Bryan Singer is directing X-MEN: FIRST CLASS!

[Admiral_Young]

I think a general audience will still respond to a X-Men film without a major star attached...as Captain Canada pointed out Hugh wasn't in the limelight yet until after X-Men came out. Remember that Dougray Scott was originally cast as Wolverine, I forget why he had to drop out. We obviously don't know where casting is at right now, maybe too early in the process to suggest anything.

 

[exodus]

However, I'm wondering if the non-comic book reading audience will return to an X-Men film without Jackman or some equally big celeb in the credits.

Jackman was a nobody when the first film came out, and it was still a big hit.

But at the time Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen & Halle Berry were.
So even if Jackman were a nobody, their star power still pulled in an audience.

 

[Trent Roman]

^ Halle Berry was not--if she was, do you think they would have gotten her to play a supporting role? Her real break--Swordfish, Monster's Ball, Bond--came after the first X-film. And I don't think McKellen was that well recognized by American audiences until the X-Men and LoTR franchises, either. So, really, 'the guy who played Picard' was probably the biggest star power that film had going for it.

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Trent is right. Don't forget, X-Men predated LOTR's release and Stewart was really only well-known for Trek. Berry was a long way away from her Oscar and leading lady status. I remember a few previews-of-the-year type articles in the like of Empire and Total Film. They all voiced some concerns that the unstarry cast and fact that the X-Men weren't as well known as Batman might result in a flop. The low-ish budget afforded by Fox also reflected this.

Not sure if it's already been referred to, but Singer has given a little more info about this project and seems to confirm that the Magneto movie is dead:

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/15967/bryan-singer-on-x-men-other-projects

 

[exodus]

^ Trent is right. Don't forget, X-Men predated LOTR's release and Stewart was really only well-known for Trek. Berry was a long way away from her Oscar and leading lady status. I remember a few previews-of-the-year type articles in the like of Empire and Total Film. They all voiced some concerns that the unstarry cast and fact that the X-Men weren't as well known as Batman might result in a flop. The low-ish budget afforded by Fox also reflected this.

Not sure if it's already been referred to, but Singer has given a little more info about this project and seems to confirm that the Magneto movie is dead:

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/15967/bryan-singer-on-x-men-other-projects

Allow me to correct this by saying, Halle Berry was already well know and established within the African-American community due to her work as Dorothy Danderage that was widely broadcast on HBO & in Alex Halle's: Queen well before any Oscar win. Both roles won her critical acclaim from both Black & White audiences. From my understanding was that she took the role of Storm because she admired what the character stood for. Let's not forget, Whoopi Goldberg was an Academy award winning actress and still took the role of Guinan and was willing to work for free and uncredited due to the inspiration of Trek on her. So for a large unrepresented audience on this board, Halle Berry's name had well known pull.

TNG was a huge success that reached normally non-Trek watching audiences causing Capt. Picard to be a much referance pop icon, so Stewart was very well known accross the globe due to it.

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

i remember seeing Halle Berry in Passenger 57 with Westley Snipes

 

[exodus]

i remember seeing Halle Berry in Passenger 57 with Westley Snipes

Yep, as well as in Spike Lee's "Jungle Fever" w/ a then unknown Samual L. Jackson, Eddie Murphy's "Boomerang", "The Flintstiones" w/ John Goodman & "Losing Isaiah" w/ Jessica Lang.

 

[T'Baio]

Remember that Dougray Scott was originally cast as Wolverine, I forget why he had to drop out.

He was called back for reshoots on Mission: Impossible II and contractually obligated to go. So he had to back out of X-Men.

Thank you, John Woo! That may be Woo's greatest contribution to cinema.

 

[Admiral_Young]

^ That's right! Thanks for reminding me, might need to watch MI:II now. I was thinking about Storm casting and I would love to see either Rosario Dawson or Zoe Salanda cast in the part. I think they both have the acting chops and the looks to pull off a great storm.

 

[T'Baio]

I think Saldana is a little too slight for Storm, but Rosario Dawson would be awesome! She's beautiful, but also looks powerful and intimidating.

 

[Admiral_Young]

Felica Day could play a young Jean Grey...but maybe that's too fanboyish lol.

 

[Broccoli]

Felica Day could play a young Jean Grey...but maybe that's too fanboyish lol.

I've seen this name floated around. Who is she?

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

she was just on an episode of Lie to Me few weeks back, She is on an online show called The Guild, she was on Dr. Horrible, and a former potential slayer on Btvs

 

[exodus]

I think Saldana is a little too slight for Storm, but Rosario Dawson would be awesome! She's beautiful, but also looks powerful and intimidating.

......and very Latina.

 

[DarKush]

i remember seeing Halle Berry in Passenger 57 with Westley Snipes

I thought that she was in "Executive Decision" with Kurt Russell? I don't remember her in Passenger 57. But I wanted to back up Exodus. IMO think Halle was the most well known actor in the X-Men cast with American audiences at least. I don't think McKellan, Jansen, Jackman, or Stewart were as well known until after X-Men hit. I don't think she was the best actress for the role. I always thought that Angela Bassett would've made an awesome Storm personally. But with Halle's popularity, I think she should've had a bigger role in the X-films. They certainly used her popularity to sell the films. She factored big time in their promotional material.

As for who could play Storm now? I don't think Dawson is the right choice, lookwise though she has the heft and genre cred to play her. I think Saldana could do it but I don't think want her to be the go to black female for every genre film now due to Star Trek and Avatar. There's a lot of talented black actresses out there.

For Storm, perhaps Gabrielle Union, Gina Torres, Sanaa Lathan, Thandi Newton, Naomie Harris, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Freema Agyeman, Katerina Graham, Meagan Good, Kandyse McClure, Joy Bryant, Caroline Chikezie, or Phina Oruche, but I don't know about if you go with a younger Storm. The only young star I can think of is Keke Palmer.

 

[exodus]

i remember seeing Halle Berry in Passenger 57 with Westley Snipes

I thought that she was in "Executive Decision" with Kurt Russell? I don't remember her in Passenger 57. But I wanted to back up Exodus. IMO think Halle was the most well known actor in the X-Men cast with American audiences at least. I don't think McKellan, Jansen, Jackman, or Stewart were as well known until after X-Men hit. I don't think she was the best actress for the role. I always thought that Angela Bassett would've made an awesome Storm personally. But with Halle's popularity, I think she should've had a bigger role in the X-films. They certainly used her popularity to sell the films. She factored big time in their promotional material.

As for who could play Storm now? I don't think Dawson is the right choice, lookwise though she has the heft and genre cred to play her. I think Saldana could do it but I don't think want her to be the go to black female for every genre film now due to Star Trek and Avatar. There's a lot of talented black actresses out there.

For Storm, perhaps Gabrielle Union, Gina Torres, Sanaa Lathan, Thandi Newton, Naomie Harris, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Freema Agyeman, Katerina Graham, Meagan Good, Kandyse McClure, Joy Bryant, Caroline Chikezie, or Phina Oruche, but I don't know about if you go with a younger Storm. The only young star I can think of is Keke Palmer.

Thank you.

Thandi Newton is another great choice.

 

[Captaindemotion]

^ Trent is right. Don't forget, X-Men predated LOTR's release and Stewart was really only well-known for Trek. Berry was a long way away from her Oscar and leading lady status. I remember a few previews-of-the-year type articles in the like of Empire and Total Film. They all voiced some concerns that the unstarry cast and fact that the X-Men weren't as well known as Batman might result in a flop. The low-ish budget afforded by Fox also reflected this.

Not sure if it's already been referred to, but Singer has given a little more info about this project and seems to confirm that the Magneto movie is dead:

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/15967/bryan-singer-on-x-men-other-projects

Allow me to correct this by saying, Halle Berry was already well know and established within the African-American community due to her work as Dorothy Danderage that was widely broadcast on HBO & in Alex Halle's: Queen well before any Oscar win. Both roles won her critical acclaim from both Black & White audiences. From my understanding was that she took the role of Storm because she admired what the character stood for. Let's not forget, Whoopi Goldberg was an Academy award winning actress and still took the role of Guinan and was willing to work for free and uncredited due to the inspiration of Trek on her. So for a large unrepresented audience on this board, Halle Berry's name had well known pull.

TNG was a huge success that reached normally non-Trek watching audiences causing Capt. Picard to be a much referance pop icon, so Stewart was very well known accross the globe due to it.

exodus, I don't doubt either Halle's talent or the respect she was held in. But a box-office draw she was not, prior to X-Men. She was certainly not anywhere near as well known to general audiences as she is now, nor was her situation in any way comparable to that of Whoopi when she took on the role of Guinan. If you look at her appearances immediately before X-Men (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000932/ ), she was in the Dandridge movie, something called Why Do Fools Fall In Love, Warren Beatty's acclaimed but financially unsuccessful Bulworth. Before that, she'd done an episode of Frasier and a tv movie called The Wedding.Prior to that, she was in a critically reviled and unsuccessful movie called B.A.P.S. (Black American Princesses).

Halle now may be one of the most famous actresses in the world but back then, she needed X-Men more than it needed her. Whoopi Goldberg was a big box office draw when she took on a small recurring role in a tv series; Halle was a little-known jobbing actress when she took on a role in an ensemble movie with a bigger budget than anything she'd appeared in since her debut in The Flinstones. At the time of casting, she was much less famous than Angela Basset, who generally topped fanboy wish-lists to play Storm.

Stewart may also have been an icon because of Trek but again, if you look at his non-Trek roles immediately before X-Men, I doubt if you've seen any of them, with the possible exception of his Christmas Carol tv movie. People like him, William Shatner or Mark Hamill may be iconic to we sc-fi fans, but the reality is that outside of their iconic roles, they generally don't put bums on seats in cinemas.

 

[exodus]

^ Trent is right. Don't forget, X-Men predated LOTR's release and Stewart was really only well-known for Trek. Berry was a long way away from her Oscar and leading lady status. I remember a few previews-of-the-year type articles in the like of Empire and Total Film. They all voiced some concerns that the unstarry cast and fact that the X-Men weren't as well known as Batman might result in a flop. The low-ish budget afforded by Fox also reflected this.

Not sure if it's already been referred to, but Singer has given a little more info about this project and seems to confirm that the Magneto movie is dead:

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news/15967/bryan-singer-on-x-men-other-projects

Allow me to correct this by saying, Halle Berry was already well know and established within the African-American community due to her work as Dorothy Danderage that was widely broadcast on HBO & in Alex Halle's: Queen well before any Oscar win. Both roles won her critical acclaim from both Black & White audiences. From my understanding was that she took the role of Storm because she admired what the character stood for. Let's not forget, Whoopi Goldberg was an Academy award winning actress and still took the role of Guinan and was willing to work for free and uncredited due to the inspiration of Trek on her. So for a large unrepresented audience on this board, Halle Berry's name had well known pull.

TNG was a huge success that reached normally non-Trek watching audiences causing Capt. Picard to be a much referance pop icon, so Stewart was very well known accross the globe due to it.

exodus, I don't doubt either Halle's talent or the respect she was held in. But a box-office draw she was not, prior to X-Men. She was certainly not anywhere near as well known to general audiences as she is now, nor was her situation in any way comparable to that of Whoopi when she took on the role of Guinan. If you look at her appearances immediately before X-Men (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000932/ ), she was in the Dandridge movie, something called Why Do Fools Fall In Love, Warren Beatty's acclaimed but financially unsuccessful Bulworth. Before that, she'd done an episode of Frasier and a tv movie called The Wedding.Prior to that, she was in a critically reviled and unsuccessful movie called B.A.P.S. (Black American Princesses).

Halle now may be one of the most famous actresses in the world but back then, she needed X-Men more than it needed her. Whoopi Goldberg was a big box office draw when she took on a small recurring role in a tv series; Halle was a little-known jobbing actress when she took on a role in an ensemble movie with a bigger budget than anything she'd appeared in since her debut in The Flinstones. At the time of casting, she was much less famous than Angela Basset, who generally topped fanboy wish-lists to play Storm.

Stewart may also have been an icon because of Trek but again, if you look at his non-Trek roles immediately before X-Men, I doubt if you've seen any of them, with the possible exception of his Christmas Carol tv movie. People like him, William Shatner or Mark Hamill may be iconic to we sc-fi fans, but the reality is that outside of their iconic roles, they generally don't put bums on seats in cinemas.

It's nice to know you give African-American audience absolutely no credit for Halle Berry being a box office draw before whatever you believe made her a box office draw or the fact that other posters have also stepped up and supported the notion that she was known name within the cast before any Oscar nod. I guess the fact that she co-starred with such estabilshed names like Warren Betty, Jessica Lange, Eddie Murphy, beat out other actresses to play Dangridge(including Lynn Witfield) and was hand picked by Alex Halle for "Queen" is further proof she couldn't draw an audience, right? How about the fact she was well known enough to be one of the few Black women to grace the cover of several womens magazines & be a spokes model for Revlon/Covergirl all before winning an Ocsar? I would also think being actress and wife of baseball's David Justice(at the time) never helped her career either.

I guess I must be imagining Capt. Picard as a pop icon to the point that Stewart guess starred on SNL(one of the highest rated shows in it's timeslot during the time, as well as a TV icon within itself) and the entire nation knew who he was. I'm sure TNG, a show on a syndicated network who ratings rivaled that of shows on regular networks did nothing to make Patrick Stewart a household name. I guess as you say, Fanboy's only have the credibility to confirm who's box office draw or not. I'm sure FOX was totally clueless on who Berry & Stewart were when they cast them as popular fan favorites as Prof. X & Storm.


I'm sorry but I think you are very mistaken by only seeing this from a sci-fi/fanboy point of view.

 

[T'Baio]

Why would we want skinny twigs like Thandie Newton to play a formidable Earth Goddess?

 

[Captaindemotion]

exodus, I'm most disappointed, indeed insulted, that you've seen fit to bring some racial aspect into this. I would have thought that you would have known me better by now. I've defended Halle on numerous occasions in the past, not least of all when people have reverted to the internet myth that she claimed she only did X-Men because there were no good roles available for women of colour. I've also criticised people for claiming she 'played the race card' in her Oscar acceptance speech, when she quite reasonably pointed to the fact that she was the first black woman to win an Oscar for a leading role.

You are at best misreading what I have said, at best totally misrepresenting my quote. I never said that she was an unknown name. I said that she wasn't a box office draw. There is a huge difference. I have given you a link to her IMDB page and cited the movies she did immediately before X-Men. How many of them were smash hits? How many of them have you actually seen? How many did you pay money to go see in the cinema? You seem content to throw out generalisations and references to other media as if they make a person a box office draw. If a successful career as a model makes one a movie star, then why was Cindy Crawford's one movie (Fair Game) a flop, why hasn't Elle McPherson had a better movie career, why isn't Rebecca Romjin a bigger star?

Yes, she worked with Warren Beatty - as I say, I recognise her talent - but the movie they made together was a flop. Lots of actresses have worked with Eddie Murphy - Janet Jackson, Brigitte Neilsen, Regina King among others. They're not box office draws either. Eddie is (was?) the draw in his movies. He didn't get actresses who would overshadow him.

And I'm afraid the vast majority outside of the US wouldn't know who David Justice is.

Again, with Patrick Stewart (at least I haven't been accused of being anti-English - yet!), you are confusing name recognition with being a box office draw. If being on SNL makes one a box office puller, then why have so many of the stars of that show had flops in the cinema? Again, I've referred you to his IMDB page and cited his pre-X-Men movies. I could also have pointed to the fact that Insurrection performed underwhelmingly at the box office and that Nemesis flopped. But you've got it in your head that he's a pop icon and therefore box office gold. Go read the link, look at his CV and see otherwise.

I was trying to keep the tone civil and to the point, but you seem incapable of doing so, feeling the need to refer to 'fanboys' and exaggerating my arguments. Again, I never suggested that Stewart and Berry were unknown, merely that they were not major box office draws. And by talking about TNG and ignoring the rest of Patrick Stewart's career, you've shown that you're the one incapable of taking a non-sci-fi POV.

To give an example, the likes of Johnny Depp, Will Smith, Tom Hanks or Jim Carrey are box office draws. The likes of Michael Madsen, Gabriel Byrne or James Gandolfini are well known and respected but are not box office draws. Nor are fanboy faves like Patrick Stewart or pre Monster's Ball Halle Berry. Hope that clears it up for you.