While details on 2017’s currently-untitled third Wolverine movie, the last hurrah of Hugh Jackman as the titular mutant, are still largely unknown at present, we now know that Jackman’s Wolverine won’t be the only familiar face in the mysterious movie. After teasing his potential involvement, Professor Xavier actor, Patrick Stewart has now directly confirmed that his Professor X will play a key role in the flick.
Stewart naturally didn’t say much about how Professor X will be involved in the third (and presumably final) Wolverine movie, though he did tease that the movie is a, “Very different” type of movie than the prior two Wolverine movies, or the other X-Men movies for that matter. Stewart also fueled speculation that the movie may adapt the recent Old Man Logan story arc from Marvel Comics, joking that Jackman ages better than him, and he’d love to see Jackman covered in prosthetics that make him look more aged than Stewart.
James Mangold will direct the upcoming third Wolverine movie, after also helming 2013’s previous dedicated Wolverine movie, The Wolverine, which is now non-canon, alongside original spin-off, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, following the canonical clean-up that took place at the end of last year’s X-Men: Days of Future Past. Jackman has also begun a Twitter campaign to poll fans on what they’d like to see from his final appearance as the clawed mutant, which made him a Hollywood star after he first took up the role in 2000’s original X-Men movie. So far, Jackman has had at least a cameo in every movie within 20th Century Fox’s X-Men movie franchise ever since.
Stewart meanwhile has appeared in virtually every X-Men movie to date as well, except for one, that being 2011’s X-Men: First Class. The character of Professor Xavier has so far featured in some way in every X-Men and Wolverine movie to date however, with Xavier’s younger self being played by James McAvoy in X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Days of Future Past. McAvoy will reprise the role of the younger Xavier again next year, in next May’s X-Men: Apocalypse, which will apparently not involve Stewart, though McAvoy has been reported to finally be shedding his hair in the X-Men prequel trilogy capper, to have a bald appearance akin to Stewart’s older incarnation of the character.
The third Wolverine movie is scheduled to hit theatres on March 3rd, 2017.
Keep reading Eggplante for all news and updates on the third Wolverine movie, and other developments in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men movie franchise.