James McAvoy Is Keeping Mum About A Professor X Appearance In Avengers: Secret Wars
James McAvoy has played a great many recognizable roles over the course of his career, but arguably none more recognizable than that of a young Professor Charles Xavier. Through no fewer than five films — from "X-Men: First Class" through 2019's "Dark Phoenix" — McAvoy played the iconic mutant psychic patriarch. We watched him lose the use of his legs, then his hair, and generally grow into what we recognize as the founder and leader of the X-Men.
Seeing McAvoy's Professor X grow up next to numerous other characters — from Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) to Magneto (Michael Fassbender) — could be quite entertaining. But of course, as the world of superhero films truly blew up through the aughts and 2010s, there was always a frustrating rift there. Namely, because of the weird Hollywood game of who owns the rights to what, the X-Men were never able to break out into the wider Marvel Cinematic Universe.
That rift is finally being bridged now that Disney owns Fox. The third Deadpool movie is confirmed to be taking place in the MCU, and the merc with a mouth is even bringing Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) along for the ride. The door is wide open for Professor X and the rest to follow. But, says McAvoy, we shouldn't start getting our hopes up yet.
Even if he knew, James McAvoy wouldn't tell us
A new profile of James McAvoy in GQ saw the actor address the rumors that are now apparently swirling that his Professor X will indeed be joining the MCU. McAvoy has been fairly unequivocal about this in the past, having answered a definitive no in regards to a handful of post-merger MCU movies that have been filmed and released (via The Direct).
He commented on this in the GQ piece. "I'm very quick to say, 'No, I'm done,'" he told Ben Allen. "Or 'I'm not that bothered about coming back.' Because you move forward." True enough, McAvoy does seem genuinely uninterested in playing Professor X in any capacity, including an MCU cameo. He continued, however, with an apparent caveat. When Allen asked him directly if MCU honcho Kevin Feige had called McAvoy about reprising the role, the actor's reply had a bit of a tease attached to it.
"I've definitely not got the call," he said. "And if I did I would definitely not be telling you." In other words, while it's more than likely we won't be seeing Professor X show up in "Avengers: Secret Wars," the door is always open. Or is it? Either way, McAvoy isn't saying anything.