Michael Jackson wanted the role of Professor Xavier in X-Men and met with producers about it

The film X-Men came out exactly 20 years ago this month, and with that anniversary comes the revelation of a bizarre bit of backstory behind the superhero film.

As seen in an expose in The Hollywood Reporter on Friday, it turns out that Michael Jackson had set his sights on portraying the bald, wheelchair-bound Professor Charles Xavier in the film, which came out on July 14th, 2000.

Apparently, the King Of Pop went so far as to schedule a meeting with controversial director Bryan Singer and the film’s producers at the time, for which he had prepared an elaborate presentation. 

‘I said to him, “Do you know Xavier is an older white guy?”‘ producer Lauren Shuler Donner recalled of the curious encounter in the spring of 1999. 

‘And Michael said, “Oh yeah. You know, I can wear makeup.”‘  

During the meeting, for which MJ wore ‘sunglasses and refus[ed] to shake hands,’ he presented his 1997 short film Ghosts, in which ‘the pop star morphed into a 60-something white mayor railing against a well-meaning performer who entertains local children with magic tricks.’

The THR piece confirms that Twentieth Century Fox, the studio behind X-Men, ‘never seriously considered Jackson for the role,’ ultimately giving it to Star Trek alum Patrick Stewart for what would become another hallmark role in the Englishman’s career.

What’s more, ‘Michael was already in the thick of all his allegations by X-Men,’ a former executive also recalled. 

Regardless of those long-debated sexual misconduct claims, it was true that Jackson had an affinity for children, developing his Neverland ranch north of Santa Barbara, California as a veritable wonderland for kids. 

Perhaps it was for that reason that the role of Professor X, who runs Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters for wayward mutant youth, appealed to Michael.

Stewart, meanwhile, went on to portray the powerful mutant telepath in at least three more films, before an earlier iteration of the character was brought to life in subsequent films by James McAvoy.

X-Men, which was both a critical and box-office hit back in 2000, came out before the formation of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as it is known today, however the film was a groundbreaking in its portrayal of mutants as misunderstood misfits of society.

The X-Men franchise has spawned a total of 12 films grossing over $6 billion worldwide.