There are few film franchises as significant as the James Bond movies. Moviegoers were brought up on the franchise, which include some of the best action/adventure movies of all time. Prior to Daniel Craig's Bond movies we were treated to four titles starring Pierce Brosnan. It all started with the pivotal blockbuster Goldeneye, although Famke Janssen admitted she broke her ribs while filming some fight scenes opposite the Mammia Mia! actor.

Goldeneye is a beloved installment of the franchise, which introduced Brosnan to the fans and inspired a wildly successful video game adaptation. During an appearance at the Mediterranean Film Festival (via THR) Janssen got real about getting injured when facing off against 007 in a bathhouse. As she put it:

Yikes. While this is one of the most memorable scenes in Goldeneye, Xenia and James' steamy fight scene came at a cost. Namely by the X-Men actress breaking multiple ribs. This shows just how dangerous movie sets can be, despite measures being put in place for actors' safety.

Famke Janssen previously revealed how she felt thrown to the wolves after Goldeneye, thanks to her relationship with the press. But there was also a physical toll to her iconic 007 performance. She went on to share how painful the injury was at the time, offering:

That certainly sounds like a difficult way to work, and also shows the gritty truth of being in the film industry. While being a movie star is a dream for many, it can sometimes come at a great physical expense. That was the case for Janssen, who filmed Goldeneye for months after breaking her ribs. Regardless, the performance is truly iconic.

Goldeneye is a beloved chapter in the 007 franchise, and all eyes are on what director Denis Villeneuve will behind the camera for the upcoming 26th movie. But since that mysterious project isn't on the 2026 movie release list, fans will have to practice some patience while continuing to wait for more info.

The upcoming MCU movie, Avengers: Doomsday, is every Marvel fan’s dream. The cast of the old and the new Marvel flicks will come together to take down Dr. Doom. But with plenty of OG X-Men actors returning for the 2026 movie release, Famke Janssen (who played Jean Grey in the original X-Men films) was asked if she got a call to return for Doomsday, and she responded in three words.

You’ll be happy to know that the cast of Avengers: Doomsday is filled with plenty of OG X-Men actors to give you a feel-good dose of nostalgia. Thanks to Days of Future Past rebooting the timeline and bringing back mutants who died, these returning actors include Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, Kelsey Grammer, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn, and Alan Cumming. But with Jean Grey’s Famke Janssen not on this list, she got real with EW if she got the call to ask to return, and here was her three-word response:

I’m truly curious why Famke Janssen wasn’t asked to return. After the X-Men timeline got rebooted at the end of Days of Future Past, we see that Jean Grey is alive and well. I’d be curious to see how her version would fit into the MCU and her interactions with other superheroes, like Doctor Strange or The Scarlet Witch. But personally, I could do without the Cyclops/Jean/Logan love triangle if Hugh Jackman does end up appearing in Doomsday, like fans think.

After her run on X-Men, Famke Janssen has filled her resume with other well-known projects, like the Taken series, Hemlock Grove, How to Get Away with Murder, and more. However, the Dutch actress continued to tell EW that reporters still ask her questions about her time playing the telepathic X-Men mutant:

I understand what she’s talking about. You would think that reporters would focus on questions about recent projects she’s had under her belt. But like Janssen said, it should be a sincere compliment that she’s still recognized for the badass superhero role she played once upon a time.

And like the former model previously said, the X-Men movies helped “set the tone” for the MCU movies that would come later, in seeing everyday people who happened to have superpowers. We’ve got to give Janssen credit for being part of the team that helped jumpstart everything for the superhero genre.

In 2023, Famke Janssen seemed unsure if she’d be up for reprising Jean Grey if given the chance. But when asked earlier this month, however, the Netherlands native said “that whole comic book world” isn’t her world and never was. Maybe she just saw it as a cool project to take on. But at the same time, she’s looking forward to the Phase Six MCU flick.

I see where the talented actress is coming from in that going back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe would mean taking part in plenty of sequels and spin-offs that would tie up your career for years. Actors like Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson have appeared in the most MCU movies for about a decade of their careers. So it’s understandable if Janssen wants to explore other projects and let a new generation of actors carry the torch.

Famke Janssen may have “never, never, ever” gotten a call to join Avengers: Doomsday. However, the anticipated Marvel movie is still sure to give fans a nostalgic X-Men reunion with its many OG actors returning, even if Janssen isn’t one of them. I’m sure she’ll give the new movie its full support when it plays in theaters on December 18, 2026. You can relive the glory days of Jean Grey’s live-action big screen presence with the X-Men movies on your Disney+ subscription.

Before cinematic universes were commonplace the X-Men movies were in theaters. The franchise, which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription, ended with Dark Phoenix and Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox. But a number of the stars of that franchise are reprising their roles in Avengers: Doomsday and now OG Jean Grey Famke Janssen has responded to that news.

What we know about Avengers: Doomsday is very limited, but moviegoers are hyped about the scale of The Russo Brothers' movie. The internet exploded when Doomsday's cast announcement included a number of X-Men stars including James Marsden, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen and more. While speaking with ScreenRant, Janssen was asked the MCU giving love to the X-Men franchise, offering:

Well, that was honest. Despite her long tenure as Jean Grey, it sounds like Janssen doesn't feel a ton of ownership over the comic book genre or the X-Men movies. But just like fans, she's excited to see her coworkers back on the big screen and playing their signature mutant roles. What's more, it sounds like she's got no idea what is coming. Same, girl.

Janssen's comments might be surprising to some fans, but I think they make a great deal of sense. Her last starring role as Jean was in 2013's The Wolverine, and since then she's only gotten a quick cameo or two. Once more, Sophie Turner took over as this role for X-Men: Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix. So I think the Taken actress' POV seems both logical and healthy.

Despite Famke Janssen's acclaimed tenure as Jean Grey, she wasn't included with the list of returning X-Men actors who will be reprising their roles in Avengers: Doomsday. Instead that honor goes to James Marsden's Cyclops, Patrick Stewart's Professor X, Ian McKellen's Magneto, Rebecca Romijn's Mystique, Alan Cumming's Nightcrawler, and Kelsey Grammer's Beast. They'll also be joined by Channing Tatum as Gambit, who made his debut in Deadpool & Wolverine.

The public has no idea how the X-Men will factor into the multiversal story of Doomsday. But they'll seemingly be colliding with other hero teams, including the Avengers, New Avengers, and Fantastic Four. Fans think the X-Men's introduction might be tied to The Marvels' credits scene, which featured Beast.

All will be revealed when Avengers: Doomsday hits theaters on December 18th of next year as part of the 2026 movie release list. While Janssen isn't expected to appear as Jean, there are some longtime fans who will likely cross their fingers she gets a cameo. Hey, we can dream.

Just like crazy gadgets and classic villains are important to James Bond movies, so-called "Bond girls" have been crucial to the franchise's success. Obviously society has changed quite a bit since Dr. No was released in 1962, and so have the roles these women have played in the adventures. They aren't just a love interest to Bond anymore, though some are, of course, nor do all of them have ridiculous names though some definitely do. Really, it's just all the women who have played important roles,  throughout the years, like the 32 on this list. 

Ursula Andress (Honey Ryder)

The O.G. Bond girl is Honey Ryder, played by Ursula Andress. Bond (Sean Connery) famously meets her as she strolls out of the ocean in a bikini on a small island owned by the titular Dr. No. It's not only one of the most iconic moments of the Bond series, it's one of the most famous in Hollywood history. 

Michelle Yeoh (Wai Lin)

Academy Award-winner Michelle Yeoh first came to Western cinema acclaim as a Bond girl. After years of success in Hong Kong, Yeoh's Hollywood breakthrough came as Wai Lin in Tomorrow Never Dies, starring Pierce Brosnan as Bond. 

Barbara Bach (Anya Amasova)

Actor Barbara Bach is famous for playing a Bond girl in one of the best Roger Moore movies. Bach, who is the wife of Ringo Starr, played a Russian spy named Anya Amasova in The Spy Who Loved Me. Bach was, in fact, the spy who loved Bond. Or Bond was the spy who loved her. Both ways work. The same movie also features one of the best henchmen in Bond history, Jaws. 

Shirley Eaton (Jill Masterson)

The third movie of the Bond franchise, Goldfinger, is pretty almost universally praised as the best of the series. It's certainly the best of the Connery era, despite what some critics claim. Shirley Eaton plays Jill Masterson who meets her demise in one of the most famous scenes in the series when Bond finds her covered in gold paint after her death. 

Tanya Roberts (Stacey Sutton)

Roger Moore's final appearance as James Bond came in 1985's A View To A Kill opposite Tanya Roberts who starred as Stacey Sutton. The late Roberts had a fairly short-lived career in the mid-80s before reviving it as a regular on That '70s Show in the late 1990s and early 2000s. She'll be forever remembered for her moments as a Bond girl. 

Carey Lowell (Pam Bouvier)

Carey Lowell is best known for her two-season run as ADA Jamie Ross on Law & Order in the '90s, but years before that, she was a Bond girl. Lowell played Pam Bouvier, a capable ex-army officer-turned-informant on the cartels Bond is chasing in the Timothy Dalton-as-Bond flick Licence To Kill. 

Teri Hatcher (Paris Carver)

In 1997 Teri Hatcher was coming off an incredibly successful run as Lois Lane in the TV show Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. She parlayed that in a role as James Bond's love interest in Tomorrow Never Dies, named Paris Carver. 

Jane Seymour (Solitaire)

In the United States, Jane Seymour is probably best known as Dr. Michaela Quinn in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. About 20 years early, she starred as one of the best Bond girls ever, Solitaire, in the first Roger Moore-era Bond movie, Live and Let Die. 

Léa Seydoux (Madeleine Swann)

Léa Seydoux actually starred in two James Bond movies, both featuring Daniel Craig as 007. In both Spectre and No Time To Die, she played Madeleine Swann. She also holds the distinction of being the only actress to play the mother of a James Bond child, which is revealed in the final movie of the Craig era, No Time To Die. 

Halle Berry (Giacinta "Jinx" Johnson)

Before the 21st Century, the producers of the Bond series rarely picked huge stars as Bond girls. That wasn't the case in 2002 when Halle Berry starred as Jinx Johnson in Die Another Day. Berry had just won an Academy Award and was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood when she played Jinx, who was every bit Bond's equal in all ways. 

Maud Adams (Andrea Anders And Octopussy)

Maud Adams is one of two women who have starred in two James Bond movies as Bond girls. Her first, Andrea Anders came in 1974's The Man with the Golden Gun. Her second, and larger role, came as the titular Octopussy in the movie of the same name. Adams also holds the distinction of being the only one to have the same name as the movie. Pretty cool. 

Famke Janssen (Xenia Onatopp)

While she's best known these days for playing Jean Grey/Phoenix in the X-Men movies, Famke Janssen also starred in one Bond movie, GoldenEye, as the ridiculously named assassin Xenia Onatopp. It's one of the sillier names, but the character is all business. 

Diana Rigg (Teresa di Vicenzo/Tracy Bond)

For many Brits, Diana Rigg is known for playing Emma Peel in the '60s spy show The Avengers (no relation to the MCU). For many Americans, she's best known as Olenna Tyrell on Game of Thrones. For Bond fans, she'll always be Tracy Bond, James' first wife, who he married in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, the lone film starring George Lazenby as 007. 

Gemma Arterton (Strawberry Fields)

While Quantum of Solace usually ranks pretty low overall among Bond aficionados, Gemma Arterton deserves a lot of praise for his work as Strawberry Fields. While Strawberry Fields is one of the silliest names in the canon, at least it's not an innuendo. 

Daniela Bianchi (Tatiana Romanova)

Daniela Bianchi is an Italian actress who brilliantly played a Soviet spy in From Russia With Love. Tatiana Romanova, the character Bianchi, set the standard for the capable foil to Bond, rather than a damsel in distress as Honey Ryder was in Dr. No.

Maryam D'Abo (Kara Milovy)

Timothy Dalton only got to play Bond in two films, but in one of him, he got to star opposite Maryam D'Abo, who played the classical musician Kara Milovy. The Living Daylights is, like the other Dalton movie, Licence To Kill is underrated, and along with that, D'Abo's excellent performance. 

Kim Basinger (Domino Petachi)

Okay, okay, so Never Say Never Again isn't an official James Bond movie, but it does feature one of the biggest stars to ever play a Bond girl. Kim Basinger was already a big deal when she signed on to join Sean Connery in his return as 007 in the remake of Thunderball. 

Denise Richards (Christmas Jones)

The producers of The World Is Not Enough took a lot of grief for casting Denise Richards as Dr. Christmas Jones. Critics complained that she couldn't be taken seriously as a doctor, or something. It was pure sexism because Richards was fine in the role and fit the mold of a Bond girl perfectly. Her stupid character name wasn't her fault, either. 

Eva Green (Vesper Lynd)

Vesper Lynd is one of two Bond girls who actually married the super spy. Eva Green plays Lynd in Casino Royale and like the other woman who married Bond, Tracy, in On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Lynd doesn't make it to the end of the movie. She is killed in front of Bond in Venice in one of the most tragic endings to any Bond movie. 

Grace Jones (May Day)

Without question, May Day, played by Grace Jones, in A View To A Kill is one of the most intimidating Bond girls. She's bold and built like a truck. She's a woman of few words, but she can intimidate with nothing more than a look. Grace Jones wasn't in a ton of movies over her unique career, but maybe she should have been more based on this. 

Jill St. John (Tiffany Case)

Jill St. John, who plays Tiffany Case in Diamonds Are Forever has had a long career, going back to the 1950s. In 1971, she starred alongside Sean Connery in his return to the role of 007 and she holds the distinction of being the first American Bond girl. 

Sophie Marceau (Elektra King)

Elektra King, played by Sophie Marceau, is a quintessential Bond girl. She's both Bond's lover and his enemy in The World Is Not Enough. As such, Marceau plays both vulnerable and vicious and the French actress nails both. 

Bérénice Marlohe (Sévérine)

Skyfall is consistently ranked as one of the fans' favorites and that's in no small part to Bérénice Marlohe, who plays Sévérine. Marlohe hasn't starred in many English-language films, in fact, Skyfall was her first, but you'd never know if from the French actor's performance in the Bond universe. 

Mie Hamna (Kissy Suzuki)

Let's be honest, Kissy Suzuki has to be the silliest name ever. It's just ridiculous. That doesn't mean that actress Mie Hamna's performance as the Japanese ninja/spy in You Only Live Twice was silly. The Japanese actress didn't speak much English, but she left an impression on moviegoers, despite her lines being overdubbed. 

Izabella Scorupco (Natalya Simonova)

Natalya Simonova, played by Polish actress Izabella Scorupco, is a stereotypical Bond girl who is a bit of a damsel in distress but turns out to be very capable when teamed with Bond. Scorupco. The multi-talent Scorupco is also a singer and even hosted one season of Sweden's version of Top Model. 

Ana De Armas (Palona)

We couldn't have this list without Ana de Armas, but she doesn't play a typical Bond girl. The character, Palona, is not Bond's lover, nor is she his enemy. She's his equal in many ways, as a green CIA agent sent to help Bond. De Armas is pretty darn awesome in the role, fighting side-by-side with 007. Of course, even before starring here, she was already a pretty big star. 

Carole Bouquet (Melina Havelock)

At the end of The Spy Who Loved Me, the words "James Bond Will Return in For Your Eyes Only, but after the success of Star Wars, the producers of the franchise pivoted and made Moonraker instead to add some sci-fi to the series. Actress Carole Bouquet auditioned to be the Bond girl in that movie but lost out on the part. Luckily, she landed the role of Bond's ally, Melina Havelock, in For Your Eyes Only when it was finally made. 

Lois Chiles (Holly Goodhead)

Moonraker is... not James Bonds' finest hour, but it's not that bad either. One thing that no one can argue, Dr. Holly Goodhead is the dumbest name in the history of the franchise. Sure, there's always been some sophomoric humor to Bond girl names, but actor Lois Chiles has the unfortunate luck of starring as the character with this over-the-top name. 

Claudine Auger (Domino Derval)

French actress and model Claudine Auger played one of the most famous Bond girls in Thunderball. Her sultry performance set a new standard for the archetype. Auger, who played Domino in the movie, wasn't in a lot of movies American audiences would recognize, but she did represent her native France in the Miss World pageant in the 1950s. 

Lana Wood (Plenty O'Toole)

While she's in the running for the silliest name, Plenty O'Toole doesn't have plenty of screen time, lasting only a few minutes before being thrown out of a window of Bond's hotel room in Diamonds Are Forever. She's played by Lana Wood, sister of the late Natalie Wood. 

Britt Ekland (Mary Goodnight)

Britt Ekland, who was once married to Peter Sellers, stars as Mary Goodnight in The Man With The Golden Gun. Let's be honest here, the writers of the movie were not kind to the character as the British agent isn't a very smart or capable spy. That's on the writers, not Ekland. 

Cassandra Harris (Countess Lisl von Schlaf)

Australian actress Cassandra Harris had an interesting and tragic life. When she starred as Lisl von Schlaf in For Your Eyes Only, he husband in real life was none other than Pierce Brosnan. How's that for meta? Sadly, Harris died of ovarian cancer at just age 43 in 1991. Her mother AND her daughter both died of the same disease in their 40s as well. 

Across the entire history of the James Bond movies, the actors playing 007 have been as compelling as the adversaries that opposed them on screen. In the spirit of those menacing performances, we’d like to highlight 32 actors who have played the villain in the Bond canon.

Joseph Wiseman (Dr. No)

The first villain in 007 history, the titular Dr. No helped introduce the world to SPECTRE’s brand of villainy through actor Joseph Wiseman. Notable credits of the Canadian actor include a ‘50s adaptation of Les Miserables, as well as an appearance in an early season of Law & Order. 

Robert Shaw (From Russia With Love)

While most movie fans would remember Robert Shaw from films like Jaws or The Taking of Pelham One Two Three, the man was also one of the most memorable James Bond villains ever. Playing Red Grant in From Russia With Love, Shaw’s SPECTRE agent was the first, and one of the best, dark mirrors to 007 himself. 

Gert Fröbe (Goldfinger)

Though he was vocally dubbed over in his role as Goldfinger’s titular villain, Gert Fröbe’s appearance was nonetheless imposing in the early era of Sean Connery’s James Bond. Coincidentally, Fröbe would also land a part in another Ian Fleming adaptation: the Dick van Dyke-led musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. 

Adolfo Celi (Thunderball)

Adolfo Celi is one of those James Bond villains that you may do a double take upon seeing them. But rest assured, the polyglot performer was the villain in both Thunderball and Operation: Kid Brother, menacing both Sean Connery and his brother Neil during the 1960’s. 

Donald Pleasance (You Only Live Twice)

Donald Pleasance certainly needs no introduction to fans of the best horror movies of all time, thanks to his role as Dr. Loomis in the classic run of Halloween movies. But his iconic career also holds the distinction of the actor being the very first version of Ernst Stavro Blofeld we see on screen. 1967’s You Only Live Twice ushered in the character, who eventually became James Bond’s cinematic arch-nemesis. 

Telly Savalas (On Her Majesty’s Secret Service)

While Telly Savalas was the second incarnation of Ernst Stavro Blofeld in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, some would argue that he was indeed the most menacing and charming. With a career that included films such as Kelly’s Heroes, and TV series like The Twilight Zone and Kojak, his spot in George Lazenby’s lone Bond movie only further proved his versatility. 

Charles Gray (Diamonds Are Forever)

Though Charles Gray appeared as an ally to James Bond in You Only Live Twice, that didn’t stop the powers that be from casting him to be the third variant of Ernst Stavro Blofeld in the 007 legacy. His balance of smarm and campy menace would serve him well later on, as The Criminologist in the film adaptation of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. 

Yaphet Kotto (Live And Let Die)

Even American acting legends like Yaphet Kotto found their way into the James Bond ecosystem. A veteran of projects like Alien and Homicide: Life on the Streets, Kotto was also the iconic Dr. Kananga/Mr. Big in Live and Let Die, serving as the first antagonist in the era of Roger Moore’s James Bond. 

Christopher Lee (The Man With The Golden Gun)

Sir Christopher Lee’s iconic acting career had him playing roles like Dracula and Saruman in The Lord of the Rings saga. However, his role as Scaramanga in The Man with the Golden Gun is rather impressive for some other James Bond-related reasons. Not only was Lee a cousin to author Ian Fleming, but he was also one of the original actors considered for the role of 007.

Julian Glover (For Your Eyes Only)

A performer deeply canonized in the trenches of geekdom, Julian Glover has held roles in both the Star Wars and Indiana Jones movies, as well as a recurring spot in HBO’s Game of Thrones. That last connection is all the more exciting when you consider that For Your Eyes Only not only had Glover in its cast, but Tywin Lannister himself, Charles Dance, was also present. 

Christopher Walken (A View To A Kill)

While most people probably wouldn’t bat an eye at Christopher Walken playing a James Bond villain, most folks would more than likely be hard-pressed to answer the question of if he ever did. This makes Walken’s role in A View to a Kill even more exciting to behold, as the Dune: Part Two actor actually got to challenge Roger Moore in his final turn as 007.

Sean Bean (Goldeneye)

Fans of actor Sean Bean love to play an infamous game whenever they see the veteran of The Lord of the Rings and Snowpearcer on screen: “Does Sean Bean Die In This Movie?” Well, Goldeneye may have been the movie that started that craze, thanks to a string of opportunities in the decades that ensued answering that question with a resounding yes.

Jonathan Pryce (Tomorrow Never Dies)

Worldwide audiences probably best know Jonathan Pryce from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, as he played the father to Keira Knightley’s Elizabeth Swann. However, deep-fried fans of the Brazil actor’s work also know that Elliot Carver in Tomorrow Never Dies as one of the most effective Bond Villains. 

Sophie Marceau (The World Is Not Enough)

In one of the best plot twists ever, Sophie Marceau’s Elektra King goes from Bond Girl to Bond Villain in The World is Not Enough. Prior to that head-turning reveal, Marceau had been seen at the box office in the classic epic Braveheart, as well as the David Spade comedy vehicle Lost & Found. 

Toby Stephens (Die Another Day)

Toby Stephens’ Gustave Graves is another fantastic example of the “dark mirror” villain archetype at work. However, playing the eccentric Die Another Day villain seemed to allow the future star of Black Sails and Lost in Space to do something most 007 baddies don’t get to do: play James Bond through a series of BBC radio adaptations. 

Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale)

When he helped kick off Daniel Craig’s James Bond era, Mads Mikkelsen kind of fell into the role of Casino Royale’s sinister Le Chiffre. Of course, in the years since, he’s been seen as everything from a loving father in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story to the cannibalistic psychiatrist that gave NBC’s Hannibal its title.

Javier Bardem (Skyfall)

Striding the line between charming and chilling, Raoul Silva from Skyfall is a role that actor Javier Bardem was born to play. And that’s even after considering the fact that Bardem’s career had already seen him in projects like No Country For Old Men and Collateral. But even with that sort of clout at his disposal, one of his big scenes with Daniel Craig was almost cut.

Christoph Waltz (Spectre)

When Christoph Waltz was announced as starring in Spectre, all of the rumors pointed to the breakout star of Inglorious Basterds as the modern Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Considering he had quite a few baddies on his resume by that point, it’s kind of amusing to imagine a world where he wasn’t the Daniel Craig-era incarnation of 007’s greatest silver screen foe.

Andrew Scott (Spectre)

Andrew Scott is too good at playing a villain. Before he became Fleabag’s “hot priest” or even set eyes on the complicated figure at the heart of Netflix’s Ripley, Scott’s time as Moriarty for Steven Moffat’s Sherlock probably helped cast him as the hidden evil known as C in Spectre. 

Rami Malek (No Time To Die)

You don’t have to have won an Academy Award to play a modern James Bond villain. Though it may have helped Rami Malek land his No Time To Die role as Safin, an assassin who’s looking to wreck the world in his own special way. Malek’s casting came after years of roles like HBO’s The Pacific and the Night at the Museum movies giving him quite the shining star. 

Lotte Lenya (From Russia With Love)

A prolific singer and artist before and after her time in the James Bond series, Lotte Lenya only further entrenched herself in entertainment history in From Russia With Love. As the dominating Rosa Klebb, Lenya was one of the first lieutenants of SPECTRE seen going head-to-head with 007. 

Luciana Paluzzi (Thunderball)

Italian actress Luciana Paluzzi’s role as Fiona Volpe in Thunderball gave James Bond one of his most formidable femme fatales. Ms. Paluzzi’s portrayal would eventually win her roles on The Man from U.N.C.L.E., as well as its spinoff The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. Coincidentally, one of Luciana’s previous credits was in a film directed by Dr. No director Terrence Young. The name of that film? No Time To Die. 

Curt Jurgens (The Spy Who Loved Me)

As the antagonist in The Spy Who Loved Me, actor Curt Jürgens terrorized Roger Moore and Barbara Bach in a caper that brought together British spy and Soviet operatives alike. A Eurpoean film star prior to his James Bond casting, Jürgens’ career in world domination came later on in his career. 

Joe Don Baker (The Living Daylights)

Charles Gray and Joe Don Baker both hold a very important distinction in the James Bond legacy: they’ve both played heroes and villains in that very same series. In Baker’s case, his appearance as heel Brad Whittaker in The Living Daylights put him in a prime position to return in the Pierce Brosnan run as 007’s American ally, CIA agent Jack Wade.

Robert Davi (License To Kill)

You’ve seen and heard Robert Davi in everything from the Halo video games to the cult classic Showgirls. And right on the man’s impressive resume is a spot in the James Bond Hall of Fame, as License to Kill’s Franz Sanchez. His approach to playing a Bond villain was so in sync with Timothy Dalton’s 007, that it remains one of the best adversaries in the series.

Louis Jourdan (Octopussy)

As the roguish villain Kamal Khan, French acting legend Louis Jourdan’s part in Octopussy only added to an already prolific career. Jourdan’s talents were also seen in TV series such as Charlie’s Angels and Columbo, as well as films like The Return of Swamp Thing. 

Mathieu Amalric (Quantum of Solace)

How’s this for a coincidence? Before he played the main villain in Quantum of Solace, actor Mathieu Amarlric actually co-starred with Daniel Craig in Steven Spielberg’s Munich. Years later, the water-focused supervillain would become a part of the Wes Anderson repertory cast, through roles in The Grand Budapest Hotel and The French Dispatch. 

Michael Lonsdale (Moonraker)

The late great Michael Lonsdale made the role of Hugo Drax a very imposing figure in the Roger Moore-led adaptation of Moonraker. Years down the line, the French thespian would find himself co-starring with two other 007 actors, thanks to 1986’s The Name of the Rose and 2005’s Munich. Lonsdale starred alongside Sean Connery and Daniel Craig, respectively.

Charles Dance (For Your Eyes Only)

Believe it or not, Charles Dance once seemed to be in line to audition to replace Roger Moore as the 007 of the ‘80s. The man who would be Game of Thrones’ Tywin Lannister seemed perfectly positioned to do so after playing a henchman in For Your Eyes Only, but eventually declined to chase that opportunity. 

Famke Janssen (Goldeneye)

Before she became one of the actors that ushered in the age of X-Men being a successful film franchise, Famke Janssen made a name for herself against Pierce Brosnan’s Commander Bond. Starring as the henchwoman to Sean Bean’s Goldeneye baddie, her darkly comic menace is as legendary as her costuming. 

Robert Carlyle (The World Is Not Enough)

Scottish actor Robert Carlyle played the functional villain in The World is Not Enough, as his heavy Renard pushed James Bond further into a web of danger, intrigue, and nuclear weapons. And yet, his performance in this movie is relatively tame, considering he made his name as the uber-violent Begbie in Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting just three years prior.

Jesper Christensen (Casino Royale)

Mr. White was always the man behind the man, through both Quantum and SPECTRE’s runs in the Daniel Craig 007 stories. And Jesper Christensen was present to play that role in three of the five entries that made up that arc, appearing in Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, and Spectre. 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe continues to expand at a rapid rate, thanks to projects on the big screen and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. One of the most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movies is definitely Deadpool & Wolverine, which is arriving this summer. There are countless rumors about what which actors might make up the Deadpool 3 cast list, including familiar faces from the X-Men franchise. One of those rumored actor is Famke Janssen, who has denied being in the movie. But honestly... I'm not sure I believe her. 

What we know about Deadpool & Wolverine is limited for the time being, but fans are expecting the marketing campaign to pick up speed as we get closer to its release. There are a number of characters rumored to appear, including Janssen's Jean Grey. The Goldeneye actress recently spoke to ScreenGeek, denying her role in the blockbuster. She said:

Well, that seems pretty cut and dry. Janssen is openly denying that she  is returning to the role of Jean Grey in Deadpool 3. But given Marvel's tight security, I think she might simply be keeping the movie's twists secret. Luckily we'll find out one way or another in July.

A big reason why myself and other fans think that Famke Janssen might be back as Jean is because Deadpool 3 features the return of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. He was in love with Jean throughout the X-Men franchise, and after the original trilogy she returned for roles in The Wolverine and a cameo during Days of Future Past's ending. So if any past X-Men are going to appear, Jean seems like the most logical choice. 

Those of us who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know how the studio tries desperately to keep its secrets and avoid spoilers for audiences. As such, it's hard to believe when actors deny roles in MCU projects. Case in point: Andrew Garfield lying about his Spider-Man: No Way Home role for months. So we'll just have to wait and see if Jean Grey manages to appear sometime throughout the runtime of Deadpool & Wolverine.

Of course, Jean is the only character who is rumored to pop up in that blockbuster. There's been chatter online about other X-Men alum including Halle Berry's Storm, Patrick Stewart's Professor X and Ian McKellen's Magneto. Other names that were tossed around include Jennifer Garner's Elektra, Elizabeth Olsen's Scarlet Witch, and even Taylor Swift as either Dazzler or Lady Deadpool. 

All will be revealed when Deadpool & Wolverine arrives in theaters July 26th. In the meantime, check out the 2024 movie release dates. 

What do actors and models have in common? Well, for the most part, having “the look” will get you in the door in either profession rather quickly. However, for the purposes of the list you’re about to peruse, it just so happens that these Hollywood stars managed to work both sides of that scenario. And as expected, these models-turned-actors have done so with style. 

Mark Wahlberg

Before starring in movies ranging from Boogie Nights to The Family Plan, Mark Wahlberg was known as a rapper and a Calvin Klein model. Showing off his buff body in underwear ads helped give the aspiring star his start in the entertainment industry, with Mark shifting into acting just as his boy-band brother Donnie eventually did. 

Rebecca Romijn

In a career that saw her on Vogue magazine covers and in Victoria’s Secret campaigns, Rebecca Romijn put the “super” in “supermodel.” And then, in a move that only further strengthened that statement, she took her first acting gig as Mystique in X-Men, kickstarting a career that’s led to such fantastic parts as that of Number One on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. 

Tyrese Gibson

Ads for Coca-Cola, Guess, and Tommy Hilfiger had Tyrese Gibson primed for stardom, and gigs on TV shows like Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper and Martin soon followed. But depending on who you ask, it was either Baby Boy or 2 Fast 2 Furious that caused Gibson’s star to rise to the heights it’s at today. 

Halle Berry

It’s no surprise that Halle Berry did some modeling in her entertainment career, as her beauty has always been well renowned. But rather than going for traditional ad campaign work, the future star of X-Men and James Bond movies was a contestant in both the Miss USA and Miss World pageants. 

Jamie Dornan

Prepare for a rollercoaster ride, folks. Jamie Dornan, actor known for everything from Fifty Shades of Grey to A Haunting in Venice, was not only a model…he was part of a reality show that helped get him the gig. Channel 4’s Model Behaviour led to some gigs with Abercrombie & Fitch and Tommy Hilfiger, which eventually made way for Dornan to be discovered by Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. 

Cara Delevingne

We’ve seen Cara Delevingne do everything from John Green adaptations like Paper Towns to DCEU juggernauts such as Suicide Squad. And with a foundation of modeling for Vogue Italia, Tory Burch, and Donna Karan under her belt, the American Horror Story: Delicate star never really gave up her day job, as her modeling continued along with her acting efforts.

Channing Tatum

There was probably a time when people staring at random Armani ads featuring Channing Tatum thought, “I wonder if he can act?” With a resume that has titles like Magic Mike, 21 Jump Street, and Foxcatcher  to boast about, it’s probably safe to say that the answer is a confident “Yes!”

Jaime King

As a young model, Jaime King saw herself making a splash with Vogue, Seventeen, and pretty much any other fashion publication of note you could think of. 2001’s Happy Campers was all it took to help her jump into the acting world, which saw her play some impressive parts in Sin City’s screen adaptation, Fox’s The O.C., and even the voice of Solus Prime in the series Transformers: Power of the Primes.

Shemar Moore

S.W.A.T. star and all around heartthrob Shemar Moore actually had his own moment in the spotlight of modeling. Through catalog jobs with Macy’s and magazine shoots for GQ, among other opportunities, this man of action continues to engage in some modeling here and there; which only brings his fans that much more joy. 

Devon Aoki

Movie fans might recognize Devon Aoki from her standout roles in both Sin City and 2 Fast 2 Furious, but believe it or not her modeling career is the stronger of the two streams she’s dipped her toes into. Brands and magazines alike have showcased her talents in the industry, with Balenciaga and Harper’s Bazaar calling themselves a part of her storied body of work.

James Marsden

Jury Duty and Sonic the Hedgehog star James Marsden feels like the type of guy that’d be a model, right? How couldn’t he, with a smile like that? Well, if the world didn’t know it before his 2011 interview on Ellen, Ms. DeGeneres helped bring that aspect of his career to light; along with the pictures to prove it.

Gal Gadot

Jaguar, Maxim, and Gucci are only some of the brands and publications that Fast Saga star Gal Gadot has modeled for. This Heart of Stone lead eventually saw herself courted by Hollywood in the early-Aughts, thanks to auditions for Quantum of Solace that saw Gal compete with Olga Kurylenko for the role of Bond woman Camille. 

Antonio Sabàto Jr.

Calvin Klein was the name of the brand that gave actor Antonio Sabàto Jr. his start in the public eye, as underwear modeling was his first claim to fame. Eventually, projects like General Hospital, Earth 2, and even a Janet Jackson music video would see Antonio becoming an acting talent that continued to capitalize on their dreamy good looks. 

Charlize Theron

Even after winning her first Academy Award for Monster, and landing big ticket franchise like the Fast Saga, Charlize Theron still managed to fit in some modeling for Dior into her busy schedule. Which is absolutely fitting, considering that Theron got a jump start on her entertainment resume as a teen model throughout Europe in the ‘90s.

Mehcad Brooks

Fans of Law & Order and Supergirl’s Mehcad Brooks may want to brace themselves for what we’re about to tell them. Before Mr. Brooks was a part of worlds where superheroes and top cops reign supreme, he made a killing as a Calvin Klein underwear model; much like Mark Wahlberg, Antonio Sabàto Jr, and Djimon Hounsou.

Milla Jovovich

Before becoming an ace action star/zombie destroyer in the Resident Evil movies, Milla Jovovich found herself in another profession: muse. As an inspiration to designer Miuccia Prada, in addition to the star of shoots with acclaimed photographers such as Herb Ritts, Jovovich built a prolific career as a model; long before she would eventually be deemed a “Supreme Being” once again in 1995’s The Fifth Element.

Tyson Beckford

Before movies such as Biker Boyz and appearances on The Celebrity Dating Game and Match Game saw Tyson Beckford become an actor and personality, he saw himself engaged in another profession cut from similar cloth. Namely, Beckford was a model for magazines like The Source, as well as designer Ralph Lauren’s Polo brand.

Brooklyn Decker

The career of Brooklyn Decker started off with a huge splash, as both Sports Illustrated and Victoria’s Secret employed the future actor as a star model. Eventually, playing a lead in the Adam Sandler film Just Go with It put Decker on the map; which led to a pretty sweet long term gig as one of the stars of Netflix’s Grace and Frankie. 

Ian Somerhalder

Lost star and vampire extraordinaire Ian Somerhalder practiced looking ridiculously good looking in the modeling world, before parlaying it into roles that headed up projects like The CW’s The Vampire Diaries. Among the various brands that saw Somerhalder posing for greatness high end names like Nautica and Versace. 

Iman

In the modeling world, brands and magazines like Vogue, Calvin Klein, and Halston all called upon the mythic talents of the great Iman. Yves Saint-Laurent’s “dream woman” would eventually find the acting profession calling, and would heed its siren song through opportunities like the Kevin Costner thriller No Way Out, as well as a memorable spot in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Tom Welling

Even handsome men from Smallville manage to find themselves gracing campaigns for the usual glizy subjects. Former Clark Kent Tom Welling knows that first hand, as working with Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein would put him on the map to become a Superman for another generation. 

Tyra Banks

Long before Tyra Banks was trying to help find America’s Next Top Model, she was practically living her life under that very title. Through Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues, Victoria’s Secret campaigns, and cover shoots for Elle and Vogue, Banks’ reputation as an in demand beauty eventually saw her jumping into acting gigs like a recurring role on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. 

Kellan Lutz

Vampires seem to make for good fashion models. Or should we reverse that statement? In either case, Kellan Lutz would be covered big time. Known as one of the Cullen family in The Twilight Saga, Lutz had also done some modeling before becoming one of the sparkling undead.

Kate Upton

Roles in The Three Stooges, The Disaster Artist and Robot Chicken have seen model Kate Upton active in the sphere of acting entertainment. However, her big start came from popularity stemming from cover shoots for Vanity fair, as well as modeling for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. 

Djimon Hounsou

Actor Djimon Hounsou has been known to battle it out heroically throughout various universes and time periods, making huge appearances in Gladiator, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Rebel Moon. But in addition to racking up such heavy hitting acts on his resume, the Academy Award nominee has also done some modeling for Calvin Klein underwear in the midst of his busy run.

Famke Janssen

Both the world of the X-Men movies, as well the James Bond legacy have called upon Famke Janssen’s skills as a performer. That run of good fortune actually came after she retired from modeling, which saw her lending her talents to campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent and Victoria’s Secret throughout the ‘80s.

Kofi Siriboe

Girls Trip and Queen Sugar star Kofi Siriboe is known as both an actor and an all around smokeshow in entertainment. And part of the reason the young actor has come so far so fast is thanks to childhood experience in the world of modeling campaigns!

Elle Macpherson

Everything from brands like Tab to magazines such as Elle and ads for Christian Dior have seen model Elle Macpherson gracing their campaigns for glory. And that was a perfect launching pad for Elle’s acting ambitions, which saw her hosting Saturday Night Live as well as appearing in movies such as Batman & Robin and The Edge throughout the ‘90s.

Robert Pattinson

While the world mostly knows Robert Pattinson for his acting gigs in the Harry Potter, Twilight, and The Batman franchises, you may be surprised to know that he actually did some modeling in his youth. Though he left that world behind a while back, that hasn’t stopped Pattinson from picking up some campaigns for brands like Dior Men from the Batcave.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Levi’s, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Teen Vogue were crucial starts to the career of model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and those pillars suited her well when continuing to be a world class icon. However, Rosie dipped her toes in the world of acting, through roles in both Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Mad Max: Fury Road.

Ashton Kutcher

How’s this for a start to a promising career? The late ‘90s saw Ashton Kutcher landing key gigs in both modeling and acting, with the former getting him started through Calvin Klein campaigns. It’s not hard to see how acting won out, as That ‘70s Show was the acting job that happened to land in his lap around the same time.

Elizabeth Hurley

The world has come to know and love Elizabeth Hurley in her capacity as an actor, throughout a career that’s seen her star in the Austin Powers franchise, as well as the remake of Bedazzled. But before she was selling Brendan Fraser’s soul, or fighting for peace with Mike Myers, Hurley was a model for the Estée Lauder brand. 

There you have it, lovers of modeling and acting talent! Keep these people in mind the next time you see a hot new star in either realm burning bright, for they could be the next exciting example of playing both sides, and looking exceptionally good in the process.

While only two years passed between the release of Deadpool and Deadpool 2, the public is still waiting for Deadpool 3’s arrival. To be fair, there was initially uncertainty if the threeqeul would even move forward following Disney acquiring 20th Century Fox, but by late 2020, it was clear that it would indeed be included on the upcoming Marvel movies slate. Cut to the present day, we know quite a but more about what Deadpool 3 holds in store, but there’s also much about this movie that’s being kept officially secret. Unofficially, however, it’s a different story.

Rumors surrounding superhero movies are nothing new, but there’s been an especially high number of wild claims about Deadpool 3, specifically on the casting front. That’s because like Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Loki, Deadpool 3 looks like it will delve into the Marvel multiverse, which will supposedly open the door to not only reunite with other familiar faces from past Marvel movies, but also include some big-name actors playing notable roles. 

To be clear, none of the names mentioned are remotely close to being a sure thing, and some are less plausible than others. Still, as we wait for Deadpool 3 to resume production, it’s worth going over the wildest casting rumors surrounding the Merc with the Mouth’s third theatrical adventure. Also, we aren’t covering alleged character identities for confirmed members of the Deadpool 3 cast, like who Emma Corrin and Matthew Macfayden are supposedly playing.

Karl Urban And Taron Egerton As Other Versions Of Wolverine

A year ago, it was announced that Hugh Jackman will reprise Wolverine in Deadpool 3, a 180 turn from when he’d once said Logan would be his last outing in the role. It’s since been reported that Jackman will play multiple versions of Wolverine, and a more recent rumor claimed that Ryan Reynolds’ Wade will be traveling through the multiverse to find the “perfect Wolverine.” However, as established by No Way Home and Loki, not all variants look the same, which can range from slightly different facial features to being a member of a different species.

With that in mind, Karl Urban and Taron Egerton are both rumored to be playing alternate versions of Wolverine, with Giant Freakin’ Robot sharing the former’s supposed inclusion and the latter casting coming from The DisInsider. Both actors have been suggested by fans to take over as Wolverine in the MCU, and considering that John Krasinski, a popular fan choice for Mister Fantastic, was selected to play the stretchy superhero in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, it wouldn’t be completely out of left field for Deadpool 3 to do something similar with Urban and Egerton.

Lots Of Other Established Fox-Era X-Men Characters

Deadpool 3 won’t be lacking in X-Men characters, because along with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine reprisal, we’ll also reunite with Stefan Kapičić's Colossus, Brianna Hildebrand's Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Shioli Kutsuna's Yukio. But that may just be the tip of the proverbial iceberg. In May 2023, Twitter user @CanWeGetSomeToast claimed that James Marsden, Famke Janssen and Halle Berry were on deck to respectively reprise Cyclops, Jean Grey and Storm, making this threequel sound like it would be the mutant version of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Then the following August, the aforementioned DisInsider video shared a bunch of other surprising Marvel cameos in Deadpool 3. As far as the established X-Men and Deadpool characters went, along with Janssen and Berry being mentioned again, the list included Brian Cox as William Striker, Lewis Tan as Shatterstar, Dafne Keen as X-23, Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, Patrick Stewart as Professor X and Ian McKellen as Magneto. It was clarified that all these appearances remain “unconfirmed,” and frankly, it would be bonkers if all these people showed up. And we’re only on Entry #2 of this list!

Various Fox-Era Fantastic Four Characters

The Fantastic Four didn’t have as much luck under the 20th Century Fox umbrella, but there are fans of 2005’s Fantastic Four and 2007’s Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer out there (2015’s Fantastic Four, not nearly as much). So between that and all the other Fox-era Marvel movie coverage Deadpool 3 is rumored to have, it’s not terribly surprising to hear that this version of Marvel’s First Family might be getting some attention, per scooper DanielRPK (via Deadpool Updates). 

Assuming this is true, it’s unclear if the entire quartet would appear, or if we’d only see a few of the members, such as Chris Evans’ Human Torch and Michael Chiklis’ Thing. Additionally, one of the other characters mentioned in that DisInsider video was Julian McMahon’s Doctor Doom. Whether we would actually see him actually fighting the Fantastic Four again or if Wade Wilson would visit him separately is also unclear.

Ben Affleck As Daredevil

More than a decade before he was selected as the DC Extended Universe’s Batman, Ben Affleck first jumped into the superhero genre by playing the title protagonist of 2003’s Daredevil, a.k.a. Matt Murdock. Well, in June 2023, Twitter user KC Walsh shared that Affleck was seen on the Deadpool 3 set, which understandably kicked off speculation that he’d be reprising Marvel’s Man Without Fear, which Walsh said in a separate tweet was “likely,” though it couldn’t be verified at the time.

Now it’s looking like this particular casting rumor won’t pan out. In September, Walsh tweeted that Affleck was actually on the set to visit his kids and ex-wife Jennifer Garner, not suit back up as Daredevil. Why would he be seeing them there? Well, that brings us to the next person on this list.

Jennifer Garner As Elektra

Shortly after the rumor of Ben Affleck’s Daredevil reprisal started making the rounds, THR shared that Jennifer Garner will reprise Elektra, who first appeared in Daredevil, then led her own spinoff movie in 2005. Garner previously worked with Deadpool 3 director Shawn Levy on The Adam Project, but when Levy was asked about if he would indeed re-team with the actress, he simply said that he’d “rather not weigh in on that.”

Of all the casting rumors on this list, this one seems the most likely to be accurate given that it originated from a major Hollywood trade publication. That’s not to say all scoops from such sources end up being true, but more often than not, if a place like THR is reporting it, then it’s likely to be the real deal. Also, one could argue Levy’s reluctance to comment on whether or not Garner is involved rather than just debunk the claim adds authenticity. 

Elizabeth Olsen As Scarlet Witch

When we last saw Elizabeth Olsen’s Scarlet Witch, specifically the Earth-616 version of Wanda Maximoff, she was being buried by the collapsing Mount Wundagore, seemingly sacrificing her life to destroy all the copies of the Darkhold in the multiverse. However, it still hasn’t been officially clarified if Scarlet Witch is dead, and many fans believe we’ll see her again someday. However, evidently a different version of Wanda will appear in Deadpool 3.

That DisInsider video mentioned Wanda as one of the cameos, but a later report from Cosmic Circus alleged that we’ll see the Earth-838 version of the character instead. Deadpool 3 will supposedly return to Earth-838 to explore how that reality has become a dystopian landscape following the events of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. This report also mentioned that Ian McKellen will be playing the 838-Magneto, who is Wanda’s father like in the comics, and together they are members of the new Illuminati. This feels like a storyline that should be saved for another Marvel project rather than crammed into Deadpool 3, so it’d probably be worth taking this rumors with a bigger grain of salt.

Various Loki Characters

Loki Season 1 ended with the multiverse being unleashed once Sylvie killed He Who Remains, and while Season 2 will explore the direct consequences of that action, apparently some of its leading characters will find themselves meeting the Merc with the Mouth sometime afterwards. The DisInsider video mentioned that both Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson will respectively reprise Loki and Mobius, with the latter having been previously reported to appear by The Hot Mic in March 2023.

Additionally, it was reported that the Time Variance Authority mascot Miss Minutes will be in Deadpool 3, although the character’s voice actress, Tara Strong, later told Agents of Fandom she hadn’t heard about this. Whether or not Loki and/or Mobius will pop up remains to be seen, but it’s not like it would be entirely unprecedented for them to somehow be drawn into the multiversal shenanigans unfolding in the movie.

Channing Tatum As Gambit

For many years, Channing Tatum was in deck to play Gambit in Fox’s X-Men franchise, taking over the role from X-Men Origins: Wolverine’s Taylor Kitsch. Unfortunately, the Gambit movie was kept getting hit with setbacks and delays, and once Disney acquired Fox in 2019, the project was shelved. And yet, Tatum may get the opportunity to play the card-throwing mutant after all.

The aforementioned @CanWeGetSomeToast claimed the actor will appear in Deadpool 3 wearing a “comic accurate” Gambit suit. If this rumor ends up being accurate, this cameo will be similar to how Nicolas Cage appeared in The Flash as Superman, a reference to the un-produced Superman Lives. In Tatum’s case though, he obviously won’t need to be digitally de-aged.

Taylor Swift As Dazzler

Following speculation that Dazzler would appear in Dark Phoenix, the character did indeed show up, albeit as a minor player brought to life by Halston Sage. But if the word on the proverbial street is true, then Dazzler is about to get some much bigger exposure, as the DisInsider video from earlier mentioned that Taylor Swift will play her in Deadpool 3.

Now to be fair, Swift does have a few acting credits, including The Lorax, Cats and Amsterdam, and obviously casting her to play a popular mutant singer would be a no-brainer. But for now, it’s hard to say if this rumor has any merit, and even if it does end up being true, like most of the other people on this list, she’ll presumably only briefly appear rather than have a major supporting role.

Daniel Radcliffe In A “Secret” Role

Following the conclusion of the main Harry Potter film series in 2011, Daniel Radcliffe has steered clear from big franchise movies, but perhaps Deadpool 3 will end that streak. Daniel Richtman (via ComicBookMovie) alleged that the actor has snagged a “secret” role in the threequel. There’s been no shortage of thoughts on who this mysterious character might be, but one theory seems to be getting more traction.

Like Karl Urban and Taron Egerton, may fans believe Radcliffe is playing a Wolverine variant since he’s another actor who’s been frequently fancast in the role. And just like those two, along with John Krasinski as Mister Fantastic, this would give the Harry Potter actor an opportunity to bring Wolverine to life for a short spell, rather than commit to playing the character for multiple movies. It’s the best of both worlds, but for now, we simply don’t know if Radcliffe will indeed be in Deadpool 3, let alone who he’s playing.

Rest assured that if any of these casting rumors are verified, we’ll let you know. Deadpool 3 is still officially set for May 3, 2024, though that will likely change given how principal photography remains paused.

Anticipation for Deadpool 3 kicked up a few notches last September when it was announced that Hugh Jackman will reprise Wolverine in it. More recently, it’s been confirmed that Deadpool movie alums Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio will also be back, but that may just be the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to the Ryan Reynolds-led threequel and the X-Men. There’s a rumor claiming that Deadpool 3 will bring in even more of these superheroes we’ve seen before on the big screen, and if true, then the upcoming Marvel movie is sounding like it will be the mutant version of Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Take this information with a grain of salt, but according to Twitter user @CanWeGetToast, who posts various Marvel-related “scoops” and rumors, Deadpool 3 will also feature the return of James Marsden’s Cyclops, Famke Janssen’s Jean Grey and Halle Berry’s Storm. It wasn’t specified whether these three would have important roles in the movie like Wolverine or simply cameo, but either way, this would be the first time these actors have reprised their respective superhero characters since 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past. Marsden, Janssen, Berry and Jackman, along with Anna Paquin as Rogue, formed the main lineup of protagonists under the command of Patrick Stewart’s Professor X in the first X-Men movie.

I’ll reiterate, Cyclops, Jean Grey and Storm appearing in Deadpool 3 is in no way official, and we may not even learn whether or not they’re involved with the story until the movie actually comes out. But assuming this information is accurate, then it sounds pretty similar to how Spider-Man: No Way Home brought in the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s versions of Peter Parker to team up with Tom Holland’s Peter against villains from the previous two Web-Slinger-centric film series. In this case though, since there aren’t multiple cinematic Deadpools to utilize, we’re instead getting some of the heaviest hitters from the Fox-era X-Men movies to share screen time with Ryan Reynolds’ Merc with the Mouth.

The prospect of the humorous Deadpool annoying the hell out of the gruff Wolverine (in fact, probably multiple versions of him) was already a big draw for Deadpool 3, but now imagining him doing the same to Cyclops, Jean Grey and Storm adds an extra layer of hype. Although there was a gag involving the “First Class” lineup of X-Men in Deadpool 2, the aforementioned Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio have been his only ties to the superhero team in the film series so far. Sure, we also got Cable and Domino in Deadpool 2, but Josh Brolin and Zazie Beetz’s characters aren’t on the roster in this continuity.

While Deadpool should obviously be the focus of a movie called Deadpool 3, if this project ends up serving as the final hurrah for the Fox-era X-Men movies, that would be a big deal. The last official entries in the franchise made before Disney acquired Fox, Dark Phoenix and The New Mutants, critically and commercially underperformed, so ending things on a more positive note would certainly be welcome. The Deadpool 3 cast will also include more familiar like Morena Baccarat’s Vanessa, Leslie Uggams’ Blind Al, Karan Song’s Dopinder and Rob Delaney’s Peter, as well as newcomers Emma Corrin and Matthew Macfayden.

Deadpool 3 is currently shooting and is still slated to come out on November 8, 2024. As with most of the other Marvel movies in order, you can view the first two Deadpool movies with a Disney+ subscription.

Fox’s long-running X-Men film franchise ended with The New Mutants in 2020, but elements of the expansive fictional world have resurfaced in the years since. Patrick Stewart returned as Professor X in last year’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and has even hinted at another return involving Ian McKellen (who played Magneto). Meanwhile, Hugh Jackman is set to reprise his role as Wolverine in Deadpool 3. These major characters naturally make one wonder if others could reappear as well – and if their respective actors would be up to reprise the roles. Well, now, Famke Janssen has weighed in on possibly returning as Jean Grey.

Famke Janssen is well known to movie lovers for her iconic turn as a Bond girl in GoldenEye and for starring in all three of the Taken movies. However, she’s still arguably best known for her role as the X-Men’s Jean Grey, who she first appeared as in 2000. The character is canonically dead by the events of 2017’s Logan though, with the multiverse in mind, a revival of sorts is still very possible. CinemaBlend’s Sean O’Connell caught up with Janssen to discuss her latest film, Knights of the Zodiac. During the conversation, she was asked how she’d feel about possibly reprising Jean after seeing her co-stars return to the fold. And her answer may leave some fans disappointed:

It sounds like the Hide and Seek alum is satisfied with where things stand when it comes to Jean Grey’s journey. That’s understandable, especially when you consider the fact that Professor X’s most gifted student had quite the arc over the course of the movies she appeared in. Plus, the actress would naturally want to set her sights on future projects as opposed to constantly looking back. 

This isn’t the first time that Famke Janssen (who last played the famous role in 2014’s Days of Future Past) has addressed a return to the X-Men franchise. Back in 2019, she also spoke on the idea, saying at the time that she “might consider” playing the role again if asked. Of course, a lot can change in four years. Even though she doesn’t seem to be angling for another bout of mutant action and mayhem, she does still have a lot of appreciation for the cinematic saga. Janssen addressed how the movies “set the tone” for the modern superhero flicks and appreciated how many prominent female characters were represented. 

All in all, I’d say the chances of the actress donning her supersuit once more are rather slim. Fans can still be grateful for the quality performances she gave, though, and I imagine that they’ll continue to join them for years to come. And who knows, maybe she’ll change her tune if Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige pitches her something interesting. 

You can check out Famke Janssen’s work as Jean Grey by streaming the X-Men movies using a Disney+ subscription. Be sure that you also see her in Knights of the Zodiac, which opens in theaters on May 12 as part of the schedule of 2023 new movie releases.

The pressures of starring in the James Bond movies can be pretty difficult for anyone. Even outgoing Bond Daniel Craig has admitted to pressure being part of the game when it comes to the almost 60 year legacy this property has enjoyed. 

That sort of intensity is arguably even more punishing on the actors that have played Bond girls through the years. Recently, Goldeneye’s Famke Janssen came forward to discuss that very subject, and how her experience making the action movie left her feeling as if she was “thrown to the wolves.”

It's a sentiment that's not an exaggeration either, being pulled from a direct quote from Janssen’s recent interview with The Independent. Promoting her latest film Redeeming Love, the woman who played the villainous Xenia Onatopp against Pierce Brosnan in his 1995 007 debut described how she felt about the press coverage surrounding her role. Said the actor,

Of course, Famke Janssen wouldn’t completely shun big ticket roles in her cinematic career. While Goldeneye may have subjected her to that “onslaught of attention,” it thankfully didn’t discourage her from taking the role of Jean Grey in the pre-MCU era X-Men movies. Knowing that Janssen accepted that part on her own terms and after dealing with the huge spectacle that is doing press for a James Bond movie puts another rather impressive lens on that decision.

Sadly, it wasn’t just the press that scrutinized Famke Janssen rather unfairly in her post-Goldeneye career. Further along in her interview, the Redeeming Love star recalled her experience on the 1997 film City of Industry, which saw co-star Harvey Keitel asking some specific questions about her hiring:

Arriving just two years after Famke Janseen had helped kickstart the Pierce Brosnan era of James Bond, City of Industry already saw unfair preconceived notions forming around her fledgling resume. Between this and the press cycle for Goldeneye, Janssen formed a plan to shape her own career in a manner of which she approved. 

Though carefully selecting those opportunities may have led her to be “less famous” than she potentially could have been, it didn’t stop Famke Janssen from becoming a fan favorite. Her legacy as one of the most iconic Bond Girls is still very much intact, with Goldeneye's Xenia Onatopp being as lethal and as exciting to watch as she was back when she debuted. 

Not to mention, there’s obviously enough fans who’ve asked about Jean Grey’s potential return to the X-Men saga that Janssen has considered an MCU reprise in recent years. As we've seen Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart reviving their own roles in the more recent era of comic films, the door seems open for the original Jean Grey to return much as she did at the end of X-Men: Days of Future Past. That sounds like a win against the wolves, if you ask us. 

Famke Janssen fans are currently in luck, provided they’ve got an Amazon Prime subscription in the US market. Not only is her latest film, Redeeming Love, currently available as part of that streaming library, but so is Goldeneye.

It always intrigues me why certain types of movies and TV are popular in certain moments of our lives and straight up not our thing in other times. Obviously, right now we’re seeing the continued reign of the superhero movie with releases such as Spider-Man: No Way Home, which broke so many box office records. Horror movies have also proven popular once again, most recently with Scream’s well-received resurgence. And then there’s the rise of period romances, which continues with the release of Redeeming Love. 

Redeeming Love is just one film among a larger interest from audiences for period romances, such as Netflix’s streaming phenomenon Bridgerton and the onslaught of book-to-movie adaptations, especially for Jane Austen as of late, including the upcoming remake of Persuasion with Dakota Johnson. When CinemaBlend spoke to the cast of Redeeming Love about this current trend, they had blunt thoughts as to why corsets are all the rage in Hollywood again. Here’s what Eric Dane told us: 

This is true, and not only in a sense of romances, but across all genres. We recently went back to franchises such as Ghostbusters and Space Jam, among many others. Famke Janssen, who also stars in Redeeming Love, said this: 

Along with speaking about the trend of romances these days, Famke Janssen also spoke to us about how her most famous role as Jean Grey in X-Men was part of setting the tone for the current age of superhero films. Back to period romances! Here are Nina Dobrev’s thoughts: 

It’s true. These days people are not necessarily always finding love in the typical and cinematic ways. Oftentimes it starts with a swipe of the phone in the right direction, and even so, with social media there’s a perception that there’s more options for people to meet their person than back in the day. Abigail Cowen, who plays the lead in Redeeming Love, also got candid with her answer: 

Well this makes a lot of sense. A few years ago, rom-coms were becoming more popular again, perhaps in an effort to bring back the kind of optimism and escapism the genre is beloved for. Now there’s a bit of a natural progression into period romances because it leans into nostalgia and escapism even further. There’s certainly more where that came from! Check out Redeeming Love in theaters now and stay up to date with upcoming 2022 movies here on CinemaBlend. 

Nowadays, if you haven't seen a new Marvel Studios movie you will be told by someone you’re living under a rock. Films and TV shows based on Marvel comic books are often among the most prevalent pop culture moments and each movie breaks box office record after record, most recently with Spider-Man: No Way Home. It’s tough to remember a time when superhero movies were huge, but when the X-Men trilogy was hitting theaters there was nothing else like it being made. 

With the comic book movie boom very much still in hyper speed, the X-Men’s original Jean Grey, Famke Janssen shared her perspective on the genre having been part of the dawn of the era. In her words to CinemaBlend: 

Famke Janssen offers some great points about why the X-Men movies were so influential to where we are today with Marvel movies.  They were perhaps the first movies of their kind to be rooted in reality and the world as we know it rather than be a live-action cartoon of comic book pages. Janssen continued: 

It’s true. The X-Men movies were groundbreaking at the time for including a nearly even amount of men and women characters in the main cast. I mean we’re talking about Halle Berry’s Storm, Anna Paquin’s Rogue and Rebecca Romijn’s Mystique alongside Janssen. The early 00s was a time for experimentation for the superhero genre and the X-Men movies not only hold up today, they continued to forward her story in the franchise until just a few years ago. 

Famke Janssen’s last appearance in the franchise was in 2014’s Days of the Future Past, but with her most recent project, Redeeming Love, some of her X-Men past caught up with her when one of her The Last Stand co-stars became her co-star again. Eric Dane, who played Multiple Man in the 2006 film recalled with CinemaBlend being on the set of the film early on in his career: 

Dane fondly remembers being on the set of the massive Marvel project. He recalls the early impression the Jean Grey actress had on him as they shot some major sequences for The Last Stand. The pair star together in Redeeming Love, a romance film based on the book by Francine Rivers. Check out CinemaBlend’s review of the film and see Redeeming Love in theaters now.  

With Redeeming Love, director D.J. Caruso tackles the emotional romance portrayed in the 1991 Francine Rivers best-seller of the same name, bringing the book’s California Gold Rush-era tale to the big screen. The sweeping romance gives a Western-style makeover to the biblical book of Hosea, on which the story is loosely based. Critics have had a chance to review the film before it hits theaters January 21, so let’s take a look at what they thought of this romantic drama.

Redeeming Love stars Abigail Cowen as Angel, who was sold into prostitution as a child, and Tom Lewis as Michael Hosea, who falls in love at first sight with Angel as an adult, vowing to give her the life she deserves. Angel’s past continues to haunt her, however, against the backdrop of 1850s California. The film also stars Logan Marshall-Green, Famke Janssen, Nina Dobrev and Eric Dane. Let’s see what the reviews have to say. 

Starting with our own CinemaBlend review, Sarah El-Mahmoud gives Redeeming Love 1.5 stars out of 5, saying the main characters lack chemistry — through no fault of Abigail Cowen and Tom Lewis.  The film adaptation has no charm and is missing passion, leaving its characters feeling one-dimensional, despite the talented cast. 

Nicole Ackman of Next Best Picture struggles to understand the movie’s genre and intended audience, as the Christian historical romance about a prostitute deals with subject matter that isn’t easy to watch. She rates it 2 out of 10.  

The fact that Redeeming Love is biblically based while trying to be explicit is noted by Robert Kojder of Flickering Myth, who rates the film 1 star. He says, similarly to other critics, that the film fails to develop its lead characters. 

Joseph Aberl of Murphy’s Multiverse, however, thinks the seemingly bizarre genre-mashing makes for an unexpectedly dark spin on a classic romance.  

Tessa Smith of Mama’s Geeky gives Redeeming Love 3 out of 5 stars, noting that even though the story is based on the Book of Hosea, it can still be enjoyed by non-religious viewers like herself. However, the movie overall could have used a bit more editing, Smith says, as a run time of over two hours isn’t needed to tell its story. 

The critics seem mixed on this one, with some saying Redeeming Love gives a unique perspective on unconditional love, while others think it didn’t do enough to properly adapt the best-selling novel it’s based on. Redeeming Love hits theaters Friday, January 21. Be sure to check out our 2022 Movie Release Schedule to see what other films are coming soon. 

The X-Men are some of Marvel Comics' most popular character. The team of mutants made it to the big screen before superhero movies became commonplace, and had a long tenure in theaters. In fact, the X-Men franchise went so long that the iconic Dark Phoenix plot line was adapted for two different blockbusters, mostly recently in Simon Kinberg's appropriately titled Dark Phoenix. And now the director/producer has explained how that comic book arc could properly be adapted with OG Jean Grey actress Famke Janssen.

The X-Men franchise began with Bryan Singer's original 2000 blockbuster, which also featured Fame Janssen's debut as Jean Grey. She'd go on to play the role in all three installments of the original trilogy, as well as The Wolverine and a brief cameo in Days of Future Past. The role eventually was handed down to Game of Thrones alum Sophie Turner, but Simon Kinberg has an idea to flesh out the Dark Phoenix story and bring back Janssen in the process. As he put it,

Well, that's definitely a big plan for the Dark Phoenix story. And despite two prior attempts at bringing Jean Grey's most iconic comic book plot line to the big screen, it looks like the third time could be the charm. And fans would no doubt be thrilled to see Famke Janssen return as the beloved mutant.

Simon Kinberg's comments come from a recent watch party for X-Men: Days of Future Past over on IGN. Kinberg has a long history with the X-Men franchise, working as a producer on every single installment in the franchise starting with The Last Stand aka the first time the Dark Phoenix story was attempted in movie form. He's worked with every cast of the X-Men throughout the years, and obviously nows the property well.

The Dark Phoenix Saga from the comics is a long and complicated one, involving outer space as well as mutant threats on Earth. Both X-Men The Last Stand and Dark Phoenix attempted to simplify this story, which Simon Kinberg seems to believe was a misstep. Instead, he thinks the story should be split into two movies, both starring Famke Jenssen. This would allow the Hellfire Club to be fleshed out, as well as Lilandra and the Phoenix Force.

Producing a pair of movies to properly adapt the Dark Phoenix story into film makes a great deal of sense, its just a shame that this approach wasn't taken while the X-Men franchise and 20th Century Fox were still independent. Disney's acquisition of Fox seemingly ended the X-Men movies, and there's no indication as to if/when the team will eventually join the MCU.

The final installment in the X-Men franchise as know it is The New Mutants, which is currently set to arrive in theaters on August 28th. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

For over 50 years, the Bond franchise has provided audiences worldwide with a steady assortment of super-gadgets, electrifying action sequences, and daring missions across many gorgeous locales. In addition to all these incredible spectacles, there have also been a wide array of stunning Bond-adjacent women that join 007 on his worldwide adventures. Often enough, Oftentimes, the films' most memorable aspects are the various "Bond girls" that share the bill with their leading man but generally provide all-too-brief appearances in the series.

While not every Bond actress has been given their proper due on the big screen – and there's a fair share of inherent sexism that the franchise is only now starting to reckon with – there are a wide array of lovely and talented women who shined in their respective roles and became fan favorites with their charm, wit and sex appeal. Without any further ado, let's take a look at the best Bond girls in the series.

Andrea Anders (The Man With The Golden Gun)

Throughout the extensive history of the ongoing Bond cinematic franchise, there is only one actress who has played two different women in the series: Maud Adams. The Swedish actress worked with Roger Moore twice in the extensive series, and they first shared the screen together in Moore's introduction to the franchise, The Man With the Golden Gun, where she played Andrea Anders. Capturing the mystique, radiance and charm that are often instrumental to any great Bond girl's success, Adams got it perfectly.

Octopussy (Octopussy)

Maud Adams returned to the franchise for perhaps the most ridiculed name in Bond history (baring one other prominent example), Octopussy, in the 1983 movie of the same name; it's the titular role! This may not be the most respected or adored Bond girl in cinematic history, but Adams once again played the role splendidly. Not too many actresses could sell a role with a name like Octopussy, but it's a great credit to Adams that she actually brings a whole new edge and personality to her second Bond girl role.

Tracy Bond (On Her Majesty's Secret Service)

The quality of On Her Majesty's Secret Service is often contested when it comes to its legacy, as it's considered either one of the finest or weakest installments the franchise; I'm closer to the latter, personally. Still, there's no denying the fine screen presence of Dianna Rigg's Tracy Bond, the on-screen love interest for the one-and-done portrayer George Lazenby, and one could argue that Rigg outpaced her male co-star. She brought the right spunk to stand out as one of the great Bond girls to date, and it makes sense that Tracy was the only Bond girl that 007 decided settled down with and marry —if sadly only for a few short hours.

Honey Ryder (Dr. No)

To celebrate where it all began, the Bond franchise first started with Dr. No back in 1963, with Ursula Andress starring as the very first Bond girl, Honey Ryder. It makes sense that she started the tradition of great actress taking these key roles, since she has possibly the most well-known entrance in Bond history. Walking out from the water as if she were a sea goddess, Ursula is pure radiance, and it's no wonder why this Bond girl role is so sensational. It's a shame that her character is practically one-note in terms of being a damsel-in-distress, but the Swiss actress still makes it shine, and it's clear that many of the following Bond girls would hope to follow in her lead.

Tatiana Romanova (From Russia With Love)

It's hard to serve as both a proper match and adversary to 007 himself, but Russian Soviet officer Tatiana Romanova is here for it. Played by Italian actress (and former Miss Universe contestant) Daniela Bianchi, Tatiana often stands toe-to-toe with Bond, both playing to his strengths and adhering to his weaknesses. It's a fantastic performance; it's made all-the-better when she holds her own against the villainous Rosa Klebb, helping to give the Bond girls some much-needed agency.

Pussy Galore (Goldfinger)

With what might possibly be the most (in)famous name in James Bond movie history, English actress Honor Blackman took on the role of Goldfinger's Pussy Galore and became one of the most distinctive and ultimately celebrated Bond girls in the franchise. (Possibly an uphill battle with a name like Pussy Galore.) The character is cool, calm and collected, carrying an edge and charm that is always captivating. Even the suave secret agent is beside himself after meeting the lovely woman. Pussy Galore might not have the best name for a Bond girl, but it's certainly among the most memorable. And thankfully, Blackman's performance in Goldfinger matches it.

Anya Amasova (The Spy Who Loved Me)

Once again, James Bond meets his match with Anya Amasova, the Bond girl who features prominently in the movie The Spy Who Loved Me. Played by American actress Barbara Bach, Amasova is KGB agent, so she can certainly handle herself, and she isn't afraid to go to bat against Jaws. That's how you know she's a keeper. Amasova was wonderful as Barbara, and it was nice to see another Bond girl who could match 007's sharp skills.

May Day (A View To A Kill)

While A View to a Kill isn't everyone's favorite Bond movie (even though I still hold a dear place for it), it does feature the deeply charismatic Grace Jones is the role of May Day. The musician/actress is oozing with cool radiance, and that was no exception when it came to her appearance in this particular Bond film. For instance, she jumps off the Eiffel Tower after climbing it, and that's not the only badass thing she does in this movie. When it comes to captivating ladies who prove to be major butt kickers in the process, Grace Jones is certainly one of the finest examples from this hit series.

Xenia Onatopp (GoldenEye)

There's no denying that Xenia Onatopp is one of the toughest Bond girls out there. The action-friendly character was played by Dutch actress Famke Janssen (best known for playing Jean Grey in the original X-Men trilogy) in GoldenEye, one of 007's many returns to form throughout the years. Xenia is a woman who can crush a man by squeezing them with her thighs. She's the real deal, and she's no doubt one of the best Bond girls to date, and could probably beat you at GoldenEye multiplayer on N64.

Vesper Lynd (Casino Royale)

Similarly, during another one of Bond's many returns to form, Vesper Lynd proved herself to be one of the more dynamic and complex Bond girls, and was a more well-rounded character than we're used to seeing from some of the more simplistic entries (especially in the late '90s and early 2000s). Played by the always great Eva Green, Vesper Lynd is sensational, and she's quite easily among the most tragic characters in the Bond series, too. The life of a super spy is never as easy as it looks, and it's often said that the ones who get closest to Bond often have to risk everything. Good thing Vesper's reputation can't be lost.

Moneypenny (Skyfall)

There are only a few Bond girls played by future Oscar winners, and Naomie Harris is proudly among them. The future Moonlight actress starred in Skyfall, which some fans consider one of Bond's finest hours. While Moneypenny isn't a Bond girl in the traditional sense, she certainly makes a great impression during her time in Sam Mendes' film. As she shoots at the hero and provides several other memorable moments throughout the action-packed James Bond movie, it's clear that Naomie Harris was a star on the rise, and it was only a matter of time before she would find herself in a role that would cement her fame.

Jill Masterson (Goldfinger)

While Jill Masterson, played by Shirley Eaton, ultimately isn't one of the greatest characters in the Bond series, she does have one of the most memorable sequences of all. Specifically, in Goldfinger, she is the woman who is turned gold while lying in bed and waiting for her lover 007 to return. So while we can all agree that looks aren't everything, Jill provided a striking image that has become one of the more iconic in cinematic history, so we would be remiss if we didn't include her in this list.

These are only a mere few of the great Bond girls seen throughout cinematic history, and as the franchise continues, there will likely be more to in the future, including one or two in the next film, No Time to Die. Or maybe this is set to be end of the Bond girl era, as Bond is potentially set to become a woman herself in the future. Time will tell what the future holds for the franchise. We are sure you have your favorites too. Let us know your picks in the comments below.

Back in 2000, the first X-Men movie came out, and the film was largely lauded by fans and critics. It's viewed as one of the films that helped launch the current trend of comic book superhero movies by showing that it was possible to make a film from that material without entirely sucking. The film's success spawned a number of sequels and spinoffs that have continued to this day with the recently released Dark Phoenix.

There's little debate that Dark Phoenix and X-Men: Apocalypse, the last two films in the franchise, are two of the worst the series has produced. I'd even go a step further and say that I find the franchise as a whole to be little more than "above average." Most of the films that others view as great, are, you know, fine. Having said that, there's no denying that there are absolutely moments of pure brilliance in the franchise. As we say goodbye to the X-Men, Here are a few of the reasons the X-Men movies won't be forgotten anytime soon.

The Original Cast

People had been dreamcasting an X-Men movie for years before the real thing actually happened. Patrick Stewart's name was already on the top of every list to play Professor Charles Xavier, even if the only real reason was that he was a well known older actor who was also bald. Of course, Stewart turned out to be the perfect Professor X, while a largely unknown actor named Hugh Jackman would become a movie star thanks to his perfect portrayal as Wolverine.

But the rest of that original cast is no less inspired. Halle Berry was perfectly cast, and criminally underused, as Storm. James Marsden and Famke Janssen are a fantastic Scott and Jean. The thing that makes the first X-Men movie work as well as it does is that the characters jumped off the comic page and onto the screen pretty much exactly as we'd all imagined them.

X2: Nightcrawler’s White House Attack

While the original X-Men movie was a solid first effort, most would agree that X2 is where the series found its stride, and it did that from the very first scene. For a comic book movie, the original X-Men has little in the way of great action set pieces, but Nightcrawler's assault on the White House at the beginning of X2 changes all that.

It starts the film on a perfect note by introducing another popular character as well as another excellent piece of casting in Alan Cumming. Nightcrawler instantly becomes one of the most fun characters to watch. Like some other action sequences that would come later, and will come later on this list, the scene is almost a short film all by itself.

X-Men: First Class

Following the conclusion of the X-Men trilogy, we were supposed to get a series of spinoff solo features including an origin story for fan favorite Wolverine, as well as one for Magneto. While that first movie did get made, and won't get discussed on this list for obvious reasons, the second did not, and instead it morphed into an entire prequel franchise that started with X-Men: First Class.

While I will forever wonder what a solo Magneto movie starring Michael Fassbender could have been, First Class is an excellent film in its own right. It's the best main franchise film without question. It has another stellar cast and is simply near perfect from start to finish.

Quicksilver

Quicksilver as a character never really develops beyond his initial appearance in X-Men: Days of Future Past. He largely exists as a digital effects gimmick, but it has to be said, it's a pretty solid gimmick. Showing super speed on screen is always tough, because it's hard to actually see anything, but DOFP solved that problem by slowing everything else down and letting Quicksilver move through it all at a leisurely pace. The pop music soundtrack is also a nice touch.

Quicksilver's scene stealing moment was so popular the first time around that he was given another chance to shine in X-Men: Apocalypse. If anything, the second time around it's even more impressive, though that may just be because the rest of the movie was weaker by comparison.

Days Of Future Past's Reboot

Overall, I'm a bit more lukewarm on X-Men: Days of Future Past than most. I think it's a fine movie, a good one even, but maybe not as great as some would claim. However, there is one aspect of Days of Future Past, which is absolutely stellar: the end.

The events of DOFP reboot the entire X-Men universe. Characters who had died come back to life and a terrible future is avoided. While this does have the added benefit of erasing a couple of terrible movies from "canon." It also just works as a beautiful capstone on the franchise. This is where the X-Men movies should have ended. There was no need to make anymore movies after this.

Deadpool

Deadpool is really only barely connected to the X-Men universe. It's all so tongue in cheek that I considered not even including the Merc with a Mouth on this list. However, the fact is the two Deadpool films wouldn't exist were it not for the rest of the X-Men franchise, and our lives would be all the poorer for it.

There's a reason that Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool might be the only part of this entire franchise to survive the Disney acquisition. He's hilarious. He's exciting. He's just plain fun. Deadpool's character gives him a freedom to have more fun with the X-Men universe than the rest of the movies are allowed to have. Superhero movies are great, but sometimes you need to be able to laugh at them, and Deadpool gives us that release.

Logan

While Days of Future Past maybe should have been the final entry in the main X-Men film series, the real end of the franchise should have come from Logan. Hugh Jackman's Wolverine was the linchpin of the entire series and once we said goodbye to him, there was really nothing left to add.

Logan is an incredibly unique and interesting movie. From a story perspective, it doesn't actually require you to know anything about any of the previous films and stands completely alone. At the same time, to experience the film's full weight and power you have to have gone on the same two decade long journey that Hugh Jackman himself experienced playing the role of Wolverine.

It's easy to focus on the bad, especially considering where the X-Men franchise is today. Things have not ended well. However, while it would be easy to write off the franchise now that a reboot is all but assured, we shouldn't forget what the X-Men movies did right the first time around.

This weekend’s Dark Phoenix represents the second time the X-Men films have attempted to adapt the comics’ most iconic arc to the big screen. The first time around was in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand, and in that film it was not Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner playing the doomed Jean Grey but actress Famke Janssen, who originated the role onscreen in 2000’s X-Men.

Famke Janssen hasn’t appeared as Jean Grey since a cameo in 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past, but that doesn’t mean that she has sworn off playing the character. On the contrary, the actress seems open to playing Jean Grey again, as she explained:

It may not be especially likely, but if The Powers That Be want to bring Famke Janssen’s Jean Grey back in some capacity, the actress seems as though she would be open to the possibility, as she told Variety at the Dark Phoenix premiere. She hasn’t entirely closed the door on the character that she played in five films in this franchise over the course of more than a decade.

Although Famke Janssen had her issues with X-Men: The Last Stand, and how she didn’t get to return to the franchise in the same way that Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan did, the two things that have been clear are her appreciation for her time as a part of the X-Men films and her love of the Jean Grey character.

That love is evident in her presence at the Dark Phoenix premiere and a statement she made about being happy to see this story get a whole film dedicated to it, versus the divided attention of X-Men: The Last Stand. I’m sure it would depend on the manner of her return, but that love seems to have kept Famke Janssen from outright saying that she’s done with Jean Grey.

Despite her willingness to at least consider playing Jean Grey again, it would be extremely surprising if someone were to give Famke Janssen that call. Even Sophie Turner doesn’t seem long for the role. That’s because Dark Phoenix is expected to be the swan song for this current iteration and continuity of the X-Men onscreen, now that Disney has bought 21st Century Fox, and the belief is that the mutants will be rebooted down the line in the MCU.

At that point, the assumption is that Marvel would recast and to give the characters an entirely fresh start. Nevertheless, with the multi-verses of comic book storytelling, you can never truly say never, and Famke Janssen’s Jean Grey could pop up when we least expect her. In lieu of that wild scenario, maybe the actress could voice the character in an animated series.

Whether she ultimately plays Jean Grey again or not, Famke Janssen will forever be the first to play the iconic mutant on the big screen in a film that helped usher in our modern comic book movie age.

Famke Janssen currently stars in Netflix’s acclaimed new miniseries from Ava DuVernay about the Central Park Five titled When They See Us. Keep an eye on CinemaBlend for all the latest mutant news and check out our 2019 Release Schedule to know what's headed your way this year.

This weekend marks the release of Dark Phoenix, the second time the iconic X-Men comics storyline The Dark Phoenix Saga has been adapted for film. The first time was in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand, which was not well received among fans.

Although critical reception towards Dark Phoenix hasn’t been kind either, this time around at least the story is more centered on Jean Grey’s turn to darkness, which is something that Famke Janssen, who originally brought Jean to life on the big screen, appreciates. In her words:

X2: X-Men United set up Jean’s eventual transformation into the Phoenix at the end, but when X-Men: The Last Stand came around, that first adaptation of The Dark Phoenix Saga had to share screen time with the mutant cure storyline. Had those been the plots of two separate movies, perhaps both would have been exceptional products, but because they were combined, The Last Stand felt cluttered and convoluted.

This is the main criticism that Famke Janssen has given about X-Men: The Last Stand, saying in the past that The Dark Phoenix Saga wasn’t given enough screen time in the movie. This is a problem Simon Kinberg, who co-wrote The Last Stand, aimed to fix with Dark Phoenix, which he wrote and directed.

Famke Janssen also mentioned in her interview with Variety that Sophie Turner, who debuted as Jean Grey in X-Men: Apocalypse, contacted Janssen before officially taking on the telekinetic mantle. As Janssen put it:

One thing that both film versions of The Dark Phoenix Saga share in common is that they both heavily differ from the source material. At least where Dark Phoenix is concerned, there’s an extraterrestrial element through Jessica Chastain’s shapeshifting character, but it definitely feels more grounded compared to the insanely cosmic tale that writer Chris Claremont and artist John Byrne delivered on the printed page in 1980.

With the Fox era of the X-Men film franchise coming to an end, Dark Phoenix will be the final time we see Sophie Turner and the rest of the ‘First Class’-era actors play their respective mutant characters. As for Famke Janssen, she returned to cameo as Jean Grey in The Wolverine and X-Men: Days of Future Past, but nowadays she’s keeping busy with movies like The Poison Rose and TV series like When They See Us.

You can judge Dark Phoenix for yourself once it starts hitting theaters tonight, and stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more coverage. Don’t forget to also browse through our 2019 release schedule to learn what movies are coming out later this year.

It's not often you see a comic book storyline adapted more than once on-screen, but the X-Men franchise is doing that for the second time on the silver screen with The Dark Phoenix Saga. The first cinematic adaptation, 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand, was met with mixed-to-negative critical reaction, and over a decade later, Dark Phoenix is aiming to deliver a more faithful version of the Jean Grey-centric tale from 1980. If you ask Famke Janssen, who played Jean Grey in the original X-Men trilogy, Dark Phoenix has a better chance at succeeding because unlike The Last Stand, it's dedicating the entire story to Jean's corruption. As Janssen put it:

Famke Janssen's thoughts echo what Dark Phoenix director and longtime X-Men producer Simon Kinberg said about X-Men: The Last Stand a few months ago. Kinberg actually co-wrote The Last Stand with Zak Penn, but as he acknowledged, the big mistake with that movie was that Jean Grey's being consumed by her Phoenix self was just a subplot alongside the mutant cure storyline. Both he and Janssen are in agreement that this is a story that deserves the entire run of a movie, not just a chunk of it.

We have a ways to go before we learn how Dark Phoenix compares to X-Men: The Last Stand, but as Famke Janssen indicated to Inverse, she's more confident this latest movie will fare better than the project she participated in. It also helps that Dark Phoenix is including alien elements, like Jessica Chastain's still-unidentified shapeshifter, although let's not kid ourselves, it's not going to have nearly as much cosmic flavor as The Dark Phoenix Saga did. As for Janssen, while she did return for brief appearances in The Wolverine and X-Men: Days of Future Past, like the rest of the original cast members, her time with this franchise looks to be permanently over, so she can enjoy Dark Phoenix as a pure fan/admirer.

While X-Men: The Last Stand took place in the "present day" (i.e. circa 2006), Dark Phoenix takes place in 1992, following almost a decade after the events of X-Men: Apocalypse. This time around, Jean Grey loses control and unleashes the Phoenix after a rescue mission in space, and once she starts causing mass chaos and destruction, it'll be up to the X-Men and other interested parties to stop her, though Jessica Chastain's character will be lingering in the shadows to manipulate Jean into doing her bidding.

Originally scheduled to be released last month Dark Phoenix was moved to February 14, 2019, and now it's set to come out on June 7, 2019. For everything else coming out next year, head to our 2019 release schedule.

The cast of director Ava DuVarnay's Netflix miniseries Central Park Five has expanded with the casting of other crucial roles. Among them are The Affair's Joshua Jackson, as well as a Bull star, and a Random Act of Flyness actress. And, they are not the only actors who have been added to the miniseries' cast.

The drama has added a bevy of names to the miniseries along with the ones already mentioned, per Deadline. So, who are they and who are they starring as? Well, Joshua Jackson will be playing one of the Central Park Five's attorneys. The actor will portray Antron McCray's lawyer, Mickey Joseph, in the drama. As previously announced, Michael K. Williams of The Wire and Boardwalk Empire will portray Antron McCray's father in the miniseries.

Also joining the cast in the role of one of the Central Park Five's legal counsel is one of the stars of the now-concluded ABC drama Quantico. Blair Underwood will portray Bobby Burns, the attorney for Yusef Salaam, per Broadway World.

Also boarding the miniseries in the role of an attorney in the legal drama is The Blacklist's Famke Janssen. Janssen will portray prosecutor Nancy Ryan. Ryan led the reinvestigation into the initial case. The findings of the investigation ultimately resulted in the Central Park Five's convictions being overturned in 2002.

The latest casting news does not solely involve the legal realm of the drama, though. Other vital castings include a detective, community leaders, and the girlfriend to one of the Central Park Five. Power's William Sadler will play NYPD detective Michael Sheehan, but few other details were given about his role.

Queen Sugar's Omar Dorsey will play Elombre Brath, a community leader. He is also the husband of Harlem activist Nomsa Berth, who will be played by Random Act of Flyness's Adepero Oduye. Rounding out the new castings are Into the Dark's Aurora Perrineau, who will portray Raymond Santana's girlfriend, Tanya. Perrineau is the daughter of Lost star Harold Perrineau. Other roles cast include Raymond Santana's attorney, Peter Rivera. Rivera will be portrayed by Bull star Christopher Jackson in the Netflix series.

The miniseries will begin in 1989 and follow the case until 2014. With this latest round of casting news it is clear that production is well underway on the drama. The new cast members join an ensemble that already includes Bates Motel's Vera Farmiga, Waco's John Leguizamo's, and American Crime's Felicity Huffman. Central Park Five is slated to premiere in 2019 on Netflix.

For new television content set to premiere on Netflix this year, check out our 2018 Netflix premiere rundown. Summer is not over yet. Check out the new shows still coming with CinemaBlend's summer premiere guide. For new television that will arrive this fall, check out CinemaBlend's guide to TV's fall premieres.

In the modern age of superhero movies, Famke Janssen is most definitely a legend. She was among the young actors who director Bryan Singer brought together for the very first X-Men movie back in 2000, and she continued playing the part of Jean Grey off and on for 14 years. To hear Janssen tell it, however, it seems that her tenure as the character may be over. She recently said,

ComicBook.com acquired these quotes from a panel at Denver Comic Con, where Famke Janssen was in attendance as a guest. Discussing her tenure in the X-Men franchise, she had nothing but nice things to say, but also dropped the news that she believes her time playing Jean Gray might be over.

Famke Janssen was one of the stars of the entire original X-Men trilogy, and had a very small part in The Wolverine, but it looks like her swan song will be 2014's X-Men: Days of Future Past -- where she cameoed at the end playing an alive-and-well Jean Grey living in the future of the newly-created timeline. Since then, the franchise has not only continued its run of 20th century stories with the 1983-set X-Men: Apocalypse, but also went as far as to recast Jean Grey. Going forward, the role will be played by Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner, who will reprise the part in 2018's X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

Famke Janssen's quotes make it sound like her time in X-Men movies is done, but they also suggest that she would also be happy to say "yes" if she were to be invited back. Given the franchise's history with sci-fi weirdness and time travel, one wouldn't think that a surprise appearance from future Jean Grey would be off the board completely -- especially when the character is going to be such a crucial part of the aforementioned X-Men: Dark Phoenix (pulling off a proper adaptation of the comic arc of the same name). We'll just have to wait and see.

For now, fans can enjoy all of Famke Janssen's past work in the X-Men franchise, as X-Men, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand, The Wolverine, and X-Men: Days of Future Past are all available on Blu-ray, DVD, and digital. Would you like to see her come back? Hit the poll below with your thoughts and the comments section with your explanation!

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In signing on to X-Men: Apocalypse, Sophie Turner inherited a very important role. Not only has the Jean Grey character been vital to the history of the X-Men franchise for decades, but she inherited the part from actress Famke Janssen – who earned acclaim from fans for her performance in the original X-Men trilogy and beyond. It was only natural that the Game of Thrones actress would watch her predecessor for keys to the character, and the particular thing she took away was her poise and grace.

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Sophie Turner recently during the X-Men: Apocalypse press day in London, England, and one thing we discussed was the influence that Famke Janssen’s Jean Grey had on her own take on the character. She explained,

Her answer didn’t stop there, however. It turns out that Famke Janssen’s time as Jean Grey was only one source of inspiration for Sophie Turner, and that another more significant one was actually on set with her throughout the production: James McAvoy. Obviously Professor X is a very important person to Jean, being a fellow telepath and her teacher, and so he has a significant impact on the way that she carries herself. Said Turner,

A big part of that "new territory" is the fact that the X-Men franchise wiped most of its continuity slate clean after X-Men: Days of Future Past, and the upcoming X-Men: Apocalypse steers the series in a fresh direction with a cast full of new faces. Along with Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, and Alexandra Shipp as Storm, Sophie Turner is expected to play a very important role in future films as one of the key members of the titular team.

You’ll be able to watch Sophie Turner in action as Jean Grey for the first time when X-Men: Apocalypse arrives in theaters next Friday, May 27th. In the meantime, be sure to stay tuned for a lot more of our coverage from our interviews with the film’s talented cast and filmmakers!

When the next chapter of the X-Men saga, X-Men: Apocalypse, hits the screen on Memorial Day weekend we will see a number of familiar characters, but few familiar faces. Many of our favorite characters, like Cyclops and Storm will be played by new actors because we’re meeting them much earlier in their lives. The original Jean Grey, Famke Janssen is really excited to see her character played by a new actress, but, having said that, she doesn’t understand why she can’t make an appearance too; the guys get to do it after all.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly about X-Men: Apocalypse Famke Janssen was asked what she thought of Sophie Turner taking on the role of Jean Grey in the new film. While her comments regarding Turner are nothing but positive, she does appear to be annoyed that she hasn’t been asked to return. After all, simply having your character recast with a younger actor didn’t stop Patrick Stewart or Ian McKellan from reprising their roles.

It’s true that both Professor X and Magneto have seen their older versions return after their youthful versions were played in newer films. In X-Men: Days of Future Past both versions appeared in the film together. We’d also be remiss if we didn’t point out that the same opportunity was not had by Rebecca Romijn, who played the original Mystique before Jennifer Lawrence took over the part. We would certainly hope the reason is not because producers were against bringing back more mature actresses. We can’t assign motives one way or another, but if Famke Janssen is right we’re going to just sit here and shake our heads.

Famke Janssen says that she has tried to talk to the studio about bringing back her version of Jean Grey and while she’s received zero response whatsoever (which is lame Fox, return a damn phone call, will you?) it doesn’t mean that there might not be an opportunity for such things in the future. The events of X-Men: Days of Future Past should have negated those of X-Men: The Last Stand so hopefully older Jean is alive and well and ready to fight.

Would you like to see Famke Janssen return as Jean Grey in some capacity? Sound off in the comments.

When you’ve got something good going, it only makes sense to want it to last as long as possible, in any manner necessary. For almost three seasons now, The Blacklist has been one of NBC’s biggest non-spinoff hits, and so it should surprise no one that the network is going into development on a follow-up drama to the James Spader-headed thriller. And we already know who’s going to take the lead on this one.

Viewers can look forward to seeing Famke Janssen fronting the Blacklist spinoff, which currently doesn’t have a name just yet. To be clear, it also doesn’t have a series commitment yet or any official network confirmation, but it’s predicted that a decision on the project will be made in May.

What’s happening in May, you ask? Well, that’s when we’ll be able to get our first look at Famke Janssen within The Blacklist’s universe. Her character, Susan “Scottie” Halsted, will initially appear in the May 5 episode, and the next episode (airing May 12) will serve as the actual backdoor pilot to the potential spinoff. No concrete details have been revealed about what those episodes will entail, but there are a couple of rumors floating.

According to TVLine, series regular Ryan Eggold will play a major role in wherever this secondary series would be heading. Eggold plays Tom Keen, who was Liz’s mild-mannered husband until it was revealed he’s a covert ops agent, and he’s been in and out of Red and Liz’s lives throughout the seasons. If the rumors are to be believed, Tom and Scottie will have a character dynamic that resembles the one between Liz and Red, though we don’t know if they’ll start out on Season 1’s unsettled footing or on Season 3’s more trusting partnership.

Though The Blacklist’s last episode was watched live by a series low audience of less than 6 million people, the show is still a DVR hit and is one of NBC’s most popular shows within the key demographic. As well, people are outspoken about how much they enjoy it, so there’s no reason for NBC to be even slightly nervous about extracting more drama-filled stories from this high-stakes world of crime, terrorism and corruption. After all, they’ve been giving the spinoff treatment to Dick Wolf shows for years, turning Law & Order and Chicago occupations into TV stalwarts. No reason why The Blacklist should be left out of that club.

There’s no end in sight to The Blacklist proper, either, as it was renewed for Season 4 not too long ago. Plus, there are still another six episodes left in Season 3, and that last batch will kick off on NBC on Thursday, April 7. Are you guys excited for a spinoff?

It’s been a while since Jean Grey appeared in a major capacity in the X-Men movies, but we'll reunite with her this May…well, sort of. Instead of Famke Janssen reprising the role, Game of Thrones’ Sophie Turner plays a teenage Jean in the 1980s-set X-Men: Apocalypse. Since this movie takes place nearly 20 years before we met Jean in 2000’s X-Men, she won’t be the same character as we remember, and the key difference compared to her older self will be in how she’s adjusting to her abilities.

In an interview with EW, Sophie Turner explained that, in X-Men: Apocalypse, Jean Grey’s powers will make her feel especially vulnerable and alone, despite the fact that she lives among other mutants at Professor Xavier’s mansion. She elaborated:

Many mutants have trouble adjusting to their unique powers, but Jean Grey has always had added difficulty in both the comics and other media given what she’s capable of with her telekinesis and telepathy. Unlike Famke Janssen’s Jean, who had spent years learning how to control her abilities, Sophie Turner’s Jean is still getting used to being a mutant. Ideally being around others like her, including her future boyfriend Scott Summers, a.k.a. Cyclops, and Professor X’s tutorage will help her cope with this new life.

That said, fans will also remember in X-Men: The Last Stand that Xavier mentally repressed part of her mind so as not to unleash The Phoenix, her darker self. There was a hint of Jean’s destructive potential in the X-Men: Apocalypse teaser, so depending on how the battle against Apocalypse and the Four Horsemen goes, we may see her reach full power levels in order to combat them, i.e. become the Dark Phoenix.

After dying in 2003’s X2: X-Men United, Jean Grey returned in X-Men: The Last Stand as the Phoenix, who killed Cyclops and allied with Magneto’s Brotherhood. She was only stopped when Wolverine killed her in the climax. Logan continued to hallucinate her in The Wolverine, but after he changed the timeline in X-Men: Days of Future Past, both Jean and Cyclops’ deaths were averted, so she’s now still part of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters. Assuming Apocalypse doesn’t have any temporal powers to alter this new timeline, we can at least take comfort knowing that Jean will make it out of the next movie alive.

X-Men: Apocalypse hits theaters on May 27.

Bruce Willis is set to get back into the comedy game, reteaming with the writers of Cop Out to make an untitled film that will feature him back as a private detective. But while it looks like this is Willis' vehicle to steer, he is being joined on the project by a pretty great supporting cast.

The Hollywood Reporter not only has the scoop on these new casting additions, but also details about who all of the newcomers will be playing in the comedy - which will be about a P.I. living in Los Angeles who discovers that his dog has been kidnapped due to some business relating to his profession.. So who are these actors? Let's do a quick rundown, shall we?

First up, we have Jason Momoa, who is on the verge of joining the A-list thanks to his high profile role as Aquaman in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and the larger DC Cinematic Universe. In this new movie, he will be playing the principal antagonist of the story and the guy who ends up with Bruce Willis' dog. What's interesting is that instead of Willis just going for bloody revenge against the guy, Momoa's character instead will force the private eye to do some work for him. The former Game of Thrones star doesn't have an extensive amount of experience in comedy, but everyone has to start somewhere, right?

The second newcomer to this untitled Bruce Willis film doesn't really have too much comedic material in her resume either - and her part in the story actually creates more questions than it answers. This project will be Famke Janssen's first comedy since David Wain's 2007 film The Ten, and in the new movie she will apparently be playing Willis' sister-in-law. Not only is it not clear how she will fit into the dognapping plot, but this also seems to suggest that Willis' character has a wife - and it's a touch odd that the sister-in-law character would be cast first.

Finally we have Thomas Middleditch, who has actually spent the last few weeks making us laugh hysterically in episodes of his HBO series Silicon Valley (which just wrapped up its second season this past Sunday). In this new film, he will be playing Bruce Willis' assistant in the private eye business, and is described as "a geek working in Willis’ one-man operation." There unfortunately aren't any more details available, but I wonder if this means that he will be handling the tech side of things in the business.

Cop Out writers Mark and Robb Cullen will be making their directorial debut with this new project, and hopefully the script lives up to the cast that they've managed to get on board. Production on the movie is being planned for later this month, which means we can probably expect to see the final product some time in 2016.

Back in 2011, the X-Men franchise managed to pull off something kind of incredible. After spending years of establishing actors like Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen and Rebecca Romijn as cinematic versions of Professor X, Magneto and Mystique, the series completely changed things up with the prequel X-Men: First Class - bringing in younger actors James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence to play the aforementioned parts. Now, three years later, the comic book movie franchise is ready to do a bit of recasting once again, although this time it will be with the characters like Jean Grey, Storm, Cyclops.

This news comes to us from Deadline, which has gotten its hands on some big news about the in-development X-Men: Apocalypse. Included in a somewhat vague plot description of the film - which promises the return of McAvoy's Professsor X, Fassbender's Magneto, Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique, Hugh Jackman's Wolverine and Nicholas Hoult's Beast - the site seems to confirm that the movie will include "young Cyclops, Storm, Jean and others." This was previously hinted at by director Bryan Singer back in April, but now it sounds like we can officially start anticipating new casting rumors for young X-Men characters. The report adds that there's a chance that the sequel could be the first movie to introduce the long-rumored Channing Tatum version of Gambit, but the way that information is presented in the article seems more like speculation than confirmation.

Thinking about the timeline of the X-Men franchise, it makes a lot of sense that the new, young versions of characters like Jean Grey, Storm, Cyclops would be introduced. X-Men: Apocalypse begins a full 10 years after the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past - which was set in 1973 - and it makes sense that around this time Professor X would be first bringing in some of his most notable students into his school for Gifted Youngsters. Judging from the ages of Famke Janssen, Halle Berry and James Marsden - who first played the trio of mutants in the original X-Men trilogy - we can probably expect that the young versions of their characters will be in their mid-teens.

X-Men: Apocalypse is currently penciled in to be released on May 27, 2016, and production is expected to start up next year. Simon Kinberg is writing the screenplay based on a story he developed with Bryan Singer,Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris, and according to Deadline the movie will see the X-Men "fight their most formidable foe yet – an ancient unrelenting force determined to cause an apocalypse unlike any in human history." Are you excited yet? Do you have your own personal casting suggestions for the younger versions of Jean Grey, Storm and Cyclops? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

Since word on The Wolverine first arose, fans have been wondering when the movie that centers on a centuries old mutant who is seemingly immortal would be set. We knew once-attached helmer Darren Aronofsky was shying away from the word sequel, and that part of the film would be set in in Japan. But even the surprise appearance of Jean Grey wasn't able to cement the new film’s setting. Thankfully, Jean Grey herself—well, Famke Janssen—was kind enough to set the stage for The Wolverine.

During a press conference in New York City that included Hugh Jackman, director James Mangold, and several key members of the cast, Janssen was quick to share—remarkably without major spoilers—how one film leads into the next. Minor spoiler for The Wolverine: Jean is still dead. But she appears to Logan in his dreams. Or as Janssen explains:

Janssen went on to say she was incredibly impressed at how Jackman and Mangold worked together to this emotional thread of Logan’s that was set up in the first three X-Men films. She went on to detail what a different experience making this film was from her prior Marvel movies. As her scenes in the film are only with Jackman, and essentially in the same dreamy setting, she didn’t have an insight into how everything else was coming together. It made seeing the final film a very different experience from seeing the first three. She said:

Janssen was also quick to share her thoughts about this film’s unique appeal:

The Wolverine opens Friday.

UPDATE: We've got confirmation from a second source that this rumor is 100% true. So if you dare keep reading, know that it comes with solid evidence! Spoiler Warning: We aren't sure if the following rumor is true or not, but in the interest of protecting our own asses here is our very important warning to all of you that if you don't want any part of The Wolverine to be ruined before you see it. If you're part of that group, I recommend clicking on another one of our awesome articles. Now on to the article

Wolverine is a character with serious memory issues. In the canon of the films the character was shot in the brain with an adamantium bullet and completely forgot everything about himself (I know it's stupid, but let's just move on) after undergoing the experiment that gave him his indestructible skeleton. The next movie in the franchise, The Wolverine, plans to examine the following part of the heroes life as he travels to Japan on a search for identity.

But now it's being rumored that a new forgotten memory will show up in the James Mangold-directed story: it's possible that the first time that Wolverine and Jean Grey met they weren't in Xavier's School For Gifted Youngsters, as shown in Bryan Singer's X-Men.

We Got This Covered is the source of the rumor and says that Famke Janssen, who played the telekinetic mutant in X-Men, X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand, flew out to Sydney, Australia last week - where The Wolverine production is taking place - to film a cameo in the movie. The story is a bit short on details, not explicitly saying how Jean Grey will fit into the plot.

This story reminds me of a rumor that surfaced during the making of X-Men: First Class back in 2010, when there was a rumor saying that Hugh Jackman had flown out to Georgia to be a part of the production. At the time, Singer, who served as a producer on the movie, vehemently denied the rumor, saying, "He's not in the movie, he's in the Wolverine movies." Then, of course, First Class came out last summer and we all got a great laugh when everyone's favorite spiky haired, retractile claw wielding hero told Magneto and Professor X to go fuck themselves. So who knows how this story will play out.

We have heard little about Eli Roth’s big debut with Netflix since upcoming murder mystery series, Hemlock Grove was announced in December, but it now seems as if the series has really gotten the ball rolling over at the subscription service, hiring two names to headline the cast.

Famke Janssen and Bill Skarsgård, son of Stellan, are set to join the Hemlock Grove cast in two very different roles. Janssen will play Olivia, the head of the wealthy Godfrey household in the Pennsylvania town. Skarsgård will play her son, Roman, who eventually teams up with a local Gypsy boy in the attempt to solve the mystery on his own terms. The role should be a big one for the young actor, who is set to appear in the upcoming Anna Karenina adaptation, but has otherwise been involved with Swedish films. Brian McGreevy and Lee Shipman are set to executive produce the series.

Hemlock Grove has actually been outlined fairly well thus far. We know the series will begin with the dead body of the girl. We know the Godfrey family will be at the heart of the series, with Olivia, Roman, and the deformed sister, Shelley at the forefront of the story. We also know a biotech facility and some sort of monsters will be present in the series. Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos is calling the series "a sly blend of J.D. Salinger and and Mary Shelley (that) will appeal to a broad base of fans."

With so much of Hemlock Grove already put together, it seems like the series is nearing completion even though in reality, it will not begin showing up on Netflix until 2013. The good news is, thirteen episodes will be produced in the first season, which is way more than the eight episodes Netflix put together for Lilyhammer. The real question is whether Netflix is showing more confidence in its original content or whether the company is simply showing confidence in Roth.