Will the Children of the Atom become gladiators fighting for their lives in X-Men: Apocalypse?
Underground arenas where mutants fight for their lives have appeared in the comics and may be part of the next film.
Director Bryan Singer revealed a new photo via Instagram with these
#eastberlin #1982 #fightclub #benhardy #angel #xmen #xmenapocalypse.
Producers revealed Ben Hardy will be playing Warren Worthington aka Angel aka Archangel and will be one of the Horsemen of Apocalypse.
Underground fight clubs were part of the early issues of New Mutants. The second generation of mutants were forced to fight among The Gladiators (which actually premiered in a Beauty and the Beast limited series starring Hank McCoy) The Shadow King (a psychic entity) took control of New Mutant Karma who possessed the owners of The Gladiators. The New Mutants infiltrated The Gladiator Pit under Hollywood to save their friends.
Angel was never in underground fight clubs in the comics but he did have a near-death encounter in the Morlock tunnels under New York City. While trying to save a mutant tribe (Morlocks) from a squad of mutant mercenaries (The Marauders) Angel was crucified with harpoons in his wings. The mutant wings had to be amputated and Apocalypse gave Warren new wings made of poison metal and the code-name Archangel.
Ironically, Morlock leader Callisto kidnapped Angel to be her bride. Storm was forced to challenge Callisto in a fight to the death for leadership of the Morlocks to save her fellow X-Men. Ororo made a killing blow, took leadership of the underground tribe and allowed Callisto to be healed.
Bryan Singer teased an appearance by Caliban, one of the Morlocks who became a servant of Apocalypse.
Longshot became a X-Man after escaping Mojoworld, where he was forced to be a warrior in televised battles for the enjoyment of his alien oppressors. The X-men were even cloned and Mojo launched a X-Babies arena show. Storm fought in an alien arena in X-Treme X-Men.
Let’s not forget the first image of Hugh Jackman in X-Men as “The Wolverine” fought challengers in a Canadian bar for money.
Mutants as Gladiators fighting for their lives is a running theme in comics history and En Sabah Nur pits mutants against mutants with the credo, “only the strong survive” so maybe this is the first of many arenas in the sequel.
X-Men: Apocalypse arrives in May, 2016.
By Editor