Bill Skarsgård and Patrick Wilson Reportedly Eyed to Play MCU's Professor X in Marvel’s X-MEN

Marvel Studios' X-Men reboot is still a couple of years away, but the rumor mill is already throwing out some very interesting casting possibilities. Fresh reports claim that after news broke that Adam Driver is expected to play Magneto, Marvel may also be closing in on its new Professor X, and two very different actors are reportedly in the running.

According to insider @MyTimeToShineH, It: Welcome to Derry star Bill Skarsgård is in talks to join the MCU, with the belief that he's being considered for the role of Charles Xavier.

Adding another layer to the rumor, Knight Edge Media reports that Watchmen and Aquaman actor Patrick Wilson is also being eyed for the iconic mutant leader.

If these reports are accurate, Marvel has two very different interpretations of Professor X to choose from.

Skarsgård has built a career playing characters that are unsettling, mysterious, and layered. While he'll always be remembered by many fans as Pennywise in the It movies.

His résumé also includes John Wick: Chapter 4, Barbarian, Boy Kills World, Nosferatu, and The Crow. Marvel fans may also remember that he previously lent his voice to Kro in Eternals, so he already has a small connection to the MCU.

Wilson, meanwhile, brings a completely different energy. After acclaimed performances in Little Children and Angels in America, he became a fan favorite thanks to his roles as Ed Warren in The Conjuring franchise and Orm, aka Ocean Master, in DC's Aquaman films.

Interestingly, he almost joined Marvel years ago, having originally been cast as Darren Cross in 2015's Ant-Man before leaving the project after Edgar Wright exited as director.

Either actor could make for a compelling Charles Xavier. Skarsgård is 35 years old, which could allow Marvel to tell stories with a younger Professor X for years to come.

Wilson, now 53, feels closer in age to Driver and could bring a more seasoned, mentor-like presence to the role. It may ultimately come down to which version of Xavier Marvel wants and which actor creates the strongest dynamic opposite Driver's Magneto.

There's also the question of how this version of Professor X will be portrayed. Marvel could stick with the traditional interpretation of Charles Xavier as the wheelchair-using founder of the X-Men, or it could take inspiration from the more recent "Krakoan Age" era of Marvel Comics, where Xavier's role and status evolved in significant ways.

The rest of the mutant roster also appears to still be coming together. Former Nexus Point News writer @ApocHorseman recently shared the following update with followers: "[Storm is] being cast right now alongside Cyclops, Rogue, and others. They don’t have anyone yet."

As always, it's worth remembering that none of these casting rumors have been confirmed by Marvel Studios. Still, it's easy to imagine either Skarsgård or Wilson stepping into one of Marvel's most important roles.

Professor Charles Xavier has been one of Marvel's defining heroes ever since Stan Lee and Jack Kirby introduced him in The X-Men #1 in 1963.

One of the most powerful telepaths on Earth, Xavier founded the X-Men to protect a world that fears and hates mutants while striving for peaceful coexistence between humans and mutantkind.

On the big screen, the character was famously brought to life by Sir Patrick Stewart, who first played Professor X in 2000's X-Men before returning for multiple sequels, Logan, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.

James McAvoy later took over as a younger Charles Xavier in X-Men: First Class, Days of Future Past, Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix, earning plenty of praise for his own take on the mutant leader.

Marvel Studios' X-Men reboot is currently expected to arrive in theaters in 2028. Until official casting announcements start rolling in, fans will undoubtedly keep debating who deserves to become the MCU's next Professor X.

Between Skarsgård's intense screen presence and Wilson's commanding charisma, it's hard to argue that Marvel doesn't have two intriguing options if these rumors turn out to be true.