Mark Von Holden/WireImage.comThe 20th Century FoxGreat Scot!
James McAvoy has signed on to play a young Patrick Stewart (aka a young Professor X) in the upcoming franchise-extender X-Men: First Class, which starts shooting this summer in London with Kick-Ass director Matthew Vaughn behind the camera.
The prequel starts off with Professor X and Magneto when they were plain old best buds Charles Xavier and Eric Lensherr, and goes on to chronicle how the Mutant duo became archenemies, with the professor's X-Men forever pitted against Magneto's Brotherhood.
No word yet on who will play a young Ian McKellen in the film, which has been slated for a June 3, 2011, release.