Giancarlo Esposito Playing Fan-Favorite X-Men Character For Marvel?
We could soon be in a world in which legendarily intense actor Giancarlo Esposito plays a major X-Men character, and we are here for it.
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Since the announcement of Phase 5 and Phase 6 at Comic-Con, fans have wondered when they could see the X-Men finally make their long-awaited appearance in the MCU. They did get a hint of the introduction of mutants in the Disney+ show, Ms. Marvel, but it didn’t provide any clues as to when the iconic superhero team would appear. The X-Men in past films have been portrayed by world-class actors, including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and Hugh Jackman among others. One actor who recently said he’d love to play an X-Men character is Better Call Saul’s Giancarlo Esposito. In fact, the actor said he’d love to play the leader of the X-Men, Professor X.
Speaking with TJH Superhero Car Show & Comic Con 2022, the actor discussed having a meeting with the folks over at Marvel Studios about potentially joining the MCU. Although Giancarlo Esposito as X-Men leader Professor X does sound interesting, there has yet to be any confirmation regarding the casting. Still, the actor did elude to the fact that the MCU has built a robust mythology based on the decades-long fiction characters. “I’ve been in a room with [Marvel Studios] and talked with them, and to answer your question, I think what they do is on the lines of that mythological journey that Joe Campbell talked about, who happened to be a friend of George Lucas that George Lucas put into his stories,” Esposito explained.
Giancarlo Esposito, in many ways, exhibits the qualities of a leader of the X-Men. While he plays a very stoic and icy character on Breaking Bad, he also demonstrates a sense of intelligence in how he carries himself on screen. The actor has even admitted to having his eye on being part of the X-Men for quite a while. “So, there’s been talk of Magneto, there’s been talk of Dr. Freeze, there has been talk of, who else are they talking about over there? Oh, Doom! And there is Professor X.” The possibility of Giancarlo Esposito portraying Professor X is something that the actor is absolutely down for. When asked about which member of the X-Men he wants to play, the actor said, “I’m going to go and put it out in the universe that it is Professor X.”
Professor X briefly made an appearance in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness. Veteran X-Men alumni Patrick Stewart came back to reprise the role he made famous in 2000. An actor of the caliber of Giancarlo Esposito replacing Stewart in an iconic X-Men role would certainly make fans okay with Stewart being gone. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has yet to announce anything regarding the X-Men, so perhaps fans will have to wait a while to see Giancarlo Esposito part of the team. Still, it does sew the seeds of what could be quite an amazing introduction for a team of heroes who fans believe still deserve their just do.
As for where the MCU is heading now, the next big movie is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. After the show-stopping presentation at Comic-Con, fans know that Wakanda Forever will be the final movie in Phase 4. They weren’t anywhere near the upcoming Phase 5 and Phase 6 timeline, and Feige has stated in the past that it will be a while until the X-Men are introduced. For whatever it is worth, Giancarlo Esposito being part of the X-Men still sounds like an awesome idea. Perhaps next year’s Comic-Con will see the actor announced as the first member of the X-Men roster.
