James McAvoy definitely has experience playing younger versions of characters once played by Patrick Stewart. The actor took over the role of Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix, but he’s still holding out hope that he’ll get to play Stewart’s most iconic role: Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
While speaking with Collider, James McAvoy said that he’s still hoping to join the Star Trek franchise, saying that he’s available to play young Jean-Luc Picard if needed.
I mean, I’ve often talked about loving Star Trek, and jokingly, but also kind of seriously been like, if you ever want to do a young Jean-Luc Picard, I’m your man. But I’m probably getting close to being too old to do a young Jean-Luc Picard now. So there’s that… I’ve always loved it. Always.
James McAvoy would certainly make a good Picard, and as I mentioned above, he’s had plenty of experience. “I’ve successfully been Patrick, actually, and balded up, although maybe again, the young Jean-Luc wouldn’t be bald,” McAvoy said. “But yeah, no, maybe I’m overqualified for it, though. That’s the other thing. Do you know what I mean? It’s too easy, it’s too obvious a choice. So maybe that turns people off from it.” With Star Trek: Picard now shooting its third season, perhaps there’s room for a young Picard flashback featuring James McAvoy?
As far as the X-Men franchise goes, James McAvoy feels like he’s done with the character of Professor X. That said, McAvoy said that he wouldn’t rule it out, but that he won’t be “gutted and desperately sad if it never happens again.” McAvoy can be seen in My Son, a thriller in which he’s the only actor who didn’t have a script. The film is playing on the Peacock streaming service.