"Days of Future Past" is a popular storyline in the Marvel Comics comic book The Uncanny X-Men issues #141 and #142, published in 1981. It deals with a dystopian alternative future in which mutants are incarcerated in internment camps. An older Kitty Pryde transfers her mind into the younger, present-day Kitty Pryde, who brings the X-Men to prevent a fatal moment in history which triggers anti-mutant hysteria.

The storyline was very popular at the time and was produced during the franchise's rapid rise to popularity,^{[citation needed]} which was largely due to "The Dark Phoenix Saga" and "Days of Future Past" writer/artist team of Chris Claremont and John Byrne. As a result of this popularity, the dark future seen in this story was revisited on several occasions. The first issue of this storyline was voted the 25th greatest Marvel Comic of all time by the fans in 2001.^[2]

This reality has been designated as Earth-811.

Plot[link]

The storyline alternates between present day, in which the X-Men fight Mystique's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and a future timeline caused by the X-Men's failure to prevent the Brotherhood from assassinating Senator Robert Kelly. In this future universe, Sentinels rule the United States, and mutants live in internment camps. The present-day X-Men are forewarned of the possible future by a future version of their teammate Kitty Pryde, whose mind traveled back in time and possessed her younger self to warn the X-Men. She succeeds in her mission and returns to the future, but despite her success, the future timeline still exists as an alternative timeline rather than as the actual future. (The Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes 2005 gave the numerical designation of "Days of Future Past" Earth as Earth-811).

Aftermath[link]

Rachel Summers, who was a key player in the original storyline, traveled through time from this alternative future, Earth-811, to the present day and joined the X-Men. Nimrod, the "ultimate Sentinel", followed her to the present and became a foe of the X-Men and the Hellfire Club. Another supervillain, Ahab, later followed her to the present in the Days of Future Present crossover.

Days of Future Present[link]

Ahab kidnapped the children Franklin Richards (son of Mister Fantastic and the Invisible Woman and, in the future timeline, Rachel's love) and Nathan Summers (son of Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor) but was defeated by the X-Men, X-Factor, the New Mutants and the Fantastic Four.

Meanwhile, Rachel joined the European mutant team Excalibur, whose series twice revisited the "Days of Future Past" timeline. The first time was in a story by Alan Davis entitled "Days Of Future Yet To Come," in which a time-traveling Excalibur and several Marvel UK heroes overthrow the Sentinel rulers of future America. This storyline also revealed that Excalibur's robotic "mascot" Widget had been possessed by the spirit of the future Kitty Pryde.

A similar but distinct reality^[3] was seen in a vision by her teammate Captain Britain. This story, "Days of Future Tense," revealed the final fate of that timeline's Excalibur team.

A prelude to Days of Future Past was produced in a three-part mini-series entitled "Wolverine: Days Of Future Past." This three-issue mini dealt with ramifications between the catalyst for the creation of the alternative future up until the main storyline in Uncanny X-Men 141-142. The prelude explains why Logan leaves for Canada and why Magneto is in a wheelchair in the main two issue story.

Another view of this reality was presented in the second issue of Hulk: Broken Worlds. A short story, "Out of Time," examines the life of Bruce Banner (the Hulk) in a Sentinel prison camp.

In other media[link]

Television[link]

• The Days of Future Past storyline was adapted in the X-Men animated series. The storyline concepts were combined with another alternative future story -- that of Bishop and the idea of a traitor within the ranks of the X-Men. Bishop played the role of Kitty Pryde.

The future was a dystopia were Sentinels rule, and mutants were put into concentration camps. Only a small group of mutant rebels remained free and unharmed, led by an aged Wolverine. Bishop, a bounty hunter, captures Wolverine, but sides with him when the Sentinels attack him as well. They met Forge, who created a time machine, and sent Bishop back in time to change history by preventing the assasination of Senator Kelly. He identified Gambit as the assasin, but the crime was actually commited by the shape-shifting mutant Mystique, who took the form of Gambit to frame the X-Men. The real Gambit saved Kelly, and Rogue sent Bishop back to the future by destroying the machine that allowed him to stay in the past. However, Bishop returned to a future that was still a dystopia.

• The series Wolverine and the X-Men has a similar storyline. Instead of Kitty Pryde transferring her thoughts, Professor X is in a coma for 20 years after what happened in the first episode. When he wakes up, he finds that the mutants of his world are imprisoned by the Sentinels. He telepathically connects with the X-Men of the past to try to prevent that future from happening. By the end of the first season, the Sentinel-dominated future was averted. However, a future based on the Age of Apocalypse has appeared in its place.

• The Days of Future Past reality will appear in The Super Hero Squad Show episode "Days, Nights, and Weekends of Future Past."

Video Games[link]

• Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 has a Days of Future Past-inspired stage serving as an alternative to the standard Metro City stage, with an "Apprehended"/"Slain" poster similar to the famous one, featuring characters from both Marvel and Capcom that starred in Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes, but did not return for the Marvel vs. Capcom 3 games. Taking the place of the playable Wolverine is Mega Man.
• The press introduction of the lead character Booker DeWitt for the game BioShock Infinite was on the cover of Electronic Games Monthly, in the style of the Days of Future Past cover, referencing the various alternative realities experienced in the game.^[4]

In popular culture[link]

• The cover art for Uncanny X-Men #141 was subject of an homage in a Star Wars Insider cover with Obi-Wan Kenobi standing in front of a wanted poster with Jedi Knights instead of mutants, and for the cover of a "Myriad Universes" Star Trek: The Next Generation comic book where Captain Picard and Wesley Crusher stood in front of a poster featuring Starfleet officers.

• In "Genesis", the first episode of the television series Heroes, the character of Hiro Nakamura cites Kitty's traveling through time as teaching him about the concepts of time travel. Hiro states that the comic taught him that time is a circle, even though it actually insinuated that time branched. The episode "Five Years Gone" was a further homage to the story, featuring Hiro and his friend Ando travelling into a future where New York has been destroyed and people with abilities are being hunted, forcing them to travel back into the past to prevent the original explosion.

Collected editions[link]

• Days of Future Past (TPB) ISBN 0-7851-1560-9 collects X-Men (vol. 1) #138-141, The Uncanny X-Men #142-143 and X-Men Annual #4
• Days of Future Past (Graphic Novel) ISBN 0-87135-582-5 collects X-Men (vol. 1) #141 and The Uncanny X-Men #142
• Essential X-Men Vol. 2 ISBN 0-7851-0298-1 collects (reduced to black and white) X-Men (vol. 1) #120-141, The Uncanny X-Men #142-144

Notes[link]

See also[link]

• Multiverse (Marvel Comics)

Future Past is the first and only solo album released by Blue band-member Duncan James. The album was released on June 12, 2006. Three singles were released from the album: "Sooner or Later", "Can't Stop A River" and "Amazed". The album sold less than 15,000 copies in the UK, and less than 150,000 copies worldwide. However, it found success in Italy, peaking at #2 there. James has since been dropped by his record label.

Tracklisting[link]

1. "Sooner or Later" - 3:43
2. "Suffer" - 3:45
3. "I Come Alive" - 4:03
4. "Can't Stop a River" - 3:53
5. "I Don't Wanna Stop" - 4:02
6. "What Are We Waiting For?" - 3:52
7. "Amazed" - 3:59
8. "Turn My Head" - 3:57
9. "Letter to God" - 3:33
10. "Breathing" - 3:34
11. "Frequency" - 3:48
12. "Somebody Still Loves You" - 3:27
13. "Save This Moment for Me" - 4:42

Japanese Bonus Tracks

14. "You Can" - 3:34

15. "Part Time Love" - 3:58

16. "Sooner or Later" (Video) - 3:45

Singles[link]

References[link]

This article's lead section may not adequately summarize its contents. Please consider expanding the lead to provide an accessible overview of the article's key points. (July 2009)

Bryan Singer
Singer at WonderCon 2006
Born	Bryan Jay Singer (1965-09-17) September 17, 1965 (age 46) New York, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Film director and producer

Bryan Singer (born September 17, 1965) is an American film director, writer and producer. Singer won critical acclaim for his work on The Usual Suspects, and is especially well-known among fans of the science fiction and superhero genres for his work on the X-Men films and Superman Returns.

Early life[link]

Singer was born in New York City, and was adopted by Grace Singer (née Sinden), an environmental activist, and Norbert Dave Singer, a corporate executive.^[1] He grew up in a Jewish household in West Windsor Township, New Jersey. He attended West Windsor-Plainsboro High School South (formerly just West Windsor-Plainsboro High School), graduating in 1984.^[2] For college, Singer studied filmmaking for two years at New York's School of Visual Arts and later transferred to the USC School of Cinematic Arts in Los Angeles.^[3] Actors Lori and Marc Singer are his cousins. He is openly gay and has said that his life experiences of growing up as a minority influenced his movies.^[4] He was diagnosed with dyslexia.^[5]

Professional career[link]

This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2010)

After graduating, Singer directed a short film called Lion's Den involving a number of friends, including actor Ethan Hawke whom he knew from his childhood in New Jersey^[6] and editor John Ottman who he had met while working on a friend's short film.^[7]

After a screening of Lion's Den, Singer was approached by someone who knew of a Japanese company that funded low-budget films. Singer wrote the concept for Public Access with high school friend Christopher McQuarrie, and fellow USC student Michael Feit Dougan wrote the first draft in ten days about a supposedly idyllic small town. Ottman again served as editor but this time also composed the score for the film. At the 1993 Sundance Film Festival the film was named as co-winner of the Grand Jury Prize.^[8][9]

While attending the 1993 Sundance Film Festival, Singer and McQuarrie began discussing an idea that McQuarrie had for a story where "five criminals meet in a police line-up". The film, The Usual Suspects, won a number of awards including the 1995 BAFTA Award for Best Film and Saturn Award for Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film. Writer McQuarrie won the Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay and the BAFTA Award for Best Screenplay, composer/editor Ottman won the BAFTA Award for Best Editing and the Saturn Award for Best Music and actor Kevin Spacey won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

In 1998, Singer directed Apt Pupil from a screenplay written by Brandon Boyce, another of his friends. The story, adapted from a Stephen King novella of the same name (collected in the book Different Seasons), tells of a young boy who develops a morbid fascination with a Nazi war criminal.

Singer was initially approached by 20th Century Fox to direct X-Men after directing The Usual Suspects, but not being a fan of comics and being unaware of the characters, Singer turned them down. However his friend, Tom DeSanto, a big fan of the comics and partner in his production company Bad Hat Harry Productions, eventually persuaded Singer to reconsider and, after reading the comics and becoming familiar with the characters, Singer signed on to direct. Rejecting all the scripts and storylines that were developed over a decade of failed production attempts, Singer developed the story for the film with DeSanto in a week and then worked on the script with writers Ed Solomon, Christopher McQuarrie, Joss Whedon, and finally David Hayter (who had started out as Singer's driver). Only Hayter received onscreen credit for writing the film. Singer won the 2000 Saturn Award for Best Direction for X-Men.

In early 2001, Singer was planning to direct Confessions of a Dangerous Mind with Johnny Depp in the lead role, from Charlie Kaufman's script based on the Chuck Barris book of the same name. Financial troubles delayed production and Singer moved on. The film was later directed by George Clooney for Miramax Films with Sam Rockwell in the lead role. Singer has said that he was "very impressed" by Clooney's debut as a director, and the film itself.

In late 2001, Singer was planning to help DeSanto produce a new Battlestar Galactica television series for Studios USA (now NBC Universal Television Studio) and the FOX network. Singer was scheduled to direct the mini-series which would have served as a backdoor pilot for a potential series. Speaking to Variety in February 2001, Singer said he was "confident that the Galactica brand is a sleeping giant. It was a show I watched during its initial run, from the pilot to the final episode. The essence and the brand name is quite potent in a climate where there's a great deficit of sci-fi programming."^[10] Despite his enthusiasm, production delays caused by the September 11, 2001 attacks meant Singer had to drop out due to his commitment to direct X-Men 2. FOX then lost interest in Galactica and Studios USA took the project to the Sci Fi Channel and a different production team. This resulted in the new Battlestar Galactica 2003 mini-series and 2004 television series.

In June 2002 filming began on X2 in Canada with Singer again directing, this time from a screenplay written by David Hayter, Dan Harris and Michael Dougherty. In 2004, X2 was nominated for the Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form, but lost to Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.

In 2002, having learned that Singer was a lifelong Star Trek fan, Patrick Stewart arranged for Singer to visit the set of Star Trek Nemesis and appear in the finished film as a Starfleet officer on the bridge of the Enterprise.

On November 16, 2004, a new medical drama debuted on FOX called House, with Singer attached as an executive producer. He also directed the pilot and the third episode, then appeared in a brief cameo as himself in the twelfth episode.

In mid-2004, Singer was in negotiations to direct X-Men: The Last Stand for Fox. Fox and Singer could not meet an agreement and, after an extended détente, Singer was offered the chance to direct the new Superman film, which was ready to go. On July 19, 2004, Variety reported that Singer had signed on to direct Superman Returns for Warner Bros. In retaliation, Fox terminated their production deal with Bad Hat Harry Productions, Singer's production company.^[11] Superman Returns was filmed in Australia in 2005, and was released on June 28, 2006. Singer claims that though he had not read the comics, he had always admired and identified with the character, citing the fact that he and Superman are both orphans. He instead based Returns on his love of the 1978 film made by Richard Donner.^[12]

Before embarking on the Superman sequel, Singer openly discussed helming a smaller project going back to the days of thrillers The Usual Suspects and Apt Pupil. In late 2006, screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie presented to Singer a story that took place in World War II, Valkyrie. In the following months, the two collaborated on the project, an original thriller that would be a multi-character ensemble piece. In March 2007, the duo brought the project directly to United Artists partners Paula Wagner and Tom Cruise, who immediately agreed to finance the film. The script is based on the actual events of German generals plotting to assassinate Adolf Hitler during World War II. Singer invited Tom Cruise to take the lead role, which Cruise accepted. Filming began on July 19, 2007 in Berlin, and the movie was released on December 25, 2008.

Upon finishing Valkyrie at the end of 2007, Singer was scheduled to jump directly into the upcoming Superman sequel, which was to begin filming around March 2008. Attending the 2007 Saturn Awards along with Superman Returns writers Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris and producer Gil Adler, Singer stated that the story had been locked down, and the first draft would be completed near the end of 2007. Plans for the sequel included more action sequences, an alien villain, and Singer's promise to "go all Wrath of Khan on it". Production has not begun and plans for the movie are unclear.^[13] In February 2009, Production Weekly listed it as "in development".^[14]

In August 2009, Universal Pictures announced that Singer would direct and produce a big screen reimagining of the Battlestar Galactica television series of the late-1970s, which would not draw any material from the Syfy Channel reimagined series.^[15]

On September 10, 2009, it was announced NBC has partnered with Bryan Singer and Bryan Fuller to adapt Augusten Burroughs's Sellevision into a series. The one-hour dramatic comedy, to be written by Fuller and directed by Singer, will focus on the inner workings of a fictional home shopping network, according to The Hollywood Reporter.^[16]

At the premiere of James Cameron's Avatar on December 16, 2009, Singer confirmed that he will be directing a film called Jack the Giant Killer for Warner Bros., and that he signed on to do X-Men: First Class,^[17][18] but conflicts between the two projects led to Singer being only a producer and co-screenwriter on First Class,^[19] with Matthew Vaughn taking over directorial duties.^[20]

Bryan produced the commercials for the ice cream Magnum Gold, which star Benicio del Toro.^[21]

Filmography[link]

Actor

• Star Trek Nemesis (2002)
• X2 (2003)
• House (2004)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Bryan Singer at the Internet Movie Database
• Bad Hat Harry Productions at the Internet Movie Database
• Short The Movie Reporter video interview with Singer (2005)
• Tribute.ca Director Bio: Bryan Singer
• Bryan Singer at Memory Alpha (a Star Trek wiki)

James McAvoy
McAvoy at the 2010 Toronto Film Festival
Born	James Andrew McAvoy (1979-04-21) 21 April 1979 (age 33)[1] Port Glasgow, Scotland
Alma mater	Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama
Occupation	Actor, Voice actor
Years active	1995–present
Spouse	Anne-Marie Duff (2006–present)

James Andrew McAvoy^[2] ( /ˈmækəvɔɪ/ MAK-ə-voi; born (1979-04-21)21 April 1979) is a Scottish stage and screen actor. He made his acting debut as a teen in 1995's The Near Room and continued to make mostly television appearances until the early 2000s. His notable television work includes State of Play, Shameless, and Frank Herbert's Children of Dune. Besides screen acting, McAvoy has appeared on stage with Three Days of Rain in 2009, and in 2011 he did voice work for animated films including Gnomeo & Juliet and Arthur Christmas.

Starting in 2003, McAvoy began to build his film resume with Bollywood Queen. That film was followed with The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), a commercial hit. His performance in Kevin Macdonald's The Last King of Scotland achieved him not only critical praise, but several award nominations. 2007's critically acclaimed Atonement marked the breakthrough in McAvoy's career. It also earned him a Golden Globe Award nomination and his second BAFTA nomination. Another big point in the actor's career was starring in Wanted (2008). Since then, he is notable for playing Charles Xavier in the 2011 superhero film X-Men: First Class.

Early life and family[link]

James McAvoy was born in Port Glasgow, Scotland, the son of Elizabeth (née Johnstone), a psychiatric nurse, and James McAvoy Senior, a builder.^[3][4] He was brought up as a Roman Catholic.^[5] His parents divorced when he was seven, which McAvoy took hard.^[1][3][4] McAvoy's mother suffered from poor health and subsequently decided it was best that he live with his maternal grandparents, Mary and butcher James Johnstone, in the nearby Drumchapel area of Glasgow in a terrace council house.^[3][6] His mother lived with them intermittently.^[4] The actor has regularly visited his grandparents.^[3] He has a sister, Joy, and a younger half-brother, Donald.^[3][4] McAvoy has not been in contact with his father since childhood.^[4] According to his father, McAvoy avoided any contact with him after he moved in with his new lover.^[3] Nonetheless, the actor had a good upbringing.^[7] He attended St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary in Jordanhill, Glasgow, a Catholic school, and briefly considered joining the Catholic priesthood.^[7][8] In a 2006 interview, McAvoy admitted that part of the reason why he considered becoming a priest was that he wanted to use it as an excuse to travel.^[9] During his education, he worked at a local bakery.^[7][8]

Career[link]

Early career[link]

McAvoy's acting debut came at the age of 15 in The Near Room (1995). McAvoy later admitted that he was not very interested in acting when joining the movie, but was inspired to study the craft after developing feelings for his co-star, Alana Brady.^[10] He continued to act while still a member of PACE Youth Theatre.^[11] McAvoy eventually graduated from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in 2000.^[12] Throughout the early 2000s, McAvoy made guest appearances in television shows and began working on movies. In 2001, the actor appeared in a play entitled Out in the Open. His performance in the play as a gay hustler impressed filmmaker Joe Wright so much that he stayed on his radar and offered McAvoy parts in his movies, but to no avail, as the actor turned them down for years.^[12]

He also starred in Privates on Parade in the Donmar Warehouse, this time catching Sam Mendes's attention.^[4] Also during 2001, the actor appeared in Band of Brothers, an eleven-hour World War II miniseries by executive producers Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks.^[13] It was shown on the HBO network.^[14] He gained the attention of critics in 2002's made-for-television adaption of the book White Teeth.^[15]

During 2003 McAvoy appeared in the Sci Fi Channel miniseries Frank Herbert's Children of Dune, adapted from Frank Herbert's novels. It is one of the highest-rated programs ever to be aired on the channel.^[16] More cable work came for him when he accepted the role of an unprincipled reporter in 2003's State of Play. The well-received six-part British drama serial tells the story of a newspaper's investigation into the death of a young woman and was broadcast on BBC One.^[17][18] Calling the program a "must-see", the Chicago Tribune recommended State of Play for its cast's performance.^[19] During 2002, McAvoy shot scenes for Bollywood Queen. Called West Side Story meets Romeo and Juliet with bindis, the movie deals with star-crossed lovers caught in the middle of clashing cultures. It was shown as a special presentation at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and opened in UK theatres on 17 October.^[20][21] In 2004, he acted in a supporting role in the romantic comedy Wimbledon, also featuring Kirsten Dunst as a co-lead.^[22] His next project was voicing a character named Hal in the 2004 English version of Strings, a mythic fantasy film.^[23] Another 2004 release for him was Inside I'm Dancing, an Irish production helmed by Damien O'Donnell. In it, the actor was cast as the principal character: a maverick with duchenne muscular dystrophy.^[24]

Critical success[link]

McAvoy rounded out 2004 by appearing in the first two seasons of Shameless as Steve McBride, the moral hero of the BAFTA-winning Channel 4 program, giving the actor a big break in his career.^[25] His public profile was raised in 2005 with the release of Walt Disney Pictures's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. McAvoy starred in the fantasy adventure film made by Andrew Adamson and based on C. S. Lewis's'children's novel as Mr. Tumnus, a faun who befriends Lucy Pevensie (played by Georgie Henley) and joins Aslan's (Liam Neeson) forces. It was given a UK release of 9 December. At the UK box office, this movie opened at number one, earning around £8.7 million at 498 cinemas over the weekend.^[26] Worldwide, Narnia grossed £463 million, making it the 41st highest-grossing film of all-time worldwide.^[27] That succeeding year he also accepted the principal role of Brian Jackson, a nerdy university student who wins a place on a University Challenge quiz team in the mid-1980s, in Starter for 10. He was directed by David Nicholls, who adapted the film's screenplay from his own book. The British/American production was given distribution in the UK on 10 November. 10 scored a rating of 89% on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes based on a sample of 75 reviews.^[28] In spite of the positive buzz, the movie flopped at the box office, unable to recover its production costs of £5.7 million.^[29][30]

Forrest Whittaker had suggested McAvoy to director Kevin Macdonald for the role of Nicholas Garrigan in 2006's Academy Award-winning low-budgeted The Last King of Scotland.^[31] McAvoy portrayed a Scottish doctor that becomes the personal physician to dictator Idi Amin (played by Whittaker) while in Uganda. While the movie is based on factual events of Amin's rule, the story between the two is fictional and adapted from Giles Foden's acclaimed 1998 novel. He assessed his character to be a "completely selfish prick."^[9] An overwhelmed McAvoy fainted during his first take of what would be the hardest scene for him to shoot, Nicolas's torture.^[32] McAvoy was named Best Actor of the year by the Scotland's own BAFTA Awards, where the film swept the major categories,^[33] and received a nomination from the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The movie itself walked away with three wins, including the honour for Outstanding British Film of the Year.^[34] This was accompanied by praise for McAvoy's performance.^[35]

Following that, he played Irish attorney Tom Lefroy and love-interest to Jane Austen in Becoming Jane, a 2007 historical movie inspired by the author's early life.^[36] Next up was Penelope, which premiered at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival.^[37] Also starring co-producer Reese Witherspoon, it generated polarised reviews.^[38] The breakthrough role in McAvoy's career came in Atonement, Joe Wright's 2007 adaption of Ian McEwan's novel of the same title. A romantic war film, it focuses on lovers Cecilia and Robbie's (Keira Knightley and McAvoy) lives being torn apart after her jealous younger sister (Saoirse Ronan) falsely accuses him of a crime. Upon reading the script, McAvoy thought to himself, "if I don't get the part I'm not reading the book because it'll be devastating. It's an amazing role and I really wanted it."^[39] McAvoy has called the movie "incredibly sad" but considers it an uplifting experience. He also shared that he hoped viewers will be left "absolutely devastated and harrowed."^[40] Screenings of Atonement were held at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival, where it was one of most acclaimed films present, and Venice Film Festival.^[41][42] Atonement was a big awards contender; it was nominated for fourteen BAFTAs and seven Academy Awards.^[43][44] Both McAvoy and Knightley were nominated for their performances at the 65th Golden Globe Awards, respectively.^[45] Additionally, the film was lauded by critics, with Metacritic reporting it to have an approval rating of 85.^[46] The Hollywood Reporter writer Ray Bennett said the duo gave "compelling and charismatic performances".^[47]

[edit] Wanted and after

One of the biggest highlights of McAvoy's career was starring opposite Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman in Wanted, an action movie where he personified Wesley Gibson, a young American slacker who learns he is heir to a legacy of assassins. When McAvoy screen-tested for the role, he was initially rejected because the studio was seeking an actor with conventional Hollywood leading-man looks and physique. He later recalled being considered the "runt of the litter" of those who tested, but ultimately got the part in late 2006 since the studio "wanted someone geeky."^[48][49] While shooting action scenes for Wanted, he suffered several injuries, including a twisted ankle and an injured knee.^[50] Nonetheless the actor said he had a "good time" doing the movie. McAvoy had never done this type of genre before and thought of Wanted as a chance to be more versatile.^[51] Loosely based on the comic book miniseries of the same name by Mark Millar, it saw a June 2008 release worldwide. It received favourable reviews from the press, who generally liked that it was fast-paced.^[52] At the box office, Wanted was a success, grossing £207 million against a £45 million production budget.^[53] Next was The Last Station (2009), a biopic that details the final months of celebrated writer Leo Tolstoy and also stars McAvoy's wife.^[54] It was shown at a limited amount of screens in the US.^[55] Although most critics' awards paid attention to co-stars Helen Mirren and Christopher Plummer, the Satellite Awards nominated McAvoy for Best Supporting Actor.^[56] In 2009, McAvoy voiced Angelina's father, Maurice Mouseling, in the television series, Angelina Ballerina: The Next Steps.

He also appeared onstage in 2009 at Apollo Theater's Three Days of Rain.^[57] He accepted the job of voicing the male titular character in Gnomeo and Juliet (2011), an animated movie based on William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet.^[58] In Robert Redford's historical American drama The Conspirator, McAvoy played the role of an idealistic war hero who reluctantly defends a co-conspirator charged in the Abraham Lincoln assassination. It premiered at the 2010 Toronto International Film Festival.^[59] While this movie garnered mixed reception, critics lauded the actor for his work. In Owen Gleiberman's assessment of The Conspirator, he found it "stiff-jointed" and tedious, but regarded McAvoy as "an avid presence".^[60] In mid-2010, McAvoy was cast as telepathic superhero Professor X, leader and founder of the X-Men, in X-Men: First Class.^[61] He joined an ensemble that included Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and Kevin Bacon. Based on the Marvel Comics and a prequel to the film series, it is set primarily during the Cuban Missile Crisis and focuses on the relationship between Professor X and Magneto and the origin of their groups. McAvoy admitted that he was not familiar with the comics as a child, but was a fan of the cartoons since the age of 10.^[62] Released to the UK on 1 June, First Class topped its box office with ticket sales of around £5 million during its opening weekend.^[63] First Class was also reviewed favourably.^[64] In 2011, McAvoy began filming the role of Max Lewinsky in the British thriller, Welcome to the Punch.^[65] He was also cast as the lead role in the upcoming Danny Boyle film, Trance.

In 2012, McAvoy was cast as Bruce Robertson in Filth, an adaptation of an Irvine Welsh novel of the same name. The film's ensemble cast includes Jamie Bell, Jim Broadbent, Eddie Marsan, and Imogen Poots.^[66] It was also announced that he would co-star with Jessica Chastain in a double-feature film project, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby.^[67]

Personal life[link]

Duff and McAvoy in February 2007

McAvoy dated Scottish actress Emma Nielsen (stage name Emma King) for six years until 2003.^[68] While working on Shameless, McAvoy started a relationship with his character's love interest, Anne-Marie Duff, who is nine years his senior.^[69] When they first began dating, McAvoy and Duff mutually agreed not to speak to the press about their relationship.^[68][70][71] At the age of 27, he married Duff, then 36, on 18 October 2006 in a quiet ceremony.^[69][71] When asked by Ryan Seacrest, during his radio show, if he wished he had waited longer to get married so he could exploit his fame better, McAvoy replied that he had married the woman of his dreams. "The world seemed less scary.... And I started to like myself a little bit more," McAvoy added of how he knew they were in love.^[40]

They have one child together, a son named Brendan, born in 2010.^[72] During interviews, the actor has opted not to discuss his son and have not announced their child's birth date, although he has stated the little man keeps him up at night.^[73] He had dropped out of the cancer dramedy 50/50 in early 2010, shortly before filming was to begin, reportedly in fear that he would miss the birth of their child.^[74] Despite his wealth, McAvoy leads what has been called a modest life. Prior to marrying Duff, he purchased a second floor flat in North London during 2006 for about £178,000. Also, he and his wife drive a 1990s Nissan Micra that is worth less than £1,000.^[75] The couple enjoy a close relationship and rarely leave their flat, choosing to instead read or do sudoku puzzles together. Of this lifestyle, the actor said it is "mundane, and I love it that way".^[3]

After McAvoy won an award from the BAFTAs, his estranged father spoke to the Sunday Mirror, stating that he would love to get in touch with his son, but did not know how to reach him. Though the actor did not read the piece, he heard about it and was unmoved.^[4] He enjoys fantasy themes which he said started from the age of 11 with The Lord of the Rings.^[76] His big interest outside acting and science fiction is football; he is a huge fan of Celtic Football Club, stating that his dream role would be to play Celtic legend Jimmy Johnstone.^[77] McAvoy considers himself a spiritual person who no longer practices Catholicism.^[8] Speaking to Sky News, McAvoy said he believed that British filmmakers belittle and dumb down their productions to please American audiences. "It's like we're patronising them and short changing ourselves," the actor commented.^[78] He has also branded 3-D films a "waste of money", accusing movie studios of using the effect to get more money out of their theatre audiences.^[79]

Charity[link]

At one point, McAvoy did a "terrifying" base jump from the world's tallest hospital building in a bid to help raise money for Ugandan children's charity Retrak, an organisation which assists children on the streets.^[80] Additionally, McAvoy is a celebrity supporter of the British Red Cross with whom he travelled to Uganda to raise awareness of the projects there. He had become involved with the charity after shooting The Last King of Scotland there for several months and was shocked by what he saw in the landlocked country.^[81] In February 2007, he visited northern Uganda and spent four days seeing projects supported by the British Red Cross.^[82]

Filmography[link]