It’s been nearly 17 years since the first X-Men movie, directed by Bryan Singer, arrived in cinemas and helped fuel a fresh boom in comic book movies. And as recently as this year, some of the cast from that film – Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart – were still playing the roles they debuted all that time ago, this time in Logan.
Famke Janssen was one of the original ensemble, and she was playing the role of Jean Grey right up until X-Men: Days Of Future Past.
Chatting at Denver Comic-Con last week, Janssen looked back on the original X-Men, and reckons that original cast’s work is now done in the series.
“That was so amazing. I never knew – I don’t think any of us had any understanding of how popular our first movie was going to be and that it was going to live on for 15 plus years”, she said.
“And then I certainly didn’t realise – I mean I knew Jean Grey could turn into Dark Phoenix, obviously, and that Phoenix rises from the ashes, but the fact that as Jean Grey or the Phoenix they’ve killed me, I’ve come back, I’m like a cockroach. They can’t get rid of me”.
“I think we’re done”, she admitted, “but it was really great while it lasted and it lasted for a long time. It’s been nothing but a pleasure working not just as Jean Grey, which was such an honour because comics were so fantastic already, but then the entire cast who I got to play with, all my fellow actors, thespians who are so talented. It was just a wonderful experience. I’m very grateful”.
The role of Jean Grey is now playing by Sophie Turner, and she’s set to appear in the role in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, that starts filming shortly. As for Janssen? She would always be open to an X-Men return, but suggests that’s no longer likely to happen…