A new report suggests Marvel Studios is eyeing a familiar face from Eternals for its upcoming X-Men reboot. The potential casting choice has got the rumor mill churning, given the actor’s previous and largely forgotten MCU appearance.
Bill Skarsgård could play an X-Men role after Kro in Eternals
Industry scooper MyTimeToShineHello posted on X (formerly Twitter), “I have heard from sources that Bill Skarsgård (IT) is in talks for a role in the X-Men reboot. Could be for Charles Xavier. He has already played a role in the MCU before – the CGI villain Kro in Eternals.”
Skarsgård voiced Kro, the Deviant antagonist in 2021’s Eternals. That film became Marvel Studios’ first “Rotten” release and was released during the pandemic’s lingering grip on cinemas. Critics largely dismissed Kro as an underwhelming villain, and the character vanished without any lasting impact. Years later, Marvel has not resolved Eternals’ cliffhanger ending, leaving questions about Arishem’s judgment hanging unanswered.
Now the Nosferatu and IT star could land a complete creative reset. Sources indicate discussions are for the role of Professor Charles Xavier, the telepathic founder of the X-Men. The character debuted in The X-Men #1 in 1963. Xavier runs a school in Westchester County, New York, training young mutants while advocating peaceful human-mutant coexistence.
Marvel faces significant shoes to fill. Patrick Stewart defined the role across multiple Fox films and returned for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in 2022. James McAvoy played a younger Xavier throughout the prequel series. Casting Bill Skarsgård would be a break from tradition, bringing a darker screen presence to the character.
All in all, the rumour surfaces as X-Men ’97 sustains momentum through its second season and fans await Avengers: Doomsday. No deal seems to have closed, but the studio reportedly wants fresh energy for its mutant movie. Skarsgård receiving a second MCU opportunity after Eternals’ disappointing run would rank among Marvel’s more unexpected redemption arcs.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on SuperHeroHype.
