java.lang.ClassCastException on creating an Array of classes in java

I want to create an array of classes and I have these:

1)works fine

Class<MyClass>[] array = (Class<MyClass>[]) new Class<?>[list.size()];

2)java.lang.ClassCastException

Class<MyClass>[] array = (Class<MyClass>[]) Array.newInstance(MyClass.class, list.size());

3)we have a generic method , works fine

public static <T> List<T> method(T arg , T[] array){
    array = (T[]) Array.newInstance(arg.getClass(), 1);
    ArrayList<T> list = new ArrayList<T>(Arrays.asList(array));
    array[0] = arg;
    return new ArrayList<T>(Arrays.asList(array));
}

Please explain why we get the exception in 2 ? As I understand we are doing the same thing in 3 , so what's the difference ?

UPDATE

I guess my confusion is because we have:

Type mismatch: cannot convert from List< Class < MyClass > > to List< MyClass >

List<MyClass> list = Utils.addToList(MyClass.class, null);

Works

List<Class<MyClass>> list = Utils.method(MyClass.class, null);

I think I'm missing something , but I'm not sure what...

So it's finally clear what exacly I had in mind:

List<Class<MyClass>> list = Utils.method(MyClass.class, null);

Class<MyClass>[] array2 = (Class<MyClass>[]) Array.newInstance(MyClass.class.getClass(), list.size());

List<Class<MyClass>> list2 = Utils.method(MyClass.class, list.toArray(array2));