Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Sir Patrick Stewart reprised his role as Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but his Charles Xavier should not be the same one to appear in the MCU's future X-Men reboot. In the final episode of the Disney+ series Loki, Sylvie killed He Who Remains (Kang the Conqueror), pulling apart the Sacred Timeline and opening the possibilities of the multiverse. This was extended in Spider-Man: No Way Home when Doctor Strange's spell to make the world forget that Peter Parker is Spider-Man went wrong, and the gateway between universes was opened. This allows for the possibility of characters like the X-Men entering the MCU in a more meaningful way.

The aptly-named Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ultimately acts as the MCU's first true exploration of the multiverse head-on. Viewers quickly spotted several Doctor Strange variants throughout the trailer, and the presence of America Chavez in the upcoming film makes the prospect of traveling between universes a near certainty. However, the biggest twist in the trailer came not from any plot details but from a line spoken by the unmistakable voice of Sir Patrick Stewart, teasing his return to the role of Professor X for the MCU. This was confirmed upon the movie's release, as Stewart's Professor X became part of MCU canon as a key member of Doctor Strange 2's Illuminati.

Related: Doctor Strange 2: How Professor X Makes Namor's Early MCU Debut Possible

Stewart's appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness ushers in the possibility of more mutants to come, but this will not be the Charles Xavier that Marvel Studios uses for their X-Men reboot. Through the multiverse and the prevalence of variants so far in the MCU's Phase 4, there is likely more than one Professor X. Stewart's appearance is not rendered irrelevant by Doctor Strange 2's multiverse, but it is likely that the rebooted franchise will focus on a team unique to the MCU rather than draw on the heroes of the earlier Fox series.

Sir Patrick Stewart Is Back As Professor X In The MCU

Patrick Stewart as Professor X

Due to a co-ownership of the X-Men between Fox and Marvel Studios, the team of mutants has yet to make an appearance in the MCU, with their former films now treated as non-canon. When Disney bought Fox in 2019 and subsequently acquired all their property, the possibility of having X-Men in the MCU became a reality, and audiences have eagerly awaited the first appearance of the popular characters ever since. By appearing in the upcoming Doctor Strange sequel, Stewart marks the first Fox cast member to jump over to the MCU.

The renowned actor first appeared as the superhero in the first true Marvel movie, 2000's X-Men, and subsequently reprised the role a further six times through to 2017's Logan. The character's longevity earned Stewart a Guinness World Record for "longest career as a live-action superhero," an accolade that was subsequently lost to Tobey Maguire and Willem Dafoe after their roles in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Stewart's appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness will allow him to regain his world record and introduce the prospect of the MCU's X-Men reboot.

Doctor Strange 2's Multiverse Means Stewart Won't Be The MCU Version

Doctor Strange Multiverse of Madness patrick stewart Xmen 97 professor X

"The multiverse is a concept about which we know frighteningly little," noted Doctor Strange in Spider-Man: No Way Home, and while this is true, one of the things that's clear about the MCU's multiverse is the presence of variants. This concept was first explored in Loki, with the series explaining that when someone deviates from the Sacred Timeline, they become a variant (a version of the same character who is now operating in a different timeline). With the events of the season finale opening the multiverse, variants are now commonplace in the MCU and provide the franchise with the chance to introduce the X-Men without ties to the Fox series.

Related: Doctor Strange 2's Wolverine Rumor Supports Huge Professor X Theory

This means that Stewart's Charles Xavier is just one of an infinite number, in this case serving as a member of The Illuminati rather than solely the leader of their X-Men. Unlike in the comics, The Illuminati shown in Doctor Strange 2 tackle multiversal concerns in addition to just those of Earth. This suggests that the members of Marvel Studios' Illuminati are not their MCU characters but instead a powerful variant from another universe – explaining the now-debunked theories around Tom Cruise's potential appearances as Iron Man. Considering this, Stewart's Professor X can be assumed not to be the Charles Xavier of the MCU but rather one from a different timeline, leaving room for the MCU to introduce their version of the character in a later phase.

The MCU Needs A New Professor X For The X-Men Reboot

Patrick stewart right Professor X should not trust doctor strange

Stewart's appearance as head of The Illuminati means that the MCU needs another Professor X for its reboot of the franchise. It is likely that all members of the X-Men will be recast in the process, introducing new versions of the team's most popular heroes such as Wolverine, Cyclops, Rogue, and Beast. This does not rule out the possibility that Stewart could return to the role again – the prospect of the multiverse suggests that the actor could make cameo appearances in future films – but it does mean that another actor will be the one to take the role for the MCU's main X-Men storyline.

It is apparent that the multiverse is going to be an important aspect of the future phases of the MCU. The comics have long welcomed deviation from set storylines and different versions of characters operating in varied universes, and the multiverse will allow the MCU to do the same. This means that a certain amount of overlap in terms of character is to be expected, but it presents the studio with a unique opportunity to resurrect dead MCU characters and recast them in the process. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has the potential to do just this with Stewart's Charles Xavier, providing a pleasing cameo and call-back to the previous iteration of the character but not suggesting that this is the Professor X that will be appearing in future incarnations.

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