X-Men: First Class

[dc20willsave]

Bryan Singer is a good director who also did Superman Returns but I'll forgive him if he does good on this one. X2 was, up until The Dark Knight, probably my favorite superhero movie. If First Class is half as good, then I think we're set.

[JackFetch]

"This is the formative years of Xavier and Magneto, and the formation of the school and where there relationship took a wrong turn," Singer said. "There is a romantic element, and some of the mutants from 'X-Men' will figure into the plot, though I don't want to say which ones. There will be a lot of new mutants and a great villain."

In the film, Xavier and Magneto will be twenty-something, and the film sounds similar in construct to the J.J. Abrams-directed Star Trek.

"Whether it's 'Batman,' 'Lord of the Rings' or 'Star Trek,' if the characters are good, you want to see them on their journey even if you know their destiny," Singer said. "I put myself in the fan's position, and I think this story is something I would want to see, and so will they."

http://superherohype.com/news/x-mennews.php?id=8934

Did he just say there is a romantic element to Xavier and Magneto's relationship?

[Missy]

Maybe he means a love triangle with Moira MacTaggert?

[Venneh]

...This may just be me reading it in an odd way, but if they are implying what I think they're implying, then I'd be hella interested to see how they handle it. (And plus, McKellan and Stewart are doing Waiting for Godot in London currently, would give my right arm to see that, but if its any similar to that sort of dynamic, oh god hell yes please!)

And it sounds like they're merging the Magneto origin story with this, and I'm cool with that.

[JackFetch]

Maybe he means a love triangle with Moira MacTaggert?

I hope so, because the world isn't ready for Magxavier.

[Guest]

Maybe he means a love triangle with Moira MacTaggert?

I hope so, because the world isn't ready for Magxavier.

[JackFetch]

Actually, I was going for a Brangelina feel. Not actually cramming them together to make a terrible bad guy.

[JackFetch]

The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision Blog talked to Bryan Singer about his recent announcement that he'll direct X-Men: First Class. He says that he's working with screenwriter Jamie Moss on developing the screenplay and that he will likely shoot Jack the Giant Killer first.

Singer has an interesting quote in the interview, however, saying that the "Magneto" spin-off might not be necessary considering what they'll be doing for "First Class."

"This story would probably utilize some of the Magneto story because it deals with a young Magneto, so it might supersede that because this would explore that relationship between a young energetic professor and a disenfranchised victim of the Holocaust," said Singer.

He did add that he doesn't see an exhaustion of the franchise: "The X-Men universe is boundless. These are great characters. And as young characters, they are quite different than the characters we have seen in the contemporary movies."

http://www.superherohype.com/news/x-mennews.php?id=8939

I knew that Magneto movie wouldn't happen.

[slothian]

The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision Blog talked to Bryan Singer about his recent announcement that he'll direct X-Men: First Class. He says that he's working with screenwriter Jamie Moss on developing the screenplay and that he will likely shoot Jack the Giant Killer first.

Singer has an interesting quote in the interview, however, saying that the "Magneto" spin-off might not be necessary considering what they'll be doing for "First Class."

"This story would probably utilize some of the Magneto story because it deals with a young Magneto, so it might supersede that because this would explore that relationship between a young energetic professor and a disenfranchised victim of the Holocaust," said Singer.

He did add that he doesn't see an exhaustion of the franchise: "The X-Men universe is boundless. These are great characters. And as young characters, they are quite different than the characters we have seen in the contemporary movies."

http://www.superherohype.com/news/x-mennews.php?id=8939

I knew that Magneto movie wouldn't happen.

I kind of guessed it wouldn't, given the lack of announcements. But if it's being dropped because of this teenage X-Men film, which itself is a spin-off from that horrible prequel film, then I'm thoroughly unimpressed.

[Venneh]

If they're going to center it around Xavier and Erik when they were just getting to know each other, and have the school be part of that, then I think it could work just fine.

And I had my suspicions that they were going to merge the Magneto story with this when we got the first announcements.

[JackFetch]

Bryan Singer, who made comic-book movies cool with the first X-Men movie, is returning to the franchise with the prequel X-Men: First Class, and he's talking about it for the first time.

The movie will deal with the early relationship between Charles Xavier and Eric Lensherr/Magneto and the early days of the Xavier Academy, Singer told the Los Angeles Times:

... a prequel to the 2000 film that shares its name with the eight-issue comics series that began in 2006 and was written by Jeff Parker with art by Roger Cruz.

Singer says the film will find its axis in the relationship between Professor X and Magneto and the point where their friendship soured. It will also detail the beginning of the school for mutants and have younger incarnations of some characters with new actors in roles of Cyclops, Jean Grey, the Beast, etc. (He only shrugged when asked if Hugh Jackman might appear as Wolverine, the one character who doesn't age at the same rate as humans.)

The premise has compelling elements to it, Singer said. "Just doing younger mutants is not enough. The story needs to be more than that. I love the relationship between Magneto and Xavier, these two men who have diametrically opposite points of view but still manage to be friends -- to a point. They are the ultimate frenemies."

http://scifiwire.com/2010/03/bryan-singer-spills-on-x-.php

Logan should not be in this since he didn't meet Xavier(in person) until the the first X-Men movie. If they try to cram him in this by explaining that he didn't remember it I will not see it.

[JackFetch]

Singer is not directing, but is producing it.

Just one week ago, director Bryan Singer and producer Lauren Shuler Donner were talking to the L.A. Times about Singer's affinity for the X-Men characters, which convinced him to direct X-Men: First Class. According to Deadline's Mike Fleming, Singer's obligations to begin production on Jack the Giant Killer, his 3D version of the classic fairy tale for Warner Bros., will have to take precedence and Singer will now only be producing X-Men: First Class.

According to Fleming, Fox is already in talks with a few directors they've short-listed who may be able to start production on the proposed first movie in a new prequel trilogy as early as summer or fall for a 2011 release, while Singer is locked into making the other CG-heavy movie through his contract with Warner Bros. Some may remember that WB snagged Singer to direct Superman Returns, preventing him from directing X-Men: The Last Stand.

http://superherohype.com/news/x-mennews.php?id=9209

[JackFetch]

Not only is Kick-Ass director Matthew Vaughn now officially locked as the helmer for Fox's X-Men: First Class, but the film also has a release date all of a sudden. And it's in just 13 months -- June 3, 2011!

The studio has revealed that Vaughn is signed on and that they are planning to start shooting this summer. No cast has been revealed for the project yet, however.

Vaughn of course famously came on to helm X-Men: The Last Stand when Bryan Singer departed that film to make Superman Returns for Warner Bros. back in the day. And now, in an act of perfect Hollywood symmetry, Vaughn has come in on Singer's heels again as the latter departs for Warner's Jack the Giant Killer… Well, it's not quite perfect symmetry as Vaughn eventually left The Last Stand as well and was replaced by Brett Ratner. Hopefully that won't happen again.

Singer is still producing the picture along with Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg, and he also worked up the story for the film, which will tell of the early days of Professor Charles Xavier and his School for Gifted Youngsters. It will be set in an era when he and Erik Lensherr (a.k.a. Magneto) were still buds and, according to a press release, "when they were discovering their powers for the first time. Close friends then, the two men worked with other mutants (some familiar, some new) to stop a global threat."

"X-Men: First Class presents an exciting opportunity to further explore the history and relationships of these beloved characters. Matthew's combination of talent, verve and vision is perfectly suited to the task," Fox president of production Emma Watts said.

http://movies.ign.com/articles/108/1087689p1.html

They might want to get a move on getting a cast together.

[KnightWing]

O_o

Okay then.

[Chadzilla]

I have a bad feeling about this. (But I will try to adopt this strange and painful position known as "Optimism.")

[Venneh]

What is this "optimism"? Can you eat it? Does it smell good?

[slothian]

Vaughn being hired is a bit of a surprise, given the debacle over The Last Stand. I don't think that a "First Class" film directed by Vaughan with Singer producing is a bad idea on paper, but again, the tight release date deadline isn't exactly conducive to producing a superb CBM (Spidey 2 evidently got lucky!).

As Jack says, they better get moving on announcing the cast if they're not re-using the same actors from the last X-Men "movie". That would have been my guess for why the release date is next year - to stop the previous actors advancing too far past puberty - but the lack of a confirmed cast is clouding the issue. I think the release date is going to have to be pushed back though, if only by a couple of months, as 13 months for a big-budget franchise film with innumerable special effects is a HUGE ask.

[D-Man]

This will bomb.

[Koete]

James McAvoy has been cast as Charles Xavier.

[Missy]

If this movie truly focus on a young Xavier and Magneto, in the early days of their friendship, then I like the casting. If, however, he's playing Professor X at the time of the X-Men's formation, then he's way too young.

[KnightWing]

Wow! I never thought of him, but that sounds great.

[ShaunKL]

I see the Xavier in McAvoy with a shaved head.

[Stavros]

McAvoy is great in everything, the young adventures of Xavier and Magneto should be well worth watching. Then again, I thought the Wolverine prequel would be good.

[slothian]

I'll be annoyed if Stewart plays no part in this film. I like McAvoy well enough, but he doesn't spring to mind when thinking of a young Charles Xavier.

[JackFetch]

It might be worth noting she is 31, so that would have her and Magneto almost the same age.

Rosamund Pike, the British actress who appeared most recently in Surrogates, may be playing Emma Frost, aka the White Queen in next summer's X-Men: First Class, according to a story at Forces of Geek.

According to the site, Pike has been spotted in the offices of X-Men: First Class director Matthew Vaughn's casting director and also seen carrying Emma Frost comic books.

Casting rumors for the film are pouring in with, just earlier today, Michael Fassbender rumored to be in the running for the part of Magneto. With shooting set to begin in just a few months, it shouldn't be long before Fox offers official confirmation.

http://www.superherohype.com/news/articles/102297-rosamund-pike-up-for-emma-frost

I'm sure they have most of the cast picked already. They are scouting locations for filming, so they better have them.