In continuing Marvel Studios’ latest habit of giving fans mutant-related-memberberries rather than the X-Men proper, Patrick Stewart has hinted that both his incarnation of Professor Xavier and Sir Ian McKellen’s Magneto may have a part to play in the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s upcoming multiversal adventures.
Stewart, who most recently reprised his role as the Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters namesake for a head-turning cameo as a member of Earth-838’s Illuminati in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, teased the possibility of further appearances throughout the MCU during a February 15th interview with Entertainment Tonight.
Though primarily speaking in promotion of Star Trek: Picard’s then-upcoming third season, Stewart was at one point asked by the outlet’s senior television editor Philiana Ng if he had any further plans to return to the silver screen as the mutant leader, to which the storied actor joked, “Charles Xavier? Well, I am looking to borrow his wheelchair if we’re to do much more Star Trek or standing up is becoming a bit of a problem.”
Turning to properly address Ng’s question, Stewart refrained from outright shutting down the possibility of another outing as Professor X, instead simply asserting, “I can’t say about what Charles’ future might possibly hold.”
However, while this initial response was a bit more wishy-washy than the one fans were likely hoping for, Stewart would go on to provide a more positive – and only slightly more cryptic – outlook on the subject when asked about the reaction of his close friend and former X-Men co-star Ian McKellen to his aforementioned MCU debut.
“Actually, it went very well,” recalled Stewart of his friend’s response, before noting that McKellen even “did say something like [‘Hey, I would’ve done this!’], yes that’s true,”
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To this end, Stewart ultimately admitted that in terms of Marvel, “We’re not done yet, Sir Ian and Myself.”
“We got plans,” he concluded, unsurprisingly refraining from providing the public with any details regarding the matter.
Notably, it seems Marvel also has yet to close the door on their working relationship with Stewart.
Asked by comicbook.com‘s Adam Barnhardt if fans might see him grace the screen at some point during Deadpool 3, Stewart affirmed, “I’ve been told to standby. I know nothing more than that, honest.”
Should Stewart and McKellan meet again in the MCU, it would be the second such time that the two actors jointly returned to their respective iconic roles following a long-period away from all things mutantdom.
Previously, after last appearing on-screen together in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand, the two would reunite in 2013 for a teaser sting in The Wolverine ahead of their proper returns the next year in X-Men: Days of Future Past.
As of writing, Deadpool 3 is currently on track to hit screens on November 8th, 2024.
