Although Bryan Singer’s goal was to reunite both the old and new cast for his timey-wimey X-Men: Days Of Future Past, one key member of the original line-up has been sacrificed – Anna Paquin’s Rogue, who was returning for only one scene.
“Through the editing process, the sequence became extraneous,” explained Singer to Entertainment Weekly. “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 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’s a bit sad for true fans of the series, as Rogue, along with Logan, was originally our way into the X-Men franchise when Bryan Singer first kicked off the modern age of the superhero movie in 2000.
Although Rogue’s role gradually decreased in favour of other young mutants – Ellen Page’s Kitty Pryde in particular – her pivotal role in the genesis of the series made her role in Days Of Future Past a much-needed passing of the torch to the First Class generation.
“She did a fantastic job,” clarified Singer. “She was awesome in the sequence. She’s a brilliant actress. I would work with her in a heartbeat.
“She completely understood. It’s very disappointing, but she’s very professional and she knows that stuff happens, particularly with material you shoot early on in production. Films evolve.”
X-Men: Days Of Future Past is released on 18 July 2014. You can buy X-Men: The Ultimate Collection on Blu-ray for £26.24 at Amazon.co.uk.