Giancarlo Esposito wants to play Professor X and is at the top of many fans’ lists for the role. But it wasn’t the only role he considered doing for the MCU. Esposito has been talking to the MCU for a while and has made it known that the franchise looks like the next move in his career. A lot of people are big fans of the actor, from his appearances in Breaking Bad and The Mandalorian. He’s known for the quietly powerful way he plays his characters and has had his most prominent roles as a villain in previous shows. But now it seems he’s looking to play the good guy.
Despite all the attention surrounding Esposito and Professor X, there were talks of him playing other characters in the MCU. Fans had been casting him in superhuman roles for a while, with a big one being DC’s Mr. Freeze. But the talks he had with Marvel included not just Professor X but Magneto and even the dreaded Doctor Doom.
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Giancarlo Esposito is a capable and experienced actor who would likely take to any of these roles well. So let’s look at each of them and break down how his performance might look in any of these super roles.
Professor X and Esposito’s Villain Roles Share Some Traits
Art: Subi Özil
He’s a fan favorite to play Professor X, although there is some contention in the community. Some fans say he’d be perfect, and others want to see him in a different role. Much of that argument comes from the fact that Esposito has become famous for playing villains. The actor many of us know and love plays characters we’re terrified of, not some trusting, empathetic leader. His characters are ruthless, unforgiving, and frightfully intelligent. But these are, in fact, some traits we can see in Charles Xavier.
The legendary Patrick Stewart played the Professor X most of us know. He was calm, knowledgeable, and forgiving. We could trust him. Charles Xavier is one of the most-good good guys in the Marvel Universe, and that’s how it should be. But make no mistake, Professor X is a powerful mutant who speaks calmly and deliberately and rarely uses his powers for more things than moving his wheelchair. That is, unless he has to control someone’s actions, erase someone’s memory, or literally bring someone back from the dead.
That last power is more complex than just him willing it to happen, but Xavier is part of it. He might not be evil, but Xavier’s abilities bring an extreme existential power that Esposito could express well.
Doctor Doom’s Villainous Intelligence Would Suit Esposito
Marvel Comics
Victor Von Doom would be an excellent choice for Esposito to play. He’s intelligent. He’s evil. And he even rules his own nation, which is sort of like running your own drug business. But Doctor Doom isn’t typically quiet. Esposito is known for playing characters that, despite the power they might wield, have the intelligence to keep their egos in check. Doctor Doom is brilliant but isn’t known for being humble.
He has a very threatening, imposing presence that Esposito would be perfect for, and the actor’s deadly stare would work well from behind that metal mask. But Doctor Doom is also violent. He is a character with extreme power and is willing to use it gratuitously. Doctor Doom is a master of both science and magic. He makes his presence known wherever he goes, often forcing people to kneel to his authority. He is Marvel’s upgraded megalomaniac. Although he does have superior intelligence, his ego is bigger than the castle he lives in.
Magneto May Be Too Showy For Esposito
20th Century Fox
Magneto is another great role for Esposito. Though you might think Magneto is a better choice than Professor X simply because he’s a villain, that isn’t the only reason. Of course, fans will know from films and books that Magneto isn’t really a villain. In fact, he’s probably been on the side of the X-Men more times than not in recent years. Though he and Charles Xavier have philosophical agreements, their goal of mutant liberty has always been the same.
Magneto is often willing to cross lines that Charles Xavier refuses to cross. And this might make him suited for Esposito, as, in the past, he has played villains with morally dubious ethics, though they’ve never had benevolent goals to work towards. Magneto is quiet and imposing, similar to Esposito’s style. But Magneto often makes grandiose political speeches that Esposito might not be particularly suited for. Esposito may have played villains that believe that the ends justify the means, but none of them are showy about it.
Magneto regularly puts himself on camera and stands on the world stage to ensure his message of mutant freedom is heard. While Esposito can undoubtedly communicate that level of power, we don’t usually see him perform in the way that would turn his characters into celebrities in their respective universes. Silence is integral to Esposito’s craft, and a loud character in any form might not be right for him.
