The latest "X-Men" film will be missing a beloved character.
A rescue sequence featuring the only footage of Anna Paquin as Rogue was cut during the editing process, director Bryan Singer told Entertainment Weekly in an exclusive.
The theater release of "X-Men: Days of Future Past" won't include the iconic character even though Paquin has already been featured in promotional materials for the film, which is set to be released on May 23.
The lost rescue sequence, which was shot early in the film's production, also featured Ian McKellan as Magneto, Patrick Stewart as Professor X and Shawn Ashmore as Iceman.
"Through the editing process, the sequence became extraneous," Singer told EW. "It's a really good sequence and it will probably end up on the DVD so people can see it. But like many things in the editing process, it was an embarrassment of riches and it was just one of the things that had to go. Unfortunately, it was the one and only sequence Anna Paquin was in, the Rogue character was in. Even though she's in the materials and part of the process of making the film, she won't appear in it."
The director noted that Paquin's performance was excellent. The "True Blood" actress was on set for just a week to shoot the sequence, but Singer said he enjoyed working with her.
"She did a fantastic job," he said. "She was awesome in the sequence. She's a brilliant actress. I would work with her in a heartbeat."
Singer is still editing the film and has given Paquin the bad news.
"She completely understood," he said. "It's very disappointing, but she's very professional and she knows that stuff happens, particularly with material you shoot early on in production. Films evolve."
Singer has described "Days of Future Past" as one that will be darker than its predecessors and "a character piece."
The last "X-Men" film, "X-Men: First Class," grossed more than $353 million worldwide. The newest installment could see some interesting competition this summer, as 2014 is shaping up to be the year of the superhero. Moviegoers can expect "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" in the spring as well, followed by "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," "Transformers 4" and "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."
See Now: OnePlus 6: How Different Will It Be From OnePlus 5?
