Giancarlo Esposito has joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
During a panel on the Thunder Stage at CCXP in Mexico City, Esposito said that he was now a part of the MCU. While there was speculation that he’d be taking up the role of Professor X in the new version of “X-Men,” Giancarlo said that he would not be playing the founder of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Instead, he declared that the role would be “better than you can imagine” and we would all be learning about it “sooner than you think.”
Our guess? He would make a strong Galactus in the forthcoming “Fantastic Four” movie.
Marvel Studios did not respond to our request for comment.
“I cannot promise you it’ll be Professor X, because here’s what I think,” Esposito said during a portion of his remarks. “I think that there’s something about being original. We’ve seen different versions of Professor X. Wouldn’t you like to see me play a character in a Marvel movie who is original, and new, and fresh? So, mark my words: This will happen sooner than you think.”
You can watch a brief video from the panel below:
Esposito has had a long and storied career, beginning in the late 1970s. Since then, he has appeared in countless movies and television shows — everything from “Do the Right Thing” to “Miami Vice,” where he played three different characters in three different episodes.
His breakthrough role was as erudite drug kingpin and fried chicken magnate Gustavo “Gus” Fring in “Breaking Bad” in 2009, reprising the role for prequel series “Better Call Saul” in 2017. Since then he has had memorable roles in “The Mandalorian,” “The Boys” and “Parish,” as well as appearing in movies like Bong Joon-ho’s “Okja,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem” and the “Maze Runner” series.
He’ll next be seen in A24’s “MaXXXine” and Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis,” and heard in the Russo Brothers’ “The Electric State.”
Marvel Studios’ lone movie this year is “Deadpool & Wolverine,” followed by “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts,” “The Fantastic Four” and “Blade” next year. On the small screen, “Agatha,” “Ironheart” and “Daredevil: Born Again” are coming up, along with animated series like “Eyes of Wakanda” and “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.”
Where could Giancarlo Esposito go and what could he play? In a multiverse like this, anything is possible.
This news was previously shared by Collider.
