We’ve long heard that next year’s X-Men: Apocalypse will round out the prequel trilogy that began with First Class in 2011, and now we’re starting to see some signs that that may very well be the case.
Following Nicholas Hoult’s comments that Apocalypse may be his last turn as Hank McCoy/Beast (unless he extends his contract), Jennifer Lawrence has announced that 2016 will mark the last time she dons the blue body makeup of shape-shifting femme fatale Mystique.
Lawrence broke the news to MTV recently during the red carpet premiere for her new film Serena, saying:
“It is my last one, actually.”
X-Men franchise producer Lauren Shuler Donner once expressed interest in giving Mystique – who’s appeared in five of the seven installments – her own spinoff film, but with Lawrence’s departure from the role, I think it’s safe to assume that that’s not going to happen anytime soon.
While disappointing, it makes sense that Lawrence’s tenure as the shape shifter is coming to an end; there will be several new additions to the series in Apocalypse in the form of young Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm and Nightcrawler, and the time-altering ending of Days of Future Past last summer made it clear that the franchise would soon be moving in a new direction. And, with reports that Apocalypse will feature “a lot more” Mystique and shed some light on the Mystique/Magneto romance, it’s possible that there won’t be many more stories to tell with the character beyond the next installment anyway.
Directed by Bryan Singer, X-Men: Apocalypse will hit theaters on May 27th, 2016.
