James McAvoy to play young Charlie Xavier in X-Men: First Class

Part-time Narnia fawn James McAvoy is to bald it up as the young Professor X in Matthew Vaughn's X-Men prequel, First Class. Presumably Jason Statham was unavailable.

Given the total lack of young, bald actors in Hollywood - at least, actors who aren't weak, frail and on some sort of treatment - Matthew Vaughn had free reign to cast his proto-Professor in X-Men: First Class. Sticking with a Brit, he chose James McAvoy, who'll have to tone down his Celtic brogue and start practising his Patrick Stewart impression. Get that man a Next Generation box-set, stat!

There's also a rumour that Kick-Ass star Aaron Johnson might be in the mix for a part, after a pap shot showed him exiting a building with Vaughn and McAvoy. He'd probably play either Cyclops, leader of the formative X-Men, or possibly even Magento, former friend and soon-to-be nemesis of Xavier.

That, or maybe they were just taking advantage of the amazing new summer menu at Wetherspoons, who can say?