THEN & NOW: The cast of the original 'X-Men' 16 years later

When "X-Men" was released in 2000, it wasn't the first superhero movie ever made - plenty of Batman and Superman movies came before it.

However, "X-Men" was the first superhero movie that really carved out a niche for the genre.

It was dark, fun, and faithful to its source material while taking some liberties. For instance, instead of colorful outfits, everyone wore matching black uniforms.

People loved it.

While modern cinema seems to be dominated by superhero movies, "X-Men" still holds a special place in people's hearts. On May 27, "X-Men: Apocalypse," the latest in the franchise, will be out in theaters.

In its honor, we decided to go back to where it all began. "X-Men" had a few veteran actors, but it also launched a few careers. Here are the cast members of the original "X-Men" movie, then and now: