It looks like 20th Century Fox will be continuing the X-Men franchise not just with solo spin-offs. The studio signed Josh Schwartz this week to write X-Men: First Class to bring the franchise to a younger generation.
Josh Schwartz is the creator, writer and producer of the television shows The OC, Gossip Girl and Chuck and this will be his first shot at developing a project for the big screen. You can probably guess who the target audience will be.
The film will undoubtedly follow (at least in some way, shape or form) the general idea and story from the X-Men: First Class comic book which Marvel debuted in 2006 as a mini-series, later continued as an ongoing series. The book follows the original five X-Men (for the most part) in their teens working for Professor X as it was when the X-Men comic began back in the 60’s.
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That being said, the comic may have no bearing at all on the film… in fact it probably won’t – we all saw what Fox did with X-Men 3 and pretty much all the other Marvel properties they own rights to. They don’t seem to pay homage to the continuity of the source material at all -so I would not be surprised to see the First Class team feature characters that definitely do not belong. Just look at X-Men Origins: Wolverine; it has Gambit as part of Weapon X, which makes no sense at all to anyone familiar with the comics.
My fear is that Fox will just randomly pluck any X-characters who they think are popular and throw them on the same team without regard to who they are and where or when they are from. And it’ll be a shame if they do that since the X-Men are badass in their own right and they don’t need to be screwed with to sell.
I’m a big X-Men fan myself and I’m always up for seeing more feature films about them. However I wish they could just turn some of the millions of stories already written (and illustrated) for them and adapt them for film, rather than just using the brand and character names for whatever they want. There’s a reason the X-Men comic has been around so long and has spawned so many books, games, merchandise and television programming – you don’t need to make up stuff to substitute for that.
I have no idea what to expect from Schwartz, other than the project obviously being targeted as a teen drama for teens. Apparently there’s also a possibility of him directing which makes it even more unpredictable.
You know my thoughts. What are yours?
Source: Variety
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21 Comments
I have to say that I am scared that Fox will screw this up again. I could definately see something like Pyslocke or Bishop appear in the film just to get the charecter out like Gambit. I’m glad we finally get to see him but its not true to the comic. Stay true to the comic Fox or we’ll have another x-men 3.
Rob do you see the shift that’s taking place here.
Everythings going tween…
Rob, I couldn’t agree with you more. I’m hoping that FOX figures out by seeing the take from The Dark Knight that remaining true to the spirit of the original is the way to go. Hopefully, they will be savy enough to know that the X-Men have a built in fan base that are rooting for them to do the right thing. If it were up to me, I would place the movie in the 60’s with the original five characters…perhaps even shoot the sucker with the existing film techniques of that time in order to take us back to the period. Jeeze, how great would it be for them to capture the original look and spirit of such a cool comic.
Keeping my fingers crossed, and thanks for the write up! Well done, sir.
I agree 100% with your take on the whole thing Rob. The big problem is that no matter what the take on the first class is. Its almost a guarantee that people like myself (huge X-Men fan) and you and everyone else that loves everything X will be there to see it. They know this, so they will make it how they want. Its sad really.
totally agree
what a waste
I’ll be there when it opens … even though I have no faith in FOX.
While I really enjoy Chuck, I totally see this becoming a superhero OC. FOX has lost all it’s credibility with X-3 and Spidey 3 and I can not wait until the X-Men franchise is back in Marvel’s hands. I am NOT a big stickler for comic book canon, but lately FOX has been doing things that make no sense at all. WHY did we have to have SO many villians in Spidey 3? IT would have been a great story with just Sandman and Harry! They could have then used Spidey 4 as a full-fledged Spidey vs. Venom flick! Instead we got a hodgepodge of 3 characters. I see this new X-Men feature going the same way because of the cash that both X-3 and Spidey 3 hauled in!!
sony does spidey but your right either way
I read about this story on another website as well and they quoted someone, perhaps Schwartz as to who would be in it and among others, Colossus, Rogue, Jubilee and Shadowcat were mentioned. None of which were orginals so why call it the first class, its already off on the wrong foot
Jubilee?? Really?? Thats awful!!!! She is farthest from the first class that you can get. Ugh, I am gonna be sick.
I wish Marvel would buy back the rights to all their comics and make decent films about them, like they are doing with all the Avengers, like Iron Man, Hulk, and soon-Captain America!!!(but not soon enough!) Let the comic people make the comic movies-because they do it best. The movie people just make the movies for the money, not the fans.
That was probably Coming Soon where you saw it. In it they say it’ll like draw from the comic of the same name and likely will feature those kids who had roles/cameos in the film so far
“Iceman, Rogue, Angel, Colossus, Jubilee and Shadowcat, who have appeared prominently or made cameos in prior pics”
But there is no basis for that other than the fact some of the younger actors have contracts for additional X-Men installments - although they didn’t reference that.
@huntthejest
Whatever deal or contract they had with Fox has to expire which I think is soon so Marvel will have rights over X-men and I think spidey too. Correct me if im wrong.
I’m a big comicbook fan but would rather not see any comic tv shows than see bad comic tv shows. Mutant X is not forgiven!
yeah it sucks really a guy who focuses on teen dramas x-men is my all time favorite superheroes i remember watching the cartoons when i was little and now the movies suck the first 2 were allright but not enough action and the third one just killed the x-men franchise bret ratner should never direct a movie ever. i hope they do make and x-men 4 and make some of the characters more badass like rogue she is a badass not a victim which they always seem to make her out to be. im excited for the wolverine movie other than that im not seeing any other movie of x-men besides the 4th one hopefully marvel buys back the rights from fox its worth it can they even do that?
It would be easier if they just made a movie with some of the lesser used characters like Iceman and colossus without trying to make it an origin story and/or prequel. It just seems like Fox wants to make more X-men movies without the hassle of its high priced cast.
I think the actual title will be Xville.
I have faith in Josh Schwartz… having watched the OC, and seeing the numerous comic references he had Adam Brody doing.
@Jess: while I thank you for that glimpse of hope, its not likely Fox’ll let it expire soon now that they’re about to have a huge smash with the Wolverine movie. Hugh Jackman’s in bed with them and won’t get out until he squeezes it dry. Make an X-men live action TV show that’s part Heroes, part 90’s cartoon, and 0 parts O.C. and it’ll be awesome. I posted this on another board a second ago, but thought it might be worth mentioning on this one. The first six episodes should feature the origins of Xavier and the First Class, then a Magneto origin, then have them battle Magneto across several episodes, finally defeating him at the end of the first season. The end of the season finale can have the new recruits(Storm, Colossus, Nightcrawler and Wolverine) show up at the mansion for a few seconds, and people will go ape-$#!+
God, I hope its not the Rogue, Shadowcat, Colossus roster (the living members of the Last Stand). Brett Ratner really screwed up a perfect opportunity make an awesome movie and diluted the touching Dark Phoenix story with the unnecessary Cure. If they make a First Class movie I hope its the original five X-men, and I hope Jean can levitate more than a paperclip.
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