The legendary actor, known for playing Professor Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise, took a clever jab at Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns!

SUMMARY

Sometimes, superhero films may become as chaotic as Professor Charles Xavier’s mind.
Sir Patrick Stewart, a renowned actor with a seven-decade career in theater, film, television, and video games, once criticized Bryan Singer’s 2006 Superman Returns with a sly wit.
Singer has a well-known record of pressuring actors to perform dangerous stunts—he once forced Hugh Jackman to do so (in ‘X2’).

Sometimes, superhero films may become as chaotic as Professor Charles Xavier’s mind. Maybe you can identify the person we are referring to.

With a career spanning seven decades in theater, film, television, and video games—best known for his portrayal of Professor X in the X-Men franchise—legendary actor Sir Patrick Stewart once took a sly dig at Bryan Singer’s 2006 Superman Returns.

Superman Returns, directed by Singer, who also helmed X-Men, was badly received by the 83-year-old actor who played the narrator in Mark Wahlberg’s Ted. The director, 58, has a storied history of pressuring actors to perform dangerous stunts—he once forced Hugh Jackman to do so (in X2).

Hugh Jackman
Patrick Stewart vs. Superman: X-Men star Took a Clever Jab at Bryan Singer’s 2006 film

We know that Sir Patrick Stewart and Hugh Jackman may have shared great camaraderie due to their on-screen X-Men experiences as Professor Charles Xavier and Wolverine, respectively. However, we were ignorant of the rivalry that was present behind the scenes, which was stoked by Bryan Singer’s affiliation with both the X-Men and Superman Returns films.

Singer directed the X-Men series in addition to Superman Returns. But it looks like he might have gotten into some hot water when he unintentionally provoked his cast members.

While narrating Mark Wahlberg’s film Ted, Stewart subtly and brilliantly shared his thoughts on Superman Returns, leaving the audience in complete disbelief.

Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier/Professor X
In the final Ted scene, Stewart, full of his usual charm, subtly brought Singer’s on-set endeavors when he trashed Superman Returns. This might be a jab at the latter, who helmed the Macbeth star in multiple X-Men films. Jackman is one of the actors that Singer has forced to perform dangerous stunts.

The seasoned actor previously talked candidly about the director’s desire for dominance and the need to control others. The 83-year-old actor described such intimidating behavior as “horrible” on the sets. As stated by Stewart in the Daily Telegraph (via Business Standard):
“This sense of…looking for power, when you’ve already got it and you don’t actually need it… Looking for control over other people, who you can dominate – it’s horrible.”
Singer may already be heavily linked to controversy because of his behavior on set and extracurricular “activities”, but a comprehensive THR article has exposed the alleged abuse and neglect that the director fostered.

Hugh Jackman’s Reaction to Working in Bryan Singer’s X-Men Franchise

Hugh Jackman in a still from X-Men Origins: Wolverine
It was a “complicated question”, in Hugh Jackman’s opinion, whether the accusations of chaos on the set against director Bryan Singer had affected his perception of the X-Men franchise. Speaking to The Guardian about his experiences on movie sets, the actor, who has portrayed Wolverine in numerous films, shared his experiences:
“You know, that’s a really, really complicated question. There’s certainly questions to be asked and I think they should be asked. But I guess I don’t know how to elegantly answer that.”
Jackman stated that “a lot of things at stake” in those Singer-directed films influence his thoughts about them, with X-Men serving as a “turning point” for comic-book movies and giving rise to “a lot to be proud of”. He continued:
“I think it’s complex and ultimately I look back with pride at what we’ve achieved and what momentum that started.” 
The role of Wolverine in Singer’s superhero film X-Men (2000), which was based on the Marvel Comics team of the same name, gave Jackman his big break. This movie, which also starred Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Patrick Stewart, and Famke Janssen, centered on a group of mutants who fight to protect humans from evildoers.