Before shared universes and comic book projects became commonplace, there were the X-Men movies. Throughout the years fans watched two different casts play beloved mutants, eventually colliding with Days of Future Past (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription). James McAvoy played a younger Professor X throughout four different movies, and recently got honest about potentially returning to the role in an upcoming Marvel movie.
Fans who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have been not-so-patiently waiting for the X-Men to join the MCU. With the multiverse in play and Deadpool & Wolverine featuring cameos with actors returning to their roles, it seems like just about anyone could return to their former superhero roles. While speaking with BuzzFeed UK, about his upcoming horror movie Speak No Evil, the interviewer claimed that nobody could play roles like Mr. Tumnus or Professor X again. He got honest about this concept and said:
That's very kind. Although, I suspect, with both [Mr. Tumnus in Narnia] and [the X-Men's Charles Xavier], we will be seeing someone else play those roles
There you have it. Despite his years playing Charles Xavier, it sounds like James McAvoy thinks that another actor will be taking on the role sometime in the future. We'll just have to wait and see what Kevin Feige and company have in store for the X-Men once they finally take center stage within the shared universe.
Moviegoers have been wondering about mutants and the MCU ever since Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and its properties. This opened the door for the X-Men to join the fun, but the team hasn't been assembled in live-action just yet. Although the beloved team of mutants returned in a big way with the animated series X-Men '97.
While the X-Men haven't shown up in the MCU just yet, Kevin Feige and company have been peppering in characters from the team's lore for a few years now. For instance, Patrick Stewart appeared as Xavier in Doctor Strange 2, while the Ms. Marvel finale confirmed she was a mutant. More recently, The Marvels' credits scene featured the return of Kelsey Grammer's Beast and the introduction of Binary. It certainly seems like the shared universe is building up to the team of mutants showing up, but exactly when they assemble is a total mystery for the time being.
If another actor is chosen to bring Professor X to life, they'll have some very big shoes to fill. Both Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy were stellar in their portrayals fo the telepathic mutant, and it was thrilling to see them get a scene together in Days of Future Past. We'll just have to continue to (not so) patiently wait for news from the studio.
The X-Men movies are streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Be sure to check the 2025 movie release dates.
