MarvelBlog News for November 13th, 2026

A few days ago, we lost a legend and one of the most revered actors ever.

I wanted to take a beat before I reflected on his legacy and importance to fandom.

Also, Marvel’s sometimes toxic ex is back on the market. So, a reunion appears inevitable.

We’ve got some juicy topics in this week’s MarvelBlog News.

Captain, My Captain

I was never much of a fan of the original Star Trek, save for a few episodes.

I’ve never much cared for the Star Wars franchise, either, but I do like some sci-fi.

This realization hit me while watching the initial episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Rather than hiring some TV Pretty to lead that show, the production crew took a chance.

They selected a Shakespearean actor who had previously done some sci-fi.

The actor had played Gurney Halleck in David Lynch’s unusual production of Dune.

Once he appeared on ST:NG, his career fundamentally changed, as did the fate of the show.

Captain Jean-Luc Picard became one of the most iconic protagonists ever.

He was the rare officer who led with intellect and reason rather than violence.

While The Next Generation struggled at first, largely due to an ill-timed writers’ strike, the show eventually became iconic.

Along the way, Patrick Stewart became one of the most famous television actors ever.

He didn’t stay that way for long, though, as Hollywood came calling again.

Previously, Stewart had been a supporting actor in cinema due to his frail, balding appearance.

His work as Picard fundamentally changed that perception, and it led to another seminal role.

Fox planned an entire comic book franchise based around the X-Men.

For that series to work, it needed a towering figure to anchor the team.

Enter Patrick Stewart. He took on the role of Charles Xavier aka Professor X.

His presence provided gravitas to an otherwise silly first film, X-Men.

A troubled production, this movie cut half of its content in the editing bay.

Two roles remained relatively unscathed: Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Stewart as Professor X.

A Great Loss to All

Fox approached Stewart about playing Professor X in 1997.

We are in the year of our lord 2026, and he still has another movie yet to go.

Stewart will once again take on the role in Avengers: Doomsday.

Sadly, it will be his final role, and he’ll appear in it posthumously.

On October 28^th, 2026, Stewart died at the age of 86 after a brief illness.

His final movie will debut in theaters in five weeks, but he won’t get to celebrate it.

That thought clearly breaks the hearts of countless people involved with the project.

Rebecca Romijn, who appeared alongside Stewart in the X-Men franchise, has posted a tribute.

She’s one of many to do so, but hers seems most fitting and poignant to me.

In addition to X-Men, they’re also both a part of the Star Trek franchise.

So, their careers are interconnected, and it’s clear that she, like many, revered him.

I’ll also link this video of highlights of other members of the Star Trek crew celebrating him:

Their love for the human being is tangible, which speaks volumes about his character.

Stewart’s appearance in Avengers: Doomsday hints that Professor Xavier dies.

It’ll be all the more heart-wrenching, given the loss of the actor himself.

I know I speak for all of us when I say that Patrick Stewart will be missed.

Thankfully, he left us a treasure trove of stories to savor forever.

James Gunn Is Back in the News

I took my time with the Stewart conversation because I revere him so.

With the other big story this week, I couldn’t wait since it’s so bizarre.

How many performers have bounced between Marvel and DC movies?

A handful have done so, including a few you know like Josh Brolin and Chris Evans.

Brolin has played Thanos and Jonah Hex, while Evans was Johnny Storm before (and after) being Steve Rogers.

You may have forgotten a few others such as Christian Bale, the 21^st century Batman.

He was borderline unrecognizable as Gorr in Thor: Love & Thunder.

Then, we have ones you may not have even known such as J.K. Simmons.

Sure, you know him as J. Jonah Jameson, but do you remember him as Commissioner Jim Gordon?

How about Tom Hardy? Do you recall who he played before Venom? It was Bane!

Some actors have quietly bounced around, but do you know what’s rare?

Here’s a list of the directors who have created films for DC and Disney’s Marvel.

It’s James Gunn and Josh Whedon. That’s it. And Whedon wasn’t even intentional.

He stepped in to finish Justice League, which had turned into a disaster project.

Gunn stands as the only director who has earned credibility on both sides of the aisle.

First, Disney gave him a chance with Guardians of the Galaxy and its sequel.

After some unfortunate tweets came to light, Disney fired Gunn, freeing him for DC.

While there, the director created the less successful The Suicide Squad.

Then, Disney brought him back for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.

A year before that project debuted in theaters, Gunn took over DC Films.

I mean he’s been the CEO and Co-Chairman of all DC projects for the past four years.

Well, that statement changed the other day when the new owners of DC fired him.

Back on the Market

In case you haven’t heard, Skydance, the owners of Paramount, bought Warner Bros. Discovery.

This was a $111 billion purchase, and Skydance understandably wanted its own people.

Gunn’s old friend, Jeremy Latcham, executive producer of the first two Avengers films, now runs DC.

Skydance has installed someone it trusts, which leaves Gunn out in the cold.

The divorce won’t be immediate, even though Gunn has been fired already.

He’s still the director of a 2027 DC movie, Superman: Man of Tomorrow.

The same thing happened to Gunn just four years ago when he accepted the DC job.

Gunn was still working on Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 at the time.

So, he completed a Marvel movie while being the leader of DC Films.

Something similar could and should happen now. Marvel should bring him back.

You may recall that Gunn left open the possibility of a fourth GotG film.

At the end of the third movie, Gunn introduced an entirely new team of Guardians.

That group could easily *ahem* assemble for a future installment.Gunn has already indicated a desire to make films rather than lead a  company.

Clearly, the executive suite wasn’t for him, but he brings newly added value to Marvel.

Should the company rehire him, Marvel could pick his brain about television.

While DC’s movies haven’t done much in 2026, Gunn’s Lanterns on HBO Max is a huge hit.

He could provide rare insights to Kevin Feige, having just done Feige’s job at DC Films.

For these reasons, I fully expect a reunion between Gunn and Marvel one day soon.

 

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