Laurence Fishburne has expressed interest in playing the role of Charles Xavier/Professor X in the upcoming MCU reboot of X-Men.
For the past few years, fans online have been sharing their fan-cast for the beloved mutant character in the MCU. While several names have been rumored or speculated for the role, Marvel Studios has not made any new casting for Professor X. Not only that, they are bringing back Patrick Stewart to play the iconic role again in Avengers: Doomsday and potentially Secret Wars.
Is Laurence Fishburne Open to Playing Professor X in the MCU?
During The Matrix panel at New York Comic Con (via EW), Fishburne was asked whether he currently has dream roles that he would like to play.
He admitted that he is open to the idea of playing Charles Xavier/Professor X in the MCU, as it is set to be recast in the future. He is already part of the MCU family as he played Bill Foster in Ant-Man and the Wasp.
"I know that they’re talking about the X-Men now. So, at this point, I want one of two things. The first thing would be: what do you think about Laurence Fishburne as Professor X?" the actor said.
The crowd responded with rapturous applause. The panel's host, Josh Horowitz, quipped, "Approved. Greenlit!"
However, when the idea of joining the Star Wars franchise was brought up, Fishburne shot down the idea as he has no interest in being part of the galaxy far, far away.
"No, I’m good. I’m watching everything. I’m watching every Star Wars, I’m in the middle of Rebels now, man. I’m good on the couch with Star Wars. I don’t need a lightsaber. I don’t — pew pew! — I don’t need it," he said.
What to Expect in the X-Men MCU Reboot
So far, the plot details regarding the X-Men MCU reboot are still being kept under wraps, but it is expected to take place some time after Avengers: Secret Wars.
Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier is set to helm the film while Michael Lesslie is working on the screenplay. No casting has been made yet for the mutant characters, despite the many rumors and alleged scoops that have surfaced around the internet.
Last July, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige gave a tease on what fans should expect from their reboot of the X-Men property.
"We had a great experience with him on Thunderbolts*. And if you saw that movie, what he did with those character interactions, he also has his pulse on, shall we say, a younger demographic," he said.
"He’s younger than me for sure, but he’s tapped into that in a way that I think was important for Thunderbolts*, much more important for X-Men. Because X-Men, as it was in the comics, will be a very youth-oriented, focused, and cast movie."
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