The upcoming "X-Men" sequel, "Days of the Future Past," is easily one of the most hotly anticipated superhero films currently in production.
But as filming heads in to its final stages for its 2014 release, cast member Shawn Ashmore is not melting under the pressure to reveal what happens to, or how his character, Bobby Drake, aka Iceman, fits into the story.
"Some of our characters in the film are facing a far, dark future and that continues with Bobby as well," Ashmore says during a recent break of filming in Canada. "It's an intense storyline and pretty exciting."
Though he wouldn't reveal specifics -- "I want to get invited back," Ashmore jokes -- the actor says fans can expect to see a familiar, though more mature Drake.
"He's changed from who you saw in 'X-3,'" Ashmore says.
Ashmore says re-teaming with his "X-Men" castmates and director Bryan Singer -- who helmed the first "X-Men" film, and its followup, "X-2: X-Men United" -- has been comparable to attending a family reunion.
"What's so great about being part of a franchise is every couple of years, or in our case, every five or six years, you get to come back and work with the filmmakers and actors," Ashmore says.
"I just turned 19 when I shot the first movie," he adds. "I was still a teenager, but it feels like a lifetime ago. Everyone's grown up."
Ashmore credits Singer for ushering in the superhero genre boom.
"Bryan has grown as a filmmaker as well, so it's really exciting," Ashmore says. "I trust him completely, with the stories and the characters. It was a no-brainer to come back and watch him tell the story he wants to tell."
But an ice-conjuring mutant is not the only character piquing fan interest at the moment.
Ashmore plays young FBI agent/computer whiz Mike Weston on the Fox drama-thriller "The Following." The show follows FBI agent Ryan Hardy, played by Kevin Bacon, who is trying to track down a serial killer and his bloodthirsty cult.
He says the cast was never 100 percent sure what would be the fate of their characters from episode to episode. Ashmore says the producers gathered the cast before shooting started and warned them that some of their characters were not going to make it through to the end of the season.
"It kept everybody on their toes," Ashmore says. "You would be going, 'Is this literally the one?' Story-wise, I had no idea (what was going to happen), which I kind of liked."
Ashmore says the actors were barely catching up on scripts as filming took place and did not get to fully digest what was happening with, and to, their respective characters.
"That's how we shot the first season and I think it worked out well," Ashmore says. ("The Following" was renewed in March for a second season.)
Ashmore says he had a specific idea of who Weston was, but had a completely different perspective by the time of the season finale. Ashmore says Weston has become "for lack of a better word, a badass."
"(At the start) he's inexperienced. He hasn't lived through violence and the extreme nature of a case," Ashmore explains. "I love that, to me, it brought out a maturity in him."
Ashmore says he is a fan of the partner aspect of playing Weston and the dynamics it presents working with Bacon, and the "unspoken bond" the two characters share. "I love the team," he says. "They do what they need to do to stop this threat. I hope that idea sort of continues into next season.
"I came to the realization that this kid's in it for the long haul and there is more to him than I thought," Ashmore says of Weston.
Ashmore says he visited the FBI's Los Angeles headquarters to research the role. He says even Weston's look -- hoodie, leather jacket and jeans -- was a motif he borrowed from real-life federal agents he met.
"I was only there for maybe four hours and you can only get so much knowledge," Ashmore says. "But they were very helpful. I just asked the questions that I wanted to know."
Ashmore says he tries to play his character as raw and real as possible. He says he is overwhelmed by the amount of support he has received from fans.
"These people dedicate their time and money, watching you on TV or watching movies," Ashmore says. "This is my dream job and I'm doing it. I've had so many amazing experiences."
Ashmore will have a chance to interact with fans this weekend during the Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con. The convention opened Thursday and runs through Sunday at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.
Ashmore acknowledges that it is natural not everyone is going to be happy about the way he portrays a character. But he doesn't have any complaints or regrets.
"Ninety-nine percent of the response is positive," Ashmore says. "I'm really looking forward to coming to Philadelphia."