4. James McAvoy
Hes young, experienced, talented, and popular. Its a grand recipe for success. Hes put in an early portfolio not altogether dissimilar from Tom Hanks early years. They dont make the same style of movies, but the trajectory is the same. Moderate success theatrically and rapidly growing popularity with audiences. Hanks then and McAvoy now have only been held back by underwhelming scripts or directing, but a pair of fantastic movies in
Atonement and
The Last King of Scotland under his belt and a mainstream hit in the new
X-Men movie McAvoy looks poised to step up. If I was a smarter man I might think to place him higher. He is a crowd favorite which never hurts, but his gravitation towards the adoring masses has me worried.
X-Men: First Class and Wanted (albeit to a lesser degree) are good movies, but they are the kind of roles that make you into
Hugh Jackman not Christian Bale.