Tag Archives: Professor X

Nov 7 2026

Remembering Sir Patrick Stewart 1940-2026

Make it so” Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation

The Worlds of Star Trek and Marvel are still numb and devastated by the news that Star Trek and Marvel Legend Sir Patrick Stewart passed away last week at the age of 86 following a brief battle with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy body dementia. The tragic announcement of his death on October 28, 2026 was a double gut punch for Star Trek fans and in many ways even more devastating news following the death of Walter Koenig a couple of days earlier. Despite the tragic loss, Stewart lived a full life and left behind a glorious acting legacy that was highlighted by his iconic performances as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) and Star Trek: Picard, and as Professor Charles Xavier/Professor X in the X-Men films.

Early Life & Career

Born in Mirfield, United Kingdom, Stewart developed a passion for acting when he was a child and studied drama. He soon participated in local theater and continued to develop his acting skills while working as a journalist. Eventually, he chose to devote his career on acting and made his debut onstage at the Theatre Royal, Bristol in a production of Cyrano de Bergerac. He then became a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and honed his acting skills in several minor television roles and stage productions. Stewart preferred classical theater, even though he began to gain the attention of Hollywood thanks to his strong baritone voice and stage presence. Probably his best known work in the 1970s was his role as Sejanus in the BBC TV drama I, Claudius in 1976. He won the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award for his work in Antony and Cleopatra in 1979.

Stewart entered the realm of live-action genre with his small but impressive role in Excalibur (1981) and especially as Gurney Halleck in Dune (1984). One of the few highlights in that film was his character’s unexpected reunion with Paul Atreides in the battlefields of Arrakis. The moment when the two men hugged each other in the chaotic battlefield was quite heartfelt and emotional as it genuinely conveyed the deep friendship they shared. Stewart also appeared in the sci-fi/horror film Lifeforce.

The Next Generation Begins

When Star Trek: The Next Generation went into pre-production in 1986, there was an exhaustive search to find the right actor to play the Enterprise’s captain. During this period, executive producer Robert Justman saw Stewart giving a lecture about Shakespeare in UCLA and knew instantly that he would be perfect to play Jean-Luc Picard, though he was considered for the role of Data.

Stewart’s casting as Picard was not an easy road, as Star Trek creator and showrunner of TNG Gene Roddenberry did not favor Stewart. Roddenberry felt that Stewart, as a bald, middle-aged Shakespearean actor, did not fit the role of a virile starship captain and preferred Patrick Bauchau and Stephen Macht instead. It should be noted that other prominent actors like Yaphet Kotto and Edward James Olmos were considered. Thankfully, Justman persevered and finally convinced Roddenberry and other TNG executives that Stewart was the best actor for the role due to his auditions.

The rest as they say is history. When Star Trek: The Next Generation made its debut in syndicated television in the fall of 1987, many were skeptical that a Star Trek series without the original cast would work. Unfortunately, due to the tepid first season, those doubts were justified, but one thing that stood out in the early TNG episodes was Stewart’s performance. His Picard had a commanding presence with a confident and eloquent manner that quickly established that Captain Picard was a natural leader in a way that stood apart from Captain Kirk.

After a couple of seasons, TNG found its stride and gained acclaim by fans and critics as it ushered in the Star Trek Renaissance in the 1990s. Over time, thanks to Stewart and others, TNG became well regarded in many instances lauded as the best Star Trek TV series. Being that Picard and the other characters were quite different from the original Star Trek characters, the world and scope of Star Trek was able to grow into a rich and diverse universe with new characters that fans eventually embraced. During his tenure on TNG Stewart turned in some brilliant performances, notably in “The Measure of a Man”, “Family”, “Tapestry”, “Chain of Command”, “Darmok” “All Good Things…”, and “The Inner Light”. He also directed several episodes of the TV series.

picard takes charge

When the series ended after seven seasons, Stewart and the other TNG cast made their transition to films in 1994 with Star Trek Generations, which gave us the unforgettable moment with Captain Picard met the other legendary Star Trek Legend, Captain Kirk. The natural chemistry the two actors shared with each other was the best part of the flawed film and was delight for fans of the two series to watch. The TNG films ranged in quality but one constant about them was Stewart’s performances. Arguably his best TNG film performance was in Star Trek: First Contact where he emulated Captain Ahab (a role he later played in a television production of Moby Dick) in his obsessive drive to defeat the Borg.

When the TNG film series ended in 2002 with Star Trek: Nemesis, Stewart took a break from Star Trek and excelled in other roles such as Charles Xavier in the X-Men film franchise, although he reprised his role in the video game Star Trek: Legacy and lent his voice to the Star Trek: The Experience theme park attraction Klingon Encounter. However, he returned to the role that made him famous in Star Trek: Picard for three seasons from 2020 to 2023. The TV show had a mixed reception, but its third and final season was well beloved as it finally reunited the core TNG cast, as well as featuring other great Trek characters and plot lines. Given that he is no longer with us, it is quite fortunate that we were able to get a reunion of the TNG characters for one last trimuphant hurrah.

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Jul 28 2020

Bringing The X-Men Into The MCU

When Walt Disney Entertainment acquired 20th Century Fox the entertainment giant gained the rights to several Marvel Comics properties, particularly the mutant superheroes, the X-Men. Ever since then fans of the comic book and the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) have speculated into oblivion over the possibilites of bringing the X-Men into the MCU.

Aside from the logistics of finding and hiring the right people (actors, writers, directors, etc.), there is the hurdle of making the mutants fit logically in the  intricate MCU. Consider the fact that the mutants in the comics and the Fox X-Men films have been a part of their societies for many years and were widely feared and distrusted. When watching an older MCU film, it is clear that mutants are not anywhere to be found (aside from a deleted clip from Iron Man where Nick Fury references mutants). Where are they? The simple answer is that mutants do not exist and the closest thing to the MCU had were the Inhumans who only appeared on TV shows and it’s murky if they are actually part of the MCU. That is a debate for another time, but looking closely at the TV shows like Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. it can be said that most shows are part of the MCU. Otherwise, where were the mutants during the calamitous events of the Avengers films? The heroes could have used their help!

On a related note, the same headache is going on with the Eternals. If they existed in the MCU throughout history why were they MIA during Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame? We’ll find out how this is explained when their film comes out next year.

Now, Marvel Studios is free to bring the X-Men into the MCU, so how can it be done? There are a few options and hopefully, Marvel Studios will find the best one. Here is what can be done:

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Jul 20 2020

Recasting The X-Men

With Disney and Marvel Studios now having regained the film and TV rights to the Marvel Comics property, the X-Men, it is inevitable that a reboot of the film franchise is coming. There is a ton of speculation and fan lists out there over who should be cast in a rebooted X-Men team that will appear in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). An issue with these lists (and this one, too) is that casting films and TV shows is more complicated than saying “Bryan Cranston is bald so he should be Professor X!” Complicating the casting is the crowded plate of upcoming MCU films, some of which are not in production yet, and these have been delayed.

At this point, it is hard to tell when an X-Men film will be made, so many acting choices will not be available or no longer suitable for the roles. By the time Marvel Studios gets around to casting Wolverine, fan-favorite Tom Hardy may be too old. But for fun, let’s imagine if everything was cleared up and Marvel Studios gave the X-Men a go to begin preproduction tomorrow. Who would be the best candidates to play the iconic X-Men and associated mutants? Take a look and feel free to add your opinions in the comments on these picks and of other mutants not included in the list.

The Original Team

Cyclops

While the previous two actors who portrayed Scott Summers were fine, their roles were rather limited. In an MCU version of Cyclops, he has to be shown as undeniably the team leader, not Wolverine or Mystique or a mutant played by some other A-list actor. A true leading man is required for this role, which is why Chris Pine would be perfect for playing Cyclops. With his role as Captain Kirk, good looks and charm, Pine could believably come off as the leader of the X-Men and go toe to toe with Canadian upstarts with healing powers. Other candidates: Armie Hammer, Charlie Hunman, Matt Lanter, Garrett Hedlund

Jean Grey

The tortured telepathic member of the X-Men has to be portrayed by someone who can evoke sympathy, yet fear and dread when she transforms into the deadly Phoenix. In her role as the rebellious and complex artificial person, Dolores Abernathy, in Westworld, Evan Rachel Wood has demonstrated the acting range to bring us a Jean Grey struggling with her immense telepathic powers as she becomes the Dark Phoenix; which should happen in the third or fourth film of the rebooted franchise. Other candidates: Felicity Jones, Emilia Clarke, Rebecca Ferguson, Rosa Salazar

Beast

Both actors who portrayed Hank McCoy ran with the roles and made them memorable. This role of the team’s brawny, yet eloquent scientist needs to be portrayed by someone who comes off as intellectual but able to hold his own in a fight. It would be great if Kevin Feige could look the other way and allow Nicholas Hoult to reprise his role, but since that will not happen let’s go with Chad L. Coleman, who can do the job well and bring something new to the role. Other candidates: Joel Edgerton, Cillian Murphy, Pedro Pascal, Josh McDermitt

Angel

In his previous appearances, Warren Worthington III aka Angel, has been largely delegated to a background character, despite some interesting setups. In an MCU X-Men film, Angel, along with the original lineup, should take center stage. For this role Liam Hemsworth should be hired to play the flying mutant. He has the good looks, lanky build and acting ability to stand out. Besides casting a Hemsworth in the MCU worked out before! Other candidates: Sam Claflin, Jack Reynor, Garrett Hedlund, Logan Lerman

Iceman

Many fan castings for Bobby Drake often pick Nick Robinson, and that is because Iceman is a homosexual and Robinson played a gay teen in Love, Simon. Robinson is a good choice, but there are better candidates and he may not want to be typecast simply because he portrayed a gay character. Justice Smith is an inspired choice; he’s younger than the other actors, and more importantly talented enough to make Iceman shine in a new X-Men film. Other candidates: Chandler Riggs, Nick Robinson, Dylan Minnette, Curran Walters

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