean Grey is one of the most influential and powerful characters in not only the X-Men movies, but also the X-Men comic series as a whole. Jean’s powers also come with a downside of making her extremely vulnerable to the thoughts of those around her, and you can expect X-Men: Apocalypse to touch on her dark side as well.

9. Jubilee

Real Name: Jubilation Lee
Portrayed by: Lana Condor
Mutation: Creates, projects and controls pyrotechnic energy plasmoids, often mistaken for fireworks

Jubilee is a longtime comic book favorite and staple of Fox’s X-Men animated series. X-Men: Apocalypse will be Jubilee’s full big screen feature debut after three separate cameo appearances in the original film trilogy.

10. Nightcrawler

Real Name: Kurt Wagner
Portrayed by: Kodi Smit-McPhee
Mutation: Teleportation, shadow camouflage, surface adhesion, superhuman agility, acrobatics, senses, reflexes, flexibility and resilience, as well as a physical appearance of indigo skin, two-toed feet, three-fingered hands, yellow eyes, pointed ears and a prehensile tail

Another timeline change is that X-Men: Apocalypse’s Nightcrawler will join the X-Men decades before the events of X2. Nightcrawler will first join up with Mystique, who is his mother in the comics, but it is unlikely that this relationship will carry over to the movie. Regardless, Kodi Smit-McPhee is sure to bring a fun twist to the fan-favorite teleporting mutant.

And we'll end with the bad guys:

11. Apocalypse

Real Name: En Sabah Nur
Portrayed by: Oscar Isaac
Mutation: Magical armor that enhances his physical abilities giving him superhuman strength and durability, adaptive reflexes, telekinesis, telepathy, shielding, teleportation and genius-level intellect

This will be Apocalypse’s first appearance in the live-action film series, although he has been a staple of the X-Men comic books. He is not only one of the oldest mutants, but he also has multiple powers which he has enhanced with alien technology. He has a plan to remake the world in his image, as well as the means to do so with his four horsemen.

12. Magneto

Real Name: Erik Lehnsherr
Portrayed by: Michael Fassbender
Mutation: Magnetokinesis that allows him to manipulate magnetic force fields which develops his magnetic flight, magnetic shield and metallic bonding, as well as genius-level intellect

The X-Men films have portrayed Magneto as both a hero and a villain. As an antagonist that resorts to evil deeds in order to protect his fellow mutants and take down larger threats, Magneto seems to have had enough after the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past, but as one of Apocalypse’s new horsemen, Magneto will rise once again.

13. Psylocke

Real Name: Elizabeth Braddock
Portrayed by: Olivia Munn
Mutation: Telekinesis along with telekinetic weaponry, telepathy and precognition

X-Men: Apocalypse will feature Psylocke, a character that audiences have wanted to see brought to pivotal part on the big screen for a long time. As the second horseman of Apocalypse, she will bring him an advantage with her telekinetic powers, advanced martial arts skills, and telepathic abilities.

14. Storm

Real Name: Ororo Munroe
Portrayed by: Alexandra Shipp
Mutation: Atmokinesis which allows her to control the weather and levitate by controlling the power of wind, enhanced senses and detection of her surroundings, atmospheric resistance and energy perception

A younger and less experienced version of the fan-favorite heroine Storm will appear in X-Men: Apocalypse after four appearances by her adult counterpart in the X-Men films. Storm has historically been one of the primary X-Men, but in the new timeline, she will re-enter the story as the third horseman of Apocalypse.

15. Angel

Real Name: Warren Worthington III
Portrayed by: Ben Hardy
Mutation: Feathered, large, white wings which will receive a power upgrade from Apocalypse making them metallic blades, aerial adaptation making his entire body naturally adapted to flying, enhanced durability and strength, regenerative healing and superhuman, bird-like sight

In X-Men: Apocalypse, Angel will be recruited to be the fourth and final horseman of Apocalypse. Movie-goers can expect a true-to-comic transformation of this character into Archangel with metallic blades replacing his feather wings.

16. William Stryker

Portrayed by: Josh Helman

Stryker was the main villain in X2 as he sought to harness mutant abilities in order to fight other mutants with the creation of the Weapon X program, which was also responsible for bonding Wolverine with adamanitium. At the end of X-Men: Days of Future Past, Mystique briefly replaced Stryker, but now he’s back and he has his own plans to take out the mutants before Apocalypse rises.