The Bubble Helps Debunk James McAvoy’s Professor X MCU Return

WARNING: Spoilers ahead for The Bubble!

The possibility of James McAvoy returning to play X-Men’s Professor X in the MCU has been widely theorized, but the actor’s cameo in The Bubble helps debunk such speculations. Until the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness trailer, Marvel’s X-Men films had never been truly involved in the MCU, but this all changed when Patrick Stewart’s voice was heard speaking to Benedict Cumberbatch’s title character Doctor Strange. Alongside the apparent confirmation that Stewart’s Charles Xavier will appear in Doctor Strange 2, many have theorized whether this means James McAvoy’s Charles Xavier from the X-Men prequels will also return in the MCU.

Netflix’s The Bubble features a variety of cameos from actors of notable franchises, including Star Wars’ Daisy Ridley, the MCU’s Benedict Cumberbatch, and X-Men’s James McAvoy. Toward the end of The Bubble, McAvoy appears as himself while chasing down Carol (Karen Gillan) as she tries to escape the set of the fictional Cliff Beasts 6. While chastising McAvoy for tackling her, Carol insults him by referring to his role as Professor X, after which McAvoy becomes defensive over his career by proclaiming that he’s “played a lot of different characters, not just [Xavier]!“

While James McAvoy’s Professor X joke in The Bubble is a fun jab at how certain franchise actors can become annoyed at only being associated with one notable role in their long careers, the gag also supports the notion that he won’t be reprising the character in the MCU. Since The Bubble’s joke is about how McAvoy wishes to move away from only being associated with Charles Xavier, it seems it was a purposeful nod at debunking the theories that he’ll be portraying the superhuman character again in an even more iconic franchise. If McAvoy were to play Professor X again in the MCU—at least in any meaningful capacity—it would become virtually impossible for him to escape the role, just as he already fears in his The Bubble cameo.

James McAvoy’s Professor X joke in The Bubble also matches up with the actor’s recent comments about potentially playing the character again. In a Q&A on Instagram, McAvoy was asked whether or not he missed playing the character, with the actor giving the quick response, “No, I don’t think so.” When paired with his scripted annoyance over being referred to as Professor X in The Bubble, McAvoy’s comments on his iconic X-Men character prove that audiences won’t be seeing him return to the superhero genre or the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the near future.

Even though McAvoy’s X-Men responses on social media and in The Bubble‘s ending clearly indicate that he’s ready to move past his Charles Xavier role, this won’t stop fans from theorizing about potential future cameos. Since Andrew Garfield adamantly denied having any involvement in the MCU’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, his return in the billion-dollar film is now setting precedence for superhero actors by suggesting that a public dismissal of their return may not mean all too much. However, while James McAvoy’s denial on Instagram could still be for show, his anti-Professor X scene in The Bubble is what truly seems to debunk the notion of his return to the character.

About The Author

Jordan Williams
(827 Articles Published)

Jordan Williams is a Movie/TV Feature Senior Staff Writer for Screen Rant. She graduated from the University of Oregon in 2020 with a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Media Studies.

Jordan is based in Seattle, Washington and enjoys exploring the natural beauty the PNW has to offer. She runs on coffee and classic movies, taking pride in having watched every film on AFI’s 100 Greatest Films list and every Best Picture Oscar winner.

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