James McAvoy cast as Professor X in X-Men: First Class

James McAvoy has signed on to play a young Professor Xavier in Matthew Vaughn‘s upcoming X-Men: First Class.

Professor Xavier was portrayed by Patrick Stewart in the first three X-Men films. He also appeared briefly in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Of course, seeing as X-Men: First Class takes place much earlier than any of these other films, a younger actor was required for the role. Thank goodness they decided against using the ridiculous anti-aging CGI they used on Stewart in The Last Stand.

Slashfilm have the official plot synopsis:

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, following the classic Marvel mythology, charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga. Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X’s X-Men.

To read more about the history of this project, head on over here.

X-Men: First Class opens June 3, 2011.

Discuss: James McAvoy is an interesting choice. He’s most certainly a good actor. Personally, I would have liked to have seen Doctor Who’s Matt Smith in the role. Never mind…