In X2, which actor plays Colonel William Stryker?

Brian Cox plays Colonel William Stryker in X2: X-Men United.

Stryker is a military figure who regards mutants as a threat and leads the assault on Xavier’s school early in the film. His plan is connected to his personal history: his son Jason is a mutant whose powers and condition have profoundly affected the family.

Brian Cox’s performance made Stryker one of the franchise’s most prominent human antagonists. The character also appears in later X-Men films, including X-Men Origins: Wolverine, where Danny Huston portrays a younger version of Stryker.

A common mix-up is confusing Cox’s Stryker with the film’s many mutant characters, especially Magneto, played by Ian McKellen. X2 was released in 2003 and was directed by Bryan Singer, following his 2000 X-Men film.