Patrick Stewart (a.k.a. Professor Xavier) is retiring from the X-Men franchise. The actor says the new superhero film Logan (out March 3) will be the last time he plays the mutant leader, Professor Charles Xavier. Stewart made the announcement at a SiriusXM Town Hall where he appeared alongside Logan director and co-writer James Mangold and Stewart’s costar Hugh Jackman, who reconfirmed that the film will be his last appearance as Wolverine.
“A week ago, Friday night in Berlin, the three of us sat, watching the movie,” said Stewart. “And I was so moved by it, much more moved than I had been the first time of seeing it. Maybe it was the company of these two guys, but the movie ended and — this is an admission — but at one point reached out, and he took my hand in those last few minutes, and I saw him go like this, and then I realized I had just done the same thing. Then, the movie ended… and we were going to be taken up on stage, but not until the credits were over. So, we had some time to sit there and, as I sat there I realized there will never be a better, a more perfect, a more sensitive, emotional, and beautiful way of saying au revoir to Charles Xavier than this movie. So, I told that same evening, ‘I’m done too. It’s all over.’”
Stewart first played Xavier (a.k.a. Professor X) in 2000’s X-Men and reprised the role in 2003’s X-Men 2, 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand, 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, 2013’s Mangold-directed The Wolverine, and 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Watch the trailer for Logan, below.
