The second X-Men trilogy will be wrapping up when X-Men: Apocalypse hits screens later this summer. While plenty of films set in the X-Men universe are planned, we don’t really know what’s in store for the primary team once this film ends. The one thing that we thought we knew for sure was that Jennifer Lawrence would not be back in the role of Mystique beyond Apocalypse. However, now the actress is saying that not only would she be willing to come back, she actually really wants to return.
Jennifer Lawrence’s recent comments have been a complete 180-degree turn from where the actress was a year ago. Over the last several months we’ve received several reports that Lawrence has said she was really quite tired of the makeup process required to turn her into the blue-skinned mutant Mystique and she simply didn’t want to deal with it anymore. She went as far as to request that she spend as little time as possible with blue skin in the new film as she could. Now, Lawrence tells Empire that she loves making the X-Men films and really wants to return.
I am dying to come back. I love these movies, I love being in them. I love ensemble movies because it’s not on anyone’s shoulders.
Exactly what has caused the shift in perspective from Jennifer Lawrence is not clear. Perhaps she’s far enough removed from the Mystique makeup chair that it doesn’t feel like it was quite as bad an experience as she seemed to think it was while she was in it. Maybe the accommodations they made for her in X-Men: Apocalypse, so she didn’t have to spend nearly as much time blue, were enough to make the experience much more enjoyable. It's possible she decided the makeup process is worth it to work on an ensemble project like the X-Men franchise. Jennifer Lawrence is at the point now where she’s going to be the lead in virtually any movie she makes, and maybe she’s decided she doesn’t care for that quite as much.
It's worth noting that this quote, only recently published in Empire, was acquired on the set of X-Men: Apocalypse, potentially months ago. So while Lawrence might have said it in the heat of the moment, her opinions could have changed since saying such a thing to Empire.
At this point, the only X-Men related projects currently announced are standalone films and spinoffs. Hugh Jackman is getting ready for his final go-round as Wolverine, Deadpool is getting a sequel, and Channing Tatum will be debuting as Gambit... eventually. We’re pretty sure. Someday.
Time will tell what’s in store for the X-Men in general, or this generation of them, specifically. Many decisions may be waiting to be made until the studio sees how X-Men: Apocalypse does at the box office. If fans show that they want to continue to see Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, then they may get their chance, because she seems open to it. For now.
