If the opportunity presents itself for her to return, Anna Paquin says she would be willing to play Rogue in the X-Men film franchise once again. The X-Men film series is still going strong with the upcoming X-Men: Dark Phoenix and New Mutants films set to be released in February and August of 2019, respectively.
While Paquin was a part of the original ensemble cast in 2000's X-Men as well as the two sequels that followed it, she has not had a major part in the films since. This is in part due to the fact that after 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand, the series took a turn for a bit of a reboot in 2011's X-Men: First Class, which also served as the beginning of a series of prequels for the franchise. With the films centered on stories that would take place before Paquin's character was even born, the actress had no reason to be involved with the films until 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past. However, even in that film, which connected the original trilogy to the prequel timeline, Paquin's storyline as Rogue was limited in the theatrical cut to simply a cameo appearance. Scenes from a "Rogue Cut" of the film have since been released, showing that she originally had a more extensive storyline in the film.
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Speaking with Variety, Paquin recently expressed her willingness to return to the role should the right opportunity arise. When asked if she would ever do another X-Men film, Paquin replied, "If there was a way that it made sense for my character to be in the world, of course." She went on to explain how such a return would be complicated, saying:
"I feel like [X-Men is] my film family, because I’ve been making those movies since I was 16. But there’s been so many spinoffs and reboots and TV shows, so I’m not sure where Rogue or the other original characters fit into the current plotlines, so it’s probably not going to happen."
Paquin certainly has a point. The X-Men films have diverged into many different plot lines over the years, at times focusing on the overarching ensemble films as well as more individualized stories such as Logan or Deadpool. While this has allowed for the X-Men film universe to greatly expand beyond what many likely anticipated in 2000, it has also made it less likely for actors and actresses from the original films to star in more films beyond this point.
Yet, nothing is set in stone for X-Men, and Paquin's willingness to return is an exciting factor for fans who were eager to see the "Rogue Cut" of Days of Future Past. Plus, with the release of Deadpool 2, the franchise has essentially admitted that its own timeline does not make sense. With that in mind, the door could be open for any number of possibilities to bring Rogue - and plenty of other characters - back for another story. However, that would be complicated considering the impending Disney-Fox merger, especially since it's unclear how Marvel Studios will incorporate X-Men characters with the MCU. At least for now, it is good to hear that Paquin views the franchise fondly and would be game for bringing Rogue back if the right story comes along.
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Source: Variety
