The future of the X-Men franchise has been debated for some time. Ever since Marvel managed to bring the franchise back into the fold, rumors of how the X-Men will make their way into the Marvel Cinematic Universe have spread. One thing appears sure: James McAvoy is not going to be a part of it.
McAvoy took on the role of a young Charles Xavier in the reboot of the franchise that began with 2011’s X-Men: First Class. The film recast all of the characters in its attempt to tell the origin story of the X-Men, with younger actors having taken on the roles we had come to know and love from the early noughties with McAvoy taking over from Sir Patrick Stewart. We will admit, the timelines all get a little confusing.
Now that Disney has bought the franchise back from Fox, the X-Men are now officially a part of the MCU, and a film is in the works. Though little is known about the upcoming X-Men film, with the entire production becoming Marvel’s closest-held secret, we do know that McAvoy is not coming back as Professor X.
X-Men is going ahead “without me”
Speaking to Buzzfeed U.K. to promote his new film Speak No Evil, when asked how it might be hard to imagine anyone else in roles such as Mr. Tumnus and Charles Xavier, the actor responded,
That’s very kind. Although, I suspect, with both those characters, we will be seeing someone else play those roles, as they are both getting remade imminently, without me.
It won’t be easy to recast characters that so many are already acquainted with. Characters such as Charles Xavier and Magneto have already been brought to life by two sets of phenomenal actors. Audiences may struggle to adapt to an entirely new set of actors. Some names have already been thrown into the ring regarding McAvoy’s former role, such as Giancarlo Esposito, Ralph Fiennes, Bryan Cranston, and Mark Strong.
Whether Marvel will go ahead and recast everyone, or whether the studio will opt for a mix of fresh faces alongside well-known ones, is unclear at this time.
Published: Sep 19, 2024 04:57 pm