James McAvoy has confirmed that he will return for the third X-Men film.

The Scottish actor, who plays Professor Charles Xavier, said he is contracted to reprise his role but has yet to receive the official word from 20th Century Fox about the third instalment, X-Men: Apocalypse.

"I only heard about it this morning," he told Red Carpet News.

James, who won the best actor gong for his performance in Filth at the British Independent Film Awards, revealed that the sequel, X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), would show a different dimension to his character.

"What's great is that even though it's a sequel, even though it's a franchise, I keep getting to reinvent Charles Xavier and that's amazing," he added.

X-Men: Days of Future Past will be in UK cinemas on May 22, 2014.

Director Bryan Singer hinted that he is working on X-Men: Apocalypse for 2016, when he tweeted: "#Xmen #Apocalypse 2016!"

The film is rumoured to star the villain Apocalypse - an immortal who claims to be the first mutant.

Source: Press Release