The internet was losing its mind last week when a leak from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness claimed to reveal that Patrick Stewart was set to return as Charles Xavier. While the actor admitted a while ago that he’d spoken to Kevin Feige a number of times about a variety of things, the preview image has yet to be confirmed or corroborated as legit.
Of course, let’s not forget that he wasn’t the only iteration of Professor X to have been linked with a surprise guest spot in Sam Raimi’s Marvel Cinematic Universe sequel, with scuttlebutt also roping in James McAvoy’s younger version of the iconic comic book character. There’s a 40-year age gap between McAvoy and Stewart, both of whom have been touted to play the same person in the same movie, so something’s obviously got to give.
In a new interview with ScreenRant, McAvoy addressed the Multiverse of Madness rumors and admitted that he sympathized with Andrew Garfield, who keeps telling people he’s not in Spider-Man: No Way Home, but nobody believes him.
“Got nothing to say on that. They are just doing it because the actor has to say no, and we’re used to the actor saying no, and then they do show up. But I’m saying no and I mean it.”
The very nature of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness has led to dozens of potential names being thrown into the constant churn of the rumor mill, but we won’t get the facts until the movie hits theaters in March 2022, although it’s looking very likely that McAvoy will be absent.