Ian McKellen discusses returning as Magneto for ‘X-Men Days of Future Past’ and praises Fassbender
X-Men fans are clamoring after the news that Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart art returning to reprise their roles as Magneto and Professor X for “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” a sequel to last summer’s hit “X-Men: First Class.”
Talking with the Huffington Post in a brief interview published Thursday afternoon, the “Lord of Rings” star discussed returning with Stewart for another “X-Men” film.
“What a gas! I mean, Patrick Stewart and I have been have just been playing “Waiting for Godot” throughout England and in the West End of London. So, we’ve stayed in touch. We can’t believe it [laughs]. I thought these were Fassbender and McAvoy’s parts, but — no, no — we’re back. We’ll give them a run for their money. I mean, I haven’t read the script, so I don’t know how much we’ve got to do. But, to be back in that world, and for Bryan to be doing it — with all the success he’s had in the meantime — it’s wonderful. Wonderful.”
The award winning actor is alluding to the return of Bryan Singer, director of the first two “X-Men” films, who left to direct “Superman Returns” and other projects. Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy brought the characters to life in the “First Class” prequel.
McKellen drops a cliche and laughs when asked about Fassbender’s Magneto.
“Yeah! I thought he was exactly that: first class. Excellent…I thought he was better than me. But, we weren’t quite playing the same character because he was so much younger than me. And the scope of Magneto, one day a Jewish actor will play it. Clearly, he’s Jewish. We first meet him in at Auschwitz and there’s scope for all sorts of people to pay Magneto. But, I was just the lucky guy who got to play him first.”
“Days of Future” will unite the stars of “First Class,” which include Fassbender, McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence (“The Hunger Games”), Nicholas Hoult (“Warm Bodies”) and Jason Flemyg, with Stewart, McKellen and Hugh Jackman (who will return as Wolverine).
“X-Men: Days of Future Past” will arrive in theaters July 18, 2014.
