Giancarlo Esposito knows fans want him to play the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Professor X.
Following an appearance at Comic Con Chile 2022, Esposito reportedly met a follower who requested that he sign a Funko Pop! figure of the X-Men's leader, Charlies Xavier. The actor acquiesced, laughing as he sketched his signature onto the statue. He concluded with, "See you on the big screen." The encounter has many MCU fans speculating that Esposito will be playing the powerful telepath in a future Marvel movie although the studio has yet to officially announce anyone for the role of Professor X.
Esposito hasn't shied away from his interest in playing Xavier. He previously confirmed that he's met with Marvel Studios executives about potentially appearing in an undisclosed project. When asked which character he'd most like to play, the Breaking Bad alum noted several, including Doctor Doom and Magneto, before eventually falling back on Professor X.
Despite the lack of an official announcement, Esposito has already conceptualized his take on Charles Xavier, noting that he'd portray him like the stoic leader fans have come to know and love. "I'd play that character with force, grace, and a calm. Someone who controls the chaos, but someone who also has the ability to uplift and inspire," Esposito said.
While Espositio has yet to join the MCU, Professor X has already made an appearance in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. To the excitement of many viewers, the role was reprised by Patrick Stewart who portrayed the mutant leader in Fox's original X-Men films. Given that the on-screen Xavier existed in a universe outside of the main MCU, fans believe a different actor could play the part for future appearances.
If fans aren't willing to wait to see whether Esposito will appear in the MCU, they'll be able to catch him in The Mandalorian Season 3, returning as the villainous Moff Gideon. "[Gideon] has an agenda all of his own. He's been a warden of a certain part of the galaxy. He wants to bring all the other wardens together for what reason?" Esposito teased. "Why can't he just live in peace in his own little piece of paradise? There's gotta be a reason that he's bringing all of them together because he must have an agenda of his own."
The Mandalorian Season 3 debuts on Disney+ in February 2023.
Source: Twitter