Some would call the late Patrick Stewart the poster boy for male pattern baldness and someone who showed that losing your hair isn't the end of the world. He exuded confidence on screen with a shaved look, but as the actor revealed in a past interview, that wasn't the case when he first joined Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Trekkies may remember that Stewart flew his wig last-minute from the U.K. ahead of his audition for The Next Generation, afraid it might impact his casting. Even after, he revealed on Parkinson that he expressed a fear to Gene Roddenberry that playing the role as a bald man would be problematic, because obviously hair loss would be fixed in the future. He said the creator responded perfectly, which gave him the confidence to "boldly go" without his wig:

It was a liberating thing for Patrick Stewart to hear, as someone who struggled with male pattern baldness from a very young age. Stewart revealed he started losing the majority of his hair at 19, and he thought it ruined his chance at ever finding love.

Two marriages, two children, and an outpouring of tributes from his former co-stars later, it's clear Stewart had nothing to worry about. Plus, men shaving their heads became a popular trend in later years, though Stewart personally said he wasn't a fan of others doing that:

The shaved head became his signature, and while I can't say it helped make Picard one of Star Trek's best characters, it certainly didn't hurt! It definitely became a signifier of the character, as a quick search will show that both Picard and Professor X are among the most popular bald characters. That's hardly a surprise, I'm sure, given both characters' relevance in pop culture.

This is one of many stories making the rounds about Patrick Stewart, who continues to show he wasn't that far removed from Captain Picard. I've especially enjoyed the story about his appearance on Top Gear, and how he was so unassuming that the crew initially mistook him for a delivery driver.

I also loved hearing about how Brent Spiner tried to make a bid to host Saturday Night Live, only for them to ask about Stewart instead. I can't help but point out they preferred the actor with a shaved head to one with a full head of hair, though the decision might've had more to do with star power at that point.

I do hope we continue to get stories about Patrick Stewart, as I continue rewatching Star Trek: The Next Generation with my Paramount+ subscription. It's been an incredibly rewarding experience thus far, as I've taken for granted just how much I enjoyed watching this series the first time around.

The Star Trek community has sadly seen some significant losses in recent days. Near the end of October, fans paid tribute following the passing of franchise OG Walter Koenig, and they also marked the death of Patrick Stewart. Now, William Shatner -- who has paid tribute to both actors -- is weighing in with a tinge of humor. The icon made a morbid joke on the heels of Stewart and Koenig's deaths, and I'm definitely laughing so I don't cry.

Shatner addressed fans in Cleveland, Ohio amid his continued tour of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan screenings. The fan-favorite actor then spoke to the audience about recent events and, as Cleveland.com reported, made a joke about his own mortality in the process:

I don't see it as insensitive, especially when this is a 95-year-old making the joke. Honestly, I think it's natural that when we see the passing of others, it reminds us of our own mortality, and I'm sure Shatner is thinking of the fact that being only one of two remaining main cast members alive from the TOS era.

William Shatner brought this up during his talk, noting that he and estranged co-star George Takei are the last men standing. Never one to miss a chance to send a jab back at Takei, he said this about whether he'll outlive the Sulu actor:

For all the jokes he made, William Shatner offered great tributes both to Walter Koenig and to his fellow Captain, Patrick Stewart. He also clarified at his latest appearance that he didn't have a close personal relationship with either, even though he co-starred with Stewart in Star Trek: Generations.

Shatner also wasn't close with Walter Koenig, despite them working together on three seasons of Star Trek and the movies. Koenig never claimed to be a big fan of his co-star, but was often quick to praise his overall talents as an actor.

The morbid joke feels like a capstone to what has been a disappointing 60th anniversary celebration of Star Trek. Yes, there's a movie in development, but that's been the same story for the past decade. There are no shows in active development, and it feels like the entire franchise is in a holding pattern while we wait to see what the next steps are.

Fortunately, we got a couple of final performances from both Walter Koenig and Patrick Stewart, thanks to Picard. Stewart, of course, was the star of the Paramount+ series, and Koenig had a cameo in the finale as the son of Chekov.

There were efforts to get William Shatner back in the modern era of Star Trek, with the co-showrunners of Strange New Worlds revealing they had a plan to bring him back as Kirk. That plan never worked out, and Shatner recently said he didn't receive an offer to return. With that, the jury is still out on how far along that plan had gotten.

CinemaBlend continues to offer condolences to the family and friends of Walter Koenig and Patrick Stewart, as they lay their loved ones to rest. Let's also wish the best of health to William Shatner, and that sense of humor that keeps him chugging across the United States.

Since Patrick Stewart's death became public knowledge nearly a week ago, many across social media have been taking the time to honor the late actor. Also, a number celebrities have been honoring Stewart, including more than a few of his Star Trek cohorts. On that note, John de Lancie is now adding his voice to the many who've been sharing their memories of the Jean-Luc Picard portrayer. The beloved Q actor paid a fitting tribute to his former co-star and dropped the perfect reference tied to Picard and Q's past tussles.

While he wasn't a main character, John de Lancie's Q became one of Star Trek: The Next Generation's most memorable foes. After many adventures over the years, including Picard, De Lancie posted the following message about Stewart on Facebook:

That "mon Capitaine" brought a tear to my eye when I read it, and reminded me of some of my favorite TNG episodes. While Q and Picard's relationship ran hot and cold, I could always sense that it was always love coming from the former's end. Of course, he was certainly a jerk, putting Picard through some wtf-worthy scenarios, but I always appreciated that there was some mutual love between them at the end of Picard's second season.

For those who haven't streamed Picard Season 2 with a Paramount+ subscription, the storyline ends with Picard's realization that Q has constructed the entire scenario he's put them through in order to help him overcome past trauma. Q then reveals to Picard that he is dying, and the two share a hug before Q sets the timeline right again.

It was emotional for me, even if it was potentially retconned when Picard Season 3 had Q return in a post-credits scene. Fans have, however, theorized that everything from the Q species exists outside of time. Therefore, his death doesn't have to be linear.

Personally, I think Q is not above faking his own death just for the thrill of pulling one over on Picard. The fact of the matter is, we'll likely never know now that Patrick Stewart is gone, though I'm sure he won't be the last to play Picard. Star Trek hasn't been afraid to recast iconic characters, though I think it'll be a challenge for someone to follow in Stewart's footsteps and play the role.

Patrick Stewart's death comes amid the celebration of Star Trek's 60th anniversary, which has been rife with bad news. As far as the franchise itself goes, there is a movie in development, but no TV shows are actively in the works as far as the general public knows. Stewart's passing certainly feels like a gut punch to the fandom and the former actors, many of whom held out hope for positive news before the year's end.

Tributes continue to pour in for Patrick Stewart, and I'm continuing to love every eulogy and story that is shared. Both Star Trek: The Next Generation and Picard are available to stream on Paramount+, so anyone who is missing the great Captain should head over there and watch some classic episodes.

Star Trek: The Next Generation's Brent Spiner revealed he had a small part to play in Patrick Stewart's famous time hosting Saturday Night Live. A story about the Data actor's attempt to get on the show is making rounds after his co-star's death, and I absolutely love it.

Spiner's story popped up in a special video from Dropping Names With Brent And Jonny, which compiled each time the hosts talked about their former co-star and friend, Stewart. This led to a hilarious story in which Spiner tried to get on SNL, only for them to inquire about Stewart instead:

Brent Spiner may be the funniest person in Star Trek, which is evident enough from stories from co-stars and the Generations movie. That was enough to get him on Night Court, but Saturday Night Live is reserved for the leads. As such, their staff wanted Patrick Stewart, and as we know, Stewart is who they got.

Patrick Stewart only hosted SNL once in the 90s, but the night lives on in the show's history thanks to a story John Mulaney worked into his stand-up comedy. Mulaney stressed that Stewart's delivery when introducing Salt-N-Pepa was interesting because he sounded surprised by the Pepa bit of it, though people debate whether it really was that silly after watching the clip.

As for other stand-out moments of the Saturday Night Live appearance, there are a few skits that stand out. There's a skit I love that combined Star Trek: The Next Generation with The Love Boat, as well as another about him working in an erotic bakery shop. Both had me laughing out loud when I watched, so those who can seek it out certainly should.

It's yet another story about Stewart appearing on another show, which I found just after writing about Jeremy Clarkson having him on the set of Top Gear. I'll always appreciate the wild Star Trek stories about Stewart, but I've heard a good deal of them already. Learning his experience on other shows is great, and further illustrates what kind of man he was behind the scenes.

Both his Star Trek and Marvel co-stars insist that Patrick Stewart was exceptionally kind. He played a Captain on television and a super-powered Professor in the X-Men, and by all accounts, both were a good show of just how heroic he was as a real-life individual. As a fan, it's great to see the man measured up to all I imagined he'd be.

CinemaBlend continues to offer condolences to the family of Patrick Stewart, and the friends who continue to mourn him. It's been great to see all the stories hitting the internet, and how it's given fans comfort in the wake of a tremendous loss to the Star Trek world.

The sudden news of Patrick Stewart's death sparked a litany of tributes to the actor. And, as part of that, celebrities have been sharing personal stories about working with Stewart. Admittedly, I wasn't expecting Jeremy Clarkson to enter the fold and share an anecdote about Stewart. However, this Star Trek fan completely forgot Stewart was on Top Gear and didn't know the behind-the-scenes story about him reporting to set.

Stewart was a guest on the second season of the Top Gear reboot, and as Clarkson said on X, the Captain Picard actor was pretty excited to be a part of the show. He also showed up with so little fanfare that the show's crew mistook him as a common worker there to deliver a package. But, as Clarkson explained, Stewart did something to make his status known:

Fortunately, Stewart's line landed him on the stage, and he was able to participate in the episode. He ended up driving a Suzuki Liana around the test track and ultimately beat the late Sir Michael Gambon's lap time. Stewart took a lot of pride in that, despite mentioning he had a good deal of respect for Gambon.

With this BTS info in mind, I took the time to rewatch Patrick Stewart's interview on Top Gear and learned where his obsession with cars began. His family was poor growing up, and as such, they didn't have a car of their own. There was one family on his street that owned a Jaguar, and the X-Men icon actually ended up dating their daughter.

The Shakespearean actor had a grand time on Top Gear, which made it surprising that he never found the time to pop up on the show again. Granted, Stewart kept pretty busy over the years, so maybe just never had the chance to between all the acting roles he was taking on?

Circling back to Clarkson's story about Patrick Stewart's arrival, though, I'm not the least bit surprised by it. Most stories I've heard from actors and actresses as of late point to Stewart being a very polite and low-key kind of guy, but he did have occasional and humorous outbursts. He also liked to occasionally wrestle on the set of Star Trek: The Next Generation (which I would pay to see footage of).

As for Top Gear, the show isn't currently in production at The BBC, though the network does have plans to revive it. The show's spiritual successor, The Grand Tour, is available to stream on Prime Video and worth a watch for those who enjoy the format. I enjoy watching it every now and then, even if I prefer watching Star Trek if given the choice between the two.

CinemaBlend continues to offer condolences to the family and friends of Sir Patrick Stewart as he's laid to rest. It's my hope that like Jeremy Clarkson, fans continue to celebrate Stewart's life and share fun stories about him.

Much of the Hollywood community and the public at large have been mourning Patrick Stewart following his death at 86 due to Alzheimer's disease and Lewy body dementia. Stewart is set to appear in one more film, the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, in which he reprises his role as Professor Charles Xavier. The prospect of seeing the late British actor play the X-Men’s leader one more time is bittersweet. Earlier this year, co-star Anthony Mackie also opened up about working with Stewart and, now, those comments hit hard.

Like so many people, I grew up watching Stewart’s work in one form or another and, as a superhero fan, the X-Men movies were particularly formative for me. So it’s been heartwarming to see the sheer amount of tributes pouring in for Stewart. What I happened to find amid that was a snippet from an interview Mackie gave at San Diego Comic-Con this past summer. While speaking to USA Today (as seen on Instagram), he was asked about his favorite part of filming Doomsday, and Stewart and a few other legends came up:

Oh, to have been a fly on the walls of one of the massive sets the actors filmed on. I can’t even imagine getting to rub shoulders with the likes of Stewart, Sir Ian McKellen or Kelsey Grammer in any context let alone while they’re playing their beloved Marvel characters. Anthony Mackie’s comments are also completely understandable, given the magnitude of Stewart’s body of work. Sure, he headlined big movies and shows, but Stewart was also a classically trained stage actor who worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company. So, yeah, sharing the screen with an icon like him would certainly boost an actor’s confidence.

Patrick Stewart’s contributions to Star Trek, Marvel, Shakespearean drama and more cannot be understated and, in the wake of his passing, his skills as a performer are being praised. In hindsight, one of the A Christmas Carol star’s final interviews is quite bittersweet as well. Back in July, Stewart was asked about his career and how long he wanted to continue to act. He said, at the time, that he couldn’t imagine ever officially “retiring,” especially considering that he was still being offered interesting roles.

Professor X proved to be an intriguing and complex role for Stewart for over 25 years, and I’m glad he decided to reprise the character for Doomsday. It’s a somewhat poetic bookend to his career, and it’s even sweeter, given the other actors in the movie. Several other X-Men veterans are also in Avengers alongside Stewart including the aforementioned McKellen (a longtime friend of Stewart’s) and Grammer as well as James Marsden and Rebecca Romijn.

I’m envious of the fact that Anthony Mackie had a chance to share space with Stewart while making their upcoming Marvel movie. With Stewart no longer with us, I can imagine the experience now holding an even deeper place in Mackie’s heart as well. I’m going to have to prepare myself to see the late actor’s posthumous performance as the telepathic Xavier, but I’m also hopeful the film will serve as a fitting send-off for his character.

Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on December 18 as part of the 2026 movie schedule. In the meantime, fans can check out Patrick Stewart’s work as Prof. X by streaming the X-Men movies with an Disney+ subscription.

The sudden passing of Patrick Stewart has brought a litany of responses from his former co-stars. Marina Sirtis is the latest of his co-stars from Star Trek: The Next Generation to post, and her heartfelt video has me in my feelings.

Sirtis played Counselor Deanna Troi in TNG, the accompanying movies, and in Picard. Just days after a tearful post about Trek actor Walter Koenig, she was in tears again about losing her co-star and friend:

Marina Sirtis made sure to offer condolences to Stewart's partner, Sunny Ozell, and his children, Sophie and Daniel. It's not surprising to hear that either, considering how close The Next Generation cast was over the decades.

The main cast all reunited for the final season of Picard, giving the fans one final adventure they'll appreciate more now than ever. That, combined with years on the set of TNG, brought the emotion out of Marina Sirtis as she tearfully addressed Patrick Stewart directly:

We talk often about some of the WTF moments of TNG, but one of the lesser-known moments from behind-the-scenes involves both Sirtis and Stewart. While both actors hailed from the UK, only Picard was allowed to have his British accent on the series. It gets extra humorous when thinking about how Picard was from France.

Picard often sought Counselor Troi's advice on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and she was there for him in moments where he struggled. She was a particularly vital resource when Picard lost his brother and nephew, and when he suffered after being assimilated by the Borg.

Sirtis didn't touch on that in her tribute, but talked about how his memory lives on in the Star Trek fandom. We may not have Patrick Stewart on this Earth anymore, but we do have plenty of performances on streaming for those with a Paramount+ subscription:

It's been expressed by many, but the 60th anniversary of Star Trek may just go down as one of the worst milestones for the franchise. Amidst the cancellation of shows, no new shows on the horizon, and the passing of icons like Walter Koenig and Patrick Stewart, there haven't been many positives for fans to look toward.

Marina Sirtis isn't the first to pay tribute to Patrick Stewart in the Star Trek family, and she won't be the last. As one of the franchise's most beloved actors, I expect nearly everyone who worked with him will have something to say, and I look forward to hearing the stories in the coming weeks.

CinemaBlend continues to offer condolences to the family and friends of Patrick Stewart, and wishes them well during this difficult time. Here's hoping for more tributes in the coming days, and that more people look to honor his legacy both as an actor and a person.

It's impossible to fully quantify what Patrick Stewart's death means to Star Trek fans, but I can try. His Jean-Luc Picard quickly rose through the ranks to become not just one of the franchise's best characters, but also one of the best in sci-fi in general. Part of that was the writing, but so much of it was the performance, and who Stewart was as a human being.

Star Trek is largely how an obscure Shakespearean actor became a household name in the United States relatively quickly. Picard's unshakable stoicism and refusal to bend to even the toughest aggressors made him the hero of Star Trek: The Next Generation in a way different than William Shatner's Captain Kirk. He had the natural look and attitude of a leader, which made it so easy to buy into whatever he was selling.

After The Next Generation ended and he wrapped up his time in some of the best Star Trek movies, Patrick Stewart's star power only increased. He was there for the start of Marvel's iconic run in theaters with X-Men, and he will appear again later this year in Avengers: Doomsday. Take that and many other roles across television and movies, and it goes without saying that Stewart didn't need Star Trek in the back half of his life.

Despite that, he remained an advocate for Star Trek and all it stood for. He was an advocate of a litany of philanthropic efforts, ranging from donating to various charities to pushing to reverse stereotypes about pit bulls. He walked the walk, which only further helped push the narrative that he was a real-life version of Picard.

I also think that all Star Trek fans should acknowledge that Picard wouldn't have happened without his cooperation. His decision to return was 100% for all the fans who missed seeing Jean-Luc in action. He didn't need the money. His legacy as one of the greatest dramatic actors of all time was secured.

Three years after the Season 3 finale, which still left fans wanting more, he's laid to rest. It's worth mentioning that Patrick Stewart knew that, and despite all that was going on in the background that we didn't know about, he was still talking about reading scripts for future Picard adventures.

Much like his beloved character, Patrick Stewart never seemed much in the business of giving up. Even when it was rumored he retired from acting, he was sure to give a follow-up saying he considered acting to be a lifelong job. That was only a few months ago he said that, which I think speaks to the shock so many fans felt while being taken aback by the fact he's actually gone.

Fortunately, his memory lives on in our hearts, and there's a full catalog of performances and interviews for people to remember Patrick Stewart. In a world where Starfleet was real, he'd unquestionably be one of their best, and he'll forever be a hero to me.

As news of Patrick Stewart's passing makes the rounds, many of his closest friends and co-stars across Hollywood are reacting. Everyone from William Shatner to Hugh Jackman is weighing in on his death and paying tribute to the late great actor.

Marvel Studios' Kevin Feige gave a statement to Variety, ahead of Stewart's return as Professor Charles Xavier in Avengers: Doomsday. It was rumored to be his final role ahead of retirement:

William Shatner, who recently paid tribute to recently departed Star Trek actor Walter Koenig, shared a personal photo with Patrick Stewart. While Shatner never watched Trek after starring, it was clear he had a deep respect for Stewart. He knew the experience of being at the top of the call sheet on the sci-fi series:

Next was someone who was with Patrick Stewart from the start of his run at Marvel: Hugh Jackman. The duo left audiences in awe with their various performances as Wolverine and Professor X, so it's great to see these pictures where they seem just as close as the two:

Next up was Picard's former Number One, William T. Riker. Also known as actor Jonathan Frakes, he was right next to Stewart in many adventures, and the entire cast of The Next Generation are famously close. Frakes will likely have more to say in the coming days, but for now, he shared the following on Instagram Stories:

Seth MacFarlane may not be the name readers immediately think of when they think of Patrick Stewart, but the two have had a famous working relationship and friendship for years. Stewart has provided voice work for American Dad!, Family Guy, and Ted, which really was a dream come true for the self-professed Star Trek fan:

George Takei is always great with words, so it was no surprise he had the perfect thing to say in light of the legend's passing. He found a way to honor the actor's work in Star Trek and tie it into how it will undoubtedly inspire others:

More tributes will pour in, but wrapping things up with Wil Wheaton feels apt. The actor has been candid about his struggles at home when on Star Trek: The Next Generation, and how his co-stars, Stewart included, readily took him in and helped ease his pain. One picture says it all:

Patrick Stewart was a one-of-a-kind human, and I'm sure this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to tributes. His legacy will live on both in Marvel and Star Trek, and hopefully his performances inspire a new generation of actors who can match the drama he brought to all his projects.

CinemaBlend offers its condolences to the family and friends of Patrick Stewart, and wishes them well during this difficult time. The coming days will bring more stories and reactions from Hollywood, and I'll be eager to read them all.

It's been a tough time to be a Star Trek fans, as a number of icons from the beloved franchise has passed away recently. Shortly following the death of Chekov actor Walter Koening, the iconic science-fiction community has lost another legend. Because unfortunately the great Sir Patrick Stewart has died at age 86.

This news is sure to shock the public, especially since Stewart talked about not retiring over the summer, and he's set to appear in the upcoming Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday. His family issued a statement about this death on social media, which reads:

This is only part of a longer announcement, including encouraging the late actor's many fans to donate to the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center Fund and Alzheimer’s Foundation of America Caregiver Resources. The comments is section is filled with comments from fans, sharing how much his legacy of work has meant to them.

Later in announcement, more context was given for Sir Patrick Stewart's final days. It reads:

As shocking as Patrick Stewart's death might be this statement is sure to give some comfort to the fandom who followed his work on the stage and screen for decades. That's to say nothing of the family, friends, and colleagues that he leaves behind.

Tributes to the late actor are sure to start rolling in shortly, and the public will no doubt be looking forward to hearing from folks like Sir Ian McKellen, as the two stars of the X-Men movies had a long and beautiful friendship. Luckily we'll get to see them share the screen together yet again this December in Doomsday.

Indeed, Stewart's death does seem to add extra weight to The Russo Brothers' new Avengers movie. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order were excited to see him get more MCU crossovers, following a brief but memorable cameo in Doctor Strange 2.

Our thoughts are with Sir Patrick Stewart's friends, family, and fans during this difficult time. They can see his final film role when the late actor once again plays Professor X in Avengers: Doomsday, hitting theaters December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list.

Of all the upcoming Marvel movies on the way, the one I’m most anticipating is absolutely the new X-Men film. When the cast was announced at D23, I realized right away that a group of talented actors had been chosen to play the iconic roles. But I’ll be honest, I’ve felt kind of neutral about the casting of Christopher Abbott as Professor X. But now that I’ve seen him lead his new Netflix show, my excitement has only grown.

I Hadn't Really Seen The New X-Men Actor In Anything Until Now

I’ve known of Chris Abbott for a while. I remember he was on Girls way back when, but otherwise I’ve mostly seen him in a few supporting roles over the years here and there. And, I mean, if you look at his work, he’s primarily known for independent films. The higher-profile movies he’s done are The Wolfman and Kraven the Hunter, which both flopped.

I had a sense he was a good actor who takes chances and cares about the work more than the notoriety. Now I’ve seen him really lead something thanks to my binge of East of Eden with a Netflix subscription, and I have a lot more to say.

Why I'm Sold On Chris Abbott's Professor X After East Of Eden

In East of Eden, Abbott plays the role of Adam Trask, who’s at the center of this book-to-screen adaptation based on John Steinbeck’s magnum opus of a novel. We track the life of Adam from a child to the days after he serves in the U.S. Army in the Indian Wars. Abbott takes over once Adam is a war veteran who wanders back home to reunite with his estranged brother Charles (Mike Faist).

It’s not long after the brothers reunite when something new tears them apart. The arrival of a woman named Cathy (Florence Pugh) who’s been almost beaten to death. Adam instantly falls in love with her, while Charles is (rightly) untrusting of the mysterious woman. I won’t tell the story of East of Eden much further than that, but it’s a multi-generational spanning epic that has Abbott’s character in the middle of things the whole time.

After seeing the likes of Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy play Professor X, I think there are a few qualities that made them perfect for the role. Both of them have a very distinguished quality to them; they are discerning, idealistic, and have a certain sex appeal, too. Professor X is also a wheelchair user, but you never really feel like he isn’t capable or is allowing his disability to rule over him.

Chris Abbott’s East of Eden role isn’t the same as Professor X, and Adam Trask’s story takes place from the late 19th century to 1918. Though there are some shared qualities between the characters that made me excited to see what he does with Professor X. While watching the very bingeable drama, I found myself saying to myself, “Yeah, I see it! He’s our Professor X.” And I just have a good feeling now that he’ll both bring something new to the role and do the character justice.

You can watch East of Eden now on Netflix, and get ready for the latest in the X-Men movies, set to hit theaters on May 8, 2028.

Not long along, many were publicly lamenting the end of Superhero movies. If anyone still has questions about how much audiences are interested in Avengers: Doomsday, that was put to rest in September with the re-release of Avengers: Endgame, dubbed Endgame Encore. The appetite for the upcoming Marvel movie is clearly hungry for more after Endgame crushed it at the box office when it flew back into theaters.

Avengers: Doomsday is also coming on the heels of the wildly successful Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is currently ranked as the third-most successful movie at the box office, all time. It will be the first movie to feature most of The Avengers since 2019's Endgame. Pre-sales for Doomsday are also through the roof, as the projections for its box office take keep going up and up.

Of course, it's going to be a star-studded affair as Kevin Feige and his team are assembling a collection of heroes unlike anything the MCU has seen before, with stars from all over the Marvel multiverse assembling for this and Avengers: Secret Wars, which will hit the 2027 movie schedule next December. With the news in October of the death of the legendary Sir Patrick Stewart, the tributes are sure to be monumental, and there won't be a dry eye in the house.

That's not all, because the 39th installment of the long-running franchise of acclaimed superhero movies is finally bringing in one of the most feared villains in comic book history, Doctor Doom. And he's being played by Robert Downey, marking his return to the MCU after the death of Tony Stark. Just how that'll work is one of the most intriguing aspects of the upcoming movie.

Let’s get into who is avenging this time and what else we know about the upcoming superhero movie in our guide to Avengers: Doomsday.

What Is The Avengers: Doomsday Release Date?

Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters on December 18, 2026.

That date coincides with the release of Dune: Part 3 on the same day of the 2026 movie schedule, and fans have taken to calling it "Dunesday." It's set up a perfect double feature for hardcore movie fans, though it's going to make for a long day, as it's expected both movies will have runtimes around the two-and-a-half-to-three-hour mark.

Avengers: Doomsday Trailer

After years of anticipation, an epic cast reveal, a brief appearance by Doom in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and a series of teasers featuring different characters, our first real look at Avengers: Doomsday came in July 2026 with the release of the first full trailer. Of course, it was talked about as much for what it didn't show as for what it did.

What Avengers: Doomsday Is About

Here's basically what we know: Avengers: Doomsday will bring together superhero teams from across the multiverse who will converge in one place to battle Doctor Doom. For the first time, the biggest teams in the Marvel canon will be teaming up in the MCU, including The Avengers, The Fantastic Four, The New Avengers (or The Thunderbolts), and last but certainly not least, The X-Men.

Previously, the plot of the fifth Avengers film was intended to revolve around a different villain and was going to be called Avengers: The Kang Dynasty before Kang the Conqueror actor Jonathan Majors was dropped by Marvel in 2023 following high-profile legal troubles.

As usual, Marvel has given only a few hints as to the plot of the movie, but we all remember the post-credit scene in The Fantastic Four: First Steps when we saw Doctor Doom holding Franklin Richards, the newborn baby of Reed Richards and Sue Storm. Where that leads us is still up in the air. We do know that Doomsday and Secret Wars will conclude Phase Six and The Multiverse Saga. Starting in 2028, the MCU will begin The Mutant Saga with the release of Ghost Rider, Blank Panther III, and a so-far unnamed X-Men movie.

Additionally, Endgame Encore added some additional footage in the re-release, which you can read about here. I'm going to honor the Russos' wish not to spoil things, but there are a few scenes added to hint at what's to come.

The Avengers: Doomsday Cast

As you would expect, the cast for Avengers: Doomsday is huge. The first announcement came way back in the summer of 2024 at San Diego Comic-Con. The Hall H crowd erupted into a roar of excitement and confusion when it was revealed that Robert Downey Jr. is returning to the MCU, but not as Iron Man. Instead, the Academy Award winner is the one putting the “doom” in Avengers: Doomsday by starring as Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom.

In March of 2025, Marvel Studios revealed who would be taking on Doom with a live-streamed video on X, which is now available on YouTube, lasting more than five hours. Fold-out chairs bearing the actors’ names were placed next to each other, one by one, every 15 minutes. In addition to established veterans of the franchise, the previewed ensemble also includes the stars of the yet-to-be-released Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, as well as a few who are making their MCU debuts but not their Marvel debuts, having previously starred in the live-action X-Men movies.

Check out the Avengers: Doomsday cast, complete with character names, below:

• Robert Downey Jr. (Victor von Doom / Doctor Doom)
• Chris Hemsworth (Thor)
• Chris Evans (Steve Rogers)
• Sir Patrick Stewart (Charles Xavier / Professor X)
• Ian McKellen (Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto)
• Anthony Mackie (Sam Wilson / Captain America)
• Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes)
• Letitia Wright (Shuri / Black Panther)
• Channing Tatum (Remy LeBeau / Gambit)
• Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards / Mister Fantastic)
• Paul Rudd (Scott Lang / Ant-Man)
• Rebecca Romijn (Raven Darkhölme / Mystique)
• James Marsden (Scott Summers / Cyclops)
• Tom Hiddleston (Loki)
• Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm / Invisible Woman)
• Simu Liu (Xu Shang-Chi)
• Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova)
• Hayley Atwell (Peggy Carter)
• Wyatt Russell (John Walker / U.S. Agent)
• Tenoch Huerta (Namor)
• Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm / The Thing)
• Kelsey Grammer (Hank McCoy / Beast)
• Lewis Pullman (Bob / Sentry)
• Danny Ramirez (Joaquin Torres / Falcon)
• Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm / Human Torch)
• David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian)
• Winston Duke (M'Baku)
• Hannah John-Kamen (Ava Starr / Ghost)
• Alan Cumming (Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler)

There are a few names you might be wondering about who aren't on that list. There are a few actors who have not been officially confirmed for Doomsday, but there is speculation that at least some of them will appear. This includes Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Strange, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Also not on the list is Tom Holland as Spider-Man, and that's because it's very unclear if he'll be in Doomsday or only in the sequel, Avengers: Secret War. There is a lot of chatter that Tobey Maguire may appear as his version of Peter Park/Spider-Man in Doomsday. None of this is confirmed as of late September 2026.

Avengers: Secret Wars Is Coming December 17, 2027

Joe and Anthony Russo revealed to Omelete that, while Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame were two halves of a finale to the MCU’s first saga, Avengers: Doomsday will be the first half of a transition for the franchise from the Multiverse Saga into The Mutant Saga.

The sixth Avengers movie (Secret Wars) shares its name with the aforementioned comic book arc, which ran for 12 issues from 1984 to 1985, in which an omnipotent being called the Beyonder brings various heroes and villains (including Doctor Doom) to the planet Battleworld and pits them against each other like gladiators.

All of this was potentially hinted at in the post-credits scene in Spider-Man: Brand New Day and could explain why Tom Holland won't be in Doomsday, as his version of Spidey is now seemingly trapped on Battleworld already.

Joe And Anthony Russo Are Directing Avengers: Doomsday

Some of the titles considered to be the absolute best Marvel Cinematic Universe movies include Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame – have been directed by Joe and Anthony Russo. The brothers previously claimed they would be walking away from the franchise for good after their 2019 smash, but it looks like you should never say never. The Russos are directing both Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, which, according to Variety, was a top condition for Robert Downey Jr.’s return.

After most recently working with the Russos as the co-writer for their Netflix original movies, The Gray Man and The Electric State, Stephen McFeely is reteaming with them to pen Avengers: Doomsday and Secret Wars. He had previously written several classic MCU movies, including Endgame, with his frequent partner, Christopher Markus. This will be his first solo effort with the franchise. Loki creator Michael Waldron previously served as the screenwriter when Daniel Destin Cretton was still on board as the director.

What To Watch In Anticipation Of Doomsday

You still have plenty of time to catch up on or revisit all of the Marvel movies in order before Avengers: Doomsday is released, if you are up for it. However, Disney and Marvel have also released a list of MCU shows and movies that they say are essential viewing, and thankfully, it's much shorter than diving into everything!

All you need is a Disney+ subscription, and you can watch everything recommended.

• X-Men
• X-Men 2
• Captain America: The First Avenger
• The Avengers
• Avengers: Infinity War
• Avengers: Endgame
• Loki Seasons 1 and 2
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings
• Spider-Man: No Way Home
• Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
• Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness
• Deadpool and Wolverine
• Captain America: Brave New World
• Thunderbolts*
• The Fantastic Four: First Steps

While there have been some left wondering why certain shows and movies were left out, and others are mad that more of what they watched seemingly isn't important to this installment, I am glad the list isn't too exhaustive. It's hard work keeping up with the MCU, but I'll keep doing it and making updates on this story as often as needed!

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a behemoth franchise, one that consistently treats the fandom to new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. While there are plenty of upcoming Marvel movies to look forward to, the hype surrounding Avengers: Doomsday is on another level entirely. And Falcon actor Danny Ramirez spoke to CinemaBlend about what it was like working with legends like Sir Ian McKellen and Sir Patrick Stewart on the forthcoming blockbuster.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is limited, but fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order are hyped about the various MCU heroes crossing over with the OG stars of the X-Men movies. Ramirez spoke to CinemaBlend at San Diego Comic-Con about that title, and spoke about filming with legends like Stewart and McKellen. He told us:

Honestly, this makes a ton of sense. Both Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are legendary actors, who have had long, celebrated careers on both screen and stage. Working with those icons is a dream for many actors, and Danny Ramirez clearly was thrilled to be sharing the screen with them in Avengers: Doomsday. And it sounds like he was all ears in case the X-Men stars (and besties) were ready to drop any advice or tidbits on set.

Later in his same conversation with CinemaBlend, Ramirez went on to share what he learned from working with the great Patrick Stewart. In the Top Gun: Maverick actor's words:

Both Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart definitely have gravitas, and I love hearing how Danny Ramirez even learned from them outside of the Doomsday set. Namely by watching videos from the '80s where they broke down how to properly perform Shakespeare. They've both got lots of experience with The Bard's catalogue of plays, and clearly the videos are still helpful to this day.

During our same conversation with the Last Of Us actor, CinemaBlend's Jeff McCob asked why he thinks A-listers from the Doomsday cast continue to sign up for these types of blockbusters. He responded with:

Fandoms annually travel to San Diego Comic-Con, to cosplay, see panels, and be in the same room as their favorite stars. And it sounds like for Danny Ramirez and other Marvel actors, the love from fans is a big reason why they continue to come back to the superhero genre.

Avengers: Doomsday will hit theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to wait and see how Falcon interacts with the likes of Magneto and Professor X.

It's been months since the rumor first cropped up that Patrick Stewart was retiring from acting following the release of Avengers: Doomsday. Now we're finally hearing from the actor, and it appears that whether he announced his retirement or not on the set of the upcoming Marvel movie, he's not planning on hanging it up.

Stewart spoke to TVInsider about a litany of topics, and eventually the topic of his rumored retirement came up. The actor clarified where things stand with his career, suggesting that it's not so much retirement as it is a lack of available roles:

It's totally understandable that Hollywood only has so many roles for the 85-year-old English actor. This is especially true when the franchise that helped bring him to prominence, Star Trek, is not currently producing any shows.

I'm not surprised to hear Patrick Stewart is not retired after all, as he has a track record of jumping the gun with statements. It's unclear if he actually said that on the set of Avengers: Doomsday, but he also very publicly said he'd never play Professor X again almost a decade ago. Now he's going to reprise the role in the biggest blockbuster on the upcoming 2026 movie schedule.

Of course, it's not like I expect to see Stewart suddenly cropping up all around Hollywood and starring in a lot of movies, but it's good to know the possibility is still there. I'm sure there are plenty of other voice acting roles he can still do without the stress of having to be on the set of a show or movie.

It's always difficult as a fan when actors reach an older age. Part of me is already plotting out his next Star Trek appearance, but at the same time, who knows what Patrick Stewart wants to do? The three seasons of Picard were supposed to be his farewell to the franchise. The last thing I want to do is prod him into continued appearances if he's not into the idea, or content with what he has coming his way at the minute.

In any case, it's nice to dream. And now that we know he's still taking jobs, we can do just that. As much as I preach about tempering expectations, I'm already envisioning him on the Enterprise once again, having one final adventure as Jean-Luc Picard with the entire crew.

Fans can see Patrick Stewart in Avengers: Doomsday on December 18th. I'll be thrilled to see him and all the other cast members in this adventure, in which I think their characters have met their match when it comes to Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is constantly expanding, to the joy of fans like me. Whether its upcoming Marvel movies or live-action shows that are available with a Disney+ subscription, there's always something to look forward to. Deadpool & Wolverine star Emma Corrin recently pitched a spinoff they'd like to do, and I'm so in on this idea.

Deadpool & Wolverine broke box office records upon its release, which turned heads after recent box office bombs like The Marvels. Given its wild success, it seems inevitable that Ryan Reynolds' corner of the MCU might be expanded upon in the future. Corrin spoke to Variety about possibly reprising their role as Cassandra Nova, offering a fun idea about how to make it happen. In the actor's words:

Take my money. In the comics, Cassandra Nova is the ill-fated twin sister of Professor X who survives her death in the womb by becoming a telepathic parasite. Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order would likely be thrilled if they saw Cassandra and Charles Xavier share the screen together, especially if Patrick Stewart reprised his role to play opposite Emma Corrin. Fingers crossed that Kevin Feige and company are listening.

Corrin crushed it as Cassandra in Deadpool & Wolverine, pivoting between being a terrifying villain and having comedic beats opposite Ryan Reynolds and company. And while the character seemingly perished at the end of Shawn Levy's blockbuster, that doesn't mean she has to stay dead forever.

For his part, Patrick Stewart has already reprised his role as Charles Xavier a number of times in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He had a brief role in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse, as Professor X was part of the Illuminati that Wanda brutally murdered. But he'll seemingly get much more screentime in his next appearance, as Stewart is part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast. He'll appear alongside many of the OG stars of the X-Men movies, and fans can't wait to see how this all shakes out when the mysterious movie hits theaters in December.

Deadpool & Wolverine is streaming now on Disney+. As for Avengers: Doomsday, that'll hit theaters on December 18th as part of the 2026 movie release list. Hopefully Emma Corrin will get their wish and we'll see more of Cassandra Nova sometime in the future.

As we wait to see if Season 2 of MobLand premieres on the 2026 TV schedule, big news came out that claimed Tom Hardy would not be returning if the show continues. It was rumored that the actor was not asked to return due to issues he had with a few people who worked on the series. However, this is not the first time he has had problems with colleagues on set, as he's had reported conflicts with other actors, like Charlize Theron, before.

What’s Allegedly Going On With Tom Hardy And MobLand

It was reported that Tom Hardy was not asked to return to MobLand due to on-set issues he had with 101 Studios, executive producer Jez Butterworth and others earlier in May by Variety. However, on May 28, the outlet reported that he “was not fired,” as one source alleged:

According to the newest report, the tension between Hardy and his co-workers is real. However, apparently, he was not officially fired, and they’re trying to work through creative differences.

Older reports claimed that Hardy was frequently late to set while they were working on Season 2. He also would allegedly give script notes and change the dialogue according to a Puck report (via Page Six). Variety also noted that the actor was frustrated because Butterworth would apparently deliver scripts late and was not present on set to deal with script changes.

Season 1 of MobLand premiered in 2025, and alongside Hardy, it stars Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan. It was a hit among those with a Paramount+ subscription and was renewed for a second season. Season 2 finished filming in March; however, it’s unclear when it will be released. What does seem to be confirmed is that even though the actor is still reportedly working on the show, there has been tension between him and other folks who work on the program.

Tom Hardy Has A History Of Not Getting Along With Co-Stars

Now, this situation with MobLand is not the first example of Hardy having issues with colleagues.

He and Charlize Theron infamously didn’t get along when they worked on one of the best action movies of all time, Mad Max: Fury Road. Crew members said Hardy was hard to work with on set, and it was claimed that Theron was not happy about his tardiness. Zoë Kravitz also said the conditions they were working in could have impacted this tension too, seeing as they were isolated and working long hours in the desert.

Meanwhile, In Patrick Stewart’s memoir, Make it So, via Page Six, he wrote that Hardy “wouldn’t engage with any of us on a social level” while they were filming Star Trek: Nemesis in 2002. However, Hardy said he was “terrified” while working on that movie because he thought he was “genuinely out of [his] depth.”

It was also reported that the Peaky Blinders actor and Shia LaBeouf got into a fight while filming Lawless in 2012. Director John Hillcoat said there was “definitely a fight between them” and they “had to both be restrained.” However, when LaBeouf appeared on Hot Ones, he called the rumors about him knocking his co-star out “bullshit,” while explaining that he and Hardy would “wrestle.”

So, Tom Hardy does have a history of conflict and/or tension when it comes to his working relationships. Right now, it seems like things on MobLand are being worked out, and as we learn more, we’ll keep you posted.

Spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched American Dad’s Season 20 premiere, so be warned!

The sun in the sky definitely had a smile on its face today, as American Dad hit the rare TV benchmark of debuting its 20th season, but its arrival on the 2026 TV schedule wasn’t on the same channel the animated comedy has called home for the past twelve years. “Aw Rats, A Pool Party” marked its return to Fox’s Sunday night lineup after an extended run on TBS, and what a gloriously disgusting homecoming it was. Pool parties shouldn’t inspire pure disgust, but the Smith family rises above.

Not only did the episode showcase one of the all-time grossest gags of the show’s 380+ episodes, but it also featured an excellent Star Trek callback for Patrick “Picard” Stewart, and references to Ratatouille and The Simpsons. T’was a glorious night indeed, so let’s give each of these highlights their due celebration, all while trying not to throw up in one’s own mouth.

Stan's Dead Rat Balloon Animal Nearly Killed Me

As soon as Stan excitedly mentioned the family's shared pubic-hair razor as a lead-in to the family's pool party, I just knew something awful would happen. Stan doesn't bring out that time-honored toiletry for any ol' small-fry nonsense. It's the pube razor, people!

I didn't expect the pool party to get upended by a dead rat, though, or that the rat would lead to one of the most nauseatingly hilarious one-two jokes I can remember seeing. Not just on American Dad, but anywhere in life.

After Bullock & Co. arrived, and Stan was correctly called out for hiding the still dripping animal corpse behind his back after taking it out of the pool, he attempted to lie his way out of trouble by bafflingly claiming the cadaver in his hand was actually a balloon.

Not just a balloon, but one that he could then twist and turn into the shape of a rat, complete with some choice squelching noises from the foley dept.

I was already laughing too loudly as Stan started blowing air into the rat's gross little mouth, and then the floor dropped from beneath me as he rather methodically turned his balloon animal lie into something that actually resembled the truth. By the time the corpse exploded viscera as Jeff grabbed it, I was choking on my own laughter, and had to pause the episode.

That 15-second sequence is easily one of the funniest things I've seen so far this year, and I imagine I'll be using "No, it's a...balloon!" the next time I need to lie about something.

Patrick Stewart's Latest Nod To His Star Trek Catchphrase

Astonishingly enough, just before setting up Stan's disgusting array of vomit-worthy shenanigans, the great Sir Patrick Stewart made a fun callback to his famed catchphrase command as Star Trek's Jean-Luc Picard, "Make it so." As it went in the episode:

I've no clue how Picard would feel about having a taco guy onboard the USS Enterprise, but how could he not want one?

Jeff's Ratatatouille Joke

The dead rat in the pool wasn't even the first mention in the episode of a character doing something strange with a rodent (or at least sharing a story about it). When Jeff showed up late for...breakfast or whatever the family meets up around the dining room table for, he first celebrates doing a chore without being told, and then explains why it took him over an hour to take the trash out, saying:

Maybe having to deal with Jeff during the car theft was enough to make that rat want to jump into the pool to end its own life. Or maybe that was just a different rat, and the Smith's house is surrounded by them.

Roger And Rogu Make Simpsons Jokes

The less said about Roger's Season 20 premiere narrative arc, the better, since it involves his "drain," as he so elequently puts it at one point. The issue keeping him from the pool party story is a missing costume mustache. When Klaus asks why he can't just use another fake 'stache, Roger totally reveals the state where The Simpsons has been set all this time. (Or not.)

I think I'd be slightly more shocked to learn that one of The Simpsons’ funniest characters has actually been a space alien this whole time, as opposed to learning that Springfield is located in Michigan. I guess there are ways to try and prove that both can be true. But for that, we'd need all the elements for our detective character, and it looks like Rogu slurped those up, too. But as he put it, sounding not quite like Bart Simpson in doing so:

Gotta love that the show then took a shot at Ricky Spanish fanatics like myself by having Roger tell the whispering voice to shut up. My kingdom for another Ricky Spanish episode, though.

American Dad airs Sunday nights on Fox at 9:00 p.m. ET, and streams the next day via Hulu subscription. Will next week’s episode feature a sequence worthy of making it to the excellent American Dad’s Greatest Hits collection? I’ll never tell. (But yes.)

As thrilled as I am to see Avengers: Doomsday come out and learn if the X-Men will make their big debut, a new rumor has potentially given me a bitter pill to swallow. Actor Patrick Stewart is among the many returning actors appearing in the blockbuster event, but it seems as though this performance may be his last.

As a Star Trek fan who loved Stewart both in The Next Generation, Picard, and the various movies, I can't express enough what his performances mean to me as a fan. I'm holding onto that feeling more than ever on the heels of this latest report, which suggests there will be no future adventures with him as Jean-Luc Picard.

Patrick Stewart Reportedly Retired From Acting On The Set Of Avengers: Doomsday

YouTuber and alleged Marvel insider Kristian Harloff recently spoke with John Rocha in a video and brought up some details about the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday. In the midst of talking about a leaked trailer and the possible existence of multiple trailers for the upcoming Marvel movie, he dropped a rumor that it will be Patrick Stewart's final acting performance:

It should be noted that this is a rumor, and nothing has been confirmed about it from Patrick Stewart's camp or Marvel. Could the 85-year-old actor, who has been busy in Hollywood ever since he first rose to prominence, finally be stepping away from the spotlight? It certainly feels like a possibility.

Patrick Stewart's Retirement Would Bum Me Out As A Star Trek Fan, But Is He Really Leaving Acting?

It sounds selfish to say, but I really hoped that Patrick Stewart had more appearances planned for Star Trek after Picard ended. Granted, I knew the series happening was a blessing on its own, but the talk of him getting a script about a new adventure had me fooled into thinking that it truly wasn't the end for him as one of the best Trek characters of all time.

One thing I will say is that Patrick Stewart has made claims in the past that he was done with something, only to return to it later. Specifically, he said he was done with Professor X after Logan. Flash-forward to 2025, and he's already returned as the character and will be in Avengers: Doomsday.

To put it another way, while the rumor is circulating, and it may be true, Stewart could always change his mind. Of course, I certainly wouldn't fault him if he didn't, as he's given the world decades of work to enjoy and should be allowed to sit back and enjoy the life he's built for himself. Still, I do wish that if he had to say goodbye to acting, it could've been with a Trek project.

Avengers: Doomsday is set to release on December 16th, 2026, and we'll presumably learn then or before if Patrick Stewart is done with acting or not. I remain excited for the movie in the meantime, and hope that Star Trek can find its way back to theaters before too long as well.

In 2014, the X-Men film series delivered a crossover of sorts with X-Men: Days of Future Past, which combined the casts of the then-current “First Class” movies and the mutant franchise’s original trilogy. As a result, young Professor X actor James McAvoy got to spend time with Patrick Stewart, who reprised the older Charles Xavier, and Ian McKellen, who reprised the older Magneto. During the sixth main X-Men movie’s production, there was a specific moment away from the cameras when McAvoy saw firsthand what made Stewart and McKellen “a different kind of actor” in his eyes.

James McAvoy appeared alongside fellow X-Men: Days of Future Past alum Elliot Page to speak with Happy Sad Confused’s Josh Horowitz a New York Comic Con. The discussion included Page’s work on The Odyssey and McAvoy sharing how the X-Men movies beat the MCU to the punch in a big way, but the latter also recalled the time when he got to spend “a whole afternoon” with Stewart and McKellen. McAvoy came into one of the trailers to see the former cooking and the latter “sitting with his feet up in the recliner,” which led to the following:

I don’t think anyone remotely familiar with Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen should be surprised they were able to spout off Macbeth lines off the cuff. These two were both members of the Royal Shakespeare Company and performing in productions penned by The Bard long before they brought Professor X and Magneto to life on the big screen. James McAvoy is certainly no stranger to Shakespeare either, but those Macbeth lines had already exited his mind a few weeks after he played the title role.

Maybe McAvoy will get to a point when he can recall lines from Shakespeare plays with the same ease as Stewart and McKellen do, but regardless, he was impressed seeing them do it. Aside from Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, McAvoy’s Charles Xavier was the only other “First Class” actor in X-Men: Days of Future Past to share screen time with someone from the original X-Men cast. The older and younger Xavier came “face to face” by using Wolverine’s mind as a connection between the past and present, and Stewart’s version convinced McAvoy’s to “hope again.”

Feel free to revisit X-Men: Days of Future Past with your Disney+ subscription. James McAvoy’s next movie, California Schemin’ (which he also directed) premiered at TIFF in September, but no release date has been set yet. Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen will be back as Professor X and Magneto, respectively, for the upcoming Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday, which comes out on December 18, 2026.

Laurence Fishburne made waves when he expressed his interest in playing Professor X. He explained that he’s aware that the MCU’s first X-Men movie is in the works, and posed the question “What do you think about Laurence Fishburne as Professor X?” Well, I’m certainly interested in that idea, so when I interviewed the actor, I asked him why he’d like to play the iconic Marvel hero.

When Laurence Fishburne explained that he’d love to play Professor X at New York Comic Con, his comment went viral, and people started to wonder what it’d be like to see him in the iconic role. It’s pretty easy for me to picture him as the leader of the X-Men, and honestly, I’d love to see his take on the character. So, when I interviewed him for CinemaBlend about his latest project, The Witcher Season 4, I also brought up this viral statement he made. I asked why he loved the character so much, and in response, he told me during:

You hear that, Marvel? I think that’s some solid reasoning, and I think we should make it happen somehow. As he said, he’s the right age for the role, he’s got the passion and the look, and from my point of view, he has the perfect energy and gravitas to play Charles Xavier.

Now, I realize Laurence Fishburne has already appeared in the MCU (he played Goliath in Ant-Man and the Wasp, which you can stream with a Disney+ subscription). I also realize that Patrick Stewart is part of the Avengers: Doomsday cast, and we’ll get to see him as Charles Xavier when that upcoming Marvel project premieres next year. So, on the surface, this dream of Fishburne’s seems like it could be far-fetched.

However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. I mean, Chris Evans played Johnny Storm in 2005's Fantastic Four before he was Captain America, and then he reprised his role as the Human Torch in Deadpool and Wolverine, which is part of the MCU. Michelle Yeoh had roles as different characters in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, too, and the list does not end there. So, the idea of Fishburne playing another MCU character after he played a role in Ant-Man’s story isn’t out of the question.

On top of that, it’s unclear who will be cast in Jake Schreier’s X-Men movie. While many original X-Men actors are set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, it’s perfectly possible that a new ensemble of actors will be cast to play the heroes in a standalone film. What can I say? When you’re working with the multiverse, anything is possible.

I guess all there is to do now is hope that something comes from this manifestation Laurence Fishburne seems to be doing. He clearly has the passion for Marvel and this legendary role, and it feels like he’d be the perfect person to take over the mantle of Professor X. However, only time will tell, and while we wait to see if this dream becomes a reality, you can watch him in his newest project, The Witcher Season 4, with a Netflix subscription starting October 30.

We don’t really know what the future holds for the Marvel Cinematic Universe once Avengers: Secret Wars comes out in a couple of years, but one thing we do know is that the X-Men will be a significant concern. An X-Men movie is reportedly in development with Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier running the show, but the big questions surround the cast.

One can only imagine there are a lot of actors who would be interested in joining the MCU’s first X-Men movie, and one actor not afraid to say so is Laurence Fishburne. While Fishburne has already appeared in the MCU as Goliath in Ant-Man and the Wasp, he has his sights set on a bigger role. In an appearance at NYCC (via EW), Fishburne threw his name in the hat to lead the X-Men, saying…

What do I think? I think Marvel needs to sign Laurence Fishburne to a deal right the hell now. This would be fantastic casting. Laurence Fishburne is a phenomenal actor, and he would be an incredible Professor X. If he wasn’t already on Kevin Feige’s short list, he needs to be added.

While it's possible that fans might freak out over casting Fishburne as Professor X because the character is traditionally white, there’s no reason that needs to be the case. Fishburne (who happens to be currently sporting a bald head) is an accomplished actor, certainly one on par with Patrick Stewart, who originated the role on screen. Fishburne is also about the same age now that Stewart was when he appeared in the original X-Men movie.

Fishburne frequently brings a toughness to his characters that isn’t necessarily something we see with Professor X, but that’s part of what makes the potential casting so intriguing. If Marvel wants to bring in a cast that will have a unique identity compared to the previous franchise, this would certainly be one way to do it.

The only reason I can think of to not at least consider Laurence Fishburne as Professor X would be if the plan is to start the MCU X-Men with a younger cast. While it seems likely that we’ll get an X-Men cast that more closely resembles that of the first X-Men movie than X-Men: First Class, it’s possible that the MCU might want to start younger. This would likely require a younger actor to play Charles Xavier. There are reports that Marvel is planning on "younger talent" for the roles.

Of course, before we can figure out what the plan is for Marvel’s new X-Men, we need to wrap things up with the original big-screen team of mutants. Many members of the Fox movies, including original Professor X Patrick Stewart, are set to appear in Avengers: Doomsday. The expectation is that events of the next two Avengers films will act as a reset of the MCU, leading to a universe where the X-Men exist, though the entire team is expected to be comprised of new actors.

Some of the most enduring stars got their starts more than six decades ago, and they are still going strong today. Stars like Harrison Ford, Dame Judi Dench, Jeff Bridges, and even Jodie Foster have been acting their whole lives, and their amazing careers will live on forever. Here is our list of amazing actors who started in the 1960s and are still working today.

Robert Duvall

After cutting his teeth with some television appearances starting in 1959, Robert Duvall made one of the most memorable film debuts of all time as Boo Radley in 1962's To Kill A Mockingbird. Duvall hasn't stopped stealing scenes in the 60+ years since. He's starred in some of the greatest movies ever, like The Godfather, and won an Oscar for Tender Mercies. His most recent credit is The Pale Blue Eye from 2022.

Sally Field

Sally Field is truly America's sweetheart. Her breakout role came on the classic TV show Gidget, and she's starred in some legendary movies and TV shows ever since. With roles in movies as diverse as Smokey and the Bandit, Forrest Gump, and Fried Green Tomatoes, Field has proven she can handle any role she takes on.

Clint Eastwood

There are no bigger legends in Hollywood history than Clint Eastwood. Not much has been said here. His career started in earnest with Spaghetti Westerns, and he's been directing and starring in movies ever since.

Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda is Hollywood royalty as the daughter of Henry Fonda, so it's no surprise that she started her career at a young age. Her first credit goes all the way back to 16960's Tall Story, and she's still starring in movies today, like 2023's 80 for Brady.

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman's career really didn't take off on screen until the 1980s (though he had plenty of credits in the '70s, too). He started mostly on stage in the 1960s and kept his focus there until landing a TV gig in 1971 on PBS's The Electric Company. Today, he remains one of America's most beloved stars.

Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine made her film debut way back in 1955 and by the 1960s was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. Her star has never dimmed in the decades since, either, with memorable roles in Downton Abbey and the live-action The Little Mermaid in 2018.

Dustin Hoffman

When you burst onto the scene in a movie like The Graduate, as Dustin Hoffman did in 1967, it's pretty much a guarantee you're going to be a star. In the 60 years since that seminal movie, Hoffman has won countless awards and starred in everything from comedies like Tootsie to dramas like Rain Man, getting nominated for Oscars for both (and winning his second for the latter).

Faye Dunaway

If you look at a list of the best movies of all time, you'll notice Faye Dunaway in the credits of many of them. Starting with Bonnie and Clyde in 1967, right up until the 2020s. She took a small hiatus in the teens, but has been back working regularly since.

Kurt Russell

Kurt Russell's career started when he was just a kid, often starring in Disney projects. It's even Hollywood folklore that Walt Disney's last words were when he scrawled Russell's name on a piece of paper. Though there is no way to know when the note was written. Still, for the better part of seven decades, Kurt Russell has been a Hollywood superstar.

Helen Mirren

Dame Helen Mirren (you know they are important when they get a title like "Dame") started in film in 1966, and that was after having already started acting professionally on stage in the UK. She's never stopped, including starring in the recent hit MobLand on Paramount+

Anthony Hopkins

Sir Anthony Hopkins' first credited film role came in the Shakespeare adaptation The Lion in Winter in 1968 alongside Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn. He's since become one of the most beloved actors of his generation and has won countless awards and accolades.

Jodie Foster

If you look at Jodie Foster's credits, you might think she started in the 1970s as a teenager, but she was starring in commercials as far back as 1967 when she was just three years old.

Jeff Bridges

When you have a legend for a father like Jeff Bridges with Lloyd Bridges, its not hard to understand how he got his start so young. His amazing career in the decades since can only be credited to his immense talent, charm, and charisma on and off screen. And that's not, like, my opinion, man, it's a fact.

Rita Moreno

Puerto Rican superstar Rita Moreno can do it all. She can act, she can sing, and she can dance, and she's been dancing into our hearts since she first way back in 1950! For those of you counting, that's EIGHT decades of excellence.

Judi Dench

Like Dame Helen Mirren, Dame Judy Dench started in the theater, especially doing Shakespeare plays. Her first professional stage credits date back to 1957, and right up through the 2020s, she's been a favorite of millions. One of the best actors of her generation, it's crazy she's only won one Oscar (for Shakespeare in Love).

Harrison Ford

The first thing you might think of when you think of Harrison Ford is Star Wars or Indiana Jones. It's true that it was those movies in the late '70s and early '80s that made him a superstar, but his career started humbly with roles in movies like A Time for Killing and Luv in 1967.

Sophia Loren

For more than 70 years, Sophia Loren has been a star in Europe and the United States. She started in her native Italy in 1950 before coming Stateside in 1958 when she signed on to star in movies for Paramount. Before long, she was a superstar on both sides of the pond.

Warren Beatty

Like his co-star in Bonnie and Clyde, Faye Dunaway, Warren Beatty has been a star in Hollywood for decades. He's also been discerning in the roles he's taken over the years, so he doesn't have a long list of credits like most of the people on this list. That's not because his star dimmed. He's just particular, and that is something we all strive for.

Barbra Streisand

What can we really say about Barbra Streisand? She's a legendary singer and actor, and she's equally well-known for both. There are few stars as enduring and amazing as "Babs."

Robert Redford

Though he is officially retired now, Robert Redford is still one of the biggest Hollywood stars today (and ever). His career started with early roles on shows like The Twilight Zone, and by the time he hung up his cleats, so to speak, the star of The Natural was one of the biggest stars in the history of the industry.

Blythe Danner

Like many on this list, Blythe Danner started her professional career on Broadway and Off-Broadway in the 1960s. Her first movie credit came in 1972, but by then, she was a seasoned pro. She may be best known as the mother of Gwyneth Paltrow these days, but that is selling her way short, as she's been an award-winning actress for decades.

Al Pacino

Famously, Al Pacino entered the American consciousness in 1972's The Godfather, but he'd been working for a few years at that point, mostly on stage. His film debut was in Me, Natalie, alongside Sopranos cast member Nancy Marchand. He has been widely considered one of the best actors of his generation ever since.

Ellen Burstyn

Though her breakthrough didn't come until 1971 with The Last Picture Show, Ellen Burstyn had been picking up small roles on TV shows for years at that point. She has since gone on to win an Academy Award, a Tony Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe Award. Not too shabby.

Robert De Niro

When you ask someone who the best actor of the last 60 years is, there is a decent chance Robert De Niro will be the name that comes out of their mouth. For many, many decades, De Niro has been stealing scenes and working his tail off to be the best actor he can be. He's gained weight for roles, dropped weight for others, and gotten completely cut for still others. All the while delivering his trademark charm and skills.

Cher

If you could turn back time and you were taking bets in the 1960s that Cher would still be one of the biggest stars in the world in the 2020s, you would probably get pretty good odds that she wouldn't be. She's proven everyone wrong, winning an Oscar for Moonstruck and continuing to wow audiences with her concerts.

Martin Sheen

It's hard to say just what role Martin Sheen will be best remembered for long after he's gone. Will it be Jeb Bartlett on The West Wing? Captain Benjamin L. Willard in Apocalypse Now? Carl Fox in Wall Street? Robert E. Lee in Gettysburg? What is for sure is that Sheen, who landed his first movie role in 1967, will be remembered fondly by millions of fans.

Vanessa Redgrave

English actress Vanessa Redgrave got her star in period pieces like A Man For All Seasons and Camelot in the 1960s. She parlayed that into a decades-long career that is still going, including a role in Cold Storage in 2025.

Ian McKellen

For modern generations, Ian McKellen is known for his roles as Gandalf the Grey and Magneto, but his career is so, so much more. One of the great Shakespearean actors of the last 60 years, he's been starring on stage and screen since the mid-'60s.

Candice Bergen

Candice Bergen found her biggest fame in the 1990s with Murphy Brown, but her career started way back in 1966 in the Sidney Lumet film The Group. She was a model before that, and has turned in role after beloved role on TV and in films.

Ron Howard

These days, Ron Howard is pretty much sticking just to directing, and he's an ace director to be sure. He famously started his Hollywood career as a kid in the 1950s and became a child star in the '60s as Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show. He later starred in Happy Days, before getting behind the camera and becoming one of the great directors of his time.

Goldie Hawn

Goldie Hawn first became a household name in 1968 when she starred in Laugh-In. She's been a star ever since, including starring in a slew of box office hits in the '70s and '80s. There is no question she is one of the funniest actors of her generation, and now she's also the mother to some big stars, too, in Wyatt Russell and Kate Hudson. Not a bad legacy to leave.

Patrick Stewart

Like others on this list, Patrick Stewart will be best known for roles that came in the second half of his career, like Captain Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation and Professor X in The X-Men series. Of course, his career is much more than those two roles. It's a career that started in TV in the '60s on British shows like Coronation Street and Civilisation.

The wait for an upcoming Star Trek show isn't that far off, but before that, we have a surprise return to "space" for Patrick Stewart. Granted, the actor looks like Picard on the screen of his latest commercial, but this promotion has nothing to do with a starship of any kind. It's for the return of the DeLorean, an equally iconic geeky vehicle we all adore.

Robert Zemeckis has promised we'll never see another Back To The Future movie, but the DeLorean will try to last forever. A few years after its last attempt to relaunch the car that doubled as a time machine in the iconic film franchise, a promotional ad featuring Stewart in a spaceship has hit the web:

When I heard Patrick Stewart was looking at a new Picard script, this wasn't what I had in mind. Jokes aside, I do enjoy seeing one of Star Trek's best characters back in a Captain's chair once again, even if for legal reasons it probably isn't Jean-Luc Picard sitting in that spaceship telling us about the return of the DeLorean.

Those interested in buying what appears to be a much sleeker DeLorean will need to visit the official reservation system and marketplace, which comes with a bit of a catch. Users must purchase a $2,500 NFT, reserving their place to be among the first to buy the new vehicle, which is seen from the back in the commercial. A complete image of the car is not available on the reservation website.

I don't mind seeing Patrick Stewart playing the ad man for sleek transportation, but I wonder when we might next see the actor in Star Trek. Picard's Season 3 finale made it feel like it was a send-off for him and the rest of The Next Generation cast, but then there was the aforementioned chatter of him entertaining the idea of another movie, and calls from fans to see Picard continue with another legacy series.

I think this advertisement and his work in Marvel show that the 84-year-old actor is still interested in working in Hollywood. However, there's quite a difference between committing to shooting a commercial and doing a streaming series for multiple years. I would love to see Patrick Stewart return yet again for more adventures, though I think it's a distinct possibility this advertisement may be the last time we see him hanging out on the bridge of a starship. Of course, I hope I'm wrong, but if this is true, at least we have a huge body of work from his past to reflect on.

Stream Star Trek: The Next Generation and Picard on Paramount+. I'm eager to see more about the new DeLorean, and if we do eventually get a Back To The Future ad with the cast promoting it.

While there’s a lot we still don’t know about all the big upcoming Marvel movies, we recently got some big news in the form of the main cast of Avengers: Doomsday being officially confirmed during an epic five and a half hour livestream event. One member of that cast, Simu Liu, recently revealed that, while he, of course, knew that his name would appear, the rest of the names were as much a surprise for him as it was for the rest of us.

Appearing on The Jennifer Hudson Show, Simu Liu talked about how excited he was to be joining the cast. However, who else would be named was apparently news to him. He says he knew nothing about Doomsday beyond his own participation because a couple of other Avengers had ruined it for everybody. Liu said…

Tom Holland and Mark Ruffalo both have reputations for having loose lips when it comes to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Holland especially has needed to be handled to avoid spilling the beans. Both actors have a tendency to say more than they should about their movies. Marvel has always been pretty tight with details in order to avoid spoilers from leaking, but it seems the studio is taking zero chances with its own talent.

This meant that the endless stream of chairs was just as wild an experience for Simu Liu because he didn’t know what names would be appearing. By and large, the biggest surprise for fans was the list of original X-Men franchise actors who will be joining the MCU. Liu specifically mentioned two of them that he is very excited about. The Shang-Chi actor said…

One can tell that the idea of acting alongside Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen has Simu Liu more than a little excited.

Of course, if details of Avengers: Doomsday are being kept under wraps, then he likely doesn't know yet if he’ll share a scene with either of them. With so many characters appearing in the film, unless the movie contains an Avengers: Endgame-style final battle that includes literally everybody, then it’s more likely that only small groups of these characters will share screentime together.

We’ll find out what’s going on when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters next year. Hopefully, Shang-Chi and the X-Men get to hang out together for a while.

Marvel Cinematic Universe fans were treated to some big news this past week, as the main cast of the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday was revealed, and some big names were included. One of the people who’s officially been tapped for the film is none other than X-Men icon Patrick Stewart, who will seemingly reprise his role as Charles Xavier a.ka. Professor X. Due to his casting, Stewart is now in a prime spot amongst the longest-running Marvel actors, and he’s now even one-upped longtime co-star Hugh Jackman.

Both Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman debuted as Professor X and Logan/Wolverine, respectively, in 2000’s X-Men, as one can see on IMDb. Since then, the two actors have become two of the long-tenured actors to play superheroes in Marvel movies – MCU or otherwise. Jackman and Stewart have gone back and forth in the No. 2 spot in recent years due to them reprising their roles. Now, however, with Stewart returning for Doomsday, he’s topped Jackman with a stellar nearly 26-year run that began on July 14, 2000.

After their supposed swan songs in 2017’s Logan (which is streamable with a Disney+ subscription), Sir Stewart reprised Charles in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, That put the star over his Australian colleague, but then Mr. Jackman donned his (faux) claws once more for 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine. So, at the moment, it would seem that the Shakespearean actor has some sweet bragging rights here. Though I wouldn’t expect the refined Stewart to actually rub it in his good buddy’s face.

Of course, both actors still sit behind the actor who currently sits at No. 1 on this esteemed list – Wesley Snipes. The veteran first played the character of Blade in his eponymous solo film, which opened on August 21, 1998. He also reprised the part in two sequels, with the latter hitting theaters in 2004. While the aforementioned X-Men stars gained ground on him in the years that followed, Snipes claimed his big record in 2024 when he reprised his role as the Daywalker in D&W.

Some of you may be wondering whether Wesley Snipes is truly ahead of Patrick Stewart, considering the Avengers casting. Well, it would seem that he still has the title but only by a hair – or more specifically a matter of weeks. It’s hard to say if Snipes will hold onto his crown, as it’s certainly possible that Stewart could return in 2027’s Secret Wars as well. Then again, there’s certainly a chance that Snipes could pop up in that same film.

The Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal occurred by way of a livestream that lasted more than five hours. Featured in the feed was a dark room, in which movie chairs revealing cast member names were added every 12 minutes or so. What really stood out for a number of fans was the reveal of so many X-Men alums, with Patrick Stewart being joined by Ian McKellen (Magneto), James Marsden (Cyclops), Rebecca Romijn (Mystique) and more. Of course, their precise roles in the story have yet to be revealed.

Considering the stars involved, it’s a bit weird that Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine doesn’t seem to be in the mix. However, Doctor Doom actor Robert Downey Jr. teased more additions to the cast, so there’s always the possibility that Jackman has signed on and we just don’t know. That would certainly shake things up for him and Patrick Stewart’s standings. But, until then, Stewart can revel in his massive accomplishment.

Avengers: Doomsday is set to hit theaters on May 1, 2026, while Secret Wars will follow suit on May 7, 2027. While you wait, be sure to read up on other upcoming superhero movies that are headed your way.

Today ended up being a big day for Avengers: Doomsday, one of the most highly-anticipated upcoming Marvel movies. Marvel Studios slowly unveiled the cast of Doomsday through showing the names of its actors on chairs, and it turns out that this movie will be a major platform for the X-Men to shine. Following the reveal of Kelsey Grammer reprising Beast, which follows his return to the role in The Marvels, more actors from the Fox-era of X-Men movies have been announced for Doomsday, including Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen.

I was already pretty excited for Avengers: Doomsday, much of which is because I’m intrigued to see what’s done with Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom. However, hearing so many actors who’ve played mutant heroes and villains in the past will also show up has me even pumped about the 2026 flick. Here’s who we can expect to see in Doomsday X-Men-wise:

• Kelsey Grammer - Beast
• Patrick Stewart - Professor X
• Ian McKellan - Magneto
• Alan Cumming - Nightcrawler
• Rebecca Romijn - Mystique
• James Marsden - Cyclops
• Channing Tatum - Gambit

Some of these people already have MCY experience, like Patrick Stewart appearing in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Channing Tatum finally getting to portray Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine after the character’s solo movie was scrapped. Others, like Ian McKellen and James Marsden, haven’t played their characters in well over a decade, if not longer. Alan Cumming takes the prize for the longest gap in reprising his role, as he only ever played Nightcrawler, a.k.a. Kurt Wagner, in 2003’s X2: X-Men United.

Avengers: Doomsday may technically be spotlighting Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, but with the amount of X-Men actors confirmed to appear, this might as well count partly as an X-Men movie, right? Still, it’s not surprising that so many of these heroes and villains will appear. The opening up of the Marvel multiverse has allowed for mutants from other realities to appear. Not only that, but mutants have also been introduced into the main MCU reality through Iman Vellani’s Ms. Marvel and Tenoch Huerta’s Namor, the latter of whom is also confirmed to appear in Doomsday.

Keep in mind that just because these actors are all returning for Avengers: Doomsday doesn’t mean they’ll be playing the same versions of their characters from the older X-Men movies. Just like how the Beast we saw in The Marvels was clearly not the same one from X-Men: The Last Stand, the Professor X, Magneto, Nightcrawler, Mystique and Cyclops appearing could be from other corners of the Marvel multiverse. Maybe they even all live in the same universe as the new Beast. I think it’s probably safe to say, though that the Gambit appearing in Doomsday will be the same one who debuted in Deadpool & Wolverine.

I’m looking forward to seeing how these X-Men characters fit into Avengers; Doomsday when it opens in theaters on May 1, 2026. Meanwhile, remember that you can use your Disney+ subscription to stream the X-Men movies and nearly the entirety of the MCU.

Robert Downey Jr. isn't just the actor playing Doctor Doom in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the Russos say he's going above and beyond to bring his version of the character to life. According to the latest, RDJ is writing the backstory for his version of the character. And as a Star Trek fan, this all sounds very familiar.

When Patrick Stewart returned to play Jean-Luc Picard in his sequel series, he was both an executive producer and prominent voice in the writers' room. Given that there's some clear similarities to how the MCU is handling Robert Downey Jr.'s return, let's revisit some of what came up from Stewart giving his input on the Starfleet captain.

Patrick Stewart's Ideas About Picard Didn't Always Jive With The Next Generation's Picard Fans Knew

There's been a lot of discussion in the time during and since Picard has ended about Patrick Stewart's influence on the character. One thing all fans can agree on is that the character we saw was very far removed from who Jean-Luc Picard was on The Next Generation. While some would maintain that few if any people are exactly the same person they were decades prior, there are clear signs where Stewart's imprint was left on the character.

One definite change we know Patrick Stewart contributed to was giving Picard a pitbull. While I can't say I saw anyone express strong opinions about that one way or another, it's important to understand why it was done. Stewart has long been an advocate for the breed, and has campaigned to get laws changed in the UK to allow them into the country.

Pit Bull advocacy was never a Jean-Luc Picard thing, it was a Patrick Stewart thing. While many people would state that Stewart is Jean-Luc Picard, would they also say that Picard is Stewart? Sure, I don't think there's any denying that he learned a lot from playing the character on The Next Generation, but when being faced with a creative decision he made directly based on his own life rather than the character's one has to wonder in what other ways he might've disagreed with seasoned Trek writers about Picard.

Actors May Be The Face Of Their Beloved Characters, But They Aren't Writers

There are some writers that are also actors, but not every actor is a writer. Yes, sometimes you get a Ben Affleck and Matt Damon who write Good Will Hunting, but I would say it's more rare than not that you get someone who can do both. Despite his contributions in the Picard writers room, Patrick Stewart still has zero official writing credits on IMDB. Robert Downey Jr. has one for The Last Party, a documentary he did on the 1992 Democratic National Convention.

Something that both Robert Downey Jr. and Patrick Stewart have in common is that they both are the faces of two iconic characters. One is on the short list of Star Trek's best characters, and RDJ is so synonymous with the MCU that he's effectively being brought back in an attempt to save the franchise. There is no shortage of people in Hollywood who would pass on the fact to tackle the much-publicized return of the actor as one of Marvel's biggest villains, so why not just sit back and let them do the lion's share of the work?

In fairness to RDJ, I don't think there's necessarily anything wrong with him brainstorming and writing character backstory if it informs his character and gets him more into the role. I would take caution in how much the people working on the script receive that information and how vital it plays into the overall story. These screenwriters are paid well enough to distinguish the difference between a good and bad suggestion, I would hope this isn't a situation where the actor is insistent that his ideas be used.

Perhaps We As An Audience Should Make Concessions For Actors When They Return

I've said a lot here about Patrick Stewart and Robert Downey Jr., but I perhaps left out the most vital fact that needs to be addressed. At no point did either of them need to return to these projects. Stewart's legacy as Picard was cemented in stone long before he ever was in discussions for his revival series, and I think it's fair to say he did Star Trek more of a favor than the other way around.

Robert Downey Jr. made enough money on Avengers: Endgame alone to never have to work in Hollywood again. Much like Stewart, he has nothing left to prove, and I daresay his role as Iron Man has permanently changed how the character will be handled by anyone who tries to tackle the character for decades to come. I think it's more than fair to say the MCU needs him way more than he needs it, and if he wants to have some say in how Doctor Doom is handled, who are we to tell him no?

And to be clear, RDJ isn't just signing on to do a revival series like Patrick Stewart. Returning to be the new big bad of the MCU means potentially committing to multiple appearances in upcoming Marvel movies. He's already done it once, and he's signing up to do it again after putting the franchise on his back and kicking it off so long ago. As much as I may have gripes with him potentially taking a creative spin on a character with decades of his own backstory and lore, I think it's more than fair to say he's earned the right to have a voice in the room. Also, to say it, I think everyone should watch Star Trek: Picard with a Paramount+ subscription because it's still a great series even if there are fans with issues on the character.

Ultimately we can only continue to wait and see how Robert Downey Jr.'s return to the MCU as Doctor Doom will play out. Avengers Doomsday is slated for 2026, and regardless of what else I hear about the movie between now and then, I will be seated to watch it.

Some of the most famous memes on the internet come from some of the oddest places. Often you may recognize the star, or the movie or TV show, the memes come from, but the original context is completely lost on you. With this list we are going to help explain what the original context was for these famous memes.

John Travolta In Pulp Fiction

This is one of the more obvious ones. The meme is John Travolta looking around confused. It comes, of course, from Pulp Fiction, when he walks into the Wallace's house to pick up Mia Wallace (Uma Thurman) for their date. When he first walks in, Mia is nowhere to be seen, but she can be heard over what seems like an intercom system or sound system. He is confused about where Mia is.

Charlie Day In It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia

The "Pepe Silvia Conspriracy is what gives us the great meme of Charlie Day on It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia standing wide-eyed in front of a bulletin board with a red string drawn across "evidence" that he's co-worker Pepe Silvia isn't real. it comes from the Season 4 episode, "Sweet Dee Has a Heart Attack."

Nicolas Cage In Vampire's Kiss

There is no better actor from which to get great memes than Nicolas Cage, especially in those scenes where Cage goes completely bananas. In Vampire's Kiss, we get such a scene when Cage is just starting to lose it after he hooks up with a vampire who bites his neck.

Gene Wilder In Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory

The "tell me more" meme, known officially as "Condescending Wonka" features Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka comes from a scene when Wonka isn't being condescending at all. He's just excited to show the kids the Ever-Lasting Gobstopper.

Patrick Stewart In Star Trek: The Next Generation

There is no question that the Patrick Stewart/Jean-Luc Picard facepalm from Star Trek: The Next Generation is one of the most widely used memes in the history of the entire internet. Curious, it comes from a very brief moment on the show. It's seriously like half a second when he does it. it comes from the Season 3 episode titled "Deja Q" and unsurprisingly, he's stunned by Q.

Leonardo DiCaprio In The Great Gatsby

Leonardo DiCaprio is one of the actors people most love to use in a meme and one of his most famous is from the first party scene in The Great Gatsby as he's finally introducing himself as the great Gatsby. Of course, it's matched with great fanfare in the movie, which is sadly missing from the meme (obviously).

Steve Carell In The Office

Steve Carell has had some classic memes made from his expressions on The Office but none more used than the classic shot of him yelling "NO!" It will be no surprise to fans of that Carell's character Micheal is reacting to the return of his nemesis in the office, Toby Flenderson (Paul Lieberstein).

Sean Bean In The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

At the Council of Elrond in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Sean Bean's character Boromir declares that "One does not simply walk into Mordor." So a meme was born as the look on Bean's face is perfect for describing anything that isn't easy.

Homer In The Simpsons

The scene of Homer Simpson disappearing into the bushes, used for all kinds of memes to show embarrassment, is, incredibly, over 30 years now. The scene comes from a Season 5 episode called "Homer Loves Flanders." The scene is specifically parodying the Terminator in Terminator 2 and his shape-shifting as Homer chases after Flanders.

Spider-Man In Spider-Man

The famous Spider-Man pointing at Spider-Man meme comes from way back in the 1960s and the Spider-Man cartoon that aired for one season in 1967. In the episode, the villain disguises himself as Spider-Man and they confront each other outside the police station.

Robert Redford In Jeremiah Johnson

Jeremiah Johnson is not one of Robert Redford's most remembered movies. In fact, there is a decent chance it would be forgotten completely if not for the famous meme of Redford with his bushy beard looking back over his shoulder seemingly approving something, as the meme makes it out to be. In the movie, he's nodding approval after having trapped a beaver.

Joaquin Phoenix In The Joker

One of the most recent memes to really take off is the scene from The Joker of Joaquin Phoenix as the titular character dances on some stairs as he embraces the villain he has become. The stairs themselves have become a popular tourist spot and famous filming location in The Bronx.

Ice Cube In Friday

It's a statement that has come to mean so much more than the fleeting scene it was originally in Friday. Felicia is the annoying neighbor who is always looking to get over on someone but isn't very good at it. After begging the main characters for a whole bunch of stuff, finally, Craig (Ice Cube) says curtly, "Bye Felicia" and a meme was born,

Willem Dafoe In Spider-Man 3

Willem Dafoe In Spider-Man 3 is really great, especially as Norman Osborn, the alter-ego of The Green Goblin. Famously he tells Peter that he is "something of a scientist himself" and that moment is one that has lived on as one of the most popular memes on the web, used to tell people that "someone is quite the something."

Keanu Reeves In Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure

Long before the internet was part of everyday life, people were celebrating Keanu Reeves for his famous "Whoa!" in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. In the years since, that celebration has only grown and now it's one of the most widely circulated memes in the world, usually used to signify the same thing it is in the movie, pure surprise. In the scene, it's when they discover all both Bills and Teds are thinking of the same number.

Laurence Fishburne In The Matrix

What if I told you that the line "What if I told you" doesn't actually appear in The Matrix? Would that blow your mind? The reason most people think it does is because of the famous meme of Laurence Fishburne as Morpheus. Morpheus is explaining what the matrix is in the scene, but he never says those words.

James Van Der Beek On Dawson's Creek

The famous "Dawson" crying meme comes from a moment on Dawsom's Creek so brief if you blink at the wrong time, you'll miss it. It comes from a scene in the Season 3 finale when Dawson (James Van Der Beek) and Joey (Katie Holmes) break up. the meme has had a far longer impact on popular culture than the show, it turns out.

Tim Robinson On I Think You Should Leave

Tim Robinson's saying "You sure about that" has quickly become one of the most used memes around, especially on YouTube. It comes from a Season 2 episode of one of the best Netflix original shows, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson where Robinson is playing a stereotypical pitchman on an infomercial.

Jeff Goldblum In Jurassic Park

Ah yes, we've finally come to the "Jeff Goldblum shirtless in Jurassic Park" meme. The scene is after Goldblum's character Dr. Ian Malcolm is injured in the T-Rex attack and he is resting and trying to recover while criticizing what's happening around him.

Woody And Buzz In Toy Story 2

The famous meme of Woody And Buzz from Toy Story 2 has been used for every kind of meme imaginable when trying to explain something to someone. In the movie, it doesn't really have anything to do with that. The scene is when Woody has lost his hat right before leaving with Andy for summer camp and they are desperately looking for it as Buzz seems unconcerned about it all.

Wayne Knight In Jurassic Park

Jurassic Park really is a meme-able movie and one of the most famous ones is Wayne Knight of Seinfeld fame laughing and pointing away from another character. In the scene, he is mocking Dobson (the man in the shades and the hat) for thinking anyone in the beach bar cares what they are doing there. In Meme form, it's used to mock anyone, really.

Bruno Ganz In Downfall

Bruno Ganz in the amazing movie Downfall is a different kind of meme as people rewrite the subtitles of the epic scene in the German movie to fit whatever they are angry about, from sports to casting decisions in the MCU. In the movie, of course, Ganz plays the evil man with a tiny mustache as he is freaking out towards the end of World War II and it's clear he and the Germans have lost.

Ray Liotta In GoodFellas

This famous meme comes from a very famous scene in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas. In the scene, Ray Liotta's character Henry Hill is reacting to a funny story told by Tommy (Joe Pesci). It's used for just about everything as a meme, but in the movie, Tommy is very angry at Henry for not explaining how Tommy's funny. Funny how? Funny like a clown? The meme is, that's for sure.

Leonardo DiCaprio In Django Unchained

The very famous meme of Leonardo DiCaprio laughing in Django Unchained is from a shot so brief it's amazing anyone picked up on it to even make it a meme. It's obviously from the dinner party and DiCaprio's character is laughing at his own joke, which makes the meme even better.

Jordan Peele In Key And Peele

Jordan Peele has become better known for his direction of amazing horror movies these days than as half of the brilliant comedy duo Key And Peele, but his most famous comes from the latter. In the sketch, his wife is asking him about his browser history, and the crazier and crazier the searches get the more he starts to sweat until it's pouring like a faucet out of his head.

Wagner Moura In Narcos

"Sad Pablo" has become very popular since Wagner Moura's amazing performance as Pablo Escobar in Narcos. The various memes on him looking sad or contemplative are taken from many moments on the show, but very rarely from when he is actually sad, Mostly they are fleeting moments of the drug kingpin thinking about his next move.

Christine Taylor In A Very Brady Sequel

"Sure Jan" is a pure classic. Obviously, it's Marsha Brady and she is indeed talking down to her sister Jan in the scene in A Very Brady Sequel, which is a pretty underrated comedy based on the original show from the 1960s. In the scene, Jan is making up a story about her imaginary boyfriend, George Glass and while everyone else in the family believes her, Marsha certainly does not.

Arnold Schwarzenegger And Carl Weathers In Predator

In the meme, all we get is two very muscular arms gripping hands in a very masculine handshake. One arm belongs to Arnold Schwarzenegger and the other to Carl Weathers. It comes from a scene in the first Predator movie. When the two characters, who are old friends, first see each other before the mission to seek and destroy the titular enemy.

It’s a Trap! In Return Of The Jedi

This is probably the most famous meme of them all, or at least the one that most people are going to know where it comes from. The origin story here of Admiral Akbar in Return Of The Jedi after the fleet has jumped in the battle above Endor. His famous line is, of course, "It's a trap!"

Bill Skarsgård In It

In what has to be the creepiest popular meme around, Pennywise, as played by Bill Skarsgård in It, is looking up out of a storm drain. It occurs after one of the kids chases his paper boat as it floats down the gutter and into the sewer.

Leonardo DiCaprio In Once Upon A Time In Hollywood

Proving that everyone loves a great Leonardo DiCaprio meme, one of the more popular ones lately is of the actor from Once Upon A Time In Hollywood as he points at the TV because he's about to be on. Not seen in the photo is Brad Pitt, who is also in the scene watching with DiCaprio.

Nicolas Cage In Wicker Man

"NOT THE BEES!" is one of Nicolas Cage's most unhinged lines from a totally unhinged movie, The Wicker Man. It's a movie that seemingly only exists for the memes. There are a lot of options in the movie, that's for sure.

Hollywood is a tough place to get your big break. Many actors struggle for years before they finally hit it big. These stars put in the effort and stuck with it until they finally became huge stars after they turned 40. Stars like Steve Carell, Kathy Bates, Alan Rickman, and many more actors like them are household names now, but it took them years to get there.

Steve Carell

Like so many other people Steve Carell started his career at Second City in Chicago. He then kicked around television for a while, with roles on the Dana Carvey Show and eventually at The Daily Show. It's when he left that show to head the cast in The Office that his career exploded and he became one of the most beloved stars on earth.

Samuel L. Jackson

Samuel L. Jackson has one of the most impressive resumes in Hollywood, but it took him a long time to get there. His first credit came in 1972 when he was 24, but it would take another two decades or so, after a series of smaller roles in the late '80s, that he would land the role of Jules Winfield in Pulp Fiction and have his career completely explode.

Alan Rickman

The late, great Alan Rickman started acting in theater in the mid-70s, finding regular roles throughout the early '80s. Then, in 1988, at age 42, he made his feature film debut in a little movie called Die Hard. To this day, Hans Gruber is a legendary villain. He would go on to star in dozens of movies, most notably the Harry Potter films, before passing away in 2016 at age 69.

Betty White

Though Betty White had a little success in her 30s with her eponymous TV show for NBC in the '50s and minor hit Life with Elizabeth in the same decade, it really wasn't until after her 40th birthday in 1962 that she really rose to big stardom. After her 50th birthday, she was cast in the Mary Tyler Moore Show, and after her 60th birthday, she teamed up with Bea Arthur, Rue McClanahan, and Estelle Getty in the role she's probably best known for today in Golden Girls.

Morgan Freeman

Morgan Freeman was born in 1937, but it would take almost 50 years for the legend to truly break out in film. After working here and there as a dancer and as a stage actor in the 1960s and '70s, he scored his breakout role in 1987's Street Smart, starring alongside Christopher Reeve. His performance earned him the first of his Oscar nominations and by 1989's Glory, Freeman was a bonafide star.

Bea Arthur

Like her Golden Girls co-star Betty White, major success came later for the great Bea Arthur. Though she was a steadily-working actor starting in the 1940s, it wasn't until she played the character Maude Findlay, first in All In The Family, then her own spinoff called Maude, that Arthur reached the heights of fame. She was nearly 50 at that point, but her star never faded after that.

Brian Dennehy

Brian Dennehy didn't set out to be an actor. After serving in the Marines and graduating from Columbia University in 1965 with a degree in history, he caught the theater bug and started working in regional theater. In 1983, after a few smaller roles, he scored his first big role as the sheriff in First Blood at age 45.

Kathryn Joosten

Kathryn Joosten is best known for playing the beloved Mrs. Landingham in The West Wing and like her character, her real-life story is truly inspiring. She spent the first half of her life first as a nurse, then as a stay-at-home mom, raising two kids. At the age of 42, after divorcing her husband, Joosten began working in local theater in her hometown of Chicago. At age 53, she moved to Orlando and became a performer at Disney World. Soon after she moved to Hollywood and started landing parts in TV. Amazing.

Kathy Bates

Though she made her film debut in 1970, it would be more than two decades later, after working in theater and in bit TV parts, before Kathy Bates would become a star. It was, of course, he now-legendary performance as Annie Wilkes in Misery that would vault her to stardom. Truly one of the best female villains in Hollywood history.

Bryan Cranston

Most people certainly think first of Breaking Bad when they hear the name Bryan Cranston and with good reason. Cranston was 52 when he first starred as Walter White. Of course, that wasn't his breakout role, which came eight years earlier when he starred as the dad in Malcolm In The Middle ]. While he has been acting in movies and TV for years, it was that role, after his 40th birthday, that really put him on the map.

Viola Davis

EGOT winner Viola Davis found success on the stage first, winning two Tonys before turning 40. In 2008, at age 43, she was nominated for an Oscar for her role in Doubt, but it was 2011's The Help, for which she was nominated for another Oscar, that vaulted her to superstardom.

Rodney Dangerfield

Rodney Dangerfield has one of the best stories of perseverance in Hollywood history. Though technically his career started in the 1930s, his stand-up was so bland that he eventually gave up and became a salesman. In the 1960s, he re-invented himself and his act and it was a hit, with some of the best one-liners of all time. Suddenly the guy that got no respect was getting respect by talking about how he got no respect! It wasn't until 1980, at almost age 60, that Dangerfield landed his first starring role in a movie, in Caddyshack.

John Mahoney

John Mahoney started his career as the "old guy" at the Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago. After years as an English teacher, the future Frasier star gave up his career and started acting in his late 30s. By the late 80s, well into his 40s, he was landing roles in movies like Say Anything... and Moonstruck.

Jane Lynch

It's easy to say that Glee was the project that really made Jane Lynch famous, but she got her big break before that when she found her way into the Christopher Quest universe, where she was responsible for some of the wittiest one-liners in Best In Show.

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais took a roundabout way to comedic fame. He started in music, moved to radio, and eventually found his way onto the popular British show The 11 O'Clock Show. It was in 2001, however, at age 40 when he co-created and starred in The Office. The rest is well-known history.

Michael Emerson

Michael Emerson took the very long trail to fame, and his story is inspirational. He struggled for years as an actor, first in New York, then later in Florida where he taught acting as well. He stsarted landing work in the theater in the late '90s, but got his big break in a guest spot on The Practice in 2001. Of course, he's best known for playing Ben on Lost.

Peter Dinklage

Though he found steady work in the early '00s, Peter Dinklage really shot to superstardom when he was cast as Tyrion Lannister in Game Of Thrones when he was 42. Today, that character is still, and will likely always be, one of the most beloved in TV history. Tyrion also happens to the character who appeared in the most episodes of Game of Thrones.

Larry David

Larry David's career had a lot of ups and downs in the early years. His first major gig was as a writer on SNL, though he didn't find much success there. At age 42, in 1989, he co-wrote a TV pilot for what became Seinfeld and his career took off. On screen, after playing a few minor roles onSeinfeld, he found even more fame with HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm.

Melissa McCarthy

While she did have some big supporting roles in her 30s in Gilmore Girls and Samantha Who?, Melissa McCarthy's career exploded when she started as Molly in Mike & Molly, in 2011, at age 41, she co-starred in Bridesmaids, where she completely stole the show, earning an Oscar nomination in the process.

Margo Martindale

Margo Martindale has become one of the best character actors in Hollywood, but it took her a long time to get there. She worked in community theater for years before she regularly started landing TV roles in her late 30s. After her 40th birthday, her career took off with dozens of memorable supporting roles in both film and TV.

Leslie Jones

Saturday Night Live is generally thought of as a young person's game. Most cast members join very early in their careers and by the time they are 30, they are moving on to other things. Leslie Jones is an exception to that. She didn't join the cast until she was nearly 50, but she made an immediate impact. Since leaving the show, she's continued to star in things like 2016's Ghostbusters and Coming 2 America in 2021.

Ty Burrell

Modern Family took the world by storm when it debuted in 2007 and one of the leads of the show, Ty Burrell, became a huge star. This came after years in Hollywood in supporting roles and, eventually, a starring role in the short-lived show Out of Practice. It was Modern Family that made him a household name.

Octavia Spencer

Octavia Spencer started landing bit parts and supporting roles in the mid-90s, but it was 2011's The Help that put the Academy Award-winner on the map, after her 40th birthday. Not only did she win for her role in The Help, but she's been nominated for others as well, including for her work in Hidden Figures and The Shape of Water.

Patrick Stewart

While Patrick Stewart steadily found work in the theater and in smaller supporting roles in TV and film, it wasn't until he was cast as Captain Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1987 that he became a household name. He was 47 at the time and he's only gotten more famous as he's gotten older.

Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton basically made his own fortune in Hollywood after years of smaller supporting roles, he wrote, directed, and starred in Sling Blade. The movie was a low-budget masterpiece and he's been starring in big roles and winning awards ever since.

Hannah Waddingham

Many actors get their start in the theater, just like Hannah Waddingham. With a fantastic singing voice and wonderful acting chops, it makes sense that this is where Waddingham would first find success. It would take a couple of decades for her to equal that on screen with roles in shows like Game of Thrones, and, of course, her greatest claim to fame, Ted Lasso.

Richard Farnsworth

Without a doubt, the late Richard Farnsworth had one of the most incredible careers in Hollywood history. He had uncredited roles in some of the most famous Hollywood epics including Gone With The Wind, The Ten Commandments, and Spartacus. He didn't earn his first credited role until he was 46 in a movie called Texas Across the River in 1966. Then in the 1970s, he became a well-known character actor in projects like Roots, The Natural, and Misery.

F. Murray Abraham

After scoring a handful of supporting roles in movies in the 1970s, F. Murray Abraham became a household name after his Oscar-winning performance as Antonio Salieri in 1984's Amadeus. It was truly a career-making role and one that is still loved today by fans.

Liam Neeson

Liam Neeson was 41 when he starred in one of the greatest movies ever made, even if it's a movie you can only watch once. As Oscar Schindler in Schindler's List, Neeson immediately became world famous. It's safe to say that role will always keep him famous, too.

Lucille Ball

It's really hard to believe that Lucille Ball was over 40 when she became famous on I Love Lucy, but it's true. The comedian worked in show business for decades before she and her husband Desi Arnaz created the now-legendary TV show and her fame never faded for the rest of her life.

Tommy Lee Jones

Like a lot of actors from Texas, Tommy Lee Jones does things his way. The Harvard grad worked for decades, even winning a Golden Globe and an Emmy before he truly found fame and became a leading man in the 90s with movies like The Fugitive and Under Siege.

Ken Jeong

it's not often that someone switches careers from medicine to drama, but that's exacting what Ken Jeong did. Though he always had a love of acting, he originally pursued a more traditional career as a doctor, while acting and doing standup on the side. By the mid-2000s he was earning enough to leave medicine behind, and in 2011, at age 40, he broke out in a huge way in the Hangover.

Warning: slight SPOILERS for Deadpool & Wolverine await inside. If you haven’t caught the latest MCU adventure just yet, you’ve been warned.

It’s an undeniable fact that the market for 2024 movies has had some early favorites to call its champions. Looking at Deadpool & Wolverine’s insane second weekend box office, director Shawn Levy’s love letter to pre-MCU thrills has become one of those success stories, and at a pretty quick pace. Occurring after years of speculation reported through every phase of production, it’s tough to sort out what was truly considered and what was never even a thought.

Thanks to a recent interview that Mr. Levy did for Happy Sad Confused’s Spoiler Special focused on Deadpool 3, we now know one cameo that falls into that second bucket. Unfortunately for all of you Patrick Stewart fans, Professor Charles Xavier didn’t even cross the minds of the team behind Marvel Studios’ current mega hit. The reason why is pretty solid though, as Shawn Levy laid out the truth for Josh Horowitz as follows:

I think it’s time to ask a really important question at this moment in the discussion: is it really that disappointing that Patrick Stewart wasn’t in Deadpool & Wolverine? I mean, despite Stewart’s cagey answers to Deadpool 3 rumors, it’s not like we haven’t seen the OG Professor X back on screen since his fond farewell in Logan. Remember, he played a variant of the telepath in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Naturally this discussion just opens the floor to further comments on the Deadpool 3 cameos that did land in Marvel Studios’ first R-rated foray. And while rumors like Jennifer Garner returning to play her Daredevil/Elektra character did turn out to be accurate, there were some other tasty gems that were omitted from consideration.

The Real Steel director further confirmed why Michael B. Jordan wasn’t considered for a Deadpool & Wolverine comeback, as well as the fact that co-writer Zeb Wells was the person behind making sure Tyler Mane’s Sabretooth from the original X-Men movie trilogy was the variant used in The Void that Cassandra Nova reigned over with an iron mind.

While we’re on the subject, here’s a couple of the other cameos that weren’t on the board, per Shawn Levy’s own recollections:

As privacy continues to be paramount on a Marvel Studios set, Mr. Levy’s last remark plays even better with the crowd who’d expect those sorts of stories to be shot down early and often. Now that the truth is out, we can all take a moment to laugh at what wasn’t true and revel over what came to be. That will naturally be interrupted by returning to the various rumors that have tipped Shawn Levy as a future MCU director across various projects.

Of course, if you’ve somehow haven’t seen Deadpool & Wolverine in theaters, you can still enjoy that particular cinematic adventure as we speak. And if you want to tip your hat to the pre-MCU era, then you can dive into movies like X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool, courtesy of the multiverse available through a Disney+ subscription.

As a show that takes place almost entirely in the next millennium, Futurama doesn’t automatically seem like the kind of show that would boast tons of cameos from modern day celebrities, athletes, politicians and scientific geniuses. Yet that’s exactly what the animated sci-fi comedy has delivered with each season that’s aired, even when occasional cancellations kept those seasons airing years apart from each other. And what’s more, quite a few of those guest stars have also popped up in co-creator legend Matt Groening’s other beloved toon series, The Simpsons.

While there are certainly far more celebrities who have only appeared on one show or the other — for instance, relatively frequent Futurama guest star Al Gore was previously tapped to host a “Treehouse of Horror” ep, but it never happened — the number of shared famous faces may be surprising to longtime fans. So let’s pop open a six-pack of Slurm and dive in, while noting right away that the aforementioned Groening isn’t on this list, despite appearing in both shows. Note that we also left out Simpsons regulars Hank Azaria and Dan Castellaneta. (Also note that The Simpsons can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription, while all eps of Futurama are available with a Hulu subscription.)

Dick Clark

• Futurama: Season 1 “Space Pilot 3000”
• The Simpsons: Season 11 "Treehouse of Horror X"

True to his real-world persona, the animated Dick Clark was also known in both animated series for hosting New Year's Eve countdowns, though he only did so as a head for Futurama. He suffered a weirder phenomenon on The Simpsons when Y2K hit and turned him into a Terminator-esque cyborg.

Leonard Nimoy

• Futurama: Season 1 “Space Pilot 3000,” Season 4 "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" 
• The Simpsons: Season 4 "Marge vs. the Monorail," Season 8 "The Springfield Files"

An icon in the world of science fiction and beyond, Leonardy Nimoy was a welcomed figure on both animated comedies. where he played himself for two episodes of each series. Arguably the best would be Futurama's "Where No Fan..." since it brought in other Star Trek vets as well.

John Goodman

• Futurama: Season 2 “XMas Story”
• The Simpsons: Season 11 "Take My Wife, Sleaze"

Longtime Futurama fans might not remember that Roseanne and The Conners lead John Goodman was the first to voice Robot Santa, with John DiMaggio taking over the role in later seasons. The Big Lebowski vet had a slightly different vibe going when portraying biker gang leader Meathook on The Simpsons.

Conan O'Brien

• Futurama: Season 2 “XMas Story”
• The Simpsons: Season 5 "Bart Gets Famous"

Having served as a writer on The Simpsons ahead of landing NBC's Late Night — he's spoken about his favorite character to write for — talk show maestro Conan O'Brien appeared as himself on both shows, interviewing Bart for his former employer, and appearing in jarheaded form for Futurama. Note that he is one of the only celebs whose head pokes out of the top, which is a joke about the comedian's larger than average dome.

Nichelle Nichols

• Futurama: Season 2 “Anthology Of Interest 1,” Season 4 "Where No Fan Has Gone Before" 
• The Simpsons: Season 15 "Simple Simpson"

A beloved member of Star Trek royalty, Nichelle Nichols portrayed herself three times across both shows, always with shows references to fall back on. (Unlike Nichols and other Trek elite, William Shatner turned down the opportunities to appear.)

Stephen Hawking

• Futurama: Season 2 “Anthology Of Interest 1,” “The Beast With A Billion Backs,” Season 6 “Reincarnation”
• The Simpsons: Season 10 "They Saved Lisa's Brain,” Season 16 "Don't Fear the Roofer," Season 18 "Stop or My Dog Will Shoot," Season 22 "Elementary School Musical"

Perhaps it's no surprise that one of TV's brainiest animated shows would repeatedly bring in one of the smartest people who ever lived. Physicist and author Stephen Hawking appeared as himself, perhaps obviously, thrice on Futurama, and is part of the four-timers club on The Simpsons.

Parker Posey

• Futurama: Season 2 “The Deep South”
• The Simpsons: Season 11 "It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Marge"

For Futurama's mermaid-focused Season 2 episode, Parker Posey lent her voice to Umbriel, not to be confused with any other size-specific mermaids out there. Over in Springfield, Posey portrayed Otto's girlfriend Becky in a role that was initially pitched to Drew Barrymore.

Sarah Silverman

• Futurama: Season 2 “The Cryonic Woman,” “Bender’s Big Score,” Season 7 “Game of Tones”
• The Simpsons: Season 21 "Stealing First Base," Season 24 "Moonshine River," Season 26 "Clown in the Dumps," Season 28 "Treehouse of Horror XXVII"

Comedian Sarah Silverman joined the world of Futurama as the recast voice of Fry's not-so-wonderful girlfriend Michelle from the '90s, with three appearances to date. (Kath Soucie voiced her in the pilot.) She was also a romantic interest on The Simpsons for Bart in a pair of eps as Nikki McKenna, while also voicing herself and others in later seasons.

Jan Hooks

• Futurama: Season 3 “Bendless Love”
• The Simpsons: Season 9 "The Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons," Season 10 "I'm With Cupid," Season 11 "Eight Misbehavin'," "Take My Wife, Sleaze," Season 12 "Bye Bye Nerdie," Season 14 "Large Marge"

Saturday Night Live vet Jan Hooks brought her comedic skills to Futurama as the criminal-loving fembot Angleyne, and while she may have wooed Bender, Hooks technically has had a larger impact on The Simpsons, where she played Apu's wife Manjula across a half-dozen appearances.

Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu was part of a Futurama cameo like few others, in that she voiced various bot-cloned versions of herself, with Fry dating one of them, as well as the "real" Lucy Liu's head in a jar. (Her second episode utilized excess dialogue she'd recorded the previous season.) Over on The Simpsons, she played the adoption agent tasked with deciding whether or not Selma is worthy of parenting a Chinese baby.

Bob Odenkirk

Bob Odenkirk tapped into both Saul Goodman and some of his Mr. Show characters to bring the ego-driven Chaz to Futurama as Leela's temporary romantic interest. And in an episode penned by his brother Bill Odenkirk, the Breaking Bad vet portrayed Fat Tony's lawyer (whose character went by that very moniker) for a Simpsons ep.

George Takei

One of the most seasoned guest stars of any Matt Groening series is Star Trek vet George Takei, who portrayed himself mostly in jar-head form for Futurama. While he did play himself for one Simpsons episode, he also voiced Happy Sumo waiter Akira, an unnamed Chinese restaurant waiter, and game show host Wink.

Mark Hamill

Having played one of cinema's most beloved heroes, Star Wars vet Mark Hamill took on voicing a somewhat equally important character for Futurama, at least to a certain segment of the population: holiday mascot Chanukah Zombie. For his single Simpsons ep, Hamill voiced himself at as sci-fi con and the bodyguard-training specialist Leavelle.

Penn & Teller

The most celebrated magical duo in history, Penn Jillette and his largely silent partner Teller appeared on Futurama in their entertainment hub of Las Vegas, or rather New Mars Vegas. (I guess it's up for debate whether Teller actually appeared, considering the state of his head.) On The Simpsons, Homer attempted to create a viral moment by interrupting one of their specials, and returned for a later episode centered on Lisa diving into the world of magic, with fellow illusionists David Copperfield and Ricky Jay also appearing.

Snoop Dogg

Rapper, actor and pop culture mainstay Snoop Dogg achieved his highest ranking yet within Futurama, with his head serving as a Chief Justice alongside the heads of Paula Abdul and Ruth Bader Ginsberg. He also played himself on The Simpsons as part of an all-star rap group Hate Squad alongside Common and Rza.

Patton Oswalt

Comedian Patton Oswalt is no stranger to self-deprecating humor, so perhaps it's fitting that his guest spot on Futurama was as Giant Unattractive Monster, who did not take kindly to Fry's insinuation that his mother's looks were to blame. He was the offspring of Portlandia vets Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein's characters' on The Simpsons, voicing their son T-Rex. He returned in a later episode to voice the slime-covered entitye that served as Bart Simpson's Guilt.

Buzz Aldrin

The second person to ever set foot on the moon, former astronaut Buzz Aldrin can also boast a guest spot as a science fair judge on Futurama, in which he delivered an unexpectedly funny joke for someone of such real-life stature. Aldrin also appeared, perhaps unsurprisingly, in the Simpsons episode in which Homer goes to space, and the family's patriarch is actually dubbed a "hero" by Aldrin.

Wanda Sykes

Comedian extraordinaire Wanda Sykes delivered the robotic goods as the soda-dispensing vending machine Bev, who has a love-hate relationship with Bender while also heping to get Fry hooked on Slurm Loco. Sykes' SImpsons spot had her portraying a nameless Springfield Elementary counselor who loses her job in the middle of dispensing advice, and then calls out Milhouse for being boring. Mic drop.

Patrick Stewart

For all his years portraying Jean Luc Picard across the Star Trek universe, Patrick Stewart opted for something slightly less sci-fi for his Futurama appearance as the master of a fox-hunting club that Bender joins, complete with fancy mustache. For The Simpsons, he also went old school as the Stonecutters leader Number One, and later appeared as a bald-but-virile power plant worker whose confidence inspires Homer. (An amusing story for an actor who was initially advised to wear a wig for his Next Generation audition.)

Robert Wagner

Two and a Half Men and NCIS recurrer Robert Wagner's fame is definitely still intact in the 3000s, at least per his guest spot on Futurama, where Calculon's Walk of Fame star is replaced by a second star for Wagner, who shares a few words as an appreciative head in a jar. His Simpsons appearance seemed tailor-made for Troy McClure, as he introduced himself as an "actor, smooth customer and women's health advocate" during an instructional video teaching aging women about menopause. (Barely.)

Adam West & Burt Ward

'60s Batman stars Adam West and Burt Ward paid tribute to their respective roles during a Futurama scene parodying the comic book show's wall-climing cameo sequences, for which West voiced an actual bat-man-thing. He also appeared on The Simpsons as a car show celeb, and later teamed up with Ward for an installment featuring a faux Batman episode with Krusty as the guest star.

Seth MacFarlane

Seth MacFarlane and Family Guy are often jokingly portrayed as rivals of Matt Groening and The Simpsons universe, but he's appeared twice on Futurama - once to lay his dulcet tones down for Vegas-esque theme, and once as the dream sequence voice of Fry's dog Seymour, whose martini in hand was a tip of the wet nose to FG's Brian. He also appeared on The Simpsons as a man Marge secretly befriended during a temporary marital rut.

Kathy Griffin

As a celeb who'd previously been "canceled" over controversial photos in 2017, Kathy Griffin was an understandable choice to guest star as one of several ship captains who were sidelined for their behavior, including the titular Zapp Brannigan. She also played something of a problematic character on The Simpsons as the bully Francine, who inspired Lisa to pinpoint the phereomon that causes bullies to antagonize nerds.

With more episodes of The Simpsons and Futurama still to come in the future, the possibility for more shared guest stars is a big one.

Star Trek's Jonathan Frakes may have a new TV gig lined up, but that doesn't mean he's all out on the franchise that brought him to prominence. The director and actor recently took part in a Reddit AMA and, naturally, there were plenty of fans of The Next Generation wanting to hear about his time on the show. I'm thankful I was aware of it, because I just now learned about Frakes' favorite memory from working on the beloved show. And it involves one of the most WTF behind-the-scenes activities that Patrick Stewart and the cast used to get up to. 

On the whole, Jonathan Frakes and other Star Trek notables received a wide variety of questions on Reddit, some of which involved the constant calls for the Legacy spinoff of Picard. The notion of someone asking about his favorite memory from his time working on the show was probably a given, but the answer is a bit unexpected. I've seen plenty of WTF moments on TNG, but never in a million years would I have guessed what Jonathan Frakes would say happened behind the scenes:

At first, I thought the often humorous actor was just being funny. I mean, Patrick Stewart -- the man who engages with fans by reading Shakespearean sonnets for fun -- grappling in between takes with Michael Dorn? Surely, this was some kind of a joke, as I couldn't in my wildest dreams imagine the man who played Picard suplexing the Worf actor on the Bridge of the Enterprise. It's a moment that one won't find when watching Star Trek: The Next Generation with a Paramount+ subscription.

However, after doing a deep dive on the web, I uncovered more information confirming that Jonathan Frakes wasn't pulling our legs. In an interview conducted on the Inside Of You podcast, which was published in 2023, the actor talked about the two wrestling between takes and what a distraction it was when he directed episodes:

Imagine watching Michael Dorn in full Klingon makeup grappling with Patrick Stewart while Brent Spiner does a Vegas crooner bit at the same time. I'd feel like I was losing my mind, especially if I was a director. Leonard Nimoy didn't have this marked as a reason why he didn't want to be an executive producer on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but I'd wager if he saw it, he would've added it to the list of reasons why he wouldn't sign up.

I would also add that while I'm sure there are some shenanigans that will occur on the sets of upcoming Trek shows, it's hard to imagine anything quite as wild as a wrestling match might occur. I guess times really have changed though, if you're a director on Star Trek, I'd say it's likely for the best that stars aren't engaging in the same level of horseplay. Nevertheless, I would've loved to have been a fly on the wall on the set of TNG during these moments, if only to see that all go down with my own eyes. Because I still have trouble believing it actually happened.

Watch Star Trek: The Next Generation anytime over on Paramount+. There's never a bad time to start a watch-through of one of the franchise's most beloved entries, and with the current lull in new content, one could breeze through the series before the arrival of the final season of Discovery. And, seriously, don't hold your breath for wrestling matches.

Star Trek: Picard ended in April of 2023, but many are still campaigning a year later for the story to continue in an upcoming Star Trek project. Co-showrunner Terry Matalas has pitched his idea for a continuation series, Star Trek: Legacy, which would pick up on Picard's untethered plot threads while continuing to explore characters' stories in the 25th century. Nothing official has been confirmed thus far, but I have a theory that something special is being worked on quietly in the background. 

To be clear, I have no inside information here, and I'm not trying to hint that I know for sure of anything in development. My thoughts here are based on a recent interview with Patrick Stewart, paired with some logical steps that would be taken if and when something like Star Trek: Legacy enters the discussion. Without further ado, here's why I'm thinking we might soon hear about movie plans to further flesh out the adventures of the beloved Picard characters. 

Patrick Stewart Says Someone Is Writing A Jean-Luc Picard Movie

This all starts, more or less, with Star Trek veteran Patrick Stewart, who made headlines not long ago by sharing the news of a new Jean-Luc Picard movie script being written. For those who missed the quote, here's how he put it:

A key part of the context here was that the quote was offered up after Stewart remarked that he'd like to play Jean-Luc again, just not as a series lead. Given the end of Star Trek: Picard, it seems logical he'd take a backseat to play more of a supporting role in another character's adventures, especially with the series ending with setting up Seven of Nine as Captain of the Enterprise G with Picard's son Jack Crusher at her side. Could they be the real stars of the alleged movie script, with Stewart meant to be playing a more minor role as Picard? 

Even if that's not the case, how would anyone make a movie about Jean-Luc Picard in 2024 without referencing the events of Picard in any way? Doing anything else would seriously conflict with the Prime timeline, so I would wager the 25th century will be referenced heavily in a film, assuming this script makes it through the muck to become an actual movie. 

Terry Matalas Said Paramount Is Aware Fans Want Star Trek: Legacy

It's worth mentioning that right as Star Trek: Picard finished, Terry Matalas told CinemaBlend that Paramount+ is aware of the constant calls for a continuation. The issue, as the showrunner said, is that there's no shortage of other Trek projects in the works already. Even with Discovery ending in 2024, developing a new season of Strange New Worlds was going to be a tall order as production starts up on both new series Starfleet Academy and Section 31.

In short, the showrunner was more or less saying that the odds of a successor series being greenlit, regardless of the fans' appetite, wasn't a possibility for the immediate future. Shows take a long time to make, after all, and if they're competing for studio time with other equally important projects, they will take even longer. 

A Star Trek: Legacy Movie Would Be Easier To Fit Into A Loaded Schedule Than A New Series

I won't sit here and pretend I know with certainty that making a Star Trek movie for Paramount+ is a shorter process than making a series, but in my mind, that feels like it would make sense. From a scheduling standpoint, if it's impossible to justify throwing in a Star Trek: Legacy series into the mix, then creating a movie for Paramount+ could be something to retain fan interest and continue to make progress until that's more feasible. 

Let's not forget that Section 31 was originally going to be a Michelle-Yeoh-led series before it became a movie. A feature could provide a way to write off the characters who would either not wish to be involved in a future series or would be too costly to keep on board. Think of it as a bridge to set up what Legacy could be, even if it seems the end of Picard already did that. Personally, I would love a Q-centric movie, and given Jack ran into the character upon the series ending, I could see the new project revolving around that topic.

Again, though, this is just a theory. Even if there were a Star Trek: Legacy script in the works, there's a long way to go before anyone crowds around cameras on set to start filming. That is to say, we can only wait and see what happens, but keep those fingers crossed that people are quietly working on the next iteration of the beloved series. 

Star Trek: Picard is available to stream in its entirety with a Paramount+ subscription.  Rewatch the series and give Paramount another reminder of how much fans want to see more adventures because Jeri Ryan recently won an award for her work as Seven of Nine in Season 3. 

In 2020, Patrick Stewart reprised Jean-Luc Picard for Star Trek: Picard, which followed nearly 20 years after the movie Star Trek: Nemesis. The show accessible to Paramount+ subscribers took the former captain of the USS Enterprise on a journey that culminated with him reuniting with his Next Generation cohorts in the third and final season last year. It seemed as though the Picard series finale’s ending wrapped up Jean-Luc’s story, but now there’s apparently a movie in the works starring the character, and I have mixed feelings about it.

In addition to explaining why he was “frustrated and disappointed” by his appearance in Doctor Strange 2, Stewart’s recent appearance on Happy Sad Confused saw him talking about his Star Trek work with host Josh Horowitz. This included the actor mentioning the four Next Generation movies he’d appeared in “of varying qualities,” with “the best,” in his mind, being 1997’s First Contact, which was directed by co-star Jonathan Frakes. Stewart also confirmed that he’s interested in playing Jean-Luc Picard again with a cinematic space rather than as a series lead, and then shared the following:

Here’s the thing: Patrick Stewart is an amazing actor, and although X-Men is what introduced me to his talents, Star Trek: The Next Generation went on to become one of my favorite sci-fi shows. If you tell me that Jean-Luc Picard is going to lead another adventure, whether it’s on the big or small screen, I’ll check it out. Plus, if Stewart likes the script and it allows him to explore new territory with one of his most famous characters, then by all means, he should agree to star in this Star Trek movie. 

On the other hand, Star Trek: Picard was promoted for years as delivering the final chapter of Jean-Luc Picard’s decades-long arc. Sure, Season 3 ended with Jean-Luc alive and playing poker with the rest of The Next Generation’s main cast (a sharp turn from the third season’s original final scene), but we left off with him in a way where it didn’t seem like we’d ever see him in the spotlight again. It was a wonderful way to conclude Jean-Luc’s story, so who’s to say this proposed movie could do a better job of truly accomplishing that.

That’s not to say I don’t want a post-Picard time period explored in the Star Trek franchise, but I’m more interested in the proposed Legacy spinoff like many other fans, which would focus on characters like Seven of Nine and Jack Crusher aboard the Enterprise-G. I’d even be fine with Patrick Stewart guest-starring on the show, but having him lead another Star Trek project when Picard ended things so well for the title character is a risky endeavor.

As for where we would see this Jean-Luc Picard movie if it gets greenlit, my bet is this will be a Paramount+ exclusive rather than play in theaters. Paramount Pictures still hasn’t been able to get the Kelvin timeline-set Star Trek 4 off the ground, but Paramount+ is moving ahead with Michelle Yeoh’s Section 31 movie, which spins out of Star Trek: Discovery. Even though the streaming service’s supply of Star Trek content hasn’t been as complete as it once was (the first 10 movies can currently only be streamed with a Max subscription, and Star Trek: Prodigy has moved to Netflix), a Jean-Luc Picard movie is surely the kind of product that Paramount+ would want to exclusively show off.

In any case, if this particular Star Trek project ends up moving forward, we’ll let you know. Until then, be sure you’re keeping track of the upcoming Star Trek TV shows and looking through the best shows on Paramount+.

Although 2017’s Logan saw Patrick Stewart’s Professor X die at the hands of X-24, just like how that movie didn’t mark the end of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine after all, we’ve been able to see the Star Trek: The Next Generation alum return as the powerful leader of the X-Men. Stewart appeared in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as Earth-838’s Charles Xavier, one of the members of that Earth’s Illuminati. However, Stewart has now shared that filming his appearance in the fifth of Phase Four’s Marvel movies in order was “frustrating and disappointing,” though for an understandable reason.

While chatting with Stewart, Happy Sad Confused host Josh Horowitz speculated that we might see the actor reprise Professor X in Deadpool 3, the upcoming Marvel movie where Jackman is making his grand Wolverine return. Stewart admitted it “has come up,” but acknowledged that the last two-three years have “so difficult” when it comes to labor problems and health problems, with him specifically bringing up COVID regarding the latter. As it turns out, COVID also factored into his underwhelming Multiverse of Madness experience, with him saying:

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness began shooting in November 2020, at the height of the COVID pandemic, and six months after cameras were originally supposed to begin rolling. So in that sense, while it is disappointing he wasn’t able to appear alongside the other actors who comprised the Illuminati, it was necessary to keep apart from one another for health reasons. Earth-838’s Illuminati also included Chiwetel Ejiofor’s Karl Mordo, Hayley Atwell’s Captain Carter (not the same one from What If… ?), Lashana Lynch’s Maria Rambeau/Captain Marvel, Anson Mount’s Black Bolt and John Krasinski’s Mister Fantastic.

While it remains to be officially confirmed if Patrick Stewart will reprise some version of Professor X in the coming years, one thing is certain: don’t expect to see the Earth-838 variant again. This Charles Xavier, who took after his X-Men: The Animated Series counterpart by wearing a green suit and sitting in a floating yellow hoverchair, was killed by Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, just like nearly all of his other teammates. Interestingly enough, Hayley Atwell also described her Doctor Strange 2 experience as “frustrating,” although in her case, that was due to her character being “immediately cut in half by a frisbee” rather than having to shoot her scenes solo.

As for where we might see Patrick Stewart return as Professor X if that is indeed on the table, Deadpool 3 is the likeliest bet. In addition to Hugh Jackman being a key member of Deadpool 3’s cast, we also recently saw leaked set photos of Wolverine and Ryan Reynolds’ Wade Wilson fighting Sabretooth, and there have been many other characters from the 20th Century Fox-era Marvel movies rumored to appear. However, with two more Avengers movies also on the way that will bring The Multiverse Saga to a close, we can’t rule out him cameoing or playing an integral role in one or both of them either.

Obviously we’ll let you know if it’s announced if Stewart is coming back as the powerful telepath. For now, remember that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription.

The MCU is always expanding, thanks to theatrical releases as well as shows that are available with a Disney+ subscription. Fans are eager for the upcoming Marvel movies heading to theaters, and are curious about which beloved characters might pop up in various projects. And Patrick Stewart being dodgy again about Professor X returning to the MCU has me even more excited for what’s coming in Deadpool 3.

What we know about Deadpool 3 is limited, but there are a number of rumors swirling about what might be coming in Shawn Levy’s forthcoming threequel. There’s particular chatter about the cast of Deadpool 3, with fans hoping to see a number of characters from X-Men lore return. That includes Patrick Stewart, who appeared as Professor X in Doctor Strange 2. A clip of the actor is swirling around Twitter, where he was asked about possibly reprising his role in another MCU project. Stewart responded coyly, saying: 

Well, I’m intrigued. Stewart surely doesn’t seem against the idea of playing Charles Xavier in another movie, despite the ending of Logan. Whether that’s going to be in Deadpool 3, Avengers: Secret Wars, or another movie remains to be seen. 

Patrick Stewart’s comments are sure to thrill MCU fans who are curious about what Kevin Feige and company have up their sleeves for the future. Fans who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have not so patiently been waiting for the X-Men to join the fun, after they were noticeably absent throughout the first three phases. But the door finally opened up when Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and its properties. 

Since then, the MCU has been methodically referencing mutants here and there, presumably leading up to a full-fledged X-Men movie. The finale of Ms. Marvel revealed she was a mutant, and Professor X had a small but memorable appearance in an alternate universe during Doctor Strange 2. And yes, he was coy about that return last time as well. The next movie hitting theaters is Deadpool 3, and Hugh Jackman is returning as Wolverine. But whether or not Patrick Stewart joins him remains to be seen. 

The latest mutant tease that hit the shared universe came with The Marvels’ credits sequence. In that scene Monica Rambeau wakes up in an alternate universe, one that’s occupied by the X-Men. That includes Kelsey Grammer’s Beast, who appeared in his full blue glory.

Some of our questions will be answered when Deadpool 3 hits theaters on July 26th. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Celebrities: they're just like us. That's what we hear all the time, anyway – but it isn't until a celebrity like Patrick Stewart writes a book and outs actor Tom Hanks as a massive fan of Star Trek: The Next Generation that we fully recognize the depths of that reality. Yes, one of America's greatest actors is a fan of TNG and a pretty big one based on a wild claim made by Stewart. 

Making It So: A Memoir is making headlines for various reveals from the actor, and this latest is a doozy. When discussing famous fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Patrick Stewart name-checks Oscar-winner Tom Hanks, who apparently watches a lot of TNG. So much so that he can do something pretty impressive. Stewart broke it down in this quote below: 

I'll save anyone currently firing up their Paramount+ subscription to count the trouble. There are 178 excellent and occasionally WTF-inducing episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Assuming that Tom Hanks wasn't exaggerating in saying he could name all of those episodes because of how many times he's watched them, that's wildly impressive.  

Tom Hanks might have theories about how Star Trek shows destroyed the world's enjoyment of Navy movies, but that doesn't mean he isn't a huge fan. In fact, Hanks admitted earlier this year when he appeared on Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast he would've been in Star Trek: First Contact, but there was never an offer made to him. After hearing about his fandom of The Next Generation, I'm more inclined to believe that, and a little sad that it never happened. Can we somehow use time travel to rewrite history and ensure it happens?

Patrick Stewart also mentioned another famous Star Trek fan in his book, though he didn't have all the details personally. According to the actor, he heard that singer Frank Sinatra was also a fan of The Next Generation, but he confessed to no knowing much more than that:

Somewhere in the multiverse, there's a reality in which Tom Hanks and Frank Sinatra met and bonded on their Star Trek fandoms and met with Patrick Stewart to recreate the iconic poker scenes of The Next Generation. That's what I'm choosing to believe, anyway, and I can't express enough how cool it is to hear about celebrities being fans of other pop culture stuff that they have nothing to do with. Let's just have all celebrities start outing the fandoms of their peers in memoirs going forward! 

If you want to be as good at naming Star Trek: The Next Generation episodes as Tom Hanks, then get to work watching each and every episode multiple times over on Paramount+. Those who aren't quite as committed could check out all the other content available and prepare for the upcoming Trek shows on the horizon by catching up on what else the platform has to offer. 

Although Patrick Stewart rose to prominence in the 1980s thanks to movies like Excalibur and Dune, and especially with Star Trek: The Next Generation (where he wasn’t well known among his castmates at first), the man was already a seasoned performing veteran but that point, particularly when it came to plays. In fact, it was through his time on the stage as a younger man that he was able to meet Vivien Leigh, who played Scarlett O’Hara in Gone with the Wind and wore a dress in it that sold for $137,000 in 2015. That in turn led to him sitting right next to the actress during a screening of the classic movie, and that particular experience with her ended on an emotional note.

Having mentioned meeting Leigh during from his well-lived life life in his new book Making It So: A Memoir (which is now available to purchase), Stewart opened up more about this experience while appearing on Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. He was among the people invited to a “new release” of Gone with the Wind that “had been smartened up and tidied up, given new technology.” Even better, Stewart was lucky enough to be seated to Leigh’s left during the screening, but the actress didn’t stay for the whole screening. As he recalled:

In a separate interview with The New Yorker, Patrick Stewart explained that he met Vivien Leigh when he was 20 years old and working on a trio of London Old Vic-produced plays that all started the Gone with the Wind actress. So with Stewart being born in 1940, this places them meeting sometime in 1960 and this special screening taking place 21 year after Gone with the Wind originally played in theaters. Sadly, as Leigh pointed out, many of her costars had already died by then, and that was enough for her to want to leave before the movie finished, which Stewart found touching.

After saying those kind words about Vivien Leigh in his interview with Conan O’Brien, as well as calling her “fabulous-looking” and a “very, very nice person,” Patrick Stewart then mentioned that she had a “temper” and recalled an incident where she hit one of her fellow actresses with a bouquet of flowers across the face because she said something she didn’t like. Stewart and O’Brien then pointed out that Leigh, who died in 1967, suffered from bipolar disorder, resulting her having “bad days” and “good days,” but ultimately the former thought it was a “privilege” to work with her. Stewart capped off this portion of the conversation by sharing that Leigh attended his 21st birthday party and gave him a “golden, cotton handkerchief” that was sprayed with her trademark perfume, and he still has it to this day.

If you’re now in the mood to watch Vivien Leigh’s performance in Gone with the Wind, that movie can be streamed with a Max subscription, and it’s accompanied by a special introduction. For those more interested in looking at Patrick Stewart’s Star Trek work, including in the recently-concluded Picard, that can all be accessed by subscribing to Paramount+.

These days, it's almost unfathomable to imagine a world where Patrick Stewart isn't an esteemed actor, author and fan-favorite celeb. This is especially the case when it comes to his work in Star Trek, but as the actor pointed out in his latest book, that was exactly the case ahead of the premiere of The Next Generation. Stewart wrote about not being recognized by a popular publication before the show's launch and how the crew trolled him afterward. 

CinemaBlend was honored to receive a copy of Patrick Stewart's Making It So: A Memoir, which details the key events of the actor's life. Of course, there are tons of details and anecdotes about his many years within the Star Trek universe, and how the role ultimately propelled his career further than it had previously ever been. Stewart talked about the beginnings of The Next Generation and how he wasn't technically a 'name' attached to the show compared to two of his colleagues:

This may be a no-brainer for those who grew up watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, but it may surprise others that LeVar Burton and Wil Wheaton were the biggest names attached to the series. Patrick Stewart, despite being the lead, had spent most of his time doing Shakespearean theater and other roles in Britain. He wasn't well-known to audiences in the United States, which he soon learned thanks to the media. 

Patrick Stewart wrote that the crew taunted him after the release of an article that was meant to highlight the release of Star Trek: The Next Generation. Read what he said below and the hilarious title the write-up gave him: 

While he may have started his run as an unknown, Patrick Stewart soon made a name for himself, and Captain Jean-Luc Picard remains one of Star Trek's greatest characters of all time. It's also funny to hear that the cast poked fun at him for the write-up, especially knowing how serious he was in the early years of TNG.

Jokes and jests on the set of Star Trek: The Next Generation would become more common as the cast had a chance to get to know each other better. Wil Wheaton once recalled a rather humorous moment where Brent Spiner joked about Patrick Stewart's accent that I think speaks to the type of atmosphere on the set. 

All that to say, it was likely the joke on the actor's trailer was made to make him upset, even if it might've bruised his ego a bit. I also like the reminder that Star Trek: The Next Generation helped propel Stewart's career well beyond what it was previously, which will make my next binge with my Paramount+ subscription all the more special. 

Patrick Stewart is campaigning for more adventures as Jean-Luc Picard, but until that happens, most of his work as the character can be found on Paramount+. I love watching the "Unknown British Shakespearean Actor" in action and still have my fingers crossed for future appearances. 

When Captain Jean-Luc Picard took the captain’s chair in Star Trek: The Next Generation he could not have looked more different from the Star Trek captain that preceded him. That may have been a big part of why Stewart’s character was so successful, both on the show, and for the actor’s career as a whole. But Stewart actually auditioned for the role with hair, something that required significant help from the actor’s wife and British Airways to accomplish.

In Patrick Stewart’s new memoir Make it So (via AV Club) Stewart reveals that he was literally getting on the airplane to fly to L.A. from England, when his agent called the actor’s wife Sheila, asking if Stewart had a hairpiece and could it be sent to L.A. for Stewart to use in the audition. Sheila then boxed up the hairpiece, delivered it to the airport, and British Airways personnel got the package on a later flight to L.A. 

Stewart then returned to the airport to pick up his hairpiece so he would have it for his audition. It’s certainly a lot to go through for a wig, but certainly Star Trek: The Next Generation had the potential to be a big show. And getting the lead role would be worth all the hassle, even if Stewart’s friend Ian McKellen tried to talk him out of taking the job.

It seems that, at the time, Paramount thought it wanted an Enterprise captain more in line with William Shatner’s James T. Kirk, and so it was felt that Stewart would have a better shot at the role with hair. He did the audition with the hairpiece, which, Stewart felt went terribly. 

But then three Paramount executives came by Stewart’s dressing room to thank him for coming by. In the book, the actor says his hairstylist suggested the reason they came by was to see him without the hairpiece. Whatever the reason, he, of course, won the role. If Paramount was looking for another Kirk, it would seem Stewart convinced them to broaden their perspectives. 

Stewart has appeared with hair from time to time in roles, though occasionally pictures that purport to be Patrick Stewart with hair are fake. And a picture of him in his Star Trek: The Next Generation uniform, wearing a hairpiece, has made the rounds in social media. The actor doesn’t even look that bad with hair. But while Patrick Stewart with hair isn’t terrible, Jean-Luc Picard with hair would likely be a travesty. It’s impossible to imagine. It’s an iconic part of the character now and it’s difficult to believe that Picard would be the same man if he had hair.

Even if Patrick Stewart doesn't love his early work as Picard, he eventually found his footing and made the character something truly special. 

When it comes to the most memorable characters from Patrick Stewart's storied career, Jean-Luc Picard is undoubtedly at the top of the list. The captain of the Enterprise-D on Star Trek: The Next Generation remains one of the most popular characters not just within the franchise, but in all of sci-fi, despite a fairly rocky start at the series' beginning. I'm one of many fans who weren't as impressed with the character's earliest years, and pleased to recently discover that Stewart himself feels the exact same way. 

Patrick Stewart rewatched Star Trek: The Next Generation in order to prep for his recently released memoir, Making It So, and he had the same kinds of thoughts many actors have upon watching themselves on screen, though not about some of the WTF moments of the series. Rather, he found himself disappointed in the early portrayals of the character, and I'd wager those takes were largely warranted. Stewart explained it all in a recent interview with The New Yorker, saying: 

It turns out that Patrick Stewart saw what I and many others have seen when watching Star Trek: The Next Generation over the years. While Picard ultimately develops into one of the greatest sci-fi Captains of all time in the series, he starts things off on a real "authoritative" tone and doesn't bring much else to the table. 

Someone might say he's a bit of an ass in the early seasons and doesn't really focus on much more than ordering others around. He also isn't too kind to Wesley Crusher, which, in my opinion, feels like the biggest betrayal of who Picard would become in later seasons. People who are mean to kids don't have holidays named after them. 

Those who fire up an early episode with Paramount+ subscription will see it plain as day, Picard just isn't as multi-dimensional early on. Patrick Stewart said he talked about the early seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation in his memoir and a meeting with his co-stars that might've ultimately helped him switch up Picard in future seasons: 

The work certainly did get better, and Star Trek: The Next Generation's success ultimately led to more franchise shows, and even a revival series for the character decades after the show's ending. Had Picard remained the same blowhard he was in Seasons 1 and 2, such continued success might not have happened. 

For now, the ending of Picard appears to be the final story for the character, though Patrick Stewart indicated in his memoir he's interested in making at least one more movie. Whether it will be factored into the plans of upcoming Trek projects remains to be seen. Other cast members like Michael Dorn have expressed a want to keep making content, so who knows what may happen. 

All seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation can be found right now on Paramount+. While it likely won't help many others write their memoir, it is a great way of seeing how the series evolved over time, and a reminder of why it remains the gold standard for episodic television across all genres. 

Until Star Trek: Picard came along in 2020, the final chapter of The Next Generation saga (onscreen, at least) had been Nemesis, the fourth of the Star Trek movies spotlighting Jean-Luc Picard and his crew. The 2002 movie saw its protagonists clashing with the new leader of the Romulan Empire, Shinzon, who was played by a then-unknown Tom Hardy. While reflecting on his Nemesis experience, Patrick Stewart opened up about how he didn’t think Hardy would make it big at the time, and how he obviously ended up being wrong about the actor’s future.

A year after making his film debut in Black Hawk Down and TV debut in Band of Brothers, Tom Hardy antagonized the crew of the Enterprise-E, with Shinzon being revealed as a clone of Stewart’s Picard. Yet despite the genetic connection between these two characters, Stewart wrote in his memoir Make It So (via Insider) that he and Hardy didn’t develop a close relationship while working on Star Trek: Nemesis, saying:

We may never know the specific reason Tom Hardy was so distant from his Nemesis costars, whether nervousness had anything to do with it or if he simply only wanted to be around set to work, then spend whatever free time he had left doing something else. In any case, by the time Nemesis wrapped shooting, Hardy had remained almost a complete stranger to Patrick Stewart and the rest of the cast, which prompted Stewart to make the following incorrect assumption about where Hardy’s performing career would go:

He was certainly incorrect in that assessment. Granted, Star Trek: Nemesis doesn’t go down as one of the more beloved entries on Tom Hardy’s filmography, but the immediate years afterwards saw him appearing in movies like Layer Cake, Marie Antoinette and Bronson. Then Hardy’s profile got a big boost in the early 2010s thanks to Inception and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, and once he played Bane in The Dark Knight Rises, he became a Hollywood name. His other major film credits include Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant, Dunkirk and the Venom movies, as well as TV shows like Peaky Blinders and Taboo.

While things didn’t end well for Shinzon in Star Trek: Nemesis, and Patrick Stewart’s time as Jean-Luc Picard appears to be over (for now) following the conclusion of Picard Season 3, perhaps there will come an opportunity for Stewart and Hardy to work on another project and build a proper rapport there. If not, my fingers are crossed that they can at least meet in public or at a social function to have a proper conversation and get on friendlier terms with one another, though clearly Stewart is impressed with how far Hardy has gone in his professional life.

Star Trek: Nemesis, along with Picard and nearly every other Star Trek movie and TV show, can be watched with a Paramount+ subscription. Tom Hardy can next be seen reprising Eddie Brock in Venom 3, which is slated on the 2024 movie schedule for a July 12 arrival.

Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen are best known together for being on opposite sides in the X-Men movie franchise. But in reality, the two are very good friends and have been for a very long time. They’ve known each other since the ‘70s when they worked in the theater together. When Stewart decided to make the jump to television to star in Star Trek: The Next Generation, he told his friend McKellen, who apparently tried to talk him out of it.

In Patrick Steward’s new memoir Making It So (via Insider), he reveals that when he told his friend Ian McKellen about his plan to sign the contract to star in the new Star Trek series, McKellen was dead set against the idea, believing that Stewart was throwing away his theater career to do TV. Stewart writes… 

Acting seems to have become more democratized in recent years, with even major names shifting between movies, TV, and the stage fairly easily. But back in the late ‘80s, there were still stronger distinctions between the mediums. Television was definitely seen, by both stage and film actors, as being lesser, so it’s not surprising that McKellen reacted this way.

It’s even possible that Stewart could have listened to his friend and decided not to do it. Stewart would have certainly been a star in the theater, but we might have been robbed of not just his future TV work, but film appearances as well. 

It's basically impossible to imagine Star Trek: The Next Generation without Patrick Stewart. Picard is iconic and one of the roles for which Stewart will always be associated. The role was big enough that it spawned its own follow-up, Star Trek: Picard, which ended recently after a three-season run.

Luckily, Stewart had already decided he was going to do Star Trek. He explained to McKellen that he felt he would always be able to go back to the theater if the show didn’t work out, but he didn’t want to pass on an opportunity that he wasn’t sure he’d have again. Stewart continued… 

For his part, Ian McKellen, who would go on to his own successful career on the screen as well as the stage, has since admitted that he was wrong to try and talk his friend out of the TV show. Stewart says he enjoys making McKellen admit he was wrong often. 

Star Trek: Picard Season 3 was the perfect capstone to Patrick Stewart's revival series, so it's a surprise to learn the finale wasn't planned to end the way it did. Stewart recently revealed the planned ending to the series they never shot, and frankly, I'm glad it never saw the light of day. The original ending for Picard would've been a terrible idea, and it's a hill I'm willing to die on. 

For those that missed it, Stewart recently revealed the original ending ahead of the launch of his memoir, Making It So. Stewart explained that the original ending was supposed to feature Picard and his faithful pitbull (a breed requested by the actor) back at his vineyard, looking happy. A woman would then call him for dinner, but the woman would be voiced by his actual wife, Sunny Ozell. As such, audiences would never know whether or not Jean-Luc returned home to Laris or reconciled with Beverly Crusher in matrimony. 

The scene only fell apart because Stewart requested a production change regarding the filming timing, due to his traveling, and the show's producers ultimately opted not to go that route. I'm eternally grateful that didn't happen in place of Picard's current ending, because the other one sounds like it would've created a ton of trouble. 

Picard's Final Scene Would've Left A Nagging Question For No Reason

While Star Trek: Picard Season 3 didn't exactly confirm Picard and Beverly Crusher's romantic status, it definitely left the suggestion that they were very good friends and co-parents again, if not full-blown lovers. We still don't know with certainty whether Picard is with her, or if he remained with Laris, but the door is wide open for fans to speculate with the given information to make their own choice. They can even choose to believe that Picard never married again, which I'd personally lean toward at his advanced positronic robot-bodied age. 

This unfilmed ending would've confirmed that Picard shacked up with someone, but without providing answers for who it would be. Using the voice of Patrick Stewart's real-life wife would've only complicated the matter further, as canon-respecting fans would have trouble believing her voice sounded like either Laris or Crusher. So then, the ending of Picard would be that he left both women and started with someone entirely new?

A Picard-Only Ending Scene Would've Felt Empty

Star Trek: Picard took two full seasons of giving its lead character key moments of solitude, so I don't think a final scene of him at his vineyard would've added much for fans. What viewers wanted was what Season 3 delivered, which was to see Admiral Picard back together with his crew from The Next Generation. 

Having all those characters absent from the ending would've been a mistake, especially after seeing how the season played out. While the poker game that was a callback to the original ending of Star Trek: The Next Generation wasn't the absolute final scene of the series, it was one of the most iconic moments of the season. From that point on, it was all about scenes teasing the story of what could happen to characters in the story beyond the final credits, which was the right call. 

Patrick Stewart might've preferred that quieter ending, but I can't in good conscience agree with him. Thankfully, we don't have to worry about it, and can obsess instead about Q returning from the dead, and any prospective adventures that surface. I wouldn't have wanted to endure years of conversation about who Picard ended up with, nor would I have been invested in it. Thank goodness for the actor's trip to New York, and that the show's creatives ultimately decided the scene was unnecessary. 

Stream all of Star Trek: Picard right now with a Paramount+ subscription. Season 3 is great, but it's not the only great series fans who missed out on the new wave of Trek should watch. Look at what's available right now and "boldly go" into an unexplored series. 

While only two years passed between the release of Deadpool and Deadpool 2, the public is still waiting for Deadpool 3’s arrival. To be fair, there was initially uncertainty if the threeqeul would even move forward following Disney acquiring 20th Century Fox, but by late 2020, it was clear that it would indeed be included on the upcoming Marvel movies slate. Cut to the present day, we know quite a but more about what Deadpool 3 holds in store, but there’s also much about this movie that’s being kept officially secret. Unofficially, however, it’s a different story.

Rumors surrounding superhero movies are nothing new, but there’s been an especially high number of wild claims about Deadpool 3, specifically on the casting front. That’s because like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Loki, Deadpool 3 looks like it will delve into the Marvel multiverse, which will supposedly open the door to not only reunite with other familiar faces from past Marvel movies, but also include some big-name actors playing notable roles. 

To be clear, none of the names mentioned are remotely close to being a sure thing, and some are less plausible than others. Still, as we wait for Deadpool 3 to resume production, it’s worth going over the wildest casting rumors surrounding the Merc with the Mouth’s third theatrical adventure. Also, we aren’t covering alleged character identities for confirmed members of the Deadpool 3 cast, like who Emma Corrin and Matthew Macfayden are supposedly playing.

Karl Urban And Taron Egerton As Other Versions Of Wolverine

A year ago, it was announced that Hugh Jackman will reprise Wolverine in Deadpool 3, a 180 turn from when he’d once said Logan would be his last outing in the role. It’s since been reported that Jackman will play multiple versions of Wolverine, and a more recent rumor claimed that Ryan Reynolds’ Wade will be traveling through the multiverse to find the “perfect Wolverine.” However, as established by No Way Home and Loki, not all variants look the same, which can range from slightly different facial features to being a member of a different species.

With that in mind, Karl Urban and Taron Egerton are both rumored to be playing alternate versions of Wolverine, with Giant Freakin’ Robot sharing the former’s supposed inclusion and the latter casting coming from The DisInsider. Both actors have been suggested by fans to take over as Wolverine in the MCU, and considering that John Krasinski, a popular fan choice for Mister Fantastic, was selected to play the stretchy superhero in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it wouldn’t be completely out of left field for Deadpool 3 to do something similar with Urban and Egerton.

Lots Of Other Established Fox-Era X-Men Characters

Deadpool 3 won’t be lacking in X-Men characters, because along with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine reprisal, we’ll also reunite with Stefan Kapičić's Colossus, Brianna Hildebrand's Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Shioli Kutsuna's Yukio. But that may just be the tip of the proverbial iceberg. In May 2023, Twitter user @CanWeGetSomeToast claimed that James Marsden, Famke Janssen and Halle Berry were on deck to respectively reprise Cyclops, Jean Grey and Storm, making this threequel sound like it would be the mutant version of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Then the following August, the aforementioned DisInsider video shared a bunch of other surprising Marvel cameos in Deadpool 3. As far as the established X-Men and Deadpool characters went, along with Janssen and Berry being mentioned again, the list included Brian Cox as William Striker, Lewis Tan as Shatterstar, Dafne Keen as X-23, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, Patrick Stewart as Professor X and Ian McKellen as Magneto. It was clarified that all these appearances remain “unconfirmed,” and frankly, it would be bonkers if all these people showed up. And we’re only on Entry #2 of this list!

Various Fox-Era Fantastic Four Characters

The Fantastic Four didn’t have as much luck under the 20th Century Fox umbrella, but there are fans of 2005’s Fantastic Four and 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer out there (2015’s Fantastic Four, not nearly as much). So between that and all the other Fox-era Marvel movie coverage Deadpool 3 is rumored to have, it’s not terribly surprising to hear that this version of Marvel’s First Family might be getting some attention, per scooper DanielRPK (via Deadpool Updates). 

Assuming this is true, it’s unclear if the entire quartet would appear, or if we’d only see a few of the members, such as Chris Evans’ Human Torch and Michael Chiklis’ Thing. Additionally, one of the other characters mentioned in that DisInsider video was Julian McMahon’s Doctor Doom. Whether we would actually see him actually fighting the Fantastic Four again or if Wade Wilson would visit him separately is also unclear.

Ben Affleck As Daredevil

More than a decade before he was selected as the DC Extended Universe’s Batman, Ben Affleck first jumped into the superhero genre by playing the title protagonist of 2003’s Daredevil, a.k.a. Matt Murdock. Well, in June 2023, Twitter user KC Walsh shared that Affleck was seen on the Deadpool 3 set, which understandably kicked off speculation that he’d be reprising Marvel’s Man Without Fear, which Walsh said in a separate tweet was “likely,” though it couldn’t be verified at the time.

Now it’s looking like this particular casting rumor won’t pan out. In September, Walsh tweeted that Affleck was actually on the set to visit his kids and ex-wife Jennifer Garner, not suit back up as Daredevil. Why would he be seeing them there? Well, that brings us to the next person on this list.

Jennifer Garner As Elektra

Shortly after the rumor of Ben Affleck’s Daredevil reprisal started making the rounds, THR shared that Jennifer Garner will reprise Elektra, who first appeared in Daredevil, then led her own spinoff movie in 2005. Garner previously worked with Deadpool 3 director Shawn Levy on The Adam Project, but when Levy was asked about if he would indeed re-team with the actress, he simply said that he’d “rather not weigh in on that.”

Of all the casting rumors on this list, this one seems the most likely to be accurate given that it originated from a major Hollywood trade publication. That’s not to say all scoops from such sources end up being true, but more often than not, if a place like THR is reporting it, then it’s likely to be the real deal. Also, one could argue Levy’s reluctance to comment on whether or not Garner is involved rather than just debunk the claim adds authenticity. 

Elizabeth Olsen As Scarlet Witch

When we last saw Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, specifically the Earth-616 version of Wanda Maximoff, she was being buried by the collapsing Mount Wundagore, seemingly sacrificing her life to destroy all the copies of the Darkhold in the multiverse. However, it still hasn’t been officially clarified if Scarlet Witch is dead, and many fans believe we’ll see her again someday. However, evidently a different version of Wanda will appear in Deadpool 3.

That DisInsider video mentioned Wanda as one of the cameos, but a later report from Cosmic Circus alleged that we’ll see the Earth-838 version of the character instead. Deadpool 3 will supposedly return to Earth-838 to explore how that reality has become a dystopian landscape following the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This report also mentioned that Ian McKellen will be playing the 838-Magneto, who is Wanda’s father like in the comics, and together they are members of the new Illuminati. This feels like a storyline that should be saved for another Marvel project rather than crammed into Deadpool 3, so it’d probably be worth taking this rumors with a bigger grain of salt.

Various Loki Characters

Loki Season 1 ended with the multiverse being unleashed once Sylvie killed He Who Remains, and while Season 2 will explore the direct consequences of that action, apparently some of its leading characters will find themselves meeting the Merc with the Mouth sometime afterwards. The DisInsider video mentioned that both Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson will respectively reprise Loki and Mobius, with the latter having been previously reported to appear by The Hot Mic in March 2023.

Additionally, it was reported that the Time Variance Authority mascot Miss Minutes will be in Deadpool 3, although the character’s voice actress, Tara Strong, later told Agents of Fandom she hadn’t heard about this. Whether or not Loki and/or Mobius will pop up remains to be seen, but it’s not like it would be entirely unprecedented for them to somehow be drawn into the multiversal shenanigans unfolding in the movie.

Channing Tatum As Gambit

For many years, Channing Tatum was in deck to play Gambit in Fox’s X-Men franchise, taking over the role from X-Men Origins: Wolverine’s Taylor Kitsch. Unfortunately, the Gambit movie was kept getting hit with setbacks and delays, and once Disney acquired Fox in 2019, the project was shelved. And yet, Tatum may get the opportunity to play the card-throwing mutant after all.

The aforementioned @CanWeGetSomeToast claimed the actor will appear in Deadpool 3 wearing a “comic accurate” Gambit suit. If this rumor ends up being accurate, this cameo will be similar to how Nicolas Cage appeared in The Flash as Superman, a reference to the un-produced Superman Lives. In Tatum’s case though, he obviously won’t need to be digitally de-aged.

Taylor Swift As Dazzler

Following speculation that Dazzler would appear in Dark Phoenix, the character did indeed show up, albeit as a minor player brought to life by Halston Sage. But if the word on the proverbial street is true, then Dazzler is about to get some much bigger exposure, as the DisInsider video from earlier mentioned that Taylor Swift will play her in Deadpool 3.

Now to be fair, Swift does have a few acting credits, including The Lorax, Cats and Amsterdam, and obviously casting her to play a popular mutant singer would be a no-brainer. But for now, it’s hard to say if this rumor has any merit, and even if it does end up being true, like most of the other people on this list, she’ll presumably only briefly appear rather than have a major supporting role.

Daniel Radcliffe In A “Secret” Role

Following the conclusion of the main Harry Potter film series in 2011, Daniel Radcliffe has steered clear from big franchise movies, but perhaps Deadpool 3 will end that streak. Daniel Richtman (via ComicBookMovie) alleged that the actor has snagged a “secret” role in the threequel. There’s been no shortage of thoughts on who this mysterious character might be, but one theory seems to be getting more traction.

Like Karl Urban and Taron Egerton, may fans believe Radcliffe is playing a Wolverine variant since he’s another actor who’s been frequently fancast in the role. And just like those two, along with John Krasinski as Mister Fantastic, this would give the Harry Potter actor an opportunity to bring Wolverine to life for a short spell, rather than commit to playing the character for multiple movies. It’s the best of both worlds, but for now, we simply don’t know if Radcliffe will indeed be in Deadpool 3, let alone who he’s playing.

Rest assured that if any of these casting rumors are verified, we’ll let you know. Deadpool 3 is still officially set for May 3, 2024, though that will likely change given how principal photography remains paused.

On April 20, 2023, Star Trek: Picard concluded its third and final season, and thankfully, Patrick Stewart’s title character made it out of the Paramount+ show alive. As a nice callback to how Star Trek: The Next Generation ended in 1994, the final minutes of “The Last Generation” saw Jean-Luc Picard and his Enterprise-D family enjoy a game of poker together after having some drinks and sharing a toast. But as it turns out, this wasn’t the original Picard Season 3 ending, though Stewart has admitted that he’s ‘sort of to blame’ for this alternate version not being shot.

In an excerpt from hi his memoir Making It So (via Time), Stewart revealed that a few months prior to Picard wrapping, he envisioned Season 3 would end with Jean-Luc Picard in a different head space compared to where we saw him the finale that Paramount+ subscribers can stream, though not in a bad way. The actor told the writers:

Because Patrick Stewart had found love in his life, he felt that Picard should do the same, and as such the writers crafted a scene set at the Picard family’s vineyard at dusk. The protagonist is enjoying the setting with his dog next to him, and then a woman’s voice is heard saying, “Jean-Luc? Supper’s ready!” However, it’s unclear whether we’re hearing Beverly Crusher, Laris or someone else, though Stewart’s wife Sunny was set to record the line. Regardless, Picard and his dog would then walk into the house, and the series would fade to black.

So why was this version of the Star Trek: Picard Season 3 finale ending never shot? Well, it started off because on the last day of shooting the series, Patrick Stewart realized eight hours in that this going to be a 14 or even 16-hour day, and he was already scheduled to fly to New York the next morning. So he instead suggested the following to the production team:

Stewart recalled that the production team was “grateful and relieved,” so he flew to New York and expected to shoot that final scene after his trip was over. Instead, that delay ended up backfiring. No one ever called him to come back in, and when the actor inquired multiple times about what was going on, someone eventually told him that the studio wasn’t going to shoot the scene after all, feeling it was “too expensive” and “unnecessary.” This disappointed Stewart, as he felt this moment was “crucial to the completion of Picard’s arc,” but that’s not to say he was displeased with ending things with the poker game, which he called a “warm, emotional send-off to my favorite Starfleet crew.”

As for if we’ll ever Patrick Stewart reprise Jean-Luc Picard in the aftermath of Star Trek: Picard, right now, nothing is officially on the books. That said, fans are championing a Legacy spinoff series, and the Starfleet hero could easily pop back up there, especially if his son Jack Crusher, played by Ed Speleers, is one of the main characters. Stewart also mentioned in his time writeup that he’s “pushing Paramount” to make a Picard movie, and William Rider actor Jonathan Frakes is his first choice to direct. That sounds like it would make for a cool Paramount+ exclusive Star Trek movie to accompany the Michelle Yeoh-led Section 31.

If such a project is greenlit, we’ll let you know, but until then, Paramount+ is currently holding down the Star Trek front with Lower Decks Season 4, and Discovery Season 5 will follow sometime in 2024, though there's still some great TV left to hit our screens as part of the 2023 TV schedule as well. 

The 2023 Emmy Nominations have been announced, and if you're a Star Trek fan, you might be a little disappointed. Picard Season 3 does have reason to celebrate for scoring some expected recognition to the tune of two Emmy nominations for makeup work, but when it came to all other major categories, everything and everyone got snubbed. It's a tough pill to swallow after a year that saw the franchise garner a ton of acclaim and widespread recognition, and yet the most-hyped project of the year was largely overlooked. 

It's no secret that Paramount made a big push to get Star Trek: Picard noticed ahead of award season this year, but the effort was largely in vain by way of total nods. Given that, though, it would seem that there was a failure on behalf of the voting committee to give the series its due recognition, rather than the parent company and fans with a Paramount+ subscription for not making the effort by tuning in and spreading the word. For those wondering where the oversight was, I have some notable snubs I think need to be pointed out. 

Patrick Stewart Deserved An Honorary Nod After Finishing Picard

Patrick Stewart has been nominated for four Emmys in his career, and it's absolutely wild that none of them are for the show he's most known for. That's right, Stewart has gotten acknowledgement for Moby Dick, The Lion In Winter, Extras, and Hamlet, but never for Star Trek: The Next Generation or Picard. That's a travesty, in my eyes, and one that the award show could've rectified this year. 

The Best Actor category has no less than three nominees from Succession and have multiple entries in other categories as some predicted. An actor of Patrick Stewart's caliber was worthy of at least a nomination based on the television legacy character that made his career. I'd also add that Picard Season 3 was among one of his best performances as the character, so for voters to completely ignore that is beyond me. 

Jonathan Frakes Acted His Ass Off In Picard Season 3

I was one of the first people when Star Trek: Picard Season 3 came out to give Jonathan Frakes his flowers. The supporting actor delivered the character's best performance of his career, and just to say it on the record, he gave the strongest performance of the season. 

He was more than deserving of a Best Supporting Actor nod but was left out of a category that is entirely dominated by The White Lotus and Succession. Did everyone in the academy only have a Max subscription? 

Overlooking Stephen Barton's Masterful Homage To TNG's Music Was Criminal

If you weren't following Star Trek: Picard before Season 3, it's easy to overlook composer Stephen Barton's contribution. Those that were watching, though, know that he came in and revamped the style of the score for Season 3 and created a series of themes that enhanced and paid homage to the most iconic music of The Next Generation. 

It's disheartening to see his work go unacknowledged by voters, though the fans love it well enough. Barton mentioned as much in lamenting being overlooked but gave congratulations to the makeup team for representing the franchise: 

In addition to these massive oversights, there's more I could say about the work of the costume department, the recreation of the TNG bridge, and other actors who could've gotten a nod. At least the franchise will get a chance to gather more technical awards and, perhaps someday, will get the chance to score one of those coveted Emmys for the franchise in a key category.

Star Trek: Picard Season 3, as well as the other shows that eren't Emmy-eligible for 2023, are available to stream over on Paramount+. As for the Primetime Emmy Awards, they'll be held on Monday, September 18th, with a television broadcast happening on Fox. It may not be of much interest if you're strictly a Star Trek fan, but I'm sure there are other shows being recognized readers will care about. 

Last week marked the end of an era for Star Trek fans, with the series finale for Star Trek: Picard being delivered to Paramount+ subscribers. Whether we’ll ever see Patrick Stewart back again as Jean-Luc Picard remains to be seen, but in the meantime, he’s learned about another celebrity fan of the Star Trek franchise. That ‘70s Show star Mila Kunis showed off her fandom by singing her old cell phone ringtone to the lead of The Next Generation.

These two actors were guests together on The Late, Late Show with James Corden, which is ending tonight and will cost the eponymous host millions by walking away. It didn’t take long for Corden to bring up that Kunis is a Star Trek superfan, and she promptly told Stewart that she loves him “so much.” She then told the following story of how she showed off her enthusiasm for Star Trek:

Hearing about Nokia phones and this specific ringtone really takes me back, and I’m guessing Mila Kunis set her phone up this way around the time that Star Trek: Enterprise was airing on UPN. It doesn’t get much more 2000s than that, right? The actress kept her cool while telling that story, but when Corden asked Stewart about if he enjoys fans expressing their passion for the franchise to him, she started to get embarrassed, but it was all in good fun. You can watch these moments, plus Stewart tell some Next Generation-related stories, below:

As Patrick Stewart recalled, he was told when he was was cast as Jean-Luc Picard that Star Trek: The Next Generation wouldn’t last long. The joke’s on them, as the show itself ran for seven seasons, then was followed by four movies, and now we can tack on Picard’s three-season run. Whether or not this corner of the Star Trek franchise will continue with the proposed Legacy spinoff (which recently got a promising update from Terry Matalas), the point is that you’ll find fans from all walks of life, and we can count Mila Kunis as one of the more hardcore among them. Now I wonder if that ringtone is still available?

Following Star Trek: Picard’s conclusion, Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 2 will premiere June 15 on Paramount+, and if you missed Season 1, those episodes will air for free on Pluto TV during May. Other upcoming Star Trek TV shows include new seasons of Lower Decks and Prodigy arriving later in 2023, Discovery’s fifth and final season coming in 2024, and Starfleet Academy entering pre-production.

The X-Men film franchise that existed for two decades came to an end in 2020 with the release of Josh Boone's The New Mutants, but just because that continuity is no longer expanding doesn't mean that everything about it has been abandoned. Sir Patrick Stewart recently reprised the role of Professor X for a surprise cameo in Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, and fans will soon see the return of Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool and Hugh Jackman's Wolverine in Deadpool 3. What else the future might hold is presently unclear... but we now have high hopes of not only getting more of Charles Xavier in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but also more of Sir Ian McKellen's Erik Lehnsherr a.k.a. Magneto.

The reason we are now more optimistic than ever for this is because of quotes directly from Patrick Stewart. Entertainment Tonight recently caught up with the beloved actor, who is currently promoting the third and final season of the Paramount+ series Picard, and the outlet asked him about Ian McKellen's reaction to his most recent turn as Professor X. It turns out that McKellen was very positive about it, and Stewart explained that neither of them is "done" with their respective X-Men roles:

Professor X and Magneto have been recast before in live-action – with James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender playing younger versions of the hero and villain in X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix – but love for the Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen iterations has never dissipated. For many, they are the true big screen versions of the characters, and it very much seems now like fans have been given permission to be excited about seeing them returning to their respective roles. 

But when could it happen? Obviously that's a big question, and we currently have no idea what the answer is. If we're talking sooner rather than later, Deadpool 3 very much seems like a logical opportunity for Marvel, given its already established links to the X-Men canon, but we also can't discount the possibility that the specialness of Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen coming back together will be saved for one of Marvel's major upcoming event movies – specifically Avengers: Secret Wars. 

Needless to say, Marvel fans will be waiting with baited breath for this tease to become a reality. Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for the latest updates on this front, and check out our Upcoming Marvel Movies and Upcoming Marvel TV features to learn about everything that is on the way from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And if you're feeling impatient/nostalgic, you can always revisit Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen's past performances as Professor X and Magneto. The original X-Men blockbuster from 2000 is available to watch on Starz, and X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men: Days of Future Past and Logan are all available to stream with a Disney+ subscription.

Warning! The following contains SPOILERS for Star Trek: Picard's Season 3 premiere "The Next Generation." Read at your own risk!

Star Trek: Picard Season 3 is finally available to stream, and those who haven't used their Paramount+ subscription to watch should certainly do so. Even those who weren't fans of Seasons 1 and 2 should give this season a start, as the series improves on a lot of things fans might've had issues with in previous episodes. 

Personally, I was overall a fan of both Star Trek: Picard seasons, but there are some undeniable improvements in Season 3 that can't be denied. Here are some of the things that stuck out to me while watching the premiere and what may encourage anyone currently on the fence about watching to tune in. 

The Music Feels Like Classic Star Trek

Jeff Russo has done some phenomenal work for Star Trek in its new era, but he stepped aside this season for Stephen Barton to take over the work for Star Trek: Picard's Season 3 score. Fans might've Barton's contribution from the very start, as the score is immediately reminiscent of Jerry Goldsmith's past work in the franchise. 

Watching Star Trek: The Next Generation is a massive comfort to me. As such, listening to this score felt like I was in a warm blanket and gave me the same happy feelings as watching my favorite episodes of TNG. I loved Russo's work on the previous Picard themes, but to be honest, I couldn't think of another track that immediately stood out to me. Without revealing spoilers, I can say that isn't the case this season, and I'm eager to listen to the full score for this one. 

The Legacy TNG Characters Feel More "Lived In"

Beyond Jean-Luc Picard, we get to see two major characters from The Next Generation in this episode. Will Riker and Beverly Crusher both return, and I loved how "lived in" both roles feel. What's even better is this is executed in different ways between both characters, and both are done amazingly well. 

Jonathan Frakes has been in Picard a couple of times, and I think it's fair to say he was still trying to find his character in those scenes. Frakes himself has admitted "forgetting how to act" in interviews from that time. In Season 3, it's clear he found Riker, and whether that's finding the role or Riker being in Starfleet again, Frakes crushed it. I'm a big fan of his performance in this episode and in the episodes to come. 

Gates McFadden's screen time to Star Trek in the Season 3 premiere is brief, but man, what a return! Bev is blasting would-be aggressors and trying to warn Jean-Luc of some massive conspiracy. It's quite a re-introduction to the character and a big departure from her work in The Next Generation. And yet, we all change a lot over a couple of decades. I think this was possibly the best re-introduction to the character we could've gotten and far more interesting than if she was doing more or less the same job in Starfleet. It feels like she's lived a life, which is important in selling the story to an audience. 

Raffi And Seven Have Larger Roles

Raffi and Seven are the only other returning main cast members outside of Jean-Luc featured prominently in Star Trek: Picard Season 3, and there's a lot to say about both. Seven is officially in Starfleet and on the U.S.S. Titan working for Captain Liam Shaw, and Raffi is deep undercover trying to find information about a developing situation in the criminal underworld.

Things are happening with both characters, and I'd argue more than we've seen in previous seasons. Season 3 gives prominent roles in the story, with the potential to have a major impact on the season as it progresses. Here's hoping they do and survive beyond this season for more adventures in the Star Trek universe. 

The New Characters Are Immediately Interesting

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against Elnor, Rios, Jurati and Soji. That being said, it took a while for those characters to grow on me, and by the time I formed any attachment to them, they were gone by the end of Picard Season 2. It's not uncommon for me to take some time to love Star Trek characters, so I thought nothing of it. That is, until I met some of the new characters in Season 3, who are instantly likable. 

Todd Stashwick's Captain Liam Shaw is a certified asshole, but not because he's wrong. He's dead on about Riker and Picard and their personalities during the dinner scene, but that doesn't mean I can't think he's a dick for being a thorn in their secret plan. His being a heel to their goals makes this season so much better from the jump.

I also need to give it up for Ashlei Sharpe Chestnut, who crushed it in her introduction as Sidney La Forge. Her first meeting with Picard made her instantly lovable to me, and I'm already ready for her to have more adventures. There's a connection with these characters I've instantly formed that I didn't have with others, and I think that's really special.