Since Disney finalized its acquisition of Fox in 2019, fans have been wondering what the X-Men’s return to the big screen might look like under Disney’s ownership. That’s still up in the air — despite some recent hints and cameos — but that hasn’t stopped a lot of wild guesses about what the future holds for Marvel’s mutants.
One popular fan-casting choice? Mr. Giancarlo Esposito. The popular Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, The Boys, and The Mandalorian actor has been discussed as a possible casting choice for two major characters in the X-Men film series: Professor Charles Xavier and Magneto. Esposito, on his part, wants his fans to help him land one of the Marvel roles.
Giancarlo Esposito takes on the role of thief mastermind Leo Pap in ‘Kaleidoscope’
Esposito has amassed quite the film and TV resume over the past four decades. The actor’s latest role is that of robbery mastermind Leo Pap in the new heist series Kaleidoscope, continuing his streak of criminal performances. Over the course of the eight episodes, which can be seen in any order, viewers will see Leo’s difficult connection to crime, his family, and his friends unfold over a 25-year period.
Giancarlo Esposito wants his fans to help him land a Marvel job
Esposito wants fans to help him land his dream role as Professor X. The Kaleidoscope star was a guest on The Tonight Show on January 10, where he discussed the possibility of joining the X-Men franchise.
“I love what Marvel does,” Esposito told host Jimmy Fallon. “I love that the fans can see me in this universe and are proposing not only one character. Possibly Magneto, possibly Freeze. And the biggest ask is Charles Xavier. I want to play a good guy. Charles is smart. He’s good. But I feel as if there may be some mileage with me and Marvel. I know I love what they do. I know I love creativity. So who knows what could happen? Keep putting it out there.”
This wasn’t the first time Esposito has hinted at a possible Marvel role. In a Q&A session at the TJH Superhero Car Show & Comic Con in San Antonio, the actor said that he had met with Marvel Studios and told them he would like to play Professor X in their version of the mutant team. When asked which mutant he would most like to portray, Esposito chose the mutant telepath. “Pick one? I’m going to go for something that is a little bit different. I’m going to go and put it out in the universe that it is Professor X.”
Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy have previously portrayed Professor X
Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy have portrayed Professor X in the past, with Stewart’s version recently appearing in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Though Kevin Feige, head of Marvel Studios, hasn’t made any official announcements regarding X-Men films, the groundwork has been laid for such projects in other Marvel films, most recently “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” when it was revealed that the character of Namor is a mutant.
While we’re waiting to see what the new X-Men team looks like you can watch Esposito in the Netflix heist series Kaleidoscope before he returns to a galaxy far, far away in the forthcoming third season of The Mandalorian.
