The guys over at Latino Review put their peepers to good use picking out this little tidbit buried in the many movie titles recently announced on Production Weekly: X-men: First Class seems to be the next film in the series going into production!
I can't say that I'm that surprised, really. I can only assume that the execs over at Fox, which owns the rights to the X franchise, are peering through peepholes into Warner Bros. studios, trying to figure out how to put together a ma$$ive payday like The Dark Knight has been. While X-Men Origins: Wolverine promises to be a hit, I'm sure Fox knows that to really milk the cash cow would take something truly groundbreaking and unexpected. (After X3, I for one was just WAITING for the other shoe to drop on X4: The New Class. Shudder.)
To be honest, I'm feeling a bit clairvoyant, again. Since seeing The Dark Knight, and re-watching Batman Begins three more times, I've been pacing my living room stroking my chin, trying to imagine the kind of films Marvel could make to rival the Batman Begins Trilogy in both tone and quality. X-Men: First Class was one my more promising conclusions.
For those not in the know, "X0" would cover the early days when most mutants were still "in the closet," until renowned philanthropist Charles Xavier opened the doors to his school for the "gifted." His first five students in the comics: Cyclops, Jean Grey, Iceman, Hank McCoy (The Beast), and Warren Worthington (The Angel). Of course, that roster totally throws off the continuity of the current X-Men trilogy, but I'm sure all that will be worked out at the script stage (if it hasn't been already).
Here's my personal vision for X-Men: First Class (in 3 acts):
Act 1: Real world setting and tone, modern teenagers trying to tackle the usual hardships like hair in strange new places; Ice and/or wings growing where there wasn't any before; telepathic voices changing; and laser beams shooting uncontrollably from the eyes when excited. The kids parents freak, even going so far as to shun or abuse their children. (Seeing 'the real world' react to the sudden emergence of these 'freaks' would be a very interesting take on the X universe. People could really empathize with that.)
Act 2: In steps Charles Xavier with his long time compatriot, Erik Magnus Lensherr. The two build the school, (and the X-base beneath, Magnus' idea, 'just in case,') as a haven for the emerging mutant populace. The first class is enrolled but are awkward with one another, unsure of themselves and their strange new powers. Xavier and Magnus, (in two subtly different ways,) help them conquer their insecurities and embrace their powers --even show them how to work as a team. However, just as the kids come into their own, intolerance and fear amongst normal humans bubbles over. One student pays the ultimate price. Magnus, broken-hearted and disillusioned, gets twisted into the militant terrorist, Magneto.
Act 3: Magneto tries to lure Xavier and the kids over to the dark side with him. Xavier refuses, causing an irrepairable rift in their friendship; the kids stand with Xavier's ideals, Magneto mockingly dubbing them his "Xavier Men." Big final battle: the kids manage to stop Magneto from doing any real damage, but another big price is paid: Xavier's legs get crushed. In the aftermath, humans fear mutants more than ever; new mutants are either forced to, or choose to reveal themselves and be who they are; Xavier's school welcomes those in need; the first class steps up to become the X-Men; all while Magneto sits lonely, recruiting help where he can, secretly missing the family at Xavier's school he has abandoned.
Fox execs, I can have a full script ready in a month! (P.S. if my 3-act masterpiece should end up as the official script, remember your favorite neighborhood film clairvoyant over at Screen Rant called it first!)
For now though, let me know what YOU think X-Men: First Class should be all about! (Maybe your idea will end up in the final product, and you'll walk away without a single cent!)
Source: Latino Review via Production Weekly