Marvel Studios is bringing back Patrick Stewart as Professor X in Avengers: Doomsday, but this has me worried that a shocking X-Men movie trend will be repeated in the 2026's Avengers: Doomsday will mark his ninth appearance, and will extend his career as one of the longest-running Marvel actors ever, but I think this could spell bad news for Professor X.

Patrick Stewart is one of the greatest actors in history, so his return to the role of MCU's own X-Men reboot, but I'm worried one unfortunate Professor X trend will also be continued.

Patrick Stewart’s Professor X Has Died On-Screen 3 Times Since His Live-Action Debut In 2000

Professor X Has Been A Very Unlucky Live-Action Character

It's a shocking revelation, but Patrick Stewart's version of Charles Xavier's powerful Professor X has been killed three times on-screen in the 25 years since his debut in 2000's X-Men. His first death was at the hands of Famke Janssen's corrupted Jean Grey in 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand, as he was torn to shreds in her childhood home when her powers as the Phoenix emerged. This was hastily reversed, however, as he woke up in a new (the same) body, and approached Logan with a mission at the end of 2013's The Wolverine.

Professor X's Live-Action Movie

Year

Role

X-Men

2000

Main Cast

X2: X-Men United

2003

Main Cast

X-Men: The Last Stand

2006

Main Cast

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

2009

Cameo

The Wolverine

2013

Cameo

X-Men: Days of Future Past

2014

Main Cast

Logan

2017

Main Cast

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

2022

ing Cast

Avengers: Doomsday

2026

TBD

This ultimately led to his second demise, however, ignoring the countless times he may have been killed in the future timeline of 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past, the future-set Logan also saw Charles Xavier meet his demise in 2017. Logan depicted Xavier as an ailing old man, but he was eventually finished off by X-24, the clone of Wolverine. This marked the end of his Fox franchise career, but Stewart portrayed a variant in 2022's Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, who unfortunately also met his end at the hands of Elizabeth Olsen's twisted Scarlet Witch.

I’m Worried Avengers: Doomsday Will Kill Professor X For A Fourth Time

Charles Xavier Will Surely Meet His Demise In Avengers: Doomsday

Professor X entering the Scarlet Witch's mind in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness

Marvel Studios confirmed that Patrick Stewart's Professor X will be returning to the MCU during the recent cast announcement for Avengers: Doomsday. The Russo brothers' 2026 crossover event will be bringing back several classic X-Men characters, suggesting Earth-10005 will be revisited, perhaps being involved in an incursion event with the MCU's primary continuity of Earth-616. While I'm thrilled that Patrick Stewart is reprising the role yet again, marking 26 years as Professor X, I'm very worried that Doomsday will continue Charles Xavier's unfortunate twist.

Related
I’m Convinced Marvel Just Confirmed How Avengers vs X-Men Will Actually Come To The MCU

The X-Men will the MCU, and it could potentially be building up toward a major conflict between the mutants and other heroes in the 616 timeline.

2

I have no doubt that Professor X will meet his demise in Avengers: Doomsday, marking his fourth death on-screen. This could perhaps happen while he's making attempts to save his world from a destructive incursion, or even during battle against Robert Downey Jr.'s Doctor Doom. Avengers: Doomsday will give Patrick Stewart the chance to find new sides to Charles Xavier that we might not have seen before, but could also see him repeat one of his most tragic and repetitive trends from Fox's X-Men franchise and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

Why Professor X Dying In Avengers: Doomsday Might Actually Be A Good Thing

Marvel Studios Can Get Rid Of Patrick Stewart's Professor X To Clear Room For Someone New

Professor X using Cerebro in X-Men

Of course, it would be a huge tragedy for us to see Patrick Stewart's iconic X-Men hero meet his demise yet again, but this could also be the best choice for the character and for the MCU going forward. Patrick Stewart and, indeed, most of the classic X-Men cast are synonymous with their mutant characters, but they likely won't be portraying these heroes and villains in the MCU's own X-Men-centric stories. New actors will assume these massive roles, which means killing them off in Avengers: Doomsday will create room for these new stars to debut.

I can't wait to see new iterations of some of Marvel's most exciting and powerful X-Men characters make their way into the MCU. This includes Charles Xavier's Professor X, who will surely be one of the cornerstones of the MCU's X-Men reboot and its related projects. I thought Patrick Stewart was an inspired choice for Professor X, but at 84-years-old, I don't see him continuing in the role any further than Avengers: Doomsday, or perhaps 2027's Secret Wars. Charles Xavier's death will allow someone new to create an entirely new version, which I'm very excited about.

Avengeres Doomsday logo placeholder poster
Avengers: Doomsday
Release Date
December 18, 2026
Director
Joe Russo
Writers
Stephen McFeely, Stan Lee
  • Chris Hemsworth Profile Picture
  • Headshot Of Vanessa Kirby
    Vanessa Kirby
    Sue Storm / Invisible Woman
  • Headshot Of Joseph Quinn In The Premiere Of A Quiet Place: Day One
    Johnny Storm / Human Torch
  • Headshot of Ebon Moss-Bachrach
    Ebon Moss-Bachrach
    Ben Grimm / The Thing

MCU Movies