X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST may have two Charles Xaviers to contend with a mutant apocalypse. Rumors have begun swirling that both Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy may play versions of Professor X in the upcoming sequel to X-MEN: FIRST CLASS.
Speaking at the Montreal Comic Con recently, Newsarama reported the following: If his recent nod at an Apple store seemed to suggest he’d be returning to the silver screen in the role of Professor X, when asked directly by a fan during his Q&A panel, the Englishman gave a knowing smile and spoke the words many have been waiting to hear: “I think there is every possibility.”
Here is the plot of the DAYS OF FUTURE PAST comic arc: The storyline alternates between present day, in which the X-Men fight Mystique’s Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and a future timeline caused by the X-Men’s failure to prevent the Brotherhood from assassinating Senator Robert Kelly. In this future universe, Sentinels rule the United States, and mutants live in internment camps. The present-day X-Men are forewarned of the possible future by a future version of their teammate Kitty Pryde, whose mind traveled back in time and possessed her younger self to warn the X-Men. She succeeds in her mission and returns to the future, but despite her success, the future timeline still exists as an alternative timeline rather than as the actual future.
X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST will involve a time travel storyline. While Stewart may just be providing a cameo like he did in X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE. But, CHUD offers an interesting theory: what if Fox is using the DAYS OF FUTURE PAST storyline as a method of integrating the FIRST CLASS characters in with the original trilogy? Instead of Kitty Pryde being the mutant who travels through time, it could be Professor X. This would allow the universes to be reset, STAR TREK style, and open the door for bringing back actors from the Singer and Ratner films.
While I don’t really care if they bring back any of the actors from the Singer films (aside from Ian McKellen and Hugh Jackman), I think having Stewart and McAvoy act off of each other in the same role would be phenomenal.
X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST is slated to open on July 18, 2014.