Speak No Evil's James McAvoy is “glad” he didn't watch the original before signing on for the horror remake: “I don't know if I would have taken the role”

James McAvoy hadn't seen the original version of Speak No Evil before he was cast in James Watkins' new version – and he's glad he didn't, otherwise he might not have signed on to the horror film at all.

“I had heard of the original, but I hadn't seen the trailer and certainly hadn't seen the movie,” the X-Men actor tells GamesRadar+ and Inside Total Film. “I'm glad about that, because I don't know if I would have taken the role if I had…” [I] I just don't want to compare myself to anyone else [has] finished. So I looked at it the day after it was finished.”