Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy have commented on returning as Magneto and Charles Xavier in the MCU, but should they be part of the new X-Men?

X-Men actors James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender are among some of the best performers in superhero movies, and the stars have commented on whether they would be game to return as their iconic mutants — Charles Xavier and Magneto — in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The X-Men franchise started way before the actors were cast, with Patrick Stewart as Professor X and Ian McKellen playing Magneto in 2000’s X-Men. After the successful original X-Men trilogy, the franchise underwent a reboot, with Fox’s X-Men movies starting a new timeline with younger actors.

Fassbender and McAvoy debuted in the franchise in 2011’s X-Men: First Class. The duo did a phenomenal job of portraying the complex friendship between Charles Xavier and Magneto. Fassbender and McAvoy’s time as the mutants seemingly came to an end with 2019’s Dark Phoenix, the final movie in the main X-Men franchise before Disney bought Fox. Marvel Studios is doing a great job with the animated X-Men ’97, raising excitement for the MCU’s X-Men, and while new actors should be cast, Fassbender and McAvoy were so good in multiple X-Men films that they could be brought back.

James McAvoy Would Play Charles Xavier Under A Good Script

The Actor Gave Professor X Depth

McAvoy has talked about possibly coming back as Charles Xavier in the MCU a few times. The actor was rumored to play a role — like Fassbender — in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. While McAvoy was nowhere to be seen in the film, the Doctor Strange sequel did leave the door open for him to play Charles Xavier in the MCU through the multiverse if he does not come back as the main MCU Professor X. That is due to original X-Men franchise Charles Xavier actor, Patrick Stewart, playing a Professor X variant in the film.

In 2021, McAvoy talked about the possibility of an X-Men return, saying, “I feel like I got to explore, not everything I wanted to explore.” However, the actor would not be gutted if he never came back, as McAvoy is proud of the work he did in the role. More recently, last January, McAvoy commented on playing Charles Xavier again. According to the actor, Marvel has yet to reach out to him, saying, “If they want me to come back, they need to talk to me and need a good script.”

Michael Fassbender Feels Like He Is Done As Magneto

The Actor Delivered The Most Emotional Moments Of The Latest X-Men Movies

Fassbender was sublime as Magneto. The actor’s performance in the role throughout the younger X-Men movie timeline was always on point, with Fassbender making the X-Men villain hard not to root for. Magneto has always been a complex character, and the star managed to perfectly bring that to the forefront, becoming the emotional cornerstone of the latest X-Men movies. Fassbender’s ability to make good on Magneto’s tragic origin, making it as poignant as it needs to be while becoming a threat like no other after his villain turn, is astounding. Fassbender’s nuanced Magneto would be great for the MCU.

As Fassbender’s performances as Magneto were among the high points of Fox’s X-Men franchise, there are many who want to see the actor return to the MCU as its Magneto, where Marvel could have him interact with Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch and Evan Peters or Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Quicksilver, Magneto’s adult children. Talking to Inverse, Fassbender commented on whether he would like to play Magneto in the MCU. According to the actor, Marvel has not called him. While Fassbender says, “I kind of feel like it’s done,” he did not fully close the door on Magneto, saying, “Never say never.”

Why McAvoy And Fassbender Should Not Be The MCU’s Charles Xavier & Magneto

The X-Men Need A Brand-New Chapter

While the two actors are talented, were great in their roles, and could be exciting additions to the MCU, it would be for the best if Charles Xavier and Magneto were recast. The X-Men movies became known for their confusing timelines and uneven quality, with 2019’s Dark Phoenix ending the younger X-Men movies on a sour note. Marvel Studios would be better off casting its version of the X-Men from zero, allowing new actors to define those roles within the MCU and letting go of the baggage from Fox’s X-Men films.

That does not have to mean that Fassbender and McAvoy could not return as their characters. The MCU’s only 2024 movie, Deadpool & Wolverine, is the franchise’s first project based on the X-Men since Disney bought Fox. Several cameos are expected, and that could very well include Fassbender and McAvoy. If that does not happen, the duo will very likely be part of Avengers: Secret Wars, the finale of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga that should bring characters from all of Marvel’s live-action history together. This way, McAvoy and Fassbender could reprise their roles before the MCU’s X-Men debut.