Happy Birthday James McAvoy: 5 best movies of the actor that will keep you on the edge

James McAvoy turns 41 today. The actor began his career marking his debut as a teen in the film The Near Room. The X-Men alum mostly starred in television shows such as the State of Play, Frank Herbert's Children of Dune and more up till 2003 after which his filmy career soared to great heights. When we think of James McAvoy, action-packed adventure films and psychological thrillers is what instantly comes to our mind. Shiting from one genre to another, acing different personas, different roles, and characters, pulling off high-on-action fight sequences, James McAvoy is known for films that give the audience an adrenaline rush!

Powering his way into films, initially, James McAvoy had no plans of dipping his toes in acting. It was when director David Hayman visited his high school class and offered the 16-year-old a role in his film The Near Room that McAvoy recognised his art. From playing the legendary superhero Charles Xavier in the X-Men franchise to a psychopath with 23 different personalities in Split, James McAvoy has given the most spine-chilling performances ever. As the actor turns 41 today, let's celebrate his birthday looking at a list of best James McAvoy movies that keep the viewers on the edge:

Strings

Strings is a mythic fantasy film that shows an alternate puppet world where all subordinates are considered secondary in the hierarchy and are linked through a string. After a guilty king commits suicide, his vindictive brother frames it to be a murder and sends Prince Hal played by James McAvoy, the heir to the throne, on a revenge mission, aiming to put his life in danger and take over the throne. Soon, the young prince learns about his uncle's plotting and the dark secrets that his own people are keeping from him owing to their hunger for power. 

X-Men Franchise

The X-Men franchise comprises superhero films with characters from the Marvel Comics. Playing the face of the X-Men series as Charles Xavier, James McAvoy was one of the actors who re-popularised the X-Men franchise in the 2000s with various installments revolving around the younger versions of the X-Men characters with X-Men: Days of Future Past in 2014, X-Men: Apocalypse in 2016 and X-Men: Dark Phoenix in 2019, all of them being blockbuster hits. James McAvoy reprised the iconic character Charles Francis Xavier also known as Professor X and aced his role. Known for his strong mind and telepathy, professor X is one of the most popular characters of the X-Men series.

Split

The psychological thriller follows the story of Kevin, a man suffering from multiple personality disorder. Sometimes he's a childlike boy Hedwig, at other times he's Lady Patricia. Living with 23 alter egos within him, Kevin kidnaps three girls and imprisons them in an underground cell. Despite taking therapy, his 23 personalities refuse to let go of him and he keeps the girls trapped. It is when he is forced to think between right and wrong and left alone in an empty train, that the 24th and the most imposing personality called 'The Beast' takes over him and he sets out to kill the girls and everyone else coming his way.

Glass

The film is a spiritual sequel to Split and the final part of the trilogy, with the first installment being Unbreakable in 2000. Glass once again brings back the 23 personalities and The Beast with superhuman strength. David Dunn, a man with superhuman powers tries to stay one step ahead of the law while delivering justice on the streets of Philadelphia. Soon, his special talents put him opposite The Beast, a psychotic madman who with 23 distinct personalities. Their epic showdown is like a treat to the eyes for all the action-fiction lovers!

Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

This one is every 90s kid's favourite! The fantasy fiction film follows the story of Lucy and her siblings who find an old wardrobe that lands them in a mystical place called Narnia. After having stepped into the magical world, they realise that they must now unite with Aslan to defeat an evil queen and save Narnia from the White Witch's reign. The kids successfully manage to complete their mission and having done that, they return to reality. The iconic film has James McAvoy play the role of Mr. Tumnus.