Patrick Stewart is a Hollywood icon. He has been part of some of the biggest film and television franchises of all time, playing Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men and Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek in his most famous roles. However, Stewart has acting credits dating all the way back to 1964. To put into perspective how impressive that is, 1964 was the same year that Beatlemania happened when The Beatles came to the United States for the first time during the so-called British Invasion. Over the past six decades, Stewart has amassed a lengthy resume on Broadway, in movies, TV, as well as voice acting. Now in his 80s, Stewart’s career is likely winding down. That being said, the actor recently confirmed he is once again reprising the character of Professor X, this time in the upcoming Marvel film, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Charles Xavier (aka Professor X) as a character is such a crucial part of the X-Men, that it will likely live on for generations to come. So, who will step up and play the role next? It’s important to note that depending on the timeline of the movie or show, the age of the actor playing the Charles Xavier character could vary greatly. Potentially interesting candidates like actors Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Sebastian Stan (The Winter Soldier), Paul Bettany (Vision), Clark Gregg (S.H.I.E.L.D. director Phil Coulson), and Benedict Cumberbatch (Dr. Strange) are already part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and therefore would no longer be a good fit for the job. Indeed, the X-Men franchise is in process of being rebooted by Marvel Studios (Disney purchased the rights to the X-Men from 20th Century Fox in 2019) and future mutant films will be set in the MCU. Stewart wouldn't feasibly be able to continue on as Charles Xavier for the multiple X-Men films that are surely being planned in the MCU. While a currently unknown actor may eventually be slated to play the Professor in future iterations, here’s a look at some great established actors who could play Professor X in the MCU after Patrick Stewart.
6 Eddie Redmayne
The Fantastic Beasts actor Eddie Redmayne is an award-winning star who can take on complex characters. To see the type of range he’s able to pull off, check out his roles in The Danish Girl, The Theory of Everything, and Les Misérables. Redmayne is an established Thespian who brings instant name recognition to any film he’s part of. You can catch him next in the 3rd Beasts movie, Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
5 Liam Neeson
The Taken star would not necessarily be most people’s first choice for the job. However, he’s able to do drama and action very convincingly. Liam Neeson has starred in high-profile drama films such as Schindler’s List, Gangs of New York, Rob Roy, Nell, and Michael Collins. His action roles include Batman Begins, The A-Team, Clash of the Titans, Men in Black: International, and Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace. He could certainly use all that experience for the X-Men.
4 Stanley Tucci
When trying to picture someone who already looks the part, Stanley Tucci should be towards the top of most lists. Tucci is another acting shape-shifter who has decades of award-winning experience in the movie industry. He’s the type of actor who may not be the lead star of the film, but still shines in roles in The Hunger Games series, The Devil Wears Prada, and The Lovely Bones to name a few. He’d easily fit into any ensemble cast. He did appear in the first MCU Captain America movie, but enough time has passed where that likely would no longer be an issue in casting him in X-Men.
3 Sir Ben Kingsley
Sir Ben Kingsley certainly has a Professor X look to him, but he’s almost the same age as Patrick Stewart. That being said, his credibility can only be rivaled by a few in all of Hollywood. Kingsley’s appeared in films such as Gandhi, Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb, and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. However, Kingsley has also appeared in the recent Shang-Chi film and was part of Iron Man 3, so this may be too many strikes against this move happening as he’s already established within the MCU. Kingsley’s soon going to be appearing as the legendary artist Salvador Dalí in Dali Land.
2 Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau played Jaime Lannister on the smash-hit HBO series, Game of Thrones, appearing in 55 of the 73 total episodes over the course of the entire show. You may also know him from the Tom Cruise film Oblivion and Gods of Egypt alongside Gerard Butler. His leading-man looks and three decades of acting experience could easily make him a front-runner for the role. Game of Thrones fans looking to watch Coster-Waldau on the big screen would certainly flock to see him as Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men.
1 James McAvoy
Why recast the character when there’s already another great actor who’s been playing the role for years? James McAvoy has played a younger Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men: First Class, Days of Future Past, Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix. These earlier-timeline X-Men films revitalized the franchise and brought the mutant group into a new generation. McAvoy has also had memorable roles in Atonement, Split, Glass, Atomic Blonde, Filth, and Wanted. The real question may be how much longer he and the studio are interested in him playing the role. However, McAvoy has already made the character his own.