Famke Janssen is done with X-Men franchise

5 July 2017

Famke Janssen says she and the stars of the original 'X-Men' franchise are "done".

Famke Janssen

The 52-year-old actress starred as Jean Grey in the Bryan Singer trilogy and then reprised her role in 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' along with other original cast members, including Sir Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart, but Janssen says that's it for them as the franchise has completely moved on from their portrayals.

Speaking at Denver Comic-Con, Famke said: "I think we're done, 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 talents. It was just a wonderful experience. I'm very grateful."

In the second instalment of the Singer movies 'X-Men 2', Jean Grey dies but is resurrected as the Phoenix in 'X-Men: The Last Stand' where she kills Professor Xavier, played by Stewart.

Phoenix is the focus of the next movie in the 'X-Men' franchise, 'X-Men: Dark Phoenix' which is being directed by Simon Kinberg and will see Sophie Turner reprise her role as Jean Grey in the adventure which will focus on the psychic hero's alter ego Dark Phoenix. She first played the character in 2016's 'X-Men: Apocalypse'.

When 20th Century Fox kicked off their franchise, which is based on the Marvel Comics characters, in 2000 Famke admits she had no idea that 17 years later they would be a staple blockbuster for the big screen.

She said: "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.

"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 that 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."

Janssen is not the only original cast member who has said she is finished with the franchise with both Stewart and Hugh Jackman - who starred as Wolverine - have said they will no longer play their characters following the 2017 movie 'Logan'.

'X-Men: Dark Phoenix' will be inspired by 'The Dark Phoenix Saga', the most popular X-Men story of all time, and is set to be released in November 2018.