No Ian McKellen And Patrick Stewart In ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’; Actor Confirmed They’re Out; Will The New Movie Overhaul The Cast With A Different Crop Of Actors?

No Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in "X-Men: Apocalypse"; looks like Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy will hog the spotlight in the next installment.

How could there be no Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in "X-Men: Apocalypse" when "Days of Future Past" proved overlapping timelines are very possible? Stewart recently confirmed the news the next X-Men film might not involve original characters, though.

"X-Men: Days of Future Past" was a risk that paid off at the Box Office, disproving rumors Bryan Singer's return would be a disservice to the series. The movie also proved multiple timelines with a large ensemble of characters were possible on screen, reuniting past and future selves of the X-Men, with a stellar cast to boot.

Patrick Stewart dampened anticipation for "X-Men: Apocalypse," though, by insisting he and Sir Ian McKellen won't be returning, at least as far as he's aware of. The "X-Men: Apocalypse" release date is still a year away, though, so anything is still possible.

The reveal came in an interview with Larry King: Stewart was asked if he would return as the present-day Professor X, and he responded in the sure negative.

"No. No Sir Ian McKellen, either."

It's confirmed Hugh Jackman will be back as the indestructible Wolverine, but it's still sketchy if the same holds true for Halle Berry, James Marden, Famke Janssen. Will "X-Men: Apocalypse" be the new era of the series, with an overhauled cast to highlight?

Stewart and McKellen will be missed, but not so much, as the success of "X-Men: First Class" proved. In the meantime, the team is up against an ancient mutant villain in the next installment.

"I was learning quite a lot more about it last night, and it is going to be looking very much at the earlier lives of all our characters. And so I don't think we'll be making an appearance," Stewart said (screenrant.com).