ACTING legend Sir Ian McKellen may not appear in the new X-Men: Apocalypse film, according to his friend and fellow actor Sir Patrick Stewart.

The 74-year-old actor, who has played the older Professor Charles Xavier in six films, admitted that there may not be any room for their characters in the third instalment of the superhero franchise.

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He told Larry King on his US talk show: “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.”

Sir Patrick last reprised the role for the sequel, X-Men: Days Of Future Past, alongside Sir Ian’s Magneto alter-ego and their young counterparts, James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, because of the time travelling plot.

Sir Ian is huge hit with sci-fi and fantasy fans, not least because of his role as Gandalf in the Lord Of The Rings and Hobbit trilogies.