By Lisa Zlotnick in New York City

“X2” is one of the first films to be released in this summer’s blockbuster lineup. It’s no surprise that this production exceeded all expectations to make this stellar sequel superior to its former.

The film opens in the White House with one of the best sequences I’ve seen to start a movie as the introduction to our new mutant, Nightcrawler. There are a couple other characters established in this one including Iceman and Pyro. Wolverine is back to join the all-star camp after returning from a trip to discover his past and all havoc breaks loose as humans who long to destroy the mutant race overtake Professor Xavier’s mutant school. We quickly meet our new villain Stryker and the challenge to save the mutant world commences.

Cinema Confidential was able to catch up with “X2” star and famed Sci-fi player, Patrick Stewart, at the pres junket for the film in New York City. Here’s what Stewart had to say about working on the film this time around and what he does on set to pass the time.

So how did you come about this role? Did you know about the comic before you took on this character?

I was an absolute innocent about all this so once I signed on, my research for that was actually lightweight. I was sent over piles and piles of comic books to read.

Many people believe that you were born to play this role. How do you feel about it?

From time to time over the years, particularly when I attended conventions or whatever some people might have said, ‘Mr. Stewart! Mr. Stewart! Do you ever see yourself as Professor Xavier?’ There was a campaign over the Internet saying that people wanted to see me as Xavier and that was gratifying, that was charming. So then you start thinking ‘oh boy, I have a responsibility now to these people with this character’ but I feel we’re not letting them down.

How was the atmosphere filming this one as opposed to the last film?

It was much more relaxed. Brian Singer (Director) yelled less and less, which was good. The only downside to that was telling people how less he was yelling. Brian is a perfectionist and if he doesn’t think either the script for that day’s work is right or there’s something wrong with someone’s costume, he won’t roll the camera. He’s not just going to film something unless he’s absolutely convinced it’s what it should be.

What do you say to the fans that are so enthusiastic about this movie and the “Star Trek” craze as well?

It’s gratifying that people are enthusiastic and have a positive response to what you do. Particularly because two of the things that I’m known for now are one: for Futuristic Science Fiction and two: for Contemporary Fantasy. We are in worlds that are strange and alien and exciting.

You’ve said in other interviews that you like being associated with the characters that you play on film; do you feel that might be happening now with Professor X?

I feel really comfortable with Professor X, yes. It’s like I used to say with Captain Pickard, I don’t have to sit and brood in my trailer about him before I go on set. There’s this different sort of person that can live inside me and I feel good about it. People have asked me about type casting and I’ve been type cast my entire career. It’s just the types keep changing.

We’ve heard that Sir Ian was confused in one scene when he asks simply, “Have you found it?” and it was late in the day and he couldn’t figure out what “it” was. Do you find yourself ever asking for help with a certain aspect of the script?

The work is the same and it doesn’t change. Ian can pull motivations out of anywhere. He’s a bit of a perfectionist too and so he would ask ‘why’ a lot, probably more than I did, which was okay, it was a good question to ask. And sometimes you need to be told ‘because I said so. Just do it.’

Did you have any down time because you are constantly in the chair?

There was nowhere really to go once you got to the set floor so sometimes I would nap. It was very warm and the lights they had over were huge and very hot so it would just be nice or I’d meditate, seriously meditate. I’d say ‘how long do we have?’ and they’d say ‘twenty minutes’ and I said ‘fine, I’ll be right here.’

I’m a Tetris fan. I have a little pocket made in the back of the chair on the side where I can hide it from the cameras so I can just pull out my game boy and play it. The great thing about Tetris is that it passes the time without taking your mind off of what you’re doing. You can play it mindlessly and be amused and all of a sudden a half an hour is passed.

So you had a special made spot in your chair?

There was a place that I could slot it in and the same way that when I was filming ‘Moby Dick’ they made a pocket in Captain Ahab’s frock coat. We spent so long sitting out at the end of the tank in the fog and the mist waiting for the light to be right. What can you do? You cannot read newspapers and besides I have a thing about having newspapers on the set. I don’t play anything else, just Tetris.

After this film, you think that you will sign on to do a third?

I think it’s probable. I think I’d like to be a little more proactive. I was proactive in this film but scenes had to be taken out; it was essential because it was a little confusing. It showed Xavier in a very proactive mode and I miss it. It was interesting because it was Xavier really doing something and right in the middle of the story. So, in a future movie, I would really like to be more active. In both these movies I spend a big chunk of time out of action or being controlled by somebody else. I thought I was the most powerful mutant in the world so I would like not to be somebody’s victim in the next movie. I think a big sequence with me and Rebecca [Romijn-Stamos] is what’s needed.

X2 opens in wide release on May 2nd.