With the X-Men becoming more and more important in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, rumblings about casting have already echoed through the internet. One beloved Star Wars wants to throw his hat into the ring, so long as another actor joins him.

Looking at the release slate of 2024, it seems that Marvel Studios is going all in on the X-Men. Not only is Deadpool & Wolverine (2024), starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, the only film being released in theaters this year, but the animated series X-Men ’97 is looking to bring the classic cartoon to Disney+.
Needless to say, fans have been throwing around their opinions about who should play which mutant in the MCU. One of the most popular has been Giancarlo Esposito as Charles Xavier AKA Professor X. While he’s been most known recently for playing villains like Moff Gideon in The Mandalorian, Gus Fring in Breaking Bad, and Stan Edgar in The Boys, Esposito is unbelievably talented and would be an excellent choice to replace Patrick Stewart.

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According to a recent interview with Amon Warmann on the Fade to Black Podcast, the Jungle Book (2017) actor is down. “It’d be great to play Professor X in some incarnation besides the wheelchair… But certainly, we’d be able to figure something out. Professor X wasn’t always in the wheelchair. But that is part of his character development.”
Warmann then pitched a specific co-star to appear opposite the Do the Right Thing (1989) star as the leader of the Brotherhood of Mutants, Magneto. And as soon as he said the name, Esposito’s face lit up.
Giancarlo Esposito Wants To Star Opposite Denzel Washington in ‘X-Men’
Big fan of both our interviewees this week, and really enjoyed these chats. I'm also very here for Giancarlo Esposito's Professor X take (and it would be excellent casting). Full chat here ➡️ https://t.co/laAscIlKWq https://t.co/lfbPm04WBh pic.twitter.com/WtK5sPYwGt
— Amon Warmann (@AmonWarmann) March 10, 2024
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During the interview, Amon Warmann pitched Denzel Washington playing Magneto opposite Giancarlo Esposito’s Charles Xavier. Naturally, this prompted an ecstatic response from the actor, saying, “I think it would be great!”
The two actors have worked together before in Malcolm X (1992) and Mo’ Better Blues (1990), so it would make sense that Esposito would want to work with him again. On top of this, Washington would be able to bring the same Shakespearean gravitas to Magneto as Ian McKellen. It almost seems too perfect.

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However, this casting has raised some worry from fans. A major part of Magneto’s backstory is that he is a Holocaust survivor, which serves as a defining trait of his character. “Fine,” said one fan, “but you cannot drop Magneto’s back story. It’s what makes mags, mags.”
That being said, this has already been pointed out as an issue with the villain since he would now be 94 since he was born in 1930. instead, fans pitched that he’d either be a victim of the Jim Crow South or of the Rwandan genocide. But no matter what is done with the character, it cannot be denied that Denzel Washington would absolutely destroy the role.
What do you think of Giancarlo Esposito and Denzel Washington joining the X-Men? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!