Patrick Stewart Provides Update on Whether He and Hugh Jackman Would Reprise X-Men Roles in the MCU
Patrick Stewart recently provided an update on whether he and Hugh Jackman would reprise their X-Men roles as Professor Charles Xavier and Wolverine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
Stewart spoke to Digital Spy, telling them that he had been in long talks with Kevin Feige about the X-Men and his role as Professor Xavier in the Fox film franchise.
Feige might’ve approached Stewart about reprising the role of Professor Xavier, a role he has held since the early 2000’s, when Feige was just one of the associate producers on set.
Stewart explained:
“I met with Kevin Feige a couple of months ago, and we had long, long conversations. And there have been moves and suggestions which include Charles Xavier.”
However, Stewart indicated there was a problem with reprising his role.
“Here’s the problem… If we had not made Logan, then yes, I would probably be ready to get into that wheelchair one more time and be Charles Xavier. But Logan changed all that.”
Related: Rumor: Disney Wants Hugh Jackman To Return to Wolverine in Deadpool Team-Up Movie
Stewart then detailed a story about how he and Hugh Jackman reacted upon first seeing Logan at the Berlin Film Festival. During this story he indicates that not only is he done with Charles Xavier, but Hugh Jackman is also done with Wolverine.
“Here’s a tiny anecdote. The first time that Hugh [Jackman] and I saw the film in public was at the Berlin Film Festival, which is where the movie premiered. Shortly after Xavier’s death scene, I found myself getting very emotional but I had to keep a hold of myself because we were sitting in the middle of this cinema.”
He continued:
“And then I saw Hugh’s hand come up to his eye and wipe away a tear. I thought, ‘Dammit, the bugger’s crying. Oh, let it out Patrick.”
Stewart then detailed that they both were so emotional because they were saying goodbye to these characters.
“Hugh took my hand, and we held hands with the last seven or eight minutes of the film because there was so many things we were upset about. We were moved by the story. We were moved by one another. We were moved by the movie. But we also both made the decision that we were saying goodbye to our characters as well.”
Rumor: Wolverine vs Hulk Movie in the Works
MCU X-Men
Even though this didn’t lead to any news of Patrick Stewart reprising his role in an upcoming X-Men film or television series, it does give the audience a sense of where Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios is at in the X-Men conversation. After the acquisition of Fox that includes the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, it looks like the production process is in an exploratory phase.
Meaning, they are doing their homework and getting a feel for what worked for the fans and what didn’t. Sending feelers out to know what the audience felt about the iconic roles of Professor Xavier played by Patrick Stewart.
Related: Rumor: Wolverine vs. Hulk Movie to Introduce Alpha Flight
It means the X-Men is getting a serious look-over by Marvel Studios. And they’re looking to honor the legacy that the original actors of the Fox franchise left.
Wolverine
And before the conversation shifts to “what about Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine?” It looks like Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of the canuckle-head is over. And this despite the rumors of a Hulk vs. Wolverine film or any insistence by Ryan Reynolds that the Australian join him on set sporting the adamantium claws.
I’m sure Marvel Studios knows how audiences feel about Jackman in the role of James Howlett. But, as Stewart explains to Digital Spy regarding his role as Xavier as well as Jackman’s role as Wolverine:
“In that sense, it was not just the deaths of those two men in the franchise, but it was also goodbye to our part in them as well.”
Related: Avengers: Endgame Directors Provide Update on Wolverine’s Inclusion into the MCU
But it means they are looking to the past to sculpt the future film franchise. We can only hope that they will share the spotlight so other mutants can get some development like Scott Summers and Ororo Monroe. Maybe a movie featuring the original five mutants to follow the comic books more closely? Although it doesn’t have Storm, it might be a nice homage to the original comics to have Jean Grey, Scott Summers, Bobby Drake, Hank McCoy and Warren Worthington in the first MCU X-Men film. A nerd can only hope.
But what do you think about Patrick Stewart’s long conversations with Kevin Feige? What else do you think they both talked about? Despite his insistence, do you want to see him back in the wheelchair as the most powerful telepath? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below or let’s talk about it on social media!
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