X-MEN: FIRST CLASS - Grading+Discussion **SPOILERS!**

[Set Harth]

Admiral_Young wrote:

---

I don't think that Bryan Singer would invalidate his own two movies in an attempt to reboot the franchise. "X3" sure because he didn't direct that film and probably the reason why he chose to ignore elements from that movie.

He chose to ignore elements from all the previous films. First Class is a reboot, according to the director. Also, according to Singer's public statements, he approved of Ratner's work on X3. The prerelease assumption that First Class would only ignore X3 has not been borne out. The unlikely workarounds proposed to make FC fit the other films don't fit with the intent of FC.

[JD]

So if they do an X4, which movies do you think it will incorporate into it's backstory? I'm thinking the first 2 and FC would be the most likely, since they're the ones Singer was involved with. Either that or the first 3 and FC, I don't really foresee XO: Wolverine playing much of a role.

[Mach5]

Set Harth wrote:

---

He chose to ignore elements from all the previous films. First Class is a reboot, according to the director.

Uhm, not quite true. FC had an almost identical opening scene as the first X-men movie, had cameos by Hugh Jackman and Rebecca Romijn Stamos, and I remember reading a quote from Matthew Vaughn saying that it most definitely IS a prequel, even though it has some elements of a reboot.

Richard Roeper called it a "pre-boot".

Set Harth wrote:

---

Also, according to Singer's public statements, he approved of Ratner's work on X3. The prerelease assumption that First Class would only ignore X3 has not been borne out. The unlikely workarounds proposed to make FC fit the other films don't fit with the intent of FC.

Matthew Vaughn is, on the other hand, continuously taking jabs at Brett Ratner, trashing X3 on every given occasion.

Not cool, if you ask me. Ratner made some good films back in the day ("Red dragon" is IMO waaay out of Vaughn's league, even though I still prefer "Manhunter").

[Set Harth]

These are the quotes I've seen:

Vaughn wrote:

---

And when Fox rang up saying are you interested in doing it, I had unfinished business after not doing X3 and I was actually more excited because for X3 I would have really had to follow the lead of X1 and X2 and the characters were mainly cast. I knew with X-Men First Class I could start fresh, get a new piece of canvas and paint what I wanted.

Vaughn wrote:

---

My main goal was to make as good a film that could stand on its own two feet regardless of all the other films. However I thought anything that worked in all the other movies, and I could have some fun with nodding towards, I would. But my main rule was, ‘You know what, we’re trying to reboot and start a whole new X-Men franchise’ and therefore, making a film work on its own two feet was far more important than trying to be referential to the prior movies.

There is, however, a leading question from the interviewer about hypothetical movies "between" FC and X1, a notion which Vaughn declines to contradict.

[Pauln6]

JD wrote:

---

So if they do an X4, which movies do you think it will incorporate into it's backstory? I'm thinking the first 2 and FC would be the most likely, since they're the ones Singer was involved with. Either that or the first 3 and FC, I don't really foresee XO: Wolverine playing much of a role.

I think the general rule will be that they wont reference each other at all and will avoid using the same characters. The trickiest thing will be Moira - if Xavier is 'reborn' on Muir Island and they want to build on that then Moira needs to be older than she was in X3 unless they come up with some throwaway line about her looking fantastic for her age... Maybe Beast tried to use a variant on the 'cure' he came up with when Moira was pregnant with Proteus and now she ages slower. Whether she should be dating Banshee is another matter - he's no more than 10 years younger than her.

Personally, I want X4 to be about the Marauders Massacre without Professor X but then I want a second trilogy. I think it would be quite doable to make X5 at least partially on Muir Island with the injured characters from X4. Mixing in Shadowcat's limminent death with the mystery of Proteus with a similar tone to X1 might be fun.

[T'Baio]

Mach5 wrote:

---

Ratner made some good films back in the day ("Red dragon" is IMO waaay out of Vaughn's league, even though I still prefer "Manhunter").

Vaughan is way out of Red Dragon's league, actually. Red Dragon is such a perfect example of pedestrian, by-the-book, beginner filmmaking 101 that it's almost laughable.

[Set Harth]

T'Baio wrote:

---

Red Dragon is such a perfect example of pedestrian, by-the-book, beginner filmmaking 101 that it's almost laughable.

I refuse to watch it, mainly because I'm a Manhunter fanatic and I see remaking the film as a kind of blasphemy. As the saying goes, don't fix it if it ain't broke.

[Professor Zoom]

T'Baio wrote:

---

Vaughan is way out of Red Dragon's league, actually. Red Dragon is such a perfect example of pedestrian, by-the-book, beginner filmmaking 101 that it's almost laughable.

When you want to someone to blandly direct your movie, you call Ratner.

[Obiwanshinobi]

He's a hack! But I actually kind of liked The Weather Man.

[T'Baio]

Set Harth wrote:

---

I refuse to watch it, mainly because I'm a Manhunter fanatic and I see remaking the film as a kind of blasphemy. As the saying goes, don't fix it if it ain't broke.

Manhunter and Red Dragon are great examples of "what to do/what not to do" in terms of creative filmmaking.

Remember in Manhunter, the great scene where Dolarhyde takes Reba (who is blind) to the veterinarian/zoo, and he places her hand on the tiger? In the scene, you didn't see the tiger until Reba touches it?

In Red Dragon, Ratner cuts into a wide shot of the room, tiger and all, before you even know the reason they're there.

Like...seriously.

[Flying Spaghetti Monster]

ObiWanShinobi wrote:

---

He's a hack! But I actually kind of liked The Weather Man.

I'm pretty sure Gore Verboski or whatever his name kis directed that.

[Mike Farley]

Skywalker wrote:

---

We'd need to include a sacrificial lamb to replace Darwin, though (unless we just stick with Darwin). Any ideas there?

Wolverine?

[Dream]

Flying Spaghetti Monster wrote:

---

I'm pretty sure Gore Verboski or whatever his name kis directed that.

Yeah, it was Gore Verbinski. Verbinski also directed Mousehunt, The Ring, The Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy, and Rango. Also he directed the awesome Budweiser frog commercials!

[T'Baio]

ObiWanShinobi is probably thinking of "The Family Man."

[Obiwanshinobi]

Haha, my mistake it was The Family Man. Both of them had Nicholas Cage.