Bill Skarsgård Breaks His Silence on Professor X Casting Rumors for Marvel’s ‘X-Men’

Marvel Studios’ ‘X-Men’ reboot has been one of the most closely watched casting races in Hollywood. Directed by ‘Thunderbolts*’ filmmaker Jake Schreier, the film is set for release on May 5, 2028, and has already assembled a major ensemble.

Before the official cast announcement, rumors spread quickly about who might play the team’s iconic leader. One of the names that came up most often was Bill Skarsgård, with several social media scoopers claiming he was in the mix to play Charles Xavier.

Now Skarsgård is setting the record straight. “I didn’t read any scripts. It’s Jake [Schreier], right? I had a meeting with him, and I liked him,” he said in an interview with Josh Horowitz. He then made it clear that the rumors overstated things. “But no, it hasn’t been close on a big [role],” Skarsgård added, as Cosmic Marvel highlighted.

The role ultimately went to someone else. Marvel cast Christopher Abbott as Professor Charles Xavier, according to Flickering Myth. Abbott leads a cast that includes Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Kit Connor as Cyclops, and Samara Weaving as Emma Frost. Inde Navarrette plays Rogue, newcomer Maya Boyd plays Storm, and Adam Driver plays Nathaniel Milbury, an alias of Mister Sinister.

Skarsgård also opened up about his 2024 film ‘The Crow’. According to ComicBookMovie.com, the remake opened to $4.6 million and earned $24.1 million worldwide on a reported $50 million budget, with a 22% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Reflecting on the experience, he said he learned not to sign on to anything without a finished script. He explained that the first script arrived just 2 months before filming began, though he said he doesn’t regret any of the roles he has taken.

While ‘X-Men’ wasn’t in the cards, Skarsgård revealed interest in another iconic character. He said he thought Constantine was cool and once had an idea to make a ‘Constantine’ project with Andy Muschietti.

Trained for glory. Called to war. THE MOSQUITO BOWL, from director Peter Berg, tells the remarkable true story of four college football stars who traded the football field for the front lines. Starring Nicholas Galitzine, Bill Skarsgård, Ray Nicholson and Tom Francis. In theaters October 30.

— Netflix (@netflix) September 9, 2026

He explained that the character’s appeal came from blending visual horror with superhero storytelling. Muschietti reportedly remains attached to DC Studios’ ‘The Brave and the Bold’.

Skarsgård’s comments arrive just as DC Studios develops a new ‘Constantine’ movie. Deadline reported that ‘Evil Dead Wrath’ filmmaker Francis Galluppi has been hired to write the script, with the project still in early development.

No actor has been attached to that film yet. Skarsgård’s enthusiasm will likely add fuel to fan speculation, though nothing indicates he is involved. Skarsgård has also stayed busy outside superhero franchises. He co-stars with Nicolas Cage in ‘Lords of War’, the sequel to ‘Lord of War’, which hits theaters on January 22, 2027.

For now, his comments put an end to the Professor X speculation. While he met with Schreier, the role of Charles Xavier went to Abbott, and the ‘X-Men’ reboot is moving ahead without him.

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