Watch: William Shatner And Patrick Stewart Featured In Super Bowl Commercials

Every year the Super Bowl is the most-watched television event in the USA. With an estimated viewership of 117 million for this year, the commercials themselves are their own event. And the 2022 ad selection featured a couple of Star Trek captains.

Shatner for Planet Fitness

Planet Fitness is promoting new memberships in their gyms with a new campaign featuring a comeback for actress Lindsay Lohan, with an ad narrated by Star Trek’s William Shatner. Bill also shows up in the ad.

Patrick Stewart in Doctor Strange 2

Marvel Studios released a new trailer for the upcoming film Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and the ad included a brief moment with the unmistakable voice of Star Trek: The Next Generation (and Star Trek: Picard) star Sir Patrick Stewart. Stewart can be heard telling Doctor Strange, “We should tell him the truth.” You can also see a brief (obscured) shot of Stewart from behind. The full version of the trailer was also released online, which included the same moment.

It is speculated that Stewart will be reprising his role as Professor X from the X-Men movies, which can be wrapped into the “multiverse” opened up by Doctor Strange.


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I wonder if Professor X will be appearing from a point before his death in Logan, or if their will be some crazy comic book shenanigans to explain why he is still alive. Either way, it will be awesome to see Patrick Stewart back in the wheel chair.

There are rumors that variants of several familiar characters are in the movie as their parallel universes collide or whatever is happening.

Not even really comic book shenanigans, just multi-versal shenanigans. For Marvel, introducing the multiverse was a brilliant idea; if they ever want to bring back dead characters they can just say they’re from another universe! Hell, they can constantly reinvent things (just like in the comics), by simply involving another universe.

On the other hand, the minute you bring in alternate universes, the stakes kind of drop to nothing as anything can be undone just by moving to a different universe or by bringing in alt-universe characters.

‘no way home’ brought back the dead and there were consequences for sorting out the mess by the end.

Dude, it’s a “multiverse movie.” It’s even part of the title. Like, duh! :-)

Yeah, but I would think that if they are bringing back Patrick Stewart instead of recasting the role, we will be seeing Professor X from the universe that the original X-Men movies are set in.

The Charles Xavier and Logan in Logan aren’t necessarily the same ones from the other X-Men films as is contradicts the end of Days of Future Past. That continuity is so confusing, it’s best to just chalk it up to the multiverse.

Logan can still be set after DOFP

I don’t think it can be. They set a date of 2029 and no new mutants were born in the previous 25 years. That contradicts the end of DOFP.

it’s a multiverse. they can just pull him from any universe they wish.

“Multiverse” is, apparently, the modern phrasing of “deus ex machina.”

This will be a minority opinion, but I found the recent SPIDER-MAN movie overrated. I enjoyed the grounded nature of the Tobey Macguire Spider-Man movies, and I thought NO WAY HOME diminished that. In particular, I disliked the introduction of magic into the Macguire Spider-Man world. (I don’t really like it in the overall Marvel universe either, for that matter, but it was particularly egregious to adulterate the realistic Macguire movies with it.)

Similarly, I enjoyed the self-contained nature of the X-Men movies. I think stuffing them into the rest of the Marvel universe will make them…overstuffed.

Yes, yes, we can always say that Tobey Macguire was playing some other Spider-Man in NO WAY HOME, not the character he played in his three stand-along movies. That’s kind of beside the point and still removes any fun from having him appear in the first place.

Dr Strange exists in the Tobey movies, no “introduction” was made in NWH

JJ Jameson did mention that the name “Dr. Strange” was already taken in Spiderman 2. I don’t think we were really meant to take that line to seriously though.

I think this will be an alternate version of Professor X where he is one of the “Illuminati,” a cabal of powerful characters from the Marvel Universe who watched over the Infinity Gems and tried to steer their universe away from destruction.

This particular Iluminati Cabal wil be slightly different, like a Multiverse cabal, but it will cotain much of the same lineup – Professor Xavier, Doctor Strange, Black Bolt (I recently heard that Anson Mount will be reviving that role in the MCU for a project?) Mr. Fantastic (either the new one or Ioan Gruffyd), Namor, and Iron Man. Not sure how those last one would go, though. You could cheap it and have Iron Man in full costume, without speaking parts. That’s what I think will happen/I am hoping for.

What if the twist is that he’s not playing Professor X, but JLP? If they’re crossing universes anyway, why not? :-p

Well, I guess Marvel and Trek have crossed over in comics before.

Specifically, the X-Men- one TOS comic and one TNG comic and one TNG novel. This was back when Marvel was producing Trek comics (for the second time), and before Stewart played Professor X.

And yes, there was a “Doctor McCoy” joke.

Angels and ministers of grace, spare us.

If we are making s**t up as we go, why not? We don’t see PS, maybe he’s playing Director Bullock.

I haven’t heard about Stewart being in this movie. I have heard about Tom Cruise and some others but not Stewart. Guess he can’t spill the beans. In their contracts. That is definitely his voice but to say that is him in a wheelchair or something is a stretch. You can’t see anything but a shape. And what does that mean. “Should we tell him”. What is that supposed to mean? I am not the biggest comic book fan and know little or nothing about Professor X or his powers but I have seen the X-Men movies and to my knowledge that character can not go through multiverses or whatever you want to call it.

hahaha ok

You’re talking about a property that just brought back two Spider-Mans and their villains from two separate universes in their last movie. I think they can bring in whoever they want. And if you want to bring the X-Men officially into the MCU, this is definitely an interesting way to do it.

At the rate things are going with these comic book franchises, it won’t be too crazy to even see Marvel and DC crossover some day. They already done it in the comics decades ago.

As long as the residual checks don’t bounce, I suppose.

I missed the Marvel spot. Problem is, I’ve not been able to force myself to sit through Dr. Strange. Doubt I’ll have much interest in the sequel, either.

You really need to be baked to appreciate

Excellent, agreed.

My local theater does serve alcohol.

And watch in 3D.

I remember back in 2006 when the third X-Men film came out and they ‘killed’ Professor X. I remember how sad I felt at the time because two of Patrick Stewart’s biggest iconic characters I fell in love with, Xavier and Picard, were officially over. It was also announced that very same year Star Trek was going to get a big reboot with the Kelvin movies. I was gutted knowing these characters were basically done for good, or at least Stewart’s versions of them.

Of course he ended up coming back as Xavier and did 3 more movies lol. But after Logan in 2017, I thought ‘welp, this is finally it!’, but was fine with it by then. But I knew at that time both characters were behind Stewart.

Cut to 2022, and it looks like we’ll be seeing him in both roles yet again lol. And for the first time ever playing both in the same year. ;)

Nothing ever stays dead in Hollywood anymore. And especially when it comes to Marvel and Star Trek (unless you’re Uncle Ben or Prime Kirk)!

And with Marvel’s multiverse getting crazier and crazier, I think it’s time the Star Trek multiverse starts to open things up as well.

the fact they got the WandaVision guy to direct the next film is pretty much a clear indiction Trek will be going multiverse imo (Prime meets Pine)

Directing is not writing is not producing.

Well the writers are from MCU too :)

It’s one thing to ask a director if they’d be interested in some future project. That’s no guarantee said future project will ever be anything except something discussed over drinks after work…which is where we are at the moment.

You seem very convinced that the next film will be a multiverse story since you always bring it up. I would definitely be fine with that, but until we know something, ANYTHING about the next film, including who is even in the thing, it’s hard for me to guess. But it would be interesting for sure if they go that direction.

I personally think Paramount still has no real clue which direction the film will even go in yet. It’s super super quiet for a film they announced ten months ago. Hopefully we’ll hear something about it in the Spring.

Im just willing it to happen as thats what I want lol. Orcis ST3 meets all kinds of multiverse shenanigans

No, I hear you. As fans, we love our crossovers and studios clearly know we love them more than ever. I’m not saying its not possible, I just don’t want you to get your hopes up too high and if it turns out to be something like a straight forward exploration/adventure story. And especially if they are trying to keep the budget lower.

At this point, I just hope a movie happens in any form.

Yup in the mutiverse or time travel, anything is possible – from Tasha coming back to Jennifer Sisko visiting Jake to Georgiou living in the prime universe.
With Sir Patrick reprising his role as Professor X in the Marvel multiverse, I wonder how long it will take for Robert Downey Jr to bring back Tony Stark and Ironman!

could see RDJnr and CE returning at some point, full time. as for ST XIV betting it will include kelvin cast in primeverse encountering the movie era TOS cast (via deepfake), maybe throw in some TNG for extra recognition (or not as Picard dealing with all that).vs some Soran-esque multiverse travelling villain (and maybe Nero/George Kirk again in which case incorporating some of the abandoned ST4).

Every other month, I see some rumor that they are bringing Tony Stark/RDJ back to the MCU and he’s is going to have a surprise cameo in one of the twenty films Marvel is working on. Of course it’s always just that, rumors, but it’s probably just a matter of time.

As for Star Trek, they always found every crazy way to bring characters back, the alternate timeline angle is the biggest one. And as you mentioned the MU as well, especially with Georgiou. Once you have a universe that is about time travel and parallel universes, nothing stops you from bringing back whoever you want and Star Trek has been doing both since the sixties. They actually been pretty tame with the multiverse idea for a long time now until the Kelvin films came along. They can now go so much bigger with it. Some of us think that’s what the Section 31 show will involve itself in and can do all kinds of crazy things with it, but yeah who knows?

Yup in the mutiverse or time travel, anything is possible – from Tasha coming back to Jennifer Sisko visiting Jake to Georgiou living in the prime universe.

…which cheapens everything. No thanks.

They’ve dropped some hints about the third season of Picard that I choose to believe refer to Kirk.

Fingers crossed! ;)

When was the Shatner commercial filmed? He divorced his last wife in 2020, yet still seems to be wearing his wedding ring.

and a grey toupee

I’ve seen him wearing it in other recent things. I think he wore it to space. Maybe it’s a tribute to his wife who died. But in some recent interviews he has referred to his wife, so maybe the divorce isn’t complete or something.

He got divorced again? At his age? Why bother?

To make sure his daughters get their fair share of the estate?

Did the tigers win? I tuned out after the 2nd inning

I don’t watch basketball so I couldn’t tell you.

Khan meets Picard(Prof X) – sweet.

Ricardo Montalban was resurrected for DR STRANGE?

All I can say is I need either Keon Alexander (younger Khan) or Zahn McClarnon (older Khan) in that role ASAP to forget Cumberbatch was ever in that role… I love Cumbie as Sherlock and Strange but I hated his Khan…

Im sure it didnt go unnoticed on set.

“Good lord! its Khaaaan!” roared Sir Patrick upon catching sight of Cumberbatch.

“Jean-Luc!” retorted Benedict. “we meet at last!..”

There follows precisely 2 minutes of Trekian/Shakespearean/Melvilliean verbal sparring before they settle into their roles of Dr Stephen Strange and Professor Charles Xavier

🤔

It’s got to be a very STRANGE month of May…

May 5 Strange New Worlds
May 6 Doctor Strange in the Mutiverse of Madness

When exactly is Stranger Things S4 going to premiere?

!!!

Stranger Things comes May 27 :-)

well, kirk won the crown off picard in ‘generations’

The same things, over and over again, just looks like a video game cut scene now,its become very boring
I think Marvel has strung this thing out till it’s dying..far too many, even for fans.

True, but No Way Home was definitely better, less of the lazy/tired quips and more dramatic weight that just about all marvel.

Spider-Man: No Way Home has made $1.8 billion dollars so far. It’s made over $700 million in America alone. The only film to make over a billion dollars in the theaters since the pandemic started. And mind you, it did that without even showing up in China yet. It’s right behind Infinity War in terms of global box office.

Clearly it’s not too much for fans as all these huge Marvel team up and crossover films have made anywhere from $1-2 billion dollars average. Dr. Strange will probably do over a billion dollars easily now based on that trailer alone.

Exactly. Imagine how excited Star Trek fans would be if Trek could do the same things over and over again and bank 1 to 2 billion dollars a movie.

That scene has to be the Marvel illuminati…

fyi, for anybody who didn’t know, Dr Strange director Sam Raimi is the guy who directed Xena: Warrior Princess. He was the brother of Ted Raimi. the guy who played Joxer in Xena.

He also directed the original Tobey Maguire Spider-Man trilogy.

And most the Army of Darkness / Evil Dead universe of movies. (That’s why there are Bruce Campbell cameos in those Spider-Man movies.)

As far as I know, he is still the brother of Ted Raimi and always will be. :)

Stewart was definitely the best commercial, the rest were just bland and it was not even clear what products were being advertised.

Too bad Shatner commercial had that dullard lohan in it.

Wow, really? Shatner had one line, and about four seconds of screen time. How is that “Shatners” commercial? It seemed pretty obvious Lindsey was peddling Planet Fitness memberships….

Shatner didn’t even make the cut on the short version…

Picard s3 finale. coming out of the nexus: ‘things just got out of hand..’

The Nexus – multiversing the Federation for twenty eight years, and counting.