Patrick Stewart to Retire From X-Men Universe After Wolverine 3
We already know that Hugh Jackman will be hanging up the claws once everything wraps on the upcoming The Wolverine 2 or the third Wolverine movie or Wolve3rine or Old Man Logan or...something, joining him in Xavier’s School for Retired Mutants is none other than Professor X himself, Patrick Stewart.
Getting ready to bow out of the franchise once and for all – although more on that in a moment – Stewart told ITV News that: “I would imagine this is probably the end of this franchise for me,” Though the veteran actor was quick to add the qualifier: “The thing about science fiction and fantasy is that you can never, ever say 'it's the end, it's over'.”
What that means for the X-Men cinematic universe is, well, more or less nothing at the moment as everything seems to be in a state of limbo, thanks to the non-event that was X-Men: Apocalypse. The initial crop of X-Men cast, which originated with Bryan Singer’s X-Men back in 2000, appear to be making way for a new generation, with Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool, Channing Tatum’s Gambit, X-Force and The New Mutants all keeping the mutant flag flying for Fox.
As for the swansong, The Wolverine 3, directed by James Mangold, is loosely based on the Old Man Logan comic storyline. Stewart will be making his seventh appearance as the X-Men leader in the film, teasing that “we will a very different Charles Xavier. Nothing like the Charles Xavier you’ve seen in the past. That’s all I’m allowed to say.”
Wolverine 3 is due for release on March 3, 2017.
