James McAvoy just dropped a bold claim at New York Comic Con: his X-Men movies beat the Marvel Cinematic Universe to one of its biggest storytelling moves — and he’s got the receipts to prove it. Cinemablend
“We were doing timey-wimey stuff before it was cool.”
At the panel, McAvoy was asked to pick his favorite X-Men film among those he starred in. He admitted he flip-flops between First Class and Days of Future Past, but he strongly believes the latter deserves extra credit. Cinemablend+1
“Days of Future Past … was sort of one of the first ones that did all that timeline stuff and different-universe-y, crossover-y stuff we weren’t used to back then,” he said, highlighting that it felt “a bit different and a bit new.” Cinemablend
In short, McAvoy argues the Fox X-Men franchise toyed with timelines, multiverse trickery, and era-hopping before the MCU made it its hallmark.
How Days of Future Past Could Be Called a “Proto-Multiverse” Film
McAvoy isn’t just talking bravado — here’s what backs him up:
- Generational Crossover: Days of Future Past brought together the original X-Men cast (Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry) with the newer First Class team. That merging of eras feels a lot like Marvel’s later “phase mashups.” Cinemablend
- Timeline Stakes: The film shows a ruined future where mutants are nearly extinct. Events in the past threaten to either doom or save that future. It treats the ripple effects seriously — not just as flashy twists. Cinemablend+1
- Soft Reboot Design: Without completely erasing what came before, the movie tweaks continuity and legacy. It respects what the series built while shifting direction. Cinemablend
So yes — McAvoy has a point. While the MCU leans hard into multiverses now, the storytelling tools behind them had been quietly explored earlier by the X universe.
Why It Matters Right Now
Marvel is prepping a full crossover of mutants into the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday, and the studio has confirmed the X-Men will be recast in the coming years. TIME+2EW.com+2
That means McAvoy’s remarks hit a nerve: as fans debate how to reboot or honor the mutant legacy, his reminder is timely. Yes, the MCU has set new standards in scale, but “first mover advantage” still counts in storytelling legacy.
Final Words
James McAvoy’s statement isn’t just fan service — it’s a reminder that superhero films didn’t start with the MCU. Sometimes, the groundwork was quietly laid elsewhere. X-Men: Days of Future Past may have been ahead of its time. And as the MCU recasts and reinvents these stories, remembering those roots might just matter more than ever.
Would you like me to create a version for Indian or Hindi readers? Or maybe write something about how this compares with Doctor Strange’s multiverse spin?