Note: I know it might seem a bit odd to do a future X-Men movies speculation thread without DOFP spoilage, but, hey, why not? Those can always go in the DOFP proper thread. So anyway, I'm wondering what's next for the X-franchise. For the record, Jackman has said the 4 film/$100m offer isn't true, and that The Wolverine could be his last solo outing. We heard about a while back that Jeff Wadlow has been hired to do an X-Force script, which apparently suggests very little for certain, and Kick-Ass 2 is not doing too well. The most obvious answer, assuming DOFP is a hit, is a third First Class, and maybe their timeline will be offset from that of X1-DOFP, Trek XI-style. This could theoretically also allow for an X4, but I don't really see both an FC3 and an X4 being produced simultaneously. Another possibility is a third Wolverine solo outing, though I don't know if that'd be in the future or the past, or even whether in DOFP future Logan will be physically going back in time, or just taking over his younger self's mind. I know it hampers discussion, but no (untagged, at least) spoilers on that, please. And of course Wolvie could be part of an X-Force, though again, I don't know where in the timeline that'd be. Also possible: that R-rated Deadpool one-off. Not like Reynolds is too busy with Green Lantern or RIPD sequels... Maybe Gambit could show up in an FC3? And/or a young Cyke? And maybe if DOFP does indeed create some sort of alternate timeline, leftover tech could kick-start a more futuristic recent past, a la Cyberdyne's chip in T2? That could be a way to nudge the series in a more out-there/cosmic direction than it's gone so far. Could help ground such concepts as an Asteroid M. And maybe FC3'd be a good time for Apocalypse to show up?
I imagine that we will see a FC3 and think that they should squeeze one more solo movie out of Jackman before he gets too old for the part. One thing that does seem certain though is the X-Force spin-off movie.
If the original cast is willing to come back, which it seems they are, then they should film X4 and X5 back to back. Marauders Massacre followed by Four Horsemen of Apocalypse. They can screw over some of the team in X4 to make way for replacements in X5 (go go Disco Dazzler!) and the crucified Angel plot gives him just about his only decent plot in his whole history.
All of this depends on DOFP or rather how well it does at the box office. If it cost the same as X:FC though I suspect it might cost a little more. In order to virtually ensure a sequel I think a worldwide boxoffice of US$400m would be needed.
I think this is goodbye from the original cast, the timeline from FC will probably have to overwrite the original timeline to clear out all the continuity glitches and the FC cast will take the franchise forward. Not ageing, Jackman can continue to play Logan until he's fed up (or looking too old).
I really hope X-Force happens next. Would love to see Cable on the big screen. Stephen Lang or Clancy Brown would be my choices to play him. And yes, an Apocalypse storyline would be so badass!
No more certain than X-Men Origins: Magneto was. We'll see... Before The Wolverine came out, I thought they might end up retaining his healing factor but still cause him to age normally. And they still could somehow, by having him seriously wounded by a gamma beam, or friend by a sentinel's rays or something. We'll see...
Well, that one still happened, it's just that before it came out it morphed into X-Men Origins: Erik and Charles.
I'd say next summer's sequel is the only thing for certain for the franchise. Any other plans will be backburner'ed 'til the box office results come in.
Well The Wolverine is upto US$351.5m at the box office. Which is about US2m short of what First Class did. So in terms of the franchise the box office results are holding steady. Sure studios would love to see growth but failing that so long as the box office numbers aren't falling they maybe satisifed. First Class was generally well recieved amongest fans and critics as a return to form, The Wolverine was also reasoanble recieved so fair to good reviews for the last two movies can help generate box office interest.
They pretty much have to do something with Apocalypse at this point. He's pretty much the only one of the three most well know (to me at least) X-Men enemies they haven't done yet. The other two would be Magneto and the Sentinels.
Ooh! I like where your head's at! I think it's hard to speculate about what the future holds without knowing in what kind of condition DOFP will leave the universe. Which characters do & don't survive? What kind of timeline are we looking at? I do think we've seen the last of the solo Wolverine movies. Really, other than the Weapon X origin and the Japan storyline, are there any other iconic Wolverine stories begging to be adapted? (Someone in another thread suggested adapting "Old Man Logan" but that just sounds way too fucked up.) Honestly, I've gotten the sense that, after doing the Japan storyline, Hugh Jackman has pretty much done everything that he's wanted to do with the character. (He wanted to do the Japan storyline for the 2009 movie, but the studio insisted on doing the Weapon X origin first.) If the Deadpool movie ever gets made (which sadly sounds unlikely), it won't be in the X-Men continuity. (Apparantly, in the movie, Deadpool knows he's a fictional character and tries to kill the executives behind his crappy appearance in the 2009 movie.)
Fox has announced the next X-Men movie will be X-Men: Apocalypse. They've set it for release on May 27th 2016. Bryan Singer tweeted the news, too. Looks like he'll be in the director's chair again.
Thus making him the first director to ever direct 5 superhero movies. Or 4 comic book movies in the same franchise.