X-MEN Sequel Director Shuffle? Singer Replaces Vaughn?

The Cast of X-Men: First Class courtesy Marvel.com

  Brace yourself X-fans!

  Matthew Vaughn has decided to not direct the sequel to X-Men: First Class.

  His possible replacement: Bryan Singer.

  All this behind the scenes drama is according to Deadline. The story calls X-Men: Days of Future Past a spinoff instead of a sequel. Hmmmm.

  Singer launched the film franchise and directed X-Men and X2: X-Men United. Singer has been heavily involved with the sequel as a writer/producer. Vaughn and Singer could eventually swap roles on the film with Vaughn producing the script treatment he worked on with Simon Kinberg.

  Mark Millar was recently hired as Creative Consultant for the Marvel superheroes franchises controlled by Fox. Vaughn directed the film version of Millar’s Kick-Ass but bowed out of the sequel. Could Millar be moving Vaughn into a film based on one of his other creations: Secret Service, Superior?

  Fox controls the movie futue of the Fantastic Four. Josh Trank is directing but could Vaughn give his writing or producing expertise to the reboot of Marvel’s First Family on the big screen?

  I loved the first two X-Men films by Singer and feel like this is a “coming home” for the creator. I still hope Days of Future Past (with it’s time travel elements) could reboot the X-Men films set in the present.

By Editor

X-Men:First Class Sequel Will Be “Days of Future Past”

Producer Bryan Singer confirms that the sequel to X-Men: First Class will be titled Days of Future Past and based on the classic story by Chris Claremont. For an X-Men comic reader – it’s close to the Holy Grail of mutant epics.

“It’s going to be very ambitious. It deals will aspects of that comic but also some very new things”Singer tells IGN.

Uncanny X-Men #141 courtesy Marvel.com

In Uncanny X-Men #141 and 142 the Days of Future Past was a powerhouse two-part story in two timelines. In a future North America rules by Sentinels (mutant hunting robots) most super heroes have been hunted down and exterminated or imprisoned. Magneto, Storm, Colossus and his wife Kate (Kitty Pryde) are in the camp. Rachel Summers (daughter of Scott/Cyclops and Jean Grey) and Franklin Richards (son of Reed and Sue of the Fantastic Four) are together and living in the prison camp too. Wolverine is with an underground resistance movement.

The future X-Men conceive a daring plot to rewrite history and change the nightmare future. Rachel uses her psionic powers to send Kate’s consciousness into the past and into the body of Kitty Pryde who just joined the X-Men. Kitty must convince the mutants to go to Washington, D.C. to prevent the assassination of Senator Robert Kelly by the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants led by Mystique. The killing of Kelly led to the country’s hatred of mutants and implementation of Sentinels. While the past X-Men race to prevent the assassination, the remaining future X-Men fight the Sentinels.

Uncanny X-Men #142 courtesy Marvel.com

Since this storyline features a much older Wolverine and Hugh Jackman is getting older…maybe Jackman could make an appearance as the older Logan leading the underground resistance movement in the future.

The next X-Men film will likely not follow the storyline exactly but it could be an exciting way to reboot the entire film franchise but like Spock created a new timeline in JJ Abrams Star Trek.

We could forget X-Men: The Last Stand ever happened. Professor Xavier and Cyke would still be alive. It could be a whole new beginning for the film franchise and I love Rachel Summers.

 

By Editor

X-Men: First Class Will Be “More Epic, Mythic”

Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy from X-Men: First Class courtesy Marvel.com

  Director Matthew Vaughn, Jane Goldman and Simon Kinberg are working on the script for a sequel to X-Men: First Class. While promoting Elysium at San Diego Comic Con writer Simon Kinberg gave Collider hints of what to expect in the mutant sequel.

  “I wish I could tell you about it, but literally, it’s like the most guarded state secret I’ve ever been around.  I can tell you that it’s going really well, and I can tell you that I’ve been working closely with Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldman on the script of the movie and that we hope to be shooting in Spring of next year to come out in July of 2014 and that I’m really excited about it, because the only thing I can say, because I have to be extraordinarily vague about it, because the last time I talked to anybody about it, I got in trouble…big trouble…what I can tell you is [that] it’s extraordinarily ambitious.  It is unlike the other X-Men movies and yet very much a celebration of the X-Men movies.”

  “I don’t know enough of what he [Vaughn] has or hasn’t talked about.  I can tell you it’s been a very fluid process in the sense of we really went into it, Matthew, Jane and myself, just wanting to create a movie that was as…I’m very proud of First Class…as dramatic as that movie, I think it is as dramatic as that movie, but more epic, mythic in a way as well.  So, there are ideas that we’ve started with that haven’t survived, there are ideas that we started with from conversations we had from making First Class that are going to be in the sequel.  So, it’s vague but…”

The Cast of X-Men: First Class courtesy Marvel.com

  “It’s one of those movies that, because it’s such a big deal for the studio, they have some sense of what it is that we’re writing and they are ambitious about the movie, too.  I don’t know what the budget’s going to be, we’ve got to finish the script before we have a budget, but I would assume that it is a bigger movie than the last in physical scope, and that we have the license to do that because of the success of First Class. And because I think Fox has had success with interesting movies in the last couple of years in the genre, like Planet of the Apes was a really good movie, Chronicle was a cool movie, First Class, they’re just narratively or creatively a little bit more ambitious.  So they’ve encouraged us to do that with the sequel.”

For more of this interview here’s the Collider link.

  The full cast is on signed on to return. I’m still hoping we may see Magneto’s children: Polaris, Scarlet Witch or Quicksilver. I wonder if the success of the prequel inspired the Marvel NOW! decision to bring the original five X-Men into the current time in All-New X-Men by Brian Michael Bendis?

By Editor

X-Men: First Class Sequel Plot?

  The sequel of X-Men: First Class is moving ahead with director Matthew Vaughn back on board and a release date of July 18, 2014. The story continues the story of Professor Xavier and Magneto. Michael Fassbender has said he’s working with writer Simon Kinberg on the script. But could the next X-film be inspired by one of the greatest Chris Claremont/John Byrne era stories?

  Ain’t It Cool News reports that the studio has registered the title Days of Future Past with the MPAA.  That may not mean anything to the movie-goer just looking for a great action film. But to an X-Men comic reader – it’s close to the Holy Grail of mutant epics.

Uncanny X-Men #141 courtesy Marvel.com

  In Uncanny X-Men #141 and 142 the Days of Future Past was a powerhouse two-part story in two timelines. In a future North America rules by Sentinels (mutant hunting robots) most super heroes have been hunted down and exterminated or imprisoned. Magneto, Storm, Colossus and his wife Kate (Kitty Pryde) are in the camp. Rachel Summers (daughter of Scott/Cyclops and Jean Grey) and Franklin Richards (son of Reed and Sue of the Fantastic Four) are together and living in the prison camp too. Wolverine is with an underground resistance movement.

  The future X-Men conceive a daring plot to rewrite history and change the nightmare future. Rachel uses her psionic powers to send Kate’s consciousness into the past and into the body of Kitty Pryde who just joined the X-Men. Kitty must convince the mutants to go to Washington, D.C. to prevent the assassination of Senator Robert Kelly by the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants led by Mystique. The killing of Kelly led to the country’s hatred of mutants and implementation of Sentinels. While the past X-Men race to prevent the assassination, the remaining future X-Men fight the Sentinels.

Uncanny X-Men #142 courtesy Marvel.com

  The next X-Men film will likely not follow the storyline exactly but it could be an exciting way to reboot the entire film franchise but like Spock created a new timeline in JJ Abrams Star Trek.

  We could forget X-Men: The Last Stand ever happened. Professor Xavier and Cyke would still be alive. It could be a whole new beginning for the film franchise and I love Rachel Summers.

 Thanks to Collider.

By Editor

X-Men First Class Sequel Shoot Date

The Cast of X-Men: First Class courtesy Marvel.com

  Two big studios. Two big franchises. One hot star. There appears to be a compromise that keeps fans of the X-Men and The Hunger Games happy!

  The X-Men First Class sequel will start shooting in January. That means Lionsgate can shoot Catching Fire in August/September without a conflict for Jennifer Lawrence according to The Hollywood Reporter Heat Vision. The in-demand actress plays Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games sequel, Catching Fire, and Raven/Mystique in X-Men: First Class.

  The next step for Catching Fire is lining up a director. The Hunger Games director and co-writer Gary Ross does not have a deal for the sequel.

For the entire story’s the Heat Vision link.

by Editor

The Hunger Games & X-Men: First Class Connection

  When casting began for The Hunger Games a big surprise was Lenny Kravitz for the role of Cinna. The cools stylist helps transform Katniss into a star before she enters the competition. The new Entertainment Weekly reveals how Kravitz became Cinna.

 Director Gary Ross had been moved by the singer’s performance in Precious and that Kravitz had a bond with star Jennifer Lawrence, who had become friends with his daughter, Zoe, during the filming of X-Men: First Class. Lawrence played Raven Darkholme/Mystique. Kravitz played Angel Salvadore.

“I love that girl, ” says Kravitz, “The minute I met her she became part of the family.”

For the entire interview including how other actors were cast pick up the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly.

My Comic Book Movie Oscars

The Cast of X-Men: First Class courtesy Marvel.com

Best Film: X-Men: First Class

 

Best Actor: Michael Fassbender as Erik Lensherr/Magneto

 

Best Actress: Jennifer Lawrence as Raven Darkholme/Mystique

 

Best Supporting Actor: Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy/Beast

 

Best Supporting Actress: Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter

 

Best Director: Matthew Vaughn X-Men: First Class

 

Best Villain: Tom Hiddleston/Loki

 

Best Script: X-Men: First Class

Captain America: The First Avenger courtesy Marvel.com

 

Most Inspiring Moment: Captain America bringing back Bucky and his unit back!

 

Best Special Effect: Asgard and the Bifrost

 

Best Human Special Effect: Chris Hemsworth (male) January Jones(female)

 

Best Costumes: Thor

 

Best Decision to Change a Costume for the Big Screen: Captain America

 

Gone Too Soon: Darwin, X-Men: First Class

 

Coolest Comic Book to Movie Makeover: Azazel (Jason Flemying) X-Men: First Class

Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes in Captain America: The First Avenger courtesy Marvel.com

 

Coolest Male Character I Hope to See in a Sequel: Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan)

 

Coolest Female Character I Hope to See More of in a Sequel: Lady Sif (Jaime Alexander)

 

Most Perfect Casting: Chris Evans (Steve Rogers) and Hugo Weaving (Red Skull)

 

Best Mix of Marvel Mythology in one movie while still keeping it accessible: Captain America: The First Avenger

 

Honorary Award: James McAvoy as Professor Charles Xavier. Michael Fassbender received most of the praise but he had the more demanding role. Everyone roots for the anti-hero. Xavier was the optimistic, steady yin to Erik’s passionate, revenge driven yang.  Xavier is the mentor to the other characters and McAvoy was the rock for the rest of the cast.

Tom Hiddleston as Loki & Chris Hemsworth as Thor in Thor courtesy Marvel

 

Honorary Award: Kenneth Branaugh! I had serious doubts about making Norse Gods, Asgard, and the Nine Realms accessible and enjoyable but he pulled it off beautifully. His Shakespearean background was perfect to infuse the Odin, Thor, Loki conflict with power and drama.

  A stellar year for Marvel superhero fans at the box-office. Great action, inspiration, and emotion. Thanks to all the creators and actors who accepted the challenge of bringing our heroes to the big screen.

 

Michael Fassbender joins Ridley Scott’s New Film – Updated

Michael Fassbender in Prometheus courtesy 20th Century Fox

  Michael Fassbender has officially joined Ridley Scott’s next film The Counselor. The Cormac McCarthy penned thriller is being called “No Country for Old Men on steroids.”

  Scott went for Fassbender as his lead after working with him on Prometheus. The actor will play an attorney who gets involved in a drug operation. Thanks to Deadline for breaking and now confirming the story.

  This marks 3 scheduled projects with previous directors for the in demand star. Fassbender will work with his Shame director Steve McQueen on 12 Years A Slave and director Matthew Vaughn on a X-Men: First Class sequel that will reportedly focus on Magneto.

Update:

Jeremy Renner, Bradley Cooper and Brad Pitt have been mentioned as potential actors to play the film’s villain. Thanks to Deadline and Dark Horizons.

All of those actors would be perfect but there’s something about the physicality of Renner that is most exciting – or maybe it’s the geek in me picturing the guys who played Magento and Hawkeye in the same cool movie?