Wolverine 3 casts Richard E. Grant as a mad scientist villain

Patrick Stewart will also show up as Professor X

(Getty)

Next year will see a final standalone outing for X-Men mutant Wolverine that'll see Hugh Jackman reprise the role for the eighth time (well ninth, if the latest X-Men: Apocalypse trailer is anything to go by).

With shooting set to begin next month, there is currently no word on the film's plot. In fact, all that's known are a trio of actors - including Jackman - who'll appear.

Patrick Stewart will show up as chief X-man Professor X while Boyd Holbrook is on board as Wolverine's chief antagonist.

It's time to add Richard E. Grant to that list with The Hollywood Reporter announcing that the actor has signed on to play "a villainous mad scientist type."

The well-known Brit - star of such films as Withnail & I and Bram Stoker's Dracula - has mustered an array of roles in popular television shows over the years including Doctor Who, Girls and Downton Abbey.

Grant will next be showing up in Game of Thrones season six although the identity of his character remains shrouded in secrecy.

Wolverine 3 - which is pushing forward with its planned R-rating following the success of Deadpool - is being lined up for a March 2017 release.

X-Men: Apocalypse hits UK cinemas on 18 May.