X-Men Star Thinks They’ll Be Recast in the MCU

According to one of the stars of the X-Men movie franchise, they don’t see themselves returning to reprise their iconic role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. After Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, Marvel fans started fantasizing about the days that the Avengers and X-Men would finally appear together on screen. We’ve heard the word “mutant” referenced in Ms. Marvel, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness featured the first MCU appearance of an X-Man (Patrick Stewart’s Charles Xavier) as part of the Illuminati. And of course, we can’t forget about the box office hit that’s Deadpool & Wolverine. While it featured Charles Xavier’s evil twin sister, Cassandra Nova, none of Xavier’s former actors showed up as a cameo. According to James McAvoy, who played a young Charles Xavier, it’s more likely that Marvel Studios will look to recast the role.

James McAvoy told BuzzFeed UK that he believes his role as Mr. Tumnus from The Chronicles of Narnia and as Charles Xavier / Professor X in the X-Men will both be recast. “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.”

When will the X-Men make their MCU debut?

As of the time of this writing, there is not an X-Men movie on Marvel Studios’ current film slate. Another 20th Century asset, the Fantastic Four, will officially join the MCU in The Fantastic Four: First Steps, set for release on July 25, 2025. Fans got some more details on The Fantastic Four reboot at San Diego Comic-Con. The pop culture event revealed the film’s new title and also showed off the first footage, featuring Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal) teaching in a classroom. The legendary Michael Giacchino is also doing the score.

It’s possible that Marvel Studios is waiting until after Avengers: Endgame to properly introduce the X-Men. We have to imagine that Deadpool and Wolverine will make appearances in the culmination of the Multiverse Saga, and some other former X-Men actors like Kelsey Grammer could factor in to future movies leading up to Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. It’ll be hard not to play on the nostalgia factor when it comes to the possiblity of having actors like Michael Fassbender’s Magneto, Halle Berry’s Storm, and more appear on the big screen next to the likes of Anthony Mackie’s Captain America, Benedict Cumberbatch’s Doctor Strange, and Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel. 

And who knows, maybe we eventually see James McAvoy standing side-by-side with Patrick Stewart again in a Professor X team-up as the Charles Xaviers help take out Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom.