Did Patrick Stewart Just Confirm What We Suspected About The Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness Trailer?

Since the release of the 2016 film "Doctor Strange," many superhero fans have been eagerly awaiting the film's sequel. The anticipation was heightened when it was announced that Sam Raimi, who had previously directed the 2002 film "Spider-Man" and its two sequels, would be taking over director duties, marking his return to the genre.

Some additional superheroes have been confirmed for the sequel, titled "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness," including Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) and America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez making her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut). However, the film's latest trailer sparked speculation that another famous superhero figure from a different Marvel franchise, Professor Charles Xavier, would also be appearing in the film, with Patrick Stewart reprising his iconic "X-Men" role.

Stewart himself has been coy about his potential involvement in the film, but in a new interview, he seems to have essentially confirmed the rumors about his involvement. Here's what Stewart had to say.

In an interview with Jake's Takes (via YouTube), Patrick Stewart was asked a hypothetical question of how Professor Xavier would react to meeting Doctor Strange.

"Professor X would be extraordinarily cautious, and watchful, and perhaps feel a little insecure. Because there is something that is potentially dangerous about this man. I think that would put Professor Xavier on guard." Stewart said in response.

The interviewer followed up by asking how Stewart reacted to the speculation of his presence in the trailer for "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" that was released on Superbowl Sunday. In response, Stewart seemed to confirm his involvement in the film by suggesting the voice heard was his own voice, though he didn't recognize it, and that the person glimpsed from the back was him.

"I had my phone turned off when it happened, so I didn't hear anything. It wasn't until the next morning when I woke up and looked at my phone and found that I had been bombarded with responses, and that my PR people had sent me reactions that they had detailed and passed on to me," Stewart said. "I actually didn't recognize my own voice. It sounded different, whether I had a cold or something at the time, I don't know. But I was astonished. And all they saw was the back of my shoulder and, I think, my earlobe, nothing else, that there would have been so many connections made, but it pleased me."

That sure sounds like a confirmation, but after months of misleading "Spider-Man: No Way Home" press interviews, we've learned to never take a Marvel actor's word at face value.