Doctor Strange 2's Professor X Could Be A Variant, Teases Producer

Doctor Strange 2's Professor X Could Be A Variant, Teases Producer
While Professor X is involved with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, one of the movie's producers alludes to this Charles Xavier potentially being a Variant. Ever since MCU Phase 4 kicked off, the Multiverse has been a primary focus for Marvel Studios as they move on from the Infinity Saga. With Disney+ as an additional outlet for the MCU, several shows have already explored the concept of alternate realities. While new heroes have joined Marvel Studios' ever-expanding universe, the biggest installment so far has been Spider-Man: No Way Home, as it brought three generations of Spider-Men together on the big screen.

Doctor Strange 2 is going to continue the Multiverse trend, and even though Marvel Studios is secretive about all of their upcoming movies, there has been extra security surrounding the Benedict Cumberbatch-led sequel. With new MCU heroes like America Chavez coming into the fold, Doctor Strange 2 is going further into the idea of alternative takes on the MCU, and while many secrets are being kept close to the chest, the latest trailer did reveal that Sir Patrick Stewart is back as Charles Xavier.

Richie Palmer, who is one of the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness producers, gives quite the intriguing response to a question about Professor X's role in an interview with Empire. While fans immediately concluded that Stewart's appearance meant a No Way Home-esque return of a beloved character, Palmer cautions viewers not to be so hasty. Given that Doctor Strange 2 is tackling multiple new Earths, he hints that this Professor X might not be the same one from Fox's original X-Men films. Check out his quote below:

I’ll quote the first X-Men movie and say, ‘Are you sure you saw what you saw?’ There are infinite versions of these characters, and just because you may have heard something familiar doesn’t mean it’s someone you have seen before.
If Marvel Studios intends for Stewart to be the MCU's representation of the character, it makes sense that Doctor Strange 2 would use a variant. While tragic, Stewart's run with the character had a powerful ending through Logan, including the death of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. If Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness chose to undo those events, it'd take away the impact that Logan's conclusion had, as it served as one of the final Fox X-Men films. Revisiting that series would also come at a risk, given that the last few films didn't exactly leave many audience members wanting more.

Relying on a variant could also be considered the best of both worlds for Marvel Studios. The MCU gets one of this generation's greatest actors back as Professor X, but they also don't have to deal with the baggage that was Fox's convoluted X-Men continuity. The bigger question, however, is where Stewart's Professor X will go after the events of Doctor Strange 2. Despite the X-Men getting a more prominent MCU role down the line, Marvel Studios has not yet announced any solo films or (live-action) Disney+ original series for the mutants. As Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness approaches its May release, the film will hopefully clarify how its use of Charles Xavier relates to the X-Men's long-awaited MCU debut.


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