X Men: Days of Future Past has gotten fanboys and comic book movie enthusiast already clipping their heels in anticipation as it looks to reassert the X Men franchise to the top of the comic book movie pecking order. As things seemed to be going swimmingly as the film gradually made its way to the editing stage, with filming all but under wraps, the first major hiccup in it's path to the big screen has been revealed by director Bryan Singer.

Anna Paquin
Anna Paquin's time on the screen has been severely shortened

As the editing process get into full swing, the first casualty in the mutant army happens to be Anna Paquin's Rogue character, who is having a hefty portion of her screen time cut from the final film reel. A rescue scene supposed take place near the beginning of the film, one involving Rogue, Magneto (Ian McKellen), Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Iceman (Shawn Ashmore), has been taken out of the final cut for the film, with Singer explaining to Entertainment Weekly that the decision to scrap the sequence shouldn't harm the final cut of the movie, although it does mean Rogue will play a much lighter role in Days of Future Past.

“Through the editing process, the sequence became extraneous,” explains Singer. “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.”

Singer went on to reiterate that the decision had nothing to do with Paquin personally or her performance, insisting “she did a fantastic job” and that “she was awesome in the sequence. She’s a brilliant actress. I would work with her in a heartbeat.”

The director went on to say that he has already informed Paquin of his decision to cut her from the film, insisting that the True Blood star "completely understood” his decision, adding, “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 is still editing the film and Paquin may not end up being the only casualty when the final product ends up on the big screen. X Men: Days of Future Past is slated to arrive in cinemas on 23 May, 2014.

Bryan Singer
Singer said that Paquin completely understood his decision