Professor X, Magneto, Mystique and Beast (James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult) return for the sequel set in the 1980’s. Hugh Jackman returns as Wolverine.
It’s a good bet Gambit (Channing Tatum) and Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) may appear since those characters are headlining spinoffs before and after Apocalypse. Days of Future Past introduced Blink, Sunspot and Warpath.
Is Rachel Summers ready for a big comeback? X-Men: Days of Future Past is based on the classic story that introduced the daughter of Scott Summers and Jean Grey from a future timeline so it’s possible the character could appear in director the Bryan Singer directed sequel.
In comics Professor X is dead. Emma Frost is on the run. Rachel is the most powerful telepath at the Jean Grey School. Wolverine and the X-Men writer Jason Aaron teased Rachel’s future is his book:
“…she’s the top telepath at the Jean Grey School. That’s already a pretty huge role. Assuming she survives the current Murder Circus craziness, I’d expect to see Rachel getting back to what she was doing in issue #19: namely doing whatever she can to track down the Hellfire Club. For those that want to see more of Rachel unleashed, believe me, it’s coming,” Aaron told a fan on X-Position on Comic Book Resources.
X-Men #190 courtesy Marvel
Another movie/comic connection to ponder:
Jennifer Lawrence will reprise her role Mystique in X-Men: Days of Future Past. In the Claremont storyline the shapeshifter leads the Brotherhood of Mutants in an attack on a Senator. The X-Men must prevent the assassination to prevent a future in which Sentinels rule.
Mystique has been a key player in Rick Remender’s final Uncanny X-Force arc The Final Execution. Raven will be a huge villain in All-New X-Men and Wolverine and the X-Men.
“I can’t say too much about what she’s up to without spoiling one of our big arcs for next year. But she’s obviously still working with Sabretooth’s crew, along with Lord Deathstrike and the new Silver Samurai, who are all currently being contracted by the Hellfire Club to track down some of the new mutants popping up around the globe. As for what happens when they find those mutants… well, I expect we’ll have an answer soon enough,” Aaron said.
Hugh Jackman leading the real Last Stand! In the classic Days of Future Past storyline Logan leads the underground resistance in a future North America ruled by Sentinels. Magneto, Storm, Colossus and Kitty Pryde (now Kate Rasputin) are the only surviving X-Men. The heroes eventually break out of their concentration camp and join Logan on a suicide raid on Sentinel headquarters. Hugh Jackman is now in talks to join the film.
Uncanny X-Men #466 courtesy Marvel
Rachel Summers! The daughter of Scott and Jean is the key to the story. Rachel is telepathic and telekinetic like her mother and uses her psionic powers to send Kate’s mind into the present day body of a younger Kitty Pryde who must convince the X-Men to prevent an assassination that will lead to this dark future. Bryce Dallas Howard (yes I know she’s already been in a Spidey movie) would be perfect as tragic daughter of Scott and Jean. Rachel was forced to be a “Hound” and track down fellow mutants. In the comic books Rachel escaped the future and went into the past became the new Phoenix and joined the X-Men. She currently teaches as the Jean Grey School.
Franklin Richards! The last surviving member of the Fantastic Four is in love with Rachel. The son of Reed and Susan Storm Richards is in the camp with the surviving X-Men and I won’t reveal his final fate. Mark Millar’s new role as Creative Consultant for the Fox controlled Marvel franchises includes the upcoming reboot of Fantastic Four. This film could serve as a reboot point for both franchises similar to J.J. Abrams’s Star Trek.
Kitty Pryde/Kate Rasputin! Could Singer recruit Ellen Page to reprise her role? In the future Kate is married to Colossus (as it should be!) but agrees to have her mind travel into the past to rally the X-Men to stop a chain of events leading to the dark future. I think this is unlikely given the time period of the previous film.
Frenzy! I think the movie version will still have a Brotherhood of Mutants attempt to assassinate a Senator. The killing leads to the creation of the Sentinels. Magneto (Michael Fassbender) and Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) will need new members of their Brotherhood. Why not have the gorgeous and formidable Frenzy aka Joanna Cargill on the roster? This would be a good way to have an African-American character in this retro time period as a way to explore race relations and the human/mutant conflict. In the comics Frenzy is a former mutant terrorist (who followed Apocalypse and Magneto) but joined the staff of the Jean Grey School.
X-Factor #243 courtesy Marvel
Polaris! Before I knew the X-Men: First Class sequel would be Days of Future Past I was hoping Magneto’s children (Polaris, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch) would appear in the sequel. Polaris aka Lorna Dane is a green haired mutant with magnetic powers and falls in love with Havok (played by Lucas Till.) Polaris is one of the most tragic characters in X-history and having her could lead to romantic scenes with Till and powerful scenes with the men who would be revealed as her father (Michael Fassbender, Ian McKellen.) I think maybe Lorna would be the mutant sent back to save the future instead of Kitty.
Halle Berry returns as Storm! Ororo joins Logan in his assault on the Sentinel HQ in the future. I would love to see Berry (and Daniel Cudmore as Colossus) join Hugh Jackman in what is one of the most gripping scenes from the comic book series as the older broken heroes go on a suicide mission to save humanity one last time.
All-New X-Men features the original five students of Professor X in the here and now.
The cover of All-New X-Men #2 revealed this week features Storm, Wolverine, Kitty Pryde and Lockheed, furry Beast and Bobby – now at his full Omega level potential. It’s assumed that the girl with the short red hair was Rachel Summers, daughter of Scott and Jean from an alternate future.
Writer Brian Michael Bendis revealed on his message board that this mystery woman is not Rachel.
“The mystery woman is not Jessica Jones OR rachel summers. hmmm…”
X-Man versus X-Man, Wolverine versus one of his own students and a God slammed by a mutant one-two punch. Wolverine and the X-Men #12 gives us a powerhouse and emotionally powerful showdown in a nasty corner of this new world ruled by the Phoenix Five. Jason Aaron and Chris Bachalo deliver yet another issue packed with action, humor and the unexpected.
The heart of this issue is Rachel Summers. You don’t have the know Rachel’s tragic future history chronicled in the Chris Claremont/John Romita Jr era but knowing it makes this issue more impactful. Scott and Jean’s daughter from the future escaped her future life where he was a hound. In the Phoenix’s new world order Rachel is tasked with hunting again. Once Rachel tracks her “prey” the result is shocking and hints of what’s to come in future chapters of AvX. Jason Aaron’s portrayal of Rachel’s inner struggle is a standout of this issue.
This issue was so powerful it felt like it could have been a major chapter of the main mega series. This is definitely a tie-in issue you should not miss. Gladiator and a Shiar strike force were already on their way to kill the Phoenix. I can only imagine his wrath when he learns what’s happened to his son after Kid Gladiator took on one too many Avengers!
