Bryan Singer is directing X-MEN: FIRST CLASS!

[JacksonArcher]

Are you sure? I seem to recall Grammer being cast before Vaughn's departure. And I'm pretty sure that Ratner would be incapable of having an idea that good.

I honestly don't remember. I do recall co-writer Zak Penn saying Vinnie Jones was about one of the only things Vaughn contributed that stayed intact, but who knows.

On the subject of casting, it sounds like Xavier and Magneto in this movie will be much too young for Stewart and McKellen to return, even with digital de-aging. Who could fill those shoes? No easy task, as Tom Hardy might tell you.

I can imagine James Purefoy as Magneto, depending on the era the movie is set. But for Xavier? Nobody springs to mind. Marina Sirtis suggested that James Marsters should have played Shinzon in Nemesis. Might he make a passable young Xavier?

I dunno. Singer did say the film focuses on the "formative years of Xavier & Magneto" but it is possible only a portion of the film relies on Xavier & Magneto as twentysomethings. We did see Stewart as Xavier in X-Men Origins: Wolverine which supposedly will be around the time X-Men: First Class takes place, so it is also possible the younger versions of Xavier & Magneto would only take up a portion of the film, with Stewart & McKellen coming into play somewhat later in the film.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Grammer was cast before Vaughan left for personal reasons...and I hope that Patrick and Sir Ian are back in First Class.

As I've stated previously...one of the things I was disappointed with in X-Men is that we have a stripped down core X-Men team. I understand the reasons for this, I don't want to get into a debate about that, it just doesn't really allow for exploration of any original X-Men from the books.

The bit that I read about Singer's plans for the film though....oh man does it have my confidence restored about this film. Whatever roster they use I know that it will be an interesting story and executed well. In Singer I Trust.

 

[T'Baio]

I'm looking forward to this more than a Chirstopher Nolan-directed third installment of Batman.

Can I quote that in a sig?

I'm looking forward to this, as well. The X-Men universe has lost it's soul since Singer left.

 

[DigificWriter]

For me, X3 is like Spider-Man 3: a film full of good ideas that were just executed poorly. On the topic at hand, X1 and X2 are two of my favorite superhero movies, so I'm glad Singer is coming back (The 'X'-verse really fits his style much better than the Superman universe).

One other thing: can somebody refresh me on the full list of mutants that we know exists within the X-Men movieverse as of this point in time, as well as their affiliation - or lack thereof - with Xavier and Magneto?

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

James Marsters age is actually starting to show these days, but Spike as Xavier would be interesting

 

[barnaclelapse]

Damn it. I didn't even really like X-Men 1 or 2.

 

[exodus]

Even though it's about the original 5, he'll still somehow manage to make it all about Wolverine.

It can't be about the original five. They've already made Iceman not just a couple of years younger, but a student to the other, and then didn't even bother to bring in Angel until the third film.

Which is another reason why The Singerverse sucks.

The FOX animated series of X-Men changed up the rostier a decade before Singer. Characters like Storm have been way more popular with audiences that Angel ever was. Even in the comics, Iceman is still closer to Rogue's age than he is to Cyclops'.
The problem is you can't do the original 5 and still keep them age appropriate or Iceman would remain 20 for 10 years.

 

[Admiral_Young]

I think that Singer chose an excellent roster to use in a film with...it's just that to me there were really three X-Men with the later additions of Rouge and Wolverine. X2 introduced more characters but they were students. I'm guessing that Fox probably wasn't expecting such a huge success or demand for these films and didn't think about prequel possibilities until obviously much later.

 

[Pauln6]

The FOX animated series of X-Men changed up the rostier a decade before Singer. Characters like Storm have been way more popular with audiences that Angel ever was. Even in the comics, Iceman is still closer to Rogue's age than he is to Cyclops'.
The problem is you can't do the original 5 and still keep them age appropriate or Iceman would remain 20 for 10 years.

Actually Iceman is only 3 years younger (aged 15) than Cyclops (aged 18) and 1 year younger than Jean and Angel (aged 16). If Rogue was 18 when she joined (she was definitely an adult according to Destiny) after Jean died (who died aged 24 according to her headstone) then Rogue is roughly 5 years younger than Iceman in the comics.

Having said that, the writers sometimes desperately try to de-age their heroes. Cyclops and Emma Frost have both claimed to be 25 when Cyke must have been at least 25 when Jean died and subsequently married and had a child. Emma has somehow had time to spend as a dancer, electronics wizard, and headmistress of a school so methinks she is a good few years older than Cyclops and is just lying about her age...

I'm bummed by the prospect of another prequel because there is a lot of potential to continue the story without a tiresome reboot. The Marauders' Massacre would make a great Terminator style movie in my view and it left a lot of the main characters severely wounded, opening the way for Havok, Dazzler, and Psylocke (and later Gambit) to come along for yet another sequel dealing with the Four Horsemen of Apocolypse.

Hell, Scott and Jean can even return in Sinsiter's lab if they want to tell Cable's story.

 

[barnaclelapse]

That's absolutely true. I'm personally getting really sick of prequels/reboots (although the one for Alien is still kind of exciting), especially when there's clear potential in the last film for further storytelling.

I don't know if the prevailing logic is that if you do a prequel or reboot than it's not as bad as doing a straightforward sequel. I sure hope not. That's stupidity on a pretty profound level. It's not that I have a problem with prequels. I just think they've become too much of a crutch for studios.

 

[Admiral_Young]

X-Men 4 was still being talked about just a few months ago...I'm sure they're trying to figure out a story along with a director.

 

[JacksonArcher]

I think an X4 is a long way from happening. Fox will want to get at the very least three movies out of this series, along with other solo projects like Deadpool and Wolverine. I think we're likely to see a reboot of the franchise before X4.

 

[Joel_Kirk]

Damn it. I didn't even really like X-Men 1 or 2.

I actually liked 2, but 1 was dull and 3 was tacky....

 

[Admiral_Young]

What's happening with X-Men Origins: Magneto? I haven't heard any news about it in a long while...all I've heard is of course X4, Deadpool, Wolverine 2, and First Class or a New Mutants film. Nothing on Magneto though.

 

[JacksonArcher]

David Goyer said Fox was waiting until they saw the outcome of Wolverine but now with First Class taking a chunk of what Magneto was going to be about I doubt we're going to see Magneto anytime soon.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

This article indicates that First Class will "supersede" Magneto. A pity because Magneto was the Origins movie I was looking forward to the most.

 

[JacksonArcher]

This article indicates that First Class will "supersede" Magneto. A pity because Magneto was the Origins movie I was looking forward to the most.

A pity? I'd rather see Magneto's origins done tastefully in a movie (directed by Singer) that focuses on the origins of the entire X-Men. The Magneto spin-off was essentially going to be about Magneto exacting revenge on Nazi's for killing his parents. It just sounded trite and wholly unnecessary to me. So I'm glad First Class will take the best part of a Magneto origin movie.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

This article indicates that First Class will "supersede" Magneto. A pity because Magneto was the Origins movie I was looking forward to the most.

A pity? I'd rather see Magneto's origins done tastefully in a movie (directed by Singer) that focuses on the origins of the entire X-Men. The Magneto spin-off was essentially going to be about Magneto exacting revenge on Nazi's for killing his parents. It just sounded trite and wholly unnecessary to me. So I'm glad First Class will take the best part of a Magneto origin movie.

Hm, I hadn't heard that plot point. I thought it was going to focus on Magneto's and Professor X's relationship.

 

[OdoWanKenobi]

This article indicates that First Class will "supersede" Magneto. A pity because Magneto was the Origins movie I was looking forward to the most.

A pity? I'd rather see Magneto's origins done tastefully in a movie (directed by Singer) that focuses on the origins of the entire X-Men. The Magneto spin-off was essentially going to be about Magneto exacting revenge on Nazi's for killing his parents. It just sounded trite and wholly unnecessary to me. So I'm glad First Class will take the best part of a Magneto origin movie.

Hm, I hadn't heard that plot point. I thought it was going to focus on Magneto's and Professor X's relationship.

Which there's no reason First Class still can't do. I think there's way more potential for good story telling here, than with a solo Magneto movie.

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

A WWII centric Magneto origins story would be more or less be a rehash of Valkerie anyways, although Christoph Waltz as a young Erik Lansherr would be das excellent