Whether or not you enjoyed X-Men: Apocalypse, it should be noted that Bryan Singer and company did tell an ambitious story with innumerable characters and countless moving parts. This sprawling tale of heroism and the fight against prejudices featured an impressive cast of fan-favorite X-Men characters and a slew of new faces portraying them. With a runtime of 144 minutes, this latest entry in the franchise truly gave audiences a lot to ponder concerning the future of Professor Charles Xavier and the rest of the X-Men.

With X-Men: Apocalypse meeting mixed reviews from critics and fans alike, and a number of actors and actresses unsure as to whether or not they will return to their respective, iconic roles, fans are also curious as to the future of the property itself. Which characters will appear in X-Men 7? Who is the next villain going to be? Could we see another character spinoff? And where is Wolverine? We address all of these questions and more in our look into the aftermath of Apocalypse.

Before continuing, it should be noted that this article does contain spoilers. For those of you who have yet to see the film, we recommend bookmarking this page and returning once you have had a chance to check it out for yourself as it is still in theaters.

Here is Where X-Men: Apocalypse Leaves the X-Men.

16. Wolverine Runs Off

Wolverine in X-Men Apocalypse

Hugh Jackman's Wolverine unsheathing his claws on the big screen is always a treat for moviegoing audiences (even in some of the franchises less beloved entries) and it was certainly one of the highlights of X-Men: Apocalypse. In the limited amount of time that Jackman was on screen, he left his mark as the animalistic, ravaging Wolverine that we all know and love – only to angrily grunt and escape off into the Canadian wilderness afterwards. Jean Grey did however help Logan recover some of his memories before sending him on his not so merry way.

Considering the altered timeline of the X-Men universe (thanks to the events of Days of Future Past), it was interesting to find Wolverine once again back with the Weapon X program; perhaps proving true the adage that some events are destined to happen. Regardless, we are curious to see exactly how the events of this latest installment into the X-Men franchise will influence the story of Wolverine 3 (not the official title), and with that Weapon X post-credits tease in X-Men: Apocalypse, we are pretty confident that the program will play some role in Hugh Jackman's final film as the fan-favorite mutant.

15. William Stryker is Still At Large

William Styker in X-Men Apocalypse

Coinciding with our last entry, William Stryker's escape leads us to believe that we have not yet seen the last from the doctor. For those of you less familiar with Stryker's backstory, he is fictional super villain most infamously known – in the X-Men cinematic universe that is – as the mastermind behind the Weapon X program, a government program referring to the experimentation on mutants which in fact has created some of our favorite comic book characters: Deadpool, Sabertooth, and Wolverine.

Stryker and Wolverine have been very much attached at the hip throughout much of the X-Men film series, so we are confident that audiences will see the baddie once again (or at least have his presence felt, perhaps introducing Mutant X-23) in the upcoming Wolverine solo movie. We are not exactly sure what Wolverine 3 will have in store for moviegoers, but we do not think it crazy to assume that Stryker might have a trick or two left up his sleeves.

14. Havoc is Presumably Dead

Havoc in X-Men Apocalypse

One of the more heart-wrenching moments from X-Men: Apocalypse is when the titular villain and his four horsemen arrive at the School For Gifted Youngsters in order to kidnap Professor Charles Xavier. In the heat of the battle, the X-Men presumably lose Alex Summers in an explosion that wipes out the entire mansion. The Evan Peters-portrayed Quicksilver manages to save the lives of all the students inside X-Mansion (in what is arguably the best scene in the entire film), but does not find Havoc's body.

It is assumed by the characters within the film, as well as the audience, that Havoc did not make it out alive, but the narrative did leave it open to write Alex back into the franchise if they so chose. We are not holding our breath for a return of Lucas Till's Havoc – especially seeing as how the actor recently signed on as the lead in the upcoming MacGyver television series reboot – but we would not be shocked to see the character in a sequel either.

13. Angel Also Presumably Dead

Angel in X-Men Apocalypse

Presumably, there were casualties on both sides in X-Men: Apocalypse, as it appears as though we also lost Angel. Since audiences did not witness his demise however, much like Havoc we could easily see future films writing Angel back into the fold. His arc may not have been the most interesting of all the horsemen, but there is certainly potential for this character should the team at Fox choose to utilize him.

Angel had a pretty rough outing throughout the story of Apocalypse: seeing his own wings mangled in an electric fence, participating in a bit of nonsocial drinking in abandoned warehouse, losing to Nightcrawler in a fight, twice, and basically being disowned by the titular Apocalypse in the final act of the film. That said, we would like to see a return of the character on one of his better days, perhaps even as a hero, if the writing team so chooses. Sure, Angel may have been a villain in the latest installment of the franchise, but if the team can welcome Storm to X-Mansion after her brief stint as a baddie, then we are confident that Professor Xavier and company would be willing to forgive her former compatriot as well.

12. Mystique is a Hero Yet Again

Mystique in X-Men Apocalypse

Jennifer Lawrence's turn as the blue shapeshifter is certainly much different than the arc we witnessed from the Rebecca Romijn iteration in the original X-Men trilogy. While Romijn's Mystique was portrayed as one of the villains of the original trilogy, Lawrence's character generally finds herself on the side of good, albeit as bit of an anti-hero at times. X-Men: Apocalypse was of course, no exception.

After her inspiring and heroic speech in the last act of X-Men: Days of Future Past, Raven has quite literally become the poster child for mutant acceptance. All of the younger mutants look up to her as she is now viewed as a celebrity among the community. Despite all of her qualms concerning intolerance towards her kind, the Jennifer Lawrence-portrayed Mystique finds herself talking Magneto off a ledge, and ultimately saving the day once again.

The biggest question surrounding Mystique is not concerning her character arc, but rather who exactly will be portraying her moving forward. Director and writer Bryan Singer did state that he thinks Mystique should get her own solo movie, but with Lawrence's recent comments in various interviews regarding her return to the franchise, we are not too convinced that she will be on board for future X-Men films. It would certainly be a coup for 20th Century Fox to resign the talented young actress, but it looks as though fans will just have to wait a bit longer to see whether or not the studio is able to make it happen.

11. Storm Joins the X-Men

Storm in X-Men Apocalypse

As alluded to earlier, Storm has finally found her home with the X-Men, and it appears as though 20th Century Fox has found their desired actress to portray this character for years to come. What this means for the future of the character is at this moment unclear, but reports do link the Alexandra Shipp-portrayed Storm with the upcoming X-Men spin-off New Mutants. Little is known about the film at this point in time, but it certainly sounds like an exciting next step for the franchise.

As far as the character of Storm is concerned, her villainous days are probably behind her as she will most likely revert back to the hero we all know and love. Shipp does seem to enjoy her turn as the character as she has been vocal about returning for future films. Now joined alongside the likes of Cyclops, Jean Grey, Beast, Quicksilver, Nightcrawler, Mystique, and even Jubilee, it appears as though the X-Men team is stronger than ever and ready for whatever comes their way.

10. Psylocke Disappears

Psylocke in X-Men Apocalypse

Finally getting her chance to shine is the fan-favorite mutant Psylocke. Unlike her former villainous cohorts Magneto and Storm, the intentions of this horseman moving forward remain fairly shrouded in mystery. As she slinked off in the closing minutes of X-Men: Apocalypse, audiences get the sense that we have yet to see the last from the Olivia Munn-portrayed character.

Psylocke is one of those beloved X-Men characters that never quite got her due in the film franchise before Apocalypse. That being said, she was definitely the star of much of the marketing campaign. While the movie itself was met with mixed reactions, Olivia Munn's portrayal of Psylocke was generally accepted fairly well. A spinoff solo movie for the fan-favorite mutant may be a bit of a stretch at this point in time, but we would not be surprised in the slightest however to see more Olivia Munn's Psylocke in future X-Men films.

9. Jean Grey Now the Strongest Mutant?

Jean Grey in X-Men Apocalypse

It did not take long for Sophie Turner's iteration of Jean Grey to show off a glimpse of her tremendous power. In fact, when all seemed lost for the X-Men, the young mutant proved herself as the only character to truly hold her own against Apocalypse, even hinting at the Dark Phoenix storyline. Comic fans knew that Jean was among the most powerful mutants when at full capacity, but we were not quite sure if audiences would actually witness her great power it in X-Men: Apocalypse.

As it turns out, Turner's Jean Grey showed up in spectacular fashion. When the team needed her most, she was able to unleash a just a fraction of her true potential. Of all the characters to focus on in future X-Men movies, Jean is perhaps one of the most interesting as a possible Dark Phoenix storyline (handled correctly) could really lend itself to a fantastic cinematic retelling. Not to mention, Sophie Turner was one of the film's standout new talents, so a future sequel based around her would certainly be welcome by the X-Men faithful.

8. Jean and Scott Romantically Linked?

Jean and Scott in X-Men Apocalypse

X-Men comic book fans, and even those familiar with the previous films, know that Jean Grey and Scott Summers have a romantic history, but it was nice to see its origins played out in Apocalypse. Again, while the film was not ultimately received as well as director Bryan Singer and company would have hoped, X-Men: Apocalypse arguably gave audiences the most interesting big screen iterations of both Jean Grey and Cyclops. Nothing against Famke Janssen or James Marsden's portrayal of their respective characters in the original X-Men trilogy, but this latest installment in the franchise really focused more on both Jean and Scott, allowing Turner and Tye Sheridan to really flourish in their roles.

With a renewed focus on these fan-favorite characters, audiences are truly invited to invest into the love story, and while that was not the main storyline of the most recent film, it was certainly not a wasted component either. Audiences may have not been surprised by the two characters showing romantic interest in each other, but it was well executed nonetheless.

7. Charles and Moira Romantically Linked?

Moira in X-Men Apocalypse

Unlike with Jean and Scott, this is one relationship audiences might not have seen coming. For starters, Moira Mactaggert was not even part of X-Men: Days of Future Past, and seeing as how First Class ended with Rose Byrne's character losing her memories of Charles and the other mutants, fans could have been forgiven for thinking that we had seen the last of CIA agent.

Interestingly enough, Bryan Singer and company found a way to reincorporate Moira, and to the surprise of audiences, regained her memory through the assistance of Professor Xavier. Their romantic entanglements may have been hinted at in the aforementioned X-Men prequel, but truly took the next step in this latest installment. While it is currently unclear as to whether or not we will see more of Moira in future films from the franchise, it would certainly be odd if she was not at least mentioned considering Xavier's fondness for her. At the end of the day, this relationship might not have been the most exciting aspect of X-Men: Apocalypse, but it certainly did provide some heartfelt and even comedic moments.

6. Charles and Eric Are Still Friends

Charles and Eric from X-Men First Class

Charles and Magneto's relationship has been tested again and again throughout the various iterations of the X-Men comics, films, and even the cartoons, but the two remain lifelong friends. Even after the rough history between the two throughout the last few films alone, it is apparent that the characters have truly gone through a lot together.

With the future of the franchise unclear, and the actors unsure as to whether or not they are to return to these roles, it does appear that a nice bow has been placed on the arc of Charles and Eric's friendship. After the events of First Class, and even after Days of Future Past, it was clear that the two were not quite on the same page, but even through all of that, it was nice to hear an "old friend" from Michael Fassbender's Magneto before the closing credits. We are not entirely sure what will happen with these two characters moving forward, but it does appear that we have some sort of closure concerning their long and complicated relationship.

5. Magneto Unaware of His Son Quicksilver

Evan Peters as Quicksilver in X-Men Apocalypse

Audiences were teased a bit with the "will he or won't he" concerning Evan Peter's Quicksilver coming clean to Magneto about being his son, but at the end of the day, the speedster decided to keep it a secret. The issue may or may not arise in future X-Men films, but we certainly hope to see more of Peter's character in upcoming sequels as he continues to serve as a scene-stealing delight.

The dynamic between Peters and Fassbender is one that has not really been explored all that much as of yet, but with the immense talent that both the two actors possess, it would certainly be a treat to behold on the big screen. Also, seeing as how Eric lost his entire family in undeniably the saddest moment of the entire film, it might be nice for him to find out he has a son after all. A Quicksilver and Magneto spinoff might make a better sitcom than an X-Men film, and perhaps that is why the writers chose not to let Eric in on this little secret, but regardless, more Peters and Fassbender on screen can only serve to help the franchise.

4. X-Mansion Rebuilt

X-Men School for Gifted Youngsters

We suppose that with all of the powers and resources at play, it would not take an extended amount of time to rebuild the School For Gifted Youngsters, but X-Men: Apocalypse certainly wasted no time at all skipping to the happy ending. Even with a massive explosion that almost wiped out the entire school and everyone inside, the X-Mansion returns to its former glory just in time for the final credits to role.

Not only was the building reconstructed, but life on campus finally went back to normal – normal for the X-Men that is. The audience got the sense that the school and its students had truly gone through tough times and come out the other side even stronger than before. Charles is so confident in his students that he states in a cool callback moment that he "feels a great swell of pity for the poor soul that comes to [his] school looking for trouble."

3. X-Men Assembled

X-Men Apocalypse - Danger Room

Despite the X-Men facing arguably their toughest challenge yet on the big screen, the team may have come out stronger than ever. With the addition of Storm and Quicksilver, the gang of mutants looked uncharacteristically cohesive at the close of the film. A newly bald Charles is once again overseeing his school, Mystique is back on the side of good and even teaching the young mutants, it seems as though Jean is finally understanding her powers, and Beast is back to his various lab experiments. All in all, everything appears to be back to normal at the School for Gifted Youngsters.

With dark forces and sinister baddies waiting around every corner in the X-Men universe, it appears as though the team is primed and ready for whatever may come its way. With the addition of some new mutants, and the return of old favorites, the core X-Men squad is coming together quite nicely. The finale of X-Men: Apocalypse really felt like the end of a brand new trilogy for the franchise, and with certain storylines wrapping up, audiences were treated to one of the lighter endings we have seen from Singer and company in this series. That said, the slate is clean for more shakeups in the franchise as things are unlikely to stay good for too long.

2. Mister Sinister Revealed?

Mister Sinister X-Men in the Marvel Comics

Outside of the core comic book fans, many audience members may have left their respective X-Men Apocalypse screenings scratching their heads after watching the post-credits scene. For those less familiar with the source material, Essex Corporation – the name embroidered on the briefcase in the post-credits scene – refers to Dr. Nathaniel Essex who is more commonly known as Mister Sinister, one of the X-Men's most infamous villains. Boasting the powers of superhuman strength, teleportation, telekinesis, telepathy, the power to manipulate molecules and so much more, Mister Sinister has certainly proven himself as more than a nuisance throughout his infamous run in both the comics as well as the animated series.

The post-credits tease may have hinted at a future villain reveal, but in which film remains to be seen. With New Mutants, Wolverine 3, X-Force, Deadpool 2, Gambit, and of course the next X-Men sequel on the slate for 20th Century Fox, Mister Sinister could truly serve as the protagonist in a number of upcoming movies.

1. X-Men Future With Fox Unclear

Xmen Apocalypse Easter Eggs

Just when the X-Men team appears to be its strongest, the franchise finds itself at a bit of a crossroads. With some actors unsure as to whether or not they will return to their respective roles, and X-Men: Apocalypse underperforming a bit – both from a critical and financial standpoint – it is unclear as to which direction 20th Century Fox will head concerning its future films.

With Deadpool being one of 2016's standout hits thus far, we would not be surprised if the studio leaned heavily on the Merc With a Mouth in the immediate future, but given the character's R rating, Fox really does not have a family friendly franchise to rely on at this moment in time. Gambit looked to be the next exciting PG-13 adventure in the X-Men universe, but with its slew of various production issues, the film's release date is currently up in the air.

New Mutants appears to be the one property that could potentially supplant the main X-Men series if Fox so chooses. The cast of mutants is full of less familiar names, but with Hugh Jackman hanging up his claws in the near future, and not to mention the possibility of the franchise losing Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, and Jennifer Lawrence, it may in fact be the best move for the series.

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What do you think the future holds for the X-Men? Make sure to let us hear it in the comments.