SCI FI Wire spoke with producer Lauren Shuler Donner over the phone last week to promote next Friday’s opening of X-Men Origins: Wolverine and they took some time to discuss several other projects that are in development for Fox Studios, including the Magneto spinoff and X-Men: First Class.
The first question was simply asking for a status update on X-Men Origins: Magneto for which Shuler Donner responded (responses below edited by SCI FI Wire):
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“I don’t know. We have a great script. Honestly, we have all been just so focused on getting Wolverine out that we didn’t take the time to sit down and explore ‘What are the movies we’re going to do next within the genre?’ We will do that. We will do that. We all want to. Magneto is a fantastic script, and hopefully we’ll make it. I don’t know.”
I love the Magneto character and he certainly has an intriguing history to flesh out a nice story for a feature film, but I’m very fearful of what Fox may do with the character.
If things stay on track to what we’ve seen in the X-Men films and the Wolverine spinoff, we’ll likely see a convoluted history of the character loaded with other popular characters that don’t belong. Maybe they’ll throw in characters Cable and Bishop and some Sentinels just for the sake of it.
We knew scripts had been written and in November of last year we reported on the plot synopsis of the Magneto origins story. Whether or not this movie will get the greenlight however, depends on the success of Wolverine’s solo spinoff. SCI Fi Wire asked Donner if the reaction to the Wolverine movie will affect the Magneto spinoff:
“I think this is partly to do with it, yes. And then we have First Class, which is based on the X-Men comics’ first class and is very literal to the title. It’s the first class in Xavier’s school. But that’s just being written. I haven’t even seen a first draft. And I’m producing that with Simon Kinberg.”
Last year, it was reported that Josh Schwartz (The OC, Gossip Girl and Chuck) was hired by Fox to write the script for the First Class film which would tell the story of the original five X-Men characters (at least in the comics) when Xavier’s school for the gifted first started up. Donner was asked what interests her about the First Class movie and it as a potential franchise:
“I like kids. I did produce Pretty in Pink and St. Elmo’s Fire. I do like those kind of teenage movies; I really do. Part of it takes me to my roots. It’s action. There seems, to me, to be more humor, or more potential for humor. I really like that idea. The relationship … I don’t want to get into what the script is about, but it provides a bit of a lighter touch to the franchise.”
I like the idea of a more focused X-Film with a 5-mutant team but a kids movie? Is that what the next X-Men films will be? I’m not sure what the fans of the comics or previous X-films will think of that.
What do you think of Fox pursuing a Magneto solo film and their plans for X-Men First: Class?
Source: SCI FI Wire
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18 Comments
i agree about putting in sentinels even though x3 could have been better if they were in that film(not just that one in the begining) of course this is my opinion.
as far as “xmen: First Class” is concerned i like the idea of showing the original xmen(from the films), just dont think the whole “teen titans” idea is gonna work
Actually, I think the idea of a teenage X-Men team is a rather welcome idea. I think the biggest challenge they’ll face is creating a draw for the film series’ established fan base. I’m curious to see how Cyclops has been woven into the Wolverine movie, but I don’t see how they could do the reverse with “First Class.” My only thought there is that they hope the young actor they choose for Cyclops in the new Wolverine film will provide a bridge for fans. That might work, and as a fan of Cyclops’ character (one that hasn’t been handled well at all in the films so far), I’m optimistic that this jump back in time will finally give him a chance to shine and let fans appreciate what an interesting character he really is.
@ Bill Blume,
I agree about Cyclops,
My guess is that they’ll use the Emma Frost and Cyclops unknown actors from Wolverine and put them in First Class with a young Beast and Jean.
Stay tuned for more on that
Basically they can use anyone besides Angel and Nightcrawler. Like you said Rob, they can use Emma Frost, Beast, Cyclops, Jean, and prob Storm. We already know why Beast wasnt in the first film all they have to say about Emma is that she left before the first film came out. The question i have is, how young are they gonna go? Are they gonna have the original actors back? Or are they gonna go with you actors? Either way, im looking forward to First Class. A Magneto film would be epic, showing him and the nazis and the concentration camps could come out to be a really strong story.
@ Rob
Given the romantic triangle that developed later in the comic book with Cyclops, Jean and Emma… I suspect that’s going to be an element in “First Class.” The obvious twist is that it doesn’t involve the breakup of a marriage. More likely, they put Emma in the “First Class” and have her die or rebel against Xavier to clear the way for Scott and Jean. I know some of the die hard fans wouldn’t look too kindly to that scenario… but if I had to write it, that’s how I’d go with the current characters they have in place. The other plus is that it provides a second character to bridge “Wolverine” and “First Class”… another potential, future star.
So, that would mean the team consists of Cyclops, Storm, Jean and Emma. Who the fifth mutant would be is a tough call, but they’d probably opt for a male mutant. My personal preference would be Banshee, but I’d also hate to see him turned into a teenager. Keeping him older would be more interesting to me. Banshee would serve as original team’s field commander, but he gets injured and Cyclops has to step up to take his place.
Lord, I’m giving this way too much thought. At this rate, I might have to go off and do one of those fan fiction things to get it out of my system (after all, I don’t think Marvel will be hiring me for the script anytime soon). Darn.
@ Oscar!
I think they’re going to use the actors from X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I’m not positive but Tim Pocock who plays young cyclops may have a multi-picture deal and I know for a fact Taylor Kitsch (Gambit) does.
Nightcrawler’s a non-issue as he’s not part of the first-class anyway. The ones we need to worry about are Angel and Iceman who are both originals but introduced later in the continuity.
I’m working on a post discussing the possible roster for this so look out for that soon!
I’m pretty sure they’ll use the actors who play Cyclops and Emma from Wolverine for the first class film. They’ll have to cast new actors for Jean and Beast and whomever else they want to include.
On the Magneto movie…..what are the odds of them putting the Red Skull in there, and if they do, what will that mean for Captain America?
In marvel, whenever there are nazi’s there is the Red Skull, and there was part of the Acts of Vengeance storyline (I think thats where it was) in the books where Magneto fought Red Skull and I believe he mentioned that he remembered him from, his childhood or something similar.
Just an outside thought is all. Hopefully Cap gets made first so Fox doesnt screw them over and claim rights to him.
@Doom
If I’m not mistaken, Capt. America is being made by Marvel so he wouldn’t appear in a Fox movie unless they confer with Marvel. I could be wrong though.
Fox is the anti-christ and will probably mess up Magneto. He has a compelling origin and it could be epic, but that studio has proven they are idiots. If they could just get a Favreau-type director and not interfere, they could redeem themselves.
I just want Marvel to buy back X-men and reboot it to more closely follow the comics. I’m happy that Fox brought X-men into the movies, but I just want the REAL X-MEN to live on the Big Screen.
I agree, John. Magneto could be a GREAT film if handled the right way, but Fox has a iffy history with that as we all know. They would almost HAVE to keep with the origin shown in X-men, but they could pick up right after he gets knocked unconscious by the guards.
Knowing Fox, though, they’ll have Wolverine as the 5th character in First Class, claiming it’s what the fans want.
Well you know, thinking about it, the X-men film started out with the team being Jean, Cyclops, and Storm. Whats not to say that they are going to mess up Storm’s back ground and make her one of the first class?
@Rob… Looking forward to that next post. Thanks for the update here.
If I remember right, in the first X-Men movie, wasn’t it implied, or even directly stated, that Storm WAS one of Xavier’s first students in the movie continuity. I’m actually all for giving her a role in First Class.
I don’t much care for Angel, but I wish there was some way to work in Iceman that didn’t contradict the current Movie continuity.
josh r,
yeah it said that cyclops, storm, and jean were among the first.
as for angel and iceman they can always replace them w/ emma frost or hell maybe even gambit
i meant according to the continuity of the films they were the first
i hope that beak,chamber,husk,angel salvador,glob herman,sinister,and apocalypse make it into the next few films whether its magneto first class or wolverine. i also want to see the sentinels for first class,and omega red fight wolverine he was one of his best villains and were is sauron.
new x-men the movie.generation-x the movie.district-x the movie.deadpool.gambit.magneto.x-men first class with sentinels.these are the films that need to be made.
Cyclops, Emma Frost, Jean Grey and Beast, should teens or young adults, but IceMan and Angel, should appear as kids in the movie, because they were establish in the previous movies as kids, as part of the first class they should have some appearance, Storm could have a cameo, as one of the first X-men, toad Blob and Quiqsilver should be one of the villains
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