Is ROGUE in X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST or Not? Depends on What Day You Ask Bryan Singer
Empire's ROGUE X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST cover
CREDIT: 20th Century Fox/Empire
So like us, were you wondering why Anna Paquin's Rogue got one of Empire’s 25 X-Men: Days of Future Past covers when the actress had reportedly been cut from the final edit of the movie?
Turns out tales of Rogue’s demise may have been slightly exaggerated… by the guy ultimately responsible for her being in the film or not.
Director Bryan Singer acknowledged last month the scene Paquin appeared in had been cut from the film, telling EW.com, 'Through the editing process, the sequence became extraneous. It’s a really good sequence and it will probably end up on the DVD so people can see it. But like many things in the editing process, it was an embarrassment of riches and it was just one of the things that had to go. Unfortunately, it was the one and only sequence [emphasis ours] Anna Paquin was in, the Rogue character was in. Even though she’s in the materials and part of the process of making the film, she won’t appear in it.'
This week, however, in response to fan question about the Empire cover, Singer and producer/writer Simon Kinberg are ‘singering’ (get it?) a slightly different tune.
"It was one real sequence in the movie," Kinberg tells Empire. "We felt like it was taking tension out of the main story drive."
"It does not mean that we won't see her in the film," Singer added, "enigmatically" as Empire puts it, seemingly contradicting his quote to EW last month.
"Also, I hope to make the sequence available on the DVD as she was quite wonderful in it. She is an important part of the X-Men family. I 'm very pleased she will remain as one of Empire's anniversary covers," Singer added.
So then, one more time:
"Unfortunately, it was the one and only sequence Anna Paquin was in, the Rogue character was in. Even though she’s in the materials and part of the process of making the film, she won’t appear in it."
"It does not mean that we won't see her in the film."
Looks like it may take another follow-up by Singer to clarify whether Paquin will be seen in the film at all or not.
Meanwhile, Singer also confirmed some speculation about X-Men: Apocalypse, the follow-up to Days of Future Past to Empire. The movie, scheduled for a 2016 release, will forgo the "original cast," instead focusing on the younger mutants that debuted in X-Men: First Class. That means fans excited about the debut of characters like Blink, Bishop, and Warpath in the future storyline should probably temper their expectations a bit. He also debunked a rumor that Apocalypse would "possess Magneto" or be an alien. The notion of him being an ancient mutant is what appeals to Singer about Apocalypse in the first place.
"One thing that interests me is the notion of ancient mutants," explains Singer of the character. "What would people thousands of years ago, without the benefit of science, think mutants were? And more importantly, what would mutants thousands of years ago think they were? Gods? Titans? Angels? Demons? And if such mutants did exist thousands of years ago, what became of them? Did one survive?"
Singer is co-writing and producing X-Men: Apocalypse, while negotiating with intent to direct the film.