Fox’s X-Men universe may be over, but thanks to the MCU embracing the multiverse, the possibility is there for several familiar faces from the franchise to return under Marvel Studios.
Hugh Jackman is undoubtedly the one that fans most want to see return, because it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing Wolverine. But then the same could be said of James McAvoy, who made the part of Charles Xavier his own after starring in four movies from 2011 to 2019.
So what does the Split actor think about possibly shaving his head to portray Professor X once more? Well, he might not be sitting on Kevin Feige’s doorstep begging to be given a job, but he’s not ruling out a return either.
ComicBook.com spoke with McAvoy to promote Audible’s The Sandman series and asked him about reprising Xavier. Here’s what the Scottish star had to say:
“I’m all about doing good stuff, and when I got asked to play Charles the first time, it was good stuff,” McAvoy says. “It was good writing, and I was excited. If people offer me good writing, I’m always going to be excited, but I do feel like I’ve had a good ending with Charles and I got to explore some really good stuff, particularly in the first two movies that I did for him as a character. So if my time is done, I’m happy with the time that I spent and the time that I was given and if good writing comes in and people want to do stuff with me, I’ll always be open to that, but it’s got to be good.”
This is pretty much the same sentiment that McAvoy also expressed to Collider in another recent interview. And his feeling that he got closure with his character is fair enough, considering that he played Charles in four movies set across four different decades, taking him from his youth in the 1960s to his depression in the 70s to something more closely resembling the classic comic book mentor in the 1980s and 90s.
Though Marvel now has the rights to the X-Men, it’s currently unclear when the studio will relaunch mutantkind within the MCU. Rumors have claimed, that Professor X could make his debut in Doctor Strange 2 as a member of the Illuminati. Considering the multiversal angle of that movie, fans can’t help but wonder if McAvoy might feature. But according to the actor’s own words, he’s not in a rush to come back to the Marvel universe.
As of earlier this month, James McAvoy’s final X-Men movie, Dark Phoenix, can be streamed on Disney Plus.