Ross Marquand and Matthew Waterson perfectly voiced the characters of Charles Xavier/Professor X and Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto in X-Men ‘97 Season 1. However, this isn’t their first time joining the Marvel universe. Marquand has already played the roles of the Marvel characters Red Skull and Ultron in Avengers: Infinity War and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, while Waterson has voiced Rusty and Nightmare in What If…? and Hulk: Where Monsters Dwell. So, if given the chance to jump into live-action, the two prominent voice actors reveal the mutants they like to play.
During an X-Men ‘97 panel at the 2024 Nashville Comicon via ComicBook, Marquand and Waterson were asked who among the X-Men characters they would like to play in live-action. Though they knew they couldn't score that gig in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they broke down the mutants they believed they could portray in real life.
“I always say Wolverine, but I think Hugh Jackman does such a good job of that I wouldn't even touch that,” Marquand said. “I wanted to play Moon Knight as well, and then Oscar Isaac knocked that out of the park. So, I think -- I've said this before, but Omega Red, who is like Russia's answer to Wolverine.”
He then described Omega Red as a badass and untapped character, making him a part that would be fun to play if he ever got the chance. However, he had already shut down the possibility of playing that role, adding that he had to gain “100 pounds of muscle” to pull it off.
Alternatively, Waterson wanted to portray Sebastian Shaw in live-action, though it had to be comic-accurate. The character, known for his ability to absorb energy, had always fascinated Waterson.
“I can't tell you exactly why, but that character has always fascinated me,” he explained. “He was in our show a little bit, but that character has always fascinated me, and getting to do a comics-accurate version of him, I think would be a blast.”
Will Ross Marquand and Matthew Waterson return to X-Men ‘97 Season 2?
X-Men ‘97 Season 2 is now in the works after the animated series has been renewed ahead of its first season’s release. Though it remains to be seen who among the X-Men voice actors will reprise their roles, there’s a big possibility that Marquand and Waterson will return to be the voices of Professor X and Magneto again.
Marquand teased his return to the Marvel universe after sharing a post on Threads earlier this month. The actor took a trip down memory lane and recalled the Marvel characters he had played so far, from Red Skull to Infinity Ultron to Ultron Series to Professor X, by sharing a montage of their photos.
“Forever grateful to be a part of the #MCU / #Marvel universe and I’m so excited to share what’s to come...,” his caption read.
It’s also good to note that Marquand voiced En Sabah Nur, aka Apocalypse, in the X-Men ‘97 Season 1 finale. So, as Apocalypse is believed to be the new villain of X-Men ‘97 Season 2, he may also return to voice the X-Men antagonist.
It can’t be denied that Marquand and Waterson are two of the great voice-acting talents of today. So, with the importance of their roles in X-Men ‘97 and their incredible portrayal of Professor X and Magneto, it’s not far that fans will hear their voices again as the fan-favorite mutants.
All episodes of X-Men ‘97 Season 1 are available to stream on Disney+. There are no words yet on when X-Men ‘97 Season 2 will be released.
