The announcement that Hugh Jackman would be reprising his role as Wolverine in Deadpool 3 opened up the floodgates of speculation as to who else could turn up in the highly anticipated MCU movie. Now it seems that Patrick Stewart could be following up his Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness appearance with one more return as Charles Xavier, aka Professor X. While it would certainly make sense for Professor X to make an appearance in the movie considering his long connection to Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, it seems that Stewart is now just waiting to the call to join the film. He told ComicBook.com:

“I’ve been told to standby. I know nothing more than that, honest.”

For many fans, that will be more than enough to go on for now, but it has opened up many more questions about how Deadpool and Wolverine’s story will fit into the MCU narrative. With Patrick Stewart’s X-Men leader having already died three times on screen – in X-Men: The Last Stand, Logan, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness – it would be a little harsh for him to return one more time just to meet his demise again.

Deadpool 3 is already well into its production schedule, with filming expected to start later this year. Patrick Stewart’s Multiverse of Madness appearance was not exactly kept a secret, so whether a potential role in Deadpool 3 will be just as quickly confirmed is something we will have to wait and find out.

Related: Why Deadpool 3 Is the Perfect Movie for Wolverine to Finally Don His Iconic Yellow Costume

Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine Return Was One Of the Biggest Surprises of Last Year

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While there have been plenty of teases by Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds about the possibility of the pair getting together in a Marvel movie, the relationship between the pair often makes it hard to work out when they are being serious and when they are just pulling the legs of each other or their fans. Fans were left stunned when the announcement of Wolverine’s return was made in the most throw-away fashion possible, but as more information emerged over time, it became clear that Jackman is certainly up for one more run out as the character. He previously said:

“I really thought I was done. Like, I was at peace with it. I got asked every day, either in interviews, or Ryan Reynolds ringing me, ‘Can we do it again?’ I’m like, ‘No, I’m done.’ Someone said to me, I think it was Deb, she’s my wife, she said, ‘You know, after this, what is it you really wanna do?’ And I was just driving down a day later and I thought, ‘What do I want?’ And it came to me like that, because when I keep thinking of me and Ryan and Deadpool and Wolverine, which are classic comic book rivals, there’s also a dynamic that I’ve never really got to do before as Wolverine.”

Fans still have some time to wait to see Deadpool 3 hit cinemas, with its current release date set for November 2024.