X-Maniac
Storm In A Teacup
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- Nov 26, 2003
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I imagine logically they would want to keep Jlaw first and foremost because she has been mystique for the last 3 movies, aka keeping the same casting moving forward, but depending how much they want the character there they certainly could recast if they don't negotiate something with with Jlaw.
It's not as simple as wanting to 'keep the same cast going forward.'
All sorts of factors can influence the characters and casting of these films.
Emma Frost, Banshee, Azazel and also Angel Salvadore and Riptide were written out in DoFP despite expectation that at least some of those would be in the follow-up. After all, First Class ended with Magneto saying they would form their own society (a big hint at Genosha if ever there was one) and breaking Emma out of her cell.
Cyclops, Rogue and Mystique had limited and very concluding arcs in The Last Stand largely due to actor availability (and Ratner deciding he wanted someone to be shown taking the cure). Singer had tried to get many of the X-Men cast to join Superman Returns, but only James Marsden went for it. In addition, Nightcrawler was expected to feature in X3 but it was such a limited role that it was cut (and Alan Cumming said he did not like the make-up or get on with Singer).
So it's far from as simple as 'keeping the same cast going forward.'
Actor availability, the needs of the screenplay, and even editing (as with Rogue and Jubilee) can affect if someone is in a movie and how much they are in it.
If J-Law decides not to come back (she may be advised against it by her reps based on critical reception of XM:A which is now Time's worst movie of the year), they will handle it in some way. Maybe they will write her out. Maybe they will persuade her into a (cheaper) limited role by having Mystique undercover/in disguise as someone else (which would mean another actress for much of the movie).
I do think people blind themselves when it comes to the character and the actress in this respect because people ain't seeing it as the producers want the character involved they are seeing it as they are obviously forced to because its Jlaw and that seems more like a bias view of things.
And yet no one said bad things about Rebecca Romijn's portrayal. That's because she committed to the role and nailed it - after enduring about eight hours of make-up back then.
With J-Law, she doesn't have that commitment and it shows. That's on top of the very soft version of Mystique they have written (though i doubt J-Law could do the cold-blooded edgy malicious version Romijn showed us anyway). So neither the portrayal nor the casting seem very satisfying.