The X-Men franchise concludes with Dark Phoenix, which retells the story of how Sophie Turner’s Jean Grey goes off the deep end. However, the original Jean Grey isn’t ruling out a return to the Marvel universe in the not-so-distant future. If she was asked back, that is.
Variety caught up with Famke Janssen – who first appeared as Jean way back in the franchise’s opening installment, 2000’s X-Men – and asked if she’d like to come back as the telepathic mutant. The actress revealed that she’d certainly consider it if the opportunity arose.
“If someone asks me, I might consider it,” said Janssen.
Famke played Jean in the original X-trilogy, with her story wrapping up with her own version of the Dark Phoenix saga in 2006’s The Last Stand. She then reprised her role, via Logan’s visions, in 2013’s The Wolverine and then again in the following year’s Days of Future Past, which saw Jean resurrected after the timeline was changed for the better.
The actress’ willingness to return echoes what her on-screen lover James Marsden said recently as well. The actor seemed more than up for the idea of playing Cyclops again in the MCU, if Marvel Studios were to ask him to return now that they have the rights to the Children of the Atom.
It’s great that the actors still hold onto their X-Men roles so fondly, but honestly, we’re not sure that Marvel is looking to reference the original Fox films in any way once they reintroduce mutantkind in the MCU. We’ve heard from various sources that Kevin Feige will likely reboot the X-Men with a whole new cast. That’s certainly true of Wolverine, as Hugh Jackman has repeatedly told us he’s sheathed his adamantium claws for good.
In the meantime, Dark Phoenix is out in cinemas now and The New Mutants follows next February. After that, it’ll be the end of Fox’s X-Men.