Bryan Singer is making his new X-Men film a reunion of sorts. The director has added Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart to X-Men: Days of Future Past, the sequel to X:Men: First Class.
On Thursday, he tweeted the news that McKellen and Stewart, who played mutant leader Magneto and Professor Charles Xavier in the original X-Men movies, would be returning for the new film.
Thrilled to announce @ianmckellen118 & @sirpatstew are joining the cast of #XMEN #DaysOfFuturePast #magneto #professorX More to come…
— Bryan Singer (@BryanSinger) November 27, 2012
He also tweeted news that James McAvoy (Xavier), Michael Fassbender (Magneto), Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique) and Nicholas Hoult (Beast) will also be reprising their roles from First Class in the new film.
I’d like to officially welcome back James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, & Nicholas Hoult to #XMEN for #DaysOfFuturePast
— Bryan Singer (@BryanSinger) November 27, 2012
First Class rebooted the X-Men series in 2011, setting the action in the 1960s. Wolverine, played by Hugh Jackman, and Mystique, played by Rebecca Romijin, were the only characters from the original trilogy to appear in that film.
Days of Future Past is based on a 1981 storyline from the comics that explored an alternate future in which mutants are held in concentration camps. The present-day X-Men try to stop that from happening.
Singer is returning to the X-Men franchise after First Class director Matthew Vaughn opted not to direct Days of Future Past. Vaughan has been mentioned as a possible director for Star Wars: Episode VII.
Are you excited about the return of McKellen and Stewart? Let us know in the comments.
Days of Future Past is scheduled to hit theatres in July 2014.
Twitter: @markhdaniell