Credit: Disney/20th Century FoxFans are beginning to turn against the actor.
Related: ‘Mandalorian’ Star Wants To Play Professor X, and He Already Cast Magneto
As Tony Stark/Iron Man makes the ultimate sacrifice to vanquish Thanos (Josh Brolin) and Chris Evans bids adieu to his portrayal of Steve Rogers/Captain America, entrusting the Captain America mantle to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson/Falcon, a significant opportunity arises for illustrious superhero teams like the Fantastic Four and X-Men to step into the spotlight and assume pivotal roles.
Marvel Studios recently revealed thrilling information regarding the highly anticipated third installment in the Deadpool film series, aptly titled Deadpool & Wolverine, AKA Deadpool 3. This forthcoming installment is set to seamlessly integrate into the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) following The Walt Disney Company’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox (rebranded as 20th Century Studios), and their Fox X-Men Universe.
With the confirmed inclusion of X-Men in the primary MCU storyline, it’s only natural for Marvel Studios to be eager to reintegrate the X-Men franchise into their Disney-affiliated brand, as well as potentially develop their own MCU-specific variants canon to the “Sacred Timeline” — as Disney+’s (Disney Plus) Loki (2021) terms it.
Related: ‘X-Men’ Star’s Decision to Not Return To Marvel Signals Changing Tides
Why Are Fans Rejecting the Newest Professor X Candidate?
The recent revelation that Mandalorian star Giancarlo Esposito (Moff Gideon) is putting his hat in the ring for the role of Charles Xavier/Professor X in the MCU initially created a wave of positive response from fans. Now, however, it appears as if that tide is turning.
According to Discussing Film on X (formerly Twitter), Esposito is interested in playing the iconic telepath Professor Xavier — on one condition.
During his appearance on episode 149 of the Fade to Black podcast, Esposito opened up about how he would tackle the role.
Discussing Film shares the following quote from Esposito, wherein the actor details disdain for the “physical idea of being in a wheelchair every single day”, stating that sitting down is not something he enjoys and “just does not appeal to [him]”, adding that it would make him feel “old”:
Giancarlo Esposito would play Professor X, but without the wheelchair.
“The physical idea of being in a wheelchair every single day does not appeal to me. I just don’t feel that old & I don’t like to sit that much.”
(Source: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3NqmVAhJHlJibGTJjyXjHU?si=58ceff0fb1624300)
Giancarlo Esposito would play Professor X, but without the wheelchair.
“The physical idea of being in a wheelchair every single day does not appeal to me. I just don’t feel that old & I don’t like to sit that much.”
(Source: https://t.co/nOLwZmib3b) pic.twitter.com/ohswsOmxff
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) March 11, 2024
Fans and the general public were quick to call the actor out.
User garbaggio had a snarky reply (that garnered 12K likes at the time of writing), that insinuated that the actor basically did not want to play Professor X. @Thor_Odinson concurred:
“I don’t wanna play Professor X”
“I don’t wanna play Professor X”
— garbaggio (@rise_and_grime) March 11, 2024
That’s another way of saying “I don’t want to play Professor X.”
Then don’t. 🤷♂️
That’s another way of saying “I don’t want to play Professor X.”
Then don’t. 🤷♂️
— Thor Odinson (@Thor_Odinson) March 11, 2024
Fans appear to be steadily becoming more upset with the star, with users like @DudesExMachina adding:
The more he talks, the more I don’t want him.
The more he talks, the more I don't want him.
— DudesExMachina (@DudesExMachina) March 11, 2024
@ChainsawReacts chimes in, stating that an easy fix would be to have Esposito play Magneto/Erik Lehnsherr, instead:
Well.. then someone else can play Professor X then. I could see him as Magneto, which everyone has fancast already.
Well.. then someone else can play Professor X then. I could see him as Magneto, which everyone has fancast already.
— Chainsaw Reacts (@ChainsawReacts) March 11, 2024
Meanwhile, @HAUNTERTHEPRO likens Esposito not wanting to sit in a wheelchair as Professor X as someone wanting to play Spider-Man and not wanting to “swing around New York”:
“I wanna play Spider-Man, but I don’t want to swing around New York. It just doesn’t appeal to me!”
“I wanna play Spider-Man, but I don’t want to swing around New York. It just doesn’t appeal to me!”
— H▲UNTER (@HAUNTERTHEPRO) March 11, 2024
All in all, fans are generally unhappy with this statement from Esposito and appear to be rejecting the actor as Professor X, with users like Endymion agreeing that this was a “big red flag”:
Yeah already this is a big red flag nah
Yeah already this is a big red flag nah
— Endymion (@EndymionYT) March 11, 2024
Do you think Giancarlo Esposito should play Professor X in the MCU? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
More on the X-Men
The actor Ryan Reynolds, renowned for his portrayal of Deadpool/Wade Wilson, officially announced X-Men’s inclusion in the MCU alongside his “frenemy” Hugh Jackman, known for his role as Wolverine/Logan/James Howlett in the X-Men Universe.
In addition, recent connections to the X-Men universe have begun to emerge in Marvel Studios’ latest film, The Marvels, also known as Captain Marvel 2.
The Fox X-Men movie series depicted the adventures of mutants with extraordinary abilities coexisting in a contemporary world alongside regular humans. Drawing from the Marvel Comics series of the same name, the narrative primarily revolved around the contrasting beliefs of Professor X and Magneto regarding the relationship between mutants and humans. Their conflicting ideologies generated tension, causing other mutants to align themselves with one faction or the other.
Prominent figures embroiled in these dynamics included Patrick Stewart portraying Professor X/Charles Xavier, Ian McKellen as Magneto/Erik Lehnsherr, Halle Berry as Ororo Munroe, also known as Storm, Famke Janssen as Dr. Jean Grey, James Marsden as Scott Summers, also known as Cyclops, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique/Raven Darkholme, Alan Cumming as Kurt Wagner, also known as Nightcrawler, and Anna Paquin as Anna Marie LeBeau, known as Rogue, among others.
Subsequent films such as X-Men: First Class (2011), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), and X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) delved into prequel narratives and explored themes of time travel, introducing younger iterations of characters like Professor Xavier, Magneto, and Mystique, portrayed by James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence, respectively.