Famke Janssen played Jean Grey in five X-Men movies over a 14-year period and, even after the character died, she made cameo appearances in the likes of The Wolverine and X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner later took over the role in 20th Century Fox's prequel franchise, though her stint as Jean similarly ended with death in the poorly received Dark Phoenix.
With Hugh Jackman back as Logan in Deadpool & Wolverine, and Sir Patrick Stewart and Kelsey Grammer showing up in the likes of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and The Marvels, we anticipate seeing even more original X-Men in the years ahead.
Despite recently denying she'll play Jean Grey in the upcoming Deadpool threequel, Janssen left the door open to a possible return in a new interview with ComicBook.com.
"I don't know. I mean, I didn't expect to come back after dying as Jean Grey," she told the site. "I came back as the Phoenix [in 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand], and I came back in flashback scenes in The Wolverine, and then in Days of Future Past."
Admitting that every appearance after X2: X-Men United "were all surprises that I never anticipated," Janssen addressed the Deadpool & Wolverine rumours head-on when asked about another possible cameo. "I don't know," the actress claimed. "I doubt it, but you never know."
This is quite a contrast to earlier this month when she said, "I’m not in [Deadpool & Wolverine]. No. Everybody keeps asking. So, at some point, I was like, 'Wait, am I in Deadpool, and I just don’t know it yet?' But, no. I’m not. No, no."
Even if Jean doesn't appear in the movie, it's likely she and other X-Men stars will reprise their respective roles in one of the upcoming Avengers movies.
Shawn Levy directs Deadpool & Wolverine, which stars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, and Matthew Macfadyen. The movie is written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy.
The trades have confirmed that Jennifer Garner will reprise her role as Elektra, with Wesley Snipes, James Marsden, Famke Janssen, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Dafne Keen, Channing Tatum, Blake Lively and, as we mentioned above, even singer Taylor Swift among those rumoured to make an appearance.
Kevin Feige, Reynolds, Levy and Lauren Shuler Donner produce with Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Dewey, Simon Kinberg and Jonathon Komack Martin serving as executive producers.
Deadpool & Wolverine arrives in theaters on July 26.