What We Need From X-Men 4
Sep 25, 2009 by Rob KeyesWe’ve got some radical ideas on how to make X-Men 4 a movie WORTH making – and that would rock fans and general audiences BIG time.
The news the other day about producer Lauren Schuler Donner hinting at the beginnings of plans for an X-Men 4 movie (and a movie based on The New Mutants) got me thinking of some of the infinite possibilities for the next X-Men installment.
I could go on and on about stories and characters I’d like to see, but keeping to the basics, I’ll discuss some of the issues from the existing X-trilogy that need to be rectified going forward with the next movie, should it come to fruition.
Join us as we discuss what we’d like to see from X-Men 4 and open the floor for your ideas!
We’ll go through some topics that need to be addressed, many of which stem from issues we were left with from X-Men 3: The Last Stand, starting with who the villain(s) should be.
A New Villain
Magneto’s reign is over, have him as a guest role to touch on his relationship with Xavier and perhaps have him redeem himself in some way, becoming the friend he used to be when he was the X-Men’s co-founder prior to the events of the X-trilogy.
This would be a nice concluding touch to the story of X-Men: First Class, which I think may feature Magneto working alongside Xavier to build the institute and the Cerebro device. With a possible role in that film and his own origins solo movie, Magneto’s story will be continued in the past, not the future: leave him out of X4.
So who must the X-Men dance with? Mr. Sinister and the Marauders? Apocalypse? Sentinels?! You could make multiple movies using any of these villains, let alone the time-traveling storylines featuring Bishop and Cable, which would allow for some very cool tie-ins to other X-films in development.
The Marauders would offer a good way to showcase a team of enemies and would tie Gambit into X-Men 4, while bringing Mr. Sinister into the mix. His interest in Jean Grey/Cyclops could be a key storyline and his involvement could help branch into existing or new spinoffs in development. Going that direction could also allow for the storyline of Cyclops fathering Cable as a result of Mr. Sinister’s experiments (I doubt it would follow the comics though) .
Give Rogue some Power!
Rogue was the leading lady of the first X-Men movie and then became a completely unused and wasted character in its sequels. Her power is to acquire other powers and she didn’t do that once over the span of three superhero movies. I don’t get it and judging by the interviews I saw for the movie, neither does Anna Paquin, the actress who played Rogue.
Paquin has matured as an actress and she has a strong following with her hit show, True Blood. Bring her back and bring her into the action. Let her fly and smash things.
A more significant (and useful) role for Rogue could also include or setup a possible storyline with her and Gambit; Wolverine star Taylor Kitsch is very interested in doing just that, and many fans would like to see it happen.
Speaking of powers, Iceman finally iced up in the final action sequence of X3: The Last Stand so now he should be a full-fledged mutant combatant and X-Men member. Let him and Rogue dominate in the large-scale action sequences. Ice slides, anyone?
Click to continue reading about Cyclops, Jean Grey and other possible characters of X-Men 4…
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I respectfully disagree with almost everything you just said in this article. If they make X4 Magneto must be in it, explain that the cure were termerary. Leave the dead characters dead, after all if X3 hadn’t revolved around a character being brought back from the dead it would have arguablly been much better. Return prof. X in his shiny new body to the X mansion, Magneto does more terrorist activities, Mystique is left out of this picture, and set up an intro for appocolypse. I would be more in favor, however, to starting over with the X-Men Team films with this proposed X-Men first class to hopefully be a reboot, and assemble the team from the begining as it always should have been with angel and iceman as founding students.
Rob, don’t listen to that. I do actually agree with pretty much everything you suggested. I do think Cyclops should take the lead. Instead of pushing Storm off to the side though, have her second lead, but let step it up, get tough. I liked her involvment in X3. It was about time they let her really use her powers. She’s supposed to be one of the most powerful mutants and they waste her. Besides we need to see some flying mutants already. Your right, Cyclops isnt dead. Jean put him in suspended animation and stuck him under the lake in her place…thats all. And for god’s sake, bring back Night Crawler. The best depiction of a mutant in the three movies yet. They finally nailed one of the characters with him and then left him out. Even if Alan Cumming doesn’t want to reprise the role. With all that make up he wouldn’t be hard to replace with the right actor. My vote for the villain would be the sentinels though. The other options you mentioned although I would like it would probably be a bit much for average audiences that don’t know the Mutant universe. But good article.
I just got an email saying my comment was flagged and needs to be moderated. I don’t see anything about it being flagged though. If it is, how do I fix it?
@ Chad,
They aren’t going to reboot the franchise so that’s why we’re discussing what they should do with what they have.
@ Steven,
X3 was bad and it didn’t accomplish anything. The cure was temporary and no one’s really dead.
If Cyclops doesn’t return (he never got a chance to be the character he’s meant to be) then what, Storm takes over? Halle Berry is bad as storm and the character was lame in X3.
We’re done with Magneto and his plans have been foiled too many times. It’s a waste to do four movies on him when he has his own solo flick coming up.
Feature him in the movie in a minor role like I suggested and they can touch on the cure not working fully and him slowly regaining his powers.
It’s time to move on and start telling more (and better) stories with better attention to detail on the characters we love.
ps. Archangel idea is awesome and it would be a great setup into the Apocalypse storyline.
That could be the end of X-4 leading into #5. One idea is to have Sinister for X-4 who has ties into many of the other movies and characters, not to mention, Apocalypse…
They can’t Pair rogue and Gambit.She wasn’t even born yet when Gambit met Wolverine. There’s like 30 years difference in age.
I think the best storyline would be to *not* make another X-men flick. Let’s face it, they don’t give a damn about the characters and have proven with Wolverine and X3 that they can make terrible movies that will still sell. I know this is a movie site, but it pains me to see that the movies made of the comics have become the reason why comics exist these days. It totally ruins the experience of reading a comic when you can clearly see that it was produced to sell a movie and not the other way around. I feel like these films are swallowing up the few remaining nuggets of art and soul left in comics until all that’s left is a giant incorporated blob that eats integrity and craps mediocrity with an all too self-satisfying “cha-ching” noise.
…I’m sorry, I….. I’m still upset about the Disney thing.
A-lot of IFs IF Brian Singer decides not to direct “Excalibur.” IF he gets done in time with “JTGK.” IF he passes on some duties to “BSG.” I guess the next thing to find out is just exactly what Brian intends to do and what he’s obligated to do? However at this juncture wouldn’t you get something in writing about his responsibilities on any work? You don’t want a repeat of the past mess “X3″ on any of those properties.
Best guess given the data, he might direct “First Class.” I think all of you would hate what I would do. So here it is; : )
X-Men-4: Return Of The X-Men
——————————————–
Storm has a dream that somehow Scott is still alive. She has a closed door meeting the following morning with Logan.
Mystique, because of her co-operation with the government, is released. She is abducted via taxi by someone working for Apocalypse. The President and senator Kelly’s son who has been given his fathers’ seat and perhaps another senator, maybe senator Goode, familiar name, work with Hank McCoy to push a bill Through that gives what’s left of the Xavier organization special status to temporarily, under government authority, head the now leaderless Mutant affairs organization. Storm is pulled into an assistant position to Hank in Washington.
We move to the Canadian rockies to find Scott has been captured by Sinister. Scott is injured, but Sinister tells him that he’s helping him get better, and gives him the sad news that Jean is dead.
Moving on to Muir Island we find that Mystique has been taken there and meets Apocalypse, who will restore her powers if she will serve him. Seeing this as a chance to eventually get more revenge against Eric for abandoning her, she agrees. On the other side of the Island we’re introduced to Moira MacTaggert. She’s catering to a special guest.
Meanwhile at the Mansion Frost shows up with Angel to offer their services, hearing about the news that Storm is going to Washington. Perhaps this is a good point to bring out a new group of students. They are forming at the school. Storm takes Angel and Frost to the Danger Control room where students are being run through some exercises.
Does this sound like the beginning of a good story? This story would have two major battles and end on a cliff hanger for an X-5..
Colossus is my favorite X-men he needs to be in the next movie. Cyclops mos def has to come back. Angel needs to come back especially since Ben has a new movie coming out. Night Crawler comes back. Sinister as the villain, Magneto in a cameo using his power more. Apocolypse in the background. Introduce sentinels not towering sentials like 9’0 I would love skyscraper sentials but they would not work on screen, I don’t think.
X4 needs to not ever exist.They have ruined the story to an irreparable state.There is no way that they can fix this franchise with the current storyline(s).
I say it’s just time to move on into a different direction.X Factor,The New Mutants or even Excalibur should just get their own franchise,and keep them as separate as possible from the X-Men storyline.Mention some of the stuff from X-Men,but that’s it,just mention it and nothing more.
Whatever happens though,odds are that Hollywood will screw it up anyway,like they do just about everything else.
I don’t see that there’s anything wrong with the casting of any of the mutants tbh. Even Halle Berry would fit Storm if Storm were written like she is in the comic.
The main problem I saw with X:3 is that they went for style over substance, explosions over character development, dollars over storytelling. They need to hire a director who cares about the movie, not how much box office it gets, but the movie itself. It needs to be exciting first and foremost but without any investiture in the characters that just doesn’t happen, you can blow as many cars up as you like but without a connection the audience will always be ‘meh’ to mere spectacle.
There should be a very good (at least) script with no gaping inconsistencies, i.e. everything that happens should be plausible in the movie’s reality. That script should include the team actually working as a team to defeat an impressive enemy (not many more impressive than Apocalypse is there?) or his Lieutenant (Sinister?) to set up X:5 as the final movie in the sequence as by then I think a lot of the cast probably won’t be able to/want to continue (we’re talking 2 big movies over the next 3-5 years, they’ll need a break
). X4 & 5 should also introduce (only a few) supporting mutants in order to test the waters for more spin-offs (X-Factor, Alpha-Flight etc). I don’t want a slew of mutants given a few seconds of film just to shift more merchandise. If they appear it should be to impact the story.
Ultimately though they should concentrate on what made the comics so good and popular in the first place. For me that was always the storylines.
well i agree with almost everything said. i would love to see more colossus,nightcrawler,and gambit in the roster though,and i would love to see special class in there some were like beak,chamber,husk,angel salvador,glob herman,mammomax,prosimian,orb weaver,rock slide,anole,and hellion. so i would do a back to back movie 4and 5. special class could come in at the end to help out.i would also like to see james marsden be cyclops again and be the main leader with emma frost maybe she saved him somehow. sentinels would be good but i would rather see them in first class,and sinister but also see him in x-4.apocalypse could battle magneto in his film,and also be the villain in x- and x-5. so those are the things i would like to see. keep omega red,sauron,silver samuria,and victor/sabretoothe for wolverine 2, and 3. also a district-x would be cool. bring on the x-4 and x-5.
ohhh please but beak,and chamber in a film laura shuller donner if your reading.
ALright i have been an x-men fan for as long as i have been alive, studied the comics, know almost all the characters since there is so many. However, leaving out the main characters that have been with the x-men for so many years is just not possible, the x-men is not really anything without them.
*first off cast each actor to their character role, if they dont come back or wasnt cast dont even write them into the script it just wont have the same feeling.
In x-men 3 they screwed up totally and it just left so many question marks on everyones heads as to what happen, yea sure its good for movies to keep ppl guessing but x-men 3 was just too much. First off in X3 i saw magneto already acting as the hellfire club controlling jean just as emma frost and her crew tried to do so i really dont see necessary a hellfire club, the writers already screwed up on that part of the story. Although introducing Emma frost would be nice, her place in X3 and further future films would have been perfect. I know a lot may disagree with what im about to say but man We need to see the dark phoenix again, X3 didnt even give us half as to what she is capable of. so i’ll talk more about that in a bit.
5 year difference from the last X film: Alright so the last film we were introduced to the ‘cure’ well i was thinking that since the writers have written x-men completely diff. from the comics maybe the cure in the movies could give rogue her powers like of some kind of effect and only making magneto thus stronger as well, also mystique. In this 5 yr difference that has happened they could introduce a lot such as what happened instead of wasting more time in the movie trying to build up the theme, their could be an introduction of the sentinal program that has been taking place. Storm taking a little more command. One of the main characters could briefly mention gambit for instance wolverine since he already was in the film. Iceman learning how to ice slide. Angel becoming more part of the team after missions in these past 5years.
In X4
Cyclops: Okay this would be my take on how everything could work. Cyclops is not really gone so it would be pretty simple to bring him back, just as how jean was able to come back and how the professor mentioned that jean wrapped herself in a telekinetic cocoon, maybe for a split second just before jean was going to kill cyclops the real jean came back and held her powers from killing cyke, therefore placing him somewhere. Or like the 5yr idea they already found cyke and he’s in recovery as if hes under a coma.I have other ideas thats just 2. Upon coming back of course cyclops will be devastated and confused after the suppposed deaths of the professor and jean. His depression could supposedly lead up to Emmas character.(i’ll get to that in a few) After some self exploring Cyke knows he has to make a decision therefore joining the x-men and fighting, i see him being a little commanding and stuborn not wanting storm to take lead. The true cyke will come out especially the coming of jeans character again.
Jean Grey: Bringing her character back will give some writers a headache because i really don’t know how to bring her back myself but here is an idea. Alright maybe she wasnt buried because thats the way we see it, her body in the small cemetery located at the mansion. Storm could say it wouldnt be right to bury her body since the professor and cyke’s bodies werent there as well. So she was cremated the stones were just for their honor. Now this is how i see jean coming back Storm and Logan begin to have these dreams of some sort of all 3 characters still alive. They cant explain what they are feeling until Emma frost appears at the mansion unsure whether to come or not the past 5 years after hearing the death of the professor. She could reveal that this isnt the last of the phoenix which makes her happy but the others feel concerned.
Emma Frost: Just as how she uses cerebro in the cartoon to search for the professor this could be very similar. Upon finding the professor and his location,also while using cerebro she starts seeing dark images of the phoenix basically glimpses of the future and warns the x-men.
Storm: Everyone keeps complaining about Halle (she’s storm and has been for the past 3 films deal with it, im tired of wolverine so i’ve dealt with it, cuz hey i love the x-men.) Alright storm could have been in command these past years. already building up her character and making her stronger and a little more powerful just as she is in the comics.
Wolverine: Idk if hugh would be up for another xfilm considering he’s doing another wolverine film and if he doesnt then hey more room for other xmen. He and storm could have this hat for emma but they understand they have to work with her even though she’s the only telepath.
Rogue: Have full powers and experimenting with them after the cure wore off and made her stronger, i do like the whol emrs. marvel concept but fox didnt make this film to have that kind of room. Also yes i agree break up with iceman and move on.
Gambit: i see him trying to steal something from the xmen such as cerebro helmet since it is so valuable these days maybe he could be working for the sentinal program only to get somehting he wants fro it. But is obviuosly caught by the xmen.
Kitty and Iceman romance: this could work maybe there could be some sort of love square between all four characters haha
Nightcrawler: Comes back after hearing about the deaths and re-joins the xmen.
Mystique: Having the relationship of mother and children evolve this could be some good drama.
Alright there are tons of other characters but these r the ones i like most, and there is room for a lot more ideas.
Fight sequences: I was thinking since there is just so many x-men characters maybe in the last moments of fighting when chaos is just happening all at once. Jean is in new york causing destruction and sentinals are in LA threatening mutant lives so the team split.
New york: Cylcops,Storm,Wolverine,Emma, Magneto, Professor-X, Rogue, Gambit,NightCrawler
LA: Beast (leading the yougn ones.) Iceman,Kitty, Junilee, Pyro, Mystique.
Idont know there is just so much but hey im still in the thinking process because i do wanna become a writer one day and i wish i started the whole xmen franchise but i think all us X fans wish we did. i got another major idea if the whole Dark Phoenix dont work just let me know if u wanna
i love the idea of cyclops is found and wakes from a coma i would love to see him launch wolverine threw a wall with his optic blast for killing jean then emma helps him to get over things.as for how to bring jean back well she can manipulate anything right even wounds she could regenerate because of this.she could telekineticly heal herself.but colossus and angel,iceman,gambit,and night crawler should be a big part of the film and rogue for that matter. as for beak,chamber,and husk it could be a opening scene and they could be in the danger room being trained.
the sentinels would be a great story.
I am a HUGE Emma Frost fan! If they include Emma Frost in franchise she must appear how she is in the comics absolutely gorgeous! I heard that Bryan Singer had intended for Sigourney Weaver to play her and my opinion that is WAAY to old for Emma Frost! I would love to see James Marsden be the Cyclops that leads the team and get with a Emma Frost! that would be amazing!!!
A very good progressive and mainstreamed script, meaning I want a fast and furious script that flows with both heart and action. Not a convoluted fix or patch job to straighten out the previous movie damage.
Anyways I can see Julia Styles as Emma Frost, Ed Quinn (from True Blood, Eureka, and Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation) as Colossus, Angela Basset as Storm, Amy Acker as Mystique, Clancy Brown as Cable, but I couldnt finger anyone for Apocalypse. Any ideas besides James Earl Jones? Anyone? Anyone?
First things first:
@Allen:
“Apocalypse”-? Well, Fox wants to (sadly) reboot Daredevil, which means a new cast. I wonder then if Michael Clarke Duncan could be on a list of possible actors.
If they went for Apocalypse, and didn’t consider Duncan even as a thought, I’d be in shock. I mention DD, simply because there have been several actors who have “two timed” as different Marvel characters.
BUT, I’ll also give considerable possibles to: Vin Diesel.
I know, I heard it before…I’m one step away from the funny farm…but anyway…
*****************
WHERE TO GO, WHO TO SEE & WHAT TO DO
I covered this topic in other places and blogs such as this one, so I’ll recap.
* How to Bring Cyclops back.
We never saw him die; Jean was unsure if she killed him or not. He is assumed dead.
The Days Of Futures Past theory.
Someone from the future gives a message to Kitty Pryde. Stop Magneto from kidnapping Senator Kelly. In changing this timeline, some events could be contradicted. How does Jean awaken The Pheonix? By using Cerebo and later saving the team from the flood. However, if Magneto’s plans in the first film were altered, he may not be captured. Thus, Stryker would have no access to mutant children or Cerebro…
this concept could be great for
a reboot or retconand we know Lauren S Donner hopes for having a Days stotyline one…um..day.Another time travel theory
“Apocalypse” and “Sinister”. 1959. London. That kiss Jean Grey gives Cyke is stopped at the last minute, the powers of the phoenix split off, and “Jean Grey” and Cyclops is teleported to that time period. The mutant known as Courier might also show up.
I know. Way too controversial, however-
Mister Sinister
Can clone Jean as Maddy Prior; he also has Cyke as prisoner somewhere, He would know exactly where these two are because…well, uh…
they briefly traveled back to 1959…Muir Island and Proteus
Proteus can literally undo most of the damage caused by (Dark) Phoenix.
*******
Or we can simply have Iceman, Rogue and maybe Emma Frost become the new teachers of Xaviers school. Storm has another team on the West Coast. Prof X is alive as we know.
Magento has a redemption story, They fight against Apocalypse, Sinister or The Phlanx.
Sky’s the limit.
angela basset already turned down storm role so to bad keep halle
I could definitely be okay with the franchise dropping Halle Berry as Storm. I never liked her as Storm to begin with. In fact,I think the franchises whole idea of Storm could use a readjustment….she had some really lame lines, all through the trilogy. I partially blame this on the franchise, but I also blame this on Halle Berry insisting on more screen time, which forced the franchise to write her lame lines. She just seems totally out of character for Storm…
and YES, bring Cyclops BACK and put him in charge. Less Wolverine please.
I love the X-Men…I think the franchise was a worthy, pioneering effort in the superhero movie genre….but I’m not the biggest fan of the films as they have been, simply because I felt so much more could have been said and done, and done better…in ALL of them.
Rosario Dawson as storm, yeah that would fit.
@pittman
rosario would rock as storm
apocalypse would be cool if they used the mummy guy from the mummy. they could cgi him like in lord of the rings to make the hobbits small but make him big,and use prostetics for his face to make him look really creepy and cool.as for the story i want it to be smart like x-1,x-2 2, batman begins,the dark knight, ironman,and the incredible hulk.i would love to see more colossus,iceman,angel,nightcrawler,gambit,cyclops and rogue.as for new characters i would love to see beak,and chamber they have two of the most interesting powers and stories. as for villains i think sinister,and apocalypse would work,or the sentinels.but apocalypse should be used in the magneto film to as his villain,and sinister,and the sentinels would be really great for first class.as for wolverines villains they should use victor turning into sabretoothe,silver samuria,and omega red. sauron could work to but as a lacky. i really love the odd looking mutants so prosimian,husk,orb weaver,angel salvador,mammomax,glob herman,rockslide,and anole should get at least cameos of them hiding or something from a human threat. a district-x would be cool as a film if really serious. i mean a mutant who hunts wanted mutants for the police it basically wrights it self. i really want to see x-4 and x-5 wrote back to back for a really strong story were all of our favorites get a piece of the story and we all get what we want.
bring on x-4 and x-5 and the prequels!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
comeon people post your hearts out and get news about new x-films around!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
x-4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
six more posts and its back at the top.
5 more post.