Patrick Stewart is not only a national treasure to several nations. He’s also a planetary treasure. We could even say Patrick Stewart is a multiversal-treasure. Although he’s played several iconic figures, Patrick Stewart is especially acclaimed for his role as Professor X, a.ka. Professor Charles Xavier, leader of the legendary X-Men. While we’ve seen many ostensible “final” turns for Patrick Stewart as the character, the actor feels open to continuing to play the role should the opportunity arise.
Of course, Patrick Stewart’s most recent portrayal of Professor X came as part of Marvel’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. There, Professor X belonged to the MCU version of the fabled Illuminati. But, although the group held immense power, the Scarlet Witch quickly dispatched them almost entirely. So Professor X’s resurrection didn’t last. Still, with the likely arrival of the X-Men to the MCU and many multiverses at its disposal, Professor X could return.
Speaking to Variety, Patrick Stewart shared more about playing Professor X again. He offered this about reprising the role, “Charles Xavier? Yeah. There may be. You know, the whole X-Men comic series is so huge, so vast, there might be an opportunity in which he comes back. We’ll see.”
And that’s about as specific as we could have expected to receive. But it’s not a no, which counts for everything. Stewart noted the following about Professor X’s latest return, “I was a little unsure at first if it was a wise thing to do. Given that Logan had been such a powerful movie and we watched him die in Hugh Jackman’s arms. So having seen [Doctor Strange 2] on Monday night, I’m very happy and very proud that I’ve been part of that.”
So it sounds like, overall, Stewart came away feeling good about playing this new version of Charles Xavier. Hopefully, that bodes well for things to come.
Stewart also shared more about his MCU Professor X experience. Among other things, he described his experience in Charles Xavier’s classic wheelchair. Unlike his original wheelchair in the movies, this one was quite a bit larger and bulkier. “I was dismayed.” He offers, “But it was fine. It worked very well. I had to bring it to a stop before a flight of stairs. That was my only concern, was that I would somehow get out of control and go all the way down the stairs in this thing! But it was a very, very different world from the X-Men movies, with references here and there, of course. But I was very, very happy.”
I, for one, am glad that Patrick Stewart did not go tumbling down a flight of stairs. And even more glad that he feels happy. Hopefully happy enough to give the MCU another glimpse of Professor X should the opportunity arise.