Patrick Stewart, Who Played Professor X in the X-Men Films, Dies at 86

Patrick Stewart, the actor who played Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men films, has died at the age of 86, Variety reported on 29 October 2026.

Stewart took on the role in 2000's X-Men, the film that opened the franchise. Xavier is the telepathic leader of the X-Men, a group of mutants who use their powers to protect a world that fears them. Stewart played the character in nine movies over the years, becoming the face most audiences associate with the part.

Marvel Studios, the studio behind the Marvel superhero films, released a statement remembering Stewart for bringing Charles Xavier to life. Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige also paid tribute to him once news of his death broke. Both messages focused on the role Stewart gave the character rather than on a single scene or film.

Stewart was set to return as Xavier in Avengers: Doomsday, which is scheduled to reach cinemas on 18 December. That date now sits alongside a loss for the many fans who followed the character from the first film onward. Stewart's death, at 86, marks the end of a career that spanned more than two decades in the same role.

For many viewers, Stewart's Xavier was the calm, principled voice at the centre of the X-Men stories. His performances gave the character a warmth that carried across films, sequels and a long run of fan debate. The studio statement and Feige's tribute are the most recent public words from the Marvel side of the franchise.