Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness dropped an exciting trailer during the Super Bowl last week, though fans are still debating one aspect of the new footage. There’s a plethora of speculation regarding whether Sir Patrick Stewart is officially entering the MCU as Professor X. But with nothing more to go on than a voice -- which sounds like Stewart's -- in the trailer and a sliver of what appears to be a bald head, things remain inconclusive. However, amid all the hoopla, I did get some thoughts from the actor on whether he could actually reprise the famous role.
I spoke to Patrick Stewart ahead of the release of Star Trek: Picard Season 2 and, during our conversation, I attempted to squeeze any Marvel details I could get out of the actor who portrayed Charles Xavier on screen for years. I specifically asked Stewart what it would take for him to reconsider bringing back Professor X the same way he did Jean-Luc Picard and got the following response:
Oh, I think it’s unlikely you’ll see him again. You know, I think I died three times as Professor X, but the last one was pretty terminal [laughs]. I would be very interested in seeing him again, but who knows? [smiles].
The 81-year-old actor is a pro and, given how secretive Marvel Studios is with its plans, it’s no surprise that he provided a cryptic response. Hey may not be in Multiverse of Madness (which seems unlikely). Or maybe he’s in it but not playing Professor X (it's possible, but the chances of that are slim). Of course, he could also just be taking a page out of Andrew Garfield’s book by simply denying and dodging until an actual reveal is made official.
The former X-Men star wasn’t just being cagey to me, of course, as CinemaBlend’s Reelblend co-host, Kevin McCarthy, couldn’t even get a straight answer out of the actor (though his response was sort of perfect). In short, if you're looking to get answers about whether the actor is involved in the Marvel sequel, know that you won't get them from the man himself.
Patrick Stewart isn’t the only major actor to be linked to the film either, as Tom Cruise has been as well. As mentioned, though, many of these rumors have not been confirmed, which isn’t exactly uncommon for an MCU production. We’ll just have to wait for the premiere and hope that Stewart does indeed return in the highly anticipated film.
Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness premieres in theaters on May 6th. It’s just one of many upcoming Marvel movies that are on the way. Though it arguably could be one of the most important given what occurs in the multiverse and that vast amount of power between Wanda and the titular sorcerer.
