Patrick Stewart Is Retiring From X-Men Movies Because 'Logan' Is So Damn Good
The early buzz on Logan is not only is it the best solo outing for Hugh Jackman as Wolverine (by leaps and bounds), but it's one of the best X-Men movies ever made. Hugh Jackman was so dedicated to make this the Wolverine movie fans have wanted for years, he knew this had to be his last outing as the iconic mutant. As he's been making the publicity rounds for the movie, he's not even leaving the window open for a possible team up with Deadpool.
On the other end of the spectrum, Sir Patrick Stewart has been saying that he's not yet ready to retire from playing Professor X in the X-Men franchise. But as the publicity tour for the movie has gone on, it appears the actor has had a change of heart. Sir Patrick Stewart announced himself that he's retiring from the X-Men franchise, making Logan his last turn as Charles Xavier.
Find out more about Sir Patrick Stewart retiring from X-Men after the jump.
Entertainment Weekly was on hand for a SiriusXM Town Hall where Patrick Stewart was on hand with Logan director James Mangold and his co-star Hugh Jackman. It was there that the actor explained how a recent screening changed his mind about leaving the door open for future appearances as Professor X:
"A week ago, Friday night in Berlin, the three of us sat, watching the movie. And I was so moved by it, much more moved than I had been the first time of seeing it. Maybe it was the company of these two guys, but the movie ended and — this is an admission — but at one point [Hugh] reached out, and he took my hand in those last few minutes, and I saw him go [mimes wiping a tear from his eye] like this, and then I realized I had just done the same thing. Then, the movie ended... and we were going to be taken up on stage, but not until the credits were over. So, we had some time to sit there and, as I sat there I realized there will never be a better, a more perfect, a more sensitive, emotional, and beautiful way of saying au revoir to Charles Xavier than this movie. So, I told [Hugh] that same evening, 'I'm done too. It's all over.'"
Since I haven't seen Logan yet, I'm unsure if Stewart's line about saying "au revoir to Charles Xavier" indicates that the character dies or not. Since previous interviews with Stewart promoting Logan had him willing to reprise the role, that could indicate Professor X doesn't die (even though things seem grim for him). At the same time, maybe Stewart was saying he would come back for a movie that would take place further back in the franchise timeline. Then again, Professor X died in the X-Men franchise before (in X-Men: The Last Stand), but somehow lived to fight another day in X-Men: Days of Future Past, and now Logan too. So anything would have been possible, especially in the confusing, convoluted X-Men timeline.
Now that Patrick Stewart has made this decision though, whether or not Professor X is alive at the end of Logan is irrelevant. The actor is satisfied with the way Logan turned out and he thinks it's time to say goodbye to the character. He's been playing Professor X just as long as Hugh Jackman has played Wolverine, albeit in one less film. That's a long time to play the same character, and we've been lucky to have Sir Patrick Stewart in the role for so long. We look forward to seeing what else the actor can do with the rest of his career, especially if it includes outstanding roles like the one he had in Green Room.
If you want to listen to the entire SiriusXM Town Hall with Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart and Logan director James Mangold, it premieres on March 3 at 2pm ET on Sirius XM channel 105, the same day the movie hits theaters.