Will X-Force be the next mutant movie to blow the box-office away after X-Men: Days of Future Past?
After news that 20th Century Fox registered the an X-Force domain name, The Hollywood Reporter Heat Vision said Jeff Wadlow (Kick-Ass 2) has been hired to write and possibly direct the project.
The big burning question:
Which X-Force will make it to the big screen?
The First X-Force: In the final days of New Mutants a cyborg named Cable became the leader of the team (Cannonball, Sunspot, Rictor, Boom Boom) and with new recruits Domino, Shatterstar, Feral and former villain Warpath (brother of the late X-Man Thunderbird) became a pro-active fighting force against mutant enemies. Rob Liefeld and Fabian Nicieza launched the first X-Force series. As the book progressed Cable was revealed to be the mutant son of Cyclops and Madelyne Pryor who had been taken to the future as a child. Siryn (seen in X2: X-Men United) and Caliban would join the military strike force.
X-Statix: Peter Milligan and Mike Allred rebooted X-Force (which later became X-Statix) as a team of mutant media celebrities with a brand new cast including U-Go Girl, Vivisector, Anarchist, Bloke, Orphan and Doop, now on staff at the Jean Grey School. I think only Doop (see the guy in green) is the only member who could make it to the big screen.
Unleash the X-Force: During the Messiah Complex epic, Cyclops and Wolverine (under writers Chris Yost and Craig Kyle) created a black ops team to take out enemies of mutants before they could strike. Logan recruited Archangel, Domino, Warpath, Wolfsbane, Hephibah, Vanisher, Elixir. Wolverine’s cloned daughter, X-23 (aka Laura Kinney) joined the team against Logan’s wishes. The Purifiers (an anti-mutant army of religious fanatics) were the main villains of this team.
Uncanny X-Force: Cyclops shut them down but Wolverine still saw the need for his secret black ops team. Logan and Archangel recruited Psylocke, Deadpool and Fantomex for an epically violent clashes against Apocalypse written by Rick Remender.
Marvel Now! Uncanny X-Force: Psylocke and Storm were sent on mission by Wolverine to investigate a mutant drug craze and eventually met up with Puck (of Alpha Flight fame) and the villainess Spiral. Psylocke’s former lover Fantomex is now in three different bodies – it’s complicated! This latest version by writer Sam Humphries is still very new.
Cable and X-Force: Yes, there are actually two X-Force titles out now. Cable, Domino, Forge, Colossus and Dr. Nemesis round out the current “other” Force. The team has been branded as outlaws as Nathan tries to stop disasters before they happen.
Which X-Force team should/will make the cut?
It all comes down to Jackman. Fox and Hugh could keep the party going with a movie based on the Yost/Kyle era and focus on Logan’s relationship with cloned daughter, X-23 or go with the wildly popular Remender era (Logan, Psylocke, Deadpool, Fantomex, Archangel) that’s still having an impact on the current Marvel Universe (see Uncanny Avengers.)
If Jackman gives up the claws then Cable (Nathan Summers) could take the over as Fox’s tortured tough guy. Cable is so cinematic. Imagine a younger Clint Eastwood with a bionic arm, big guns and more big guns!
Domino (Neena Thurman) gorgeous and deadly mercenary who bedded Cable and Wolverine. Domino has a “good luck” mutant power and is skilled in combat, weapons and wit!
Deadpool (Wade Wilson) is the merc with a mouth who appeared in X-Men: Origins: Wolverine and played by Ryan Reynolds. Deadpool wasn’t an actual member until Remender’s team but the Merc was a huge part of the Liefeld era. I think Deadpool is better as a supporting player with comic relief than a leading man.
It’s rumored Warpath and Sunspot appear in X-Men: Days of Future Past and could segue into Cable’s X-Force. I hope Marvel recruits Doop from the X-Statix era. It’s the kind of character with breakout potential.
My dream X-Force movie team is a merger: Cable, Domino, Deadpool as the unholy lead trinity with Warpath, Cannonball, Boom Boom, Doop and X-23 with a special appearance by Wolverine.
By Editor