The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always expanding, thanks to projects arriving in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans are looking forward to a variety of upcoming Marvel movies, chief among them being Jake Schreier’s developing X-Men movie. The movie’s cast is set, with Christopher Abbott taking on the role of Professor Charles Xavier. Although he recalled that the casting announcement at San Diego Comic-Con was a “nightmare.”
The X-Men casting announcement broke the internet, with actors taking the stage at Comic-Con in front of a massive crowd of moviegoers. In a video from New York Magazine’s Twitter, Abbott got real about what it was like as he was being announced as Professor X. In his words:
I think I started walking out pretty enthusiastically, and then I kind of felt like a lot of people there didn’t know who I was, so then my energy shifted within the split second. I was a little bit more humble about it.
Awkward sauce. It sounds like Christopher Abbott felt like like the audience wasn’t super enthusiastic about his casting as Xavier. While he’s worked consistently in TV and film for many years, he seemingly wasn’t as recognizable as his co-stars like Adam Driver and Inde Navarrette. At least, not at the time when the announcement was happening.
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There is a ton of pressure for the new movie to deliver like the previous X-Men movies, so I can’t blame the Girls alum for having these feelings. In the same interview, Abbott went on to say:
In my head, I almost did a fist pump when I walked out, and then I felt like the applause was muted. So I was like, ‘I’m just going to walk out and nod.’ It feels almost like a video game, or a dream. Not like a good dream. It’s a bit of both — a bit of a dream and a nightmare.
Talk about a high pressure situation. Christopher Abbott recently won over audiences with East of Eden (which is streaming with a Netflix subscription), but it sounds like he was uncomfortable when the X-Men cast was announced at SDCC.
Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know that Abbott has some big shoes to fill as Professor X. The role was famously played in live-action by both Sir Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy during Fox’s X-Men films. I’ve ben a fan of Abbott’s for years, and I have no doubt he’s gonna crush it. I just wish he didn’t have such a “nightmare” first day in front of the fandom.
The new X-Men movie is currently expected to hit theaters on May 5, 2028. Since its’ not part of the 2026 movie release list (or even next year’s) moviegoers are going to have to be patient while waiting for information, footage, or information about its contents.