Superhero fans exploded with joy last year when we heard Patrick Stewart‘s mellifluous tones in the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer. Charles Xavier was back! Unfortunately for this multiversal variant of the character, he also ended up standing in the path of a very pissed-off Wanda Maximoff, and didn’t make it to the credits.
However, Stewart has hinted that he might yet return as Xavier in the MCU one more time after teasing that more may be coming while speaking to Entertainment Tonight in support of Picard season three.
“I can’t say about what Charles’ future might possibly hold.”
This, combined with his recent aside that he’d “been told to stand by” about an appearance in Deadpool 3, may mean plans are afoot, though he also added “I know nothing more about that, honest.”
Stewart is also famed for his longtime friendship with Magneto actor Ian McKellen, revealing that he loved the Multiverse of Madness appearance, before adding that the pair are cooking something up:
“Actually, it went very well. He did say something like [‘Hey, I would’ve done this!’], yes that’s true. But we’re not done, Sir Ian and myself. We’re… we got plans.”
Stewart is 82 and McKellen is 83, so we doubt Marvel Studios would be looking to install them as the official MCU versions of Xavier and Magneto, but it certainly sounds like they may pop up in another multiversal story. Beyond that, we’re sure Kevin Feige is slowly narrowing down potential candidates to play the canonical X-Men and other mutant characters.
Then again, if Hugh Jackman can make the trip across dimensions and reprise Fox’s Wolverine, we’d be hopeful that they can snag Michael Fassbender again, as we adored his Magneto as much as we did McKellen’s.