Overlord
06-24-2005, 08:23 AM
I obtained this from the IGN site.
Speculation about X-Men 3 is running rampant online so let's begin sifting fact from rumor (or flat-out fiction), shall we? Here's what we know thus far:
X-Men 3 is slated to begin filming this July in Vancouver, B.C. for a May 26, 2006 release. The second sequel will be directed by Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake), who succeeds Bryan Singer. The screenplay is being written by Simon Kinberg (Fantastic Four) and Zak Penn (who shares story credit on X2: X-Men United).
Reliable sources advised IGN FilmForce that the screenwriters are working on two separate drafts of the same script, not unlike how Penn and Michael Dougherty & Dan Harris collaborated on X2. Apparently, this approach is standard operating procedure at 20th Century Fox.
Marvel Studios' CEO Avi Arad will produce along with Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter.
The Cast
Cast members confirmed as returning are Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Famke Janssen as the not-so-dead Jean Grey, and Anna Paquin as Rogue. Halle Berry, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are in talks to reprise their roles as Storm, Magneto and Professor X, respectively. Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) is contractually obligated for the film. Moviehole spoke with X3 scribe Kinberg who confirmed that James Marsden (a.k.a. Cyclops) will return briefly for the film. He did not elaborate further on how or why Cyclops will have such a small role. Marsden, it should be noted, will also be appearing in a supporting role in the new Superman movie directed by Bryan Singer. (There is reportedly a big rivalry between the two comic books movies and their respective studios, with Fox said to be peeved that Singer jumped ship for Warner Bros.)
No word yet on whether Rebecca (Mystique) Romijn, Aaron (Pyro) Stanford, Shawn (Iceman) Ashmore, or Daniel (Colossus) Cudmore will return for X3. Ditto Tyler (Sabretooth) Mane or Ray (Toad) Park.
New mutant characters will include Beast, Gambit and Angel. Yes, Angel will be male and not female as erroneously reported elsewhere. Fans should not expect Gambit to play a major role in the story. It seems he's included more to appease the fans than anything else. No word yet on who will play them but don't expect to see the actors who previously made cameos as Hank McCoy or Gambit, respectively, to be in X3. Bigger name thesps will be cast.
The Story
While plot details have been kept closely under wraps, X3 will indeed use the "Dark Phoenix" storyline from the X-Men comics as its basis. That said, it won't be a literal adaptation. Expect the film to be a Wolverine-driven story, since Fox is developing a Wolverine spin-off film for Jackman (scripted by Troy's David Benioff). "It should never be this one story. The main characters are more important than Jean Grey," Avi Arad recently advised Empire Online. "This is a bigger story. Everybody's expecting Dark Phoenix, but Dark Phoenix would never be the main show. She'll be one of the characters, that's it. There are a lot of stories to tell."
The fact that Marsden will only have a small role as Cyclops suggests that an ill fate might be in store for the character.
Despite recent rumors, there will be no appearances made by Dr. Bolivar Trask, the Sentinels, Sebastian Shaw, or Mr. Sinister; however, fans should expect there to be some human secondary characters with their own nefarious agendas.
By the way, the Danger Room will finally be seen ... unless Fox trims the budget (that's why the Danger Room was dropped from the past two films).
Conclusion
By all accounts, this will be the final X-Men film. Spin-offs like Wolverine and (young) Magneto are in the works at Fox so fans will still have some mutant movies to look forward to down the line. Then again, if X3 proves as big (or bigger) a hit than X2 then perhaps Fox will reconsider. We'll know more after May 26, 2006
Speculation about X-Men 3 is running rampant online so let's begin sifting fact from rumor (or flat-out fiction), shall we? Here's what we know thus far:
X-Men 3 is slated to begin filming this July in Vancouver, B.C. for a May 26, 2006 release. The second sequel will be directed by Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake), who succeeds Bryan Singer. The screenplay is being written by Simon Kinberg (Fantastic Four) and Zak Penn (who shares story credit on X2: X-Men United).
Reliable sources advised IGN FilmForce that the screenwriters are working on two separate drafts of the same script, not unlike how Penn and Michael Dougherty & Dan Harris collaborated on X2. Apparently, this approach is standard operating procedure at 20th Century Fox.
Marvel Studios' CEO Avi Arad will produce along with Lauren Shuler Donner and Ralph Winter.
The Cast
Cast members confirmed as returning are Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, Famke Janssen as the not-so-dead Jean Grey, and Anna Paquin as Rogue. Halle Berry, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are in talks to reprise their roles as Storm, Magneto and Professor X, respectively. Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) is contractually obligated for the film. Moviehole spoke with X3 scribe Kinberg who confirmed that James Marsden (a.k.a. Cyclops) will return briefly for the film. He did not elaborate further on how or why Cyclops will have such a small role. Marsden, it should be noted, will also be appearing in a supporting role in the new Superman movie directed by Bryan Singer. (There is reportedly a big rivalry between the two comic books movies and their respective studios, with Fox said to be peeved that Singer jumped ship for Warner Bros.)
No word yet on whether Rebecca (Mystique) Romijn, Aaron (Pyro) Stanford, Shawn (Iceman) Ashmore, or Daniel (Colossus) Cudmore will return for X3. Ditto Tyler (Sabretooth) Mane or Ray (Toad) Park.
New mutant characters will include Beast, Gambit and Angel. Yes, Angel will be male and not female as erroneously reported elsewhere. Fans should not expect Gambit to play a major role in the story. It seems he's included more to appease the fans than anything else. No word yet on who will play them but don't expect to see the actors who previously made cameos as Hank McCoy or Gambit, respectively, to be in X3. Bigger name thesps will be cast.
The Story
While plot details have been kept closely under wraps, X3 will indeed use the "Dark Phoenix" storyline from the X-Men comics as its basis. That said, it won't be a literal adaptation. Expect the film to be a Wolverine-driven story, since Fox is developing a Wolverine spin-off film for Jackman (scripted by Troy's David Benioff). "It should never be this one story. The main characters are more important than Jean Grey," Avi Arad recently advised Empire Online. "This is a bigger story. Everybody's expecting Dark Phoenix, but Dark Phoenix would never be the main show. She'll be one of the characters, that's it. There are a lot of stories to tell."
The fact that Marsden will only have a small role as Cyclops suggests that an ill fate might be in store for the character.
Despite recent rumors, there will be no appearances made by Dr. Bolivar Trask, the Sentinels, Sebastian Shaw, or Mr. Sinister; however, fans should expect there to be some human secondary characters with their own nefarious agendas.
By the way, the Danger Room will finally be seen ... unless Fox trims the budget (that's why the Danger Room was dropped from the past two films).
Conclusion
By all accounts, this will be the final X-Men film. Spin-offs like Wolverine and (young) Magneto are in the works at Fox so fans will still have some mutant movies to look forward to down the line. Then again, if X3 proves as big (or bigger) a hit than X2 then perhaps Fox will reconsider. We'll know more after May 26, 2006