Famke Janssen hopes her 'X-Men' character isn't recast with a younger actress.

The 48-year-old actress, who plays telekinetic superhero Jean Grey in the popular films, admits she would be disappointed if the part is recast and has expressed her hope of reprising her most famous role.

Janssen's comments come after Jean Grey - who was killed off in 2006's 'X-Men: The Last Stand' - made a short cameo at the end of recent blockbuster 'X-Men: Days of Future Past', the events of which appeared to rewrite history and undo the deaths seen in past films.

The actress told the Metro newspaper: ''It really left the door open and I loved 'Days of Future Past'. The idea of bringing back characters and putting different generations of one character in the same movie together is very interesting. It leaves things open for the future with when you want to set it and what characters might be featured.

''I don't know what's going to happen next but I hope it involves Jean Grey and that I can play that Jean Grey and it won't be a younger version.''

However, Janssen says she'd come to terms with producers recasting the role as they've previously introduced younger versions of Magneto, Professor X and Mystique.

She added: ''I'd understand it - we've seen it before with Mystique and Magneto at different ages - why not Jean Grey?''

The next 'X-Men' movie, 'X-Men: Apocalypse', is due for release in 2016.