James McAvoy talks X-Men: Days of Future Past, saying it will be a “dark journey”; also is Nightcrawler back?

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Bryan Singer‘s X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST continues to gain steam every time it’s mentioned by anyone attached to the production, which shows the general excitement (or trepidation) of the sequel.  Combining the actors from the first three X-MEN films with the actors from X-MEN: FIRST CLASS in a time-travelling, dimension-shifting story that pulls directly from the comics, the film is on course to be the most epic of the bunch, which James McAvoy is confirming in nearly every press interview for his upcoming WELCOME TO THE PUNCH.  Speaking to Shortlist, McAvoy had some compelling things to say about where Charles Xavier is going in the sequel, which looks to be a darker place:

“I think it’s going to be quite a dark journey compared to the caddish, almost playboy character that we turned him into in the first movie,” McAvoy confessed. “I think it will be going through a darker place to ultimately get a sorted Professor X that we’re used to seeing come the third movie. This movie might be a little bit more of a passing through the crucible for him.”

The size and scope of the film is sure to be massive, especially if you factor in the possibility of bringing in an army of Sentinals, possibly led by the villainous Apocalypse, which McAvoy compares to a certain Spielberg film.

“It’s going to be a humongous cast. It’s going to be like the cast of the beach scenes in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN but everyone’s a mutant and everyone you’ve seen in other movies before.”

In another interview, McAvoy seemingly confirmed that Alan Cumming would be returning to the role of Nightcrawler, although he could have jumped the gun.  Singer has yet to confirm Cumming’s return to the role of the blue-skinned teleporter, but with almost everyone else confirmed to return it would be odd not to have him back as well.  Here’s McAvoy’s unofficial confirmation:

“You got me, [Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender,] Nicholas Hoult will be back, and he’s just blossoming massively over [in America]. Patrick Stewart, Ian Mckellen, Halle Berry, Alan Cumming, Peter Dinklage I hear mentioned – I don’t know if that’s happening – “Huge” Jackman is coming by, he’s massive, 7’5″ and muscley.”

There’s no doubt that the original Days of Future Past story in the comics is a dark tale, albeit one with plenty of excitement and cool moments, so it’s not a surprise to expect the same for the movie.  Singer seems to be on course with what he’s doing, although he still has yet to meet with Mark Millar, who is supposed to be the Fox superhero franchise ringleader. 

“I’ve not spoken to Mark Millar at all. He’s not involved. I don’t know what his role is about. All I know is that I have my own specific beliefs about how to take this universe forward. I started with the first X-Men, then First Class and now I am combining them and I think it could go further than that and I have some ideas about that, so perhaps he should chat to me at some point.”

Yeah, might be a good idea.

X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST brings the mutant apocalypse on July 18, 2014.