Nathaniel Essex (AKA Mr. Sinister) will indeed have a role in next year’s action sequel The Wolverine 3, Bryan Singer has confirmed.
News hails from the audio commentary included in the home video release of X-Men: Apocalypse – as relayed by Cinema Blend – which featured both Singer and co-writer Simon Kinberg reflecting on the post-credits sting included in the third and final entry into Fox’s acclaimed prequel trilogy.
Speculation was rampant at the time that the teaser, one which featured said genetic scientist working under nefarious conglomerate EssexCorp, was building towards the introduction of Mr. Sinister in Fox’s shared universe and sure enough, Singer has now confirmed that those early rumors were on point after all. Alas, the filmmaker stopped short of revealing who James Mangold and Co. have cast for the role, but all signs currently point to Richard E. Grant, who joined the ensemble earlier this year as a “mad scientist” – assuming villain duties come 2017.
That’s March 3, 2017, to be specific, meaning that the post-production on The Wolverine 3 is inching closer and closer to the finish line. It shouldn’t be long before we lay eyes on the first official footage from Mangold’s sequel, then, and the director Tweeted just recently that it shouldn’t be long before Fox drops that hotly-anticipated teaser trailer. “Working on it every day in edit room, Vince. You’ll hear and see things very soon,” Mangold said in response to one fan. “Glad you’re pumped & I hope we surprise you.”
Heralding Hugh Jackman’s (and possibly Patrick Stewart’s) final bow in Fox’s universe, The Wolverine 3 is slated for release on March 3, 2017.