By John Nugent | Posted 30 Mar 2016

Back in March last year, rumblings came that Jennifer Lawrence – who has played X-Men anti-hero Mystique since 2011’s X-Men: First Class – was ready to leave the shape-shifting role. J-Law, it was heavily implied, was to become an Ex-Man. X-Men: Apocalypse was her “last one, sadly”, she admitted in an interview.

But she seems to have changed her tune. Speaking exclusively to Empire on the set of Apocalypse, the Oscar-winning actress appeared to suggest she would be up for another daily routine of eight hours in the make-up chair.

“I am dying to come back,” she told us. “I love these movies, I love being in them. I love ensemble movies because it’s not on anyone’s shoulders."

Which is not to say that she definitely will be back. According to director Bryan Singer, Apocalypse marks the end of a natural prequel trilogy – and with it, a number of key actors’ contracts (including Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy and Nicholas Hoult) expiring.

It remains to be seen whether the class Of First Class will be back. Though the actors seem open to it (McAvoy spoke casually on the set of “the next one”), the X-Universe is currently focused on individual mutants. Hugh Jackman’s final film as Wolverine debuts in 2017, with Channing Tatum’s Gambit around the same time – production issues notwithstanding – and a sequel to Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool also on the horizon.

Beyond that, there’s the spin-off ensemble of The New Mutants in development, and rumours of an X-Force film with Deadpool at the fore. Will there be room in this crowded slate for the First Class cast to have another crack of the whip? We wait with bated breath.

In the meantime, there’s plenty more X-gossip to be had from our X-Men: Apocalypse feature in the new issue of Empire - a whopping 16 pages of coverage, to be precise, plus all the usual film-related magic. The new issue goes on sale March 31, but you can subscribe by clicking here. As for X-Men: Apocalypse – you have until May 19 for that to arrive in UK cinemas.