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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4 more post and x-4 is top news.
3,2,1 come on.
2………………………………………………………………………………….
one 1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! x-4 rocks……….
sorry everyone im just really excited about all of the x-films they have planned,and a new hulk film.
Chris
you’re spamming my inbox. Please stop, thank u.
Yeah, well about all these lists. Based on the “X-Men” films themselves 11 mutants is about the max you can characterize or give fair screen time to in any movie. Perhaps 12, which is what X-1 had. X-2 had 15 and you got a fair level of complaints about certain characters having too little screen time. So you have to make choices, not just about characters, but story too. The more characters you have the more difficulty you have managing everything. These laundry lists don’t lend themselves to a coherent narrative either. Do you just want stories that showcase powers or have an arc that tells an overall story about life of the X-Men? Then how important is it that it sticks to the comics?
How far can it stray from the comics and in what ways? It’s interesting how the “Batman” series in the 90′s, well and the first one in 89, killed off major villains but then we get to a trilogy for “X-men,” perhaps a good place to end a franchise, and everybody, me included, couldn’t handle that. Even the good guys die once in awhile. Too much reality?
This makes me wonder just how long Fox has that franchise for? If it didn’t intend to reboot it, then did it intend to bring back the characters it killed off? Did they think that they would tell an entirely different story in the future, stray from the comics entirely. The more unique ways you can lay claim to how a story is told, the less ways someone else can use to exploit the same material without licensing unique elements you created. Unless of course, you release all rights when the agreement expires. Interesting aspects wouldn’t you say??
I would love to see another x-men. They will have to bring cyclopes back and I also think jean grey. Gambit would be cool to have on the team. I do agree that rogue sould have a bigger part because she is my favorite out of them and in the last three they made her out to be a whip and thats not what she was.
I don’t think Cyclops or Jean Grey need to be brought back. In essence, their stories are going to be told in “First Class” and X-Men 4 will be allowed to offer more screen time to characters such as Rogue, Ice Man, Colossus, Shadow Cat, Jubilee, and Gambit. Storm, Beast, and Wolverine would then be allowed greatly reduced roles as teachers in the school (or sent off on a mission only to return for the final act/battle).
With all of these spin-offs, it leaves us with no need for as much time dedicated to Wolverine’s character. A Gambit spin-off would do the character proper justice that it failed to receive in the original trilogy and his small role in “Origins: Wolverine” can open up doors for Gambit’s story to tie-in all other X-stories.
For example: “Origins: Gambit” can come out in between Magneto and X-Men 4, tying in all of the X-Men spin-offs with the actually X-Men franchise (assuming that “First Class” will release shortly prior to “Magneto” as a means to garner more interest in the actual story of Magneto). In order for this to work, Fox will have to mirror what Marvel is doing with Iron-Man 2, Captain America, Thor, and Avengers by filming non-stop and having one film release after another (Comic book characters don’t age, but actors do).
Mr. Sinister as the main villain in Gambit’s film works with him leading the Marauders (made up of Mystique, Toad, and a more vicious and animalistic looking Sabertooth).
Since Toad was seen imprisoned at Three-Mile-Island but wasn’t among the group that Xavier found upon meeting “First Class” members Scott Summers and Emma Frost, it can be revealed in a flash-back scene in the Gambit spin-off that Sinister “rescues” a group of mutants (among those being Toad and Mystique) on the island. The Sabertooth connection would then occur in a short cameo in Wolverine 2 after the credits roll (Assuming that Victor Creed hunts down Wolverine prior to his trip to Japan. After the two engage in a short battle, Victor Creed retreats and goes into exile, unable to cope with the idea that his brother no longer remembers him – thus leading to a de-evolution that is first seen in the Sinister cameo at the end of Wolverine 2, and explored more in-depth over the course of the Gambit spin-off, ultimately resulting in what we saw as Sabertooth by the beginning of the first X-Men movie).
This would leave Gambit with Sinister as the final villain, but also allow for a Victor Creed/Gambit showdown, where Creed can blame Gambit for bringing Logan to Three-Mile-Island and Gambit can seek revenge for the 2 years he spent incarcerated there, while also sowing the seeds for Magneto’s putting together the “Brotherhood” (Even have Magneto enter the final act of Gambit’s movie to persuade the main Marauders to join his cause – convincing Creed that he’d lead him to Wolverine if he joined him, effectively tying up loose ends in between “Origins: Wolverine” and “X-Men”).
By the time X-Men 4 rolls around, Gambit joins the team in Wolverine’s absence. Wolverine can even bring him back with him to join the team (as he remembers him as his first acquaintance post-memory loss), immediately leaving Gambit with Rogue’s intrigue as she admires Wolverine – any friend of his would be someone Rogue would make acquaintance with.
This would leave the New X-Men team with a core of Gambit, Rogue, Ice Man, Colossus, Shadow Cat, Storm, Beast, and led by Xavier in his new body. Wolverine would have a much-reduced role, and Gambit/Rogue/Ice Man would take on the Wolverine/Jean/Cyclops love triangle with Wolverine perhaps even making a joke about how “some things never change.”
X-Men 4 would of course be released prior to Gambit’s spin-off, garnering more attention for the character and creating better buzz. I do believe that both films should be filmed back-to-back though (or at least around the same time-frame).
@ Th3_R3al_Chris
But what about “Deadpool?”
I agree with you regarding Wolverine. When it comes to X-4 he’s not really necessary. Even in the story I threw out a few pages ago wouldn’t need Jackman on screen. I wonder if Fox can be counted on to keep committed to a continuity like you suggest? Their record is far from sterling and if you produce 5 or 6 movies with one about Deadpool, someone up in the high places is going to want assurances. What do you imagine 5 movies will cost them?
more colossus.
add a some wolverine action.
equals more fastball specials… WIN.
well do x-4,and x-5 back to back and everyone has their fair share of screen time and story,and a few new characters can develop,and alot of cool cameos could be in their like all of the x-films. i want to see cyclops and wolverine go at it and the professor comes back and stops them,also beak,and chamber would be cool and sinister and apocalypse.as for the original x-men i want to see more of cyclops,colosus,iceman,nightcrawler,storm, angel aka archangel,gambit,and rogue. i think the mutants should be being hunted by the government and their sentinels after the destruction in x-3. beast is capture since hes close to the government and the x-men rescue him beak,chamber and other mutants are hiding out with gambit and storm brings them into the team,and cyclops and charles return as well as mystique,magneto,sabretoothe,and emma frost. sabretoothe and wolverine could have their fight somewere in their to. there are so many things and stories left to tell i would love it if they did three more x-men film x-4,x-5,and x6,as well as first class 1,and 2. magneto,gambit, deadpool,wolverine 2,and wolverine 3.a special class film with generation-x,and new mutants would work to.and district-x.
can we agree that before we can add all 300 other new xmen, that we need to get the original roster done right?
honestly i dont want chamber, marrow, or xorn to show up until way later down the road. Fox has messed up this omelette and adding to many new ingredients will make it even harder to swallow.
if there is one thing that makes my blood boil its that everyone wants their cake and eat it too. They cant stuff this movie with everyone. This movie needs to be a stripped down Xmen classic story with character development and interplay that matches the comic book to be truly satisfying for myself and the true fans that want this franchise revitalized and to be humming along years from now.
allen says: “before we can add all 300 other new xmen, that we need to get the original roster done right?”
I hear and believe in what your saying, it seems though that I certain section of the audience doesn’t care about that. When I threw a story beginning like that out here, the response was less than overwhelming. Some want a story kind of like that, but others???
Perhaps they figure that it’s hard to tell how long this run will last so get all you can out of what you can get. Fox could decide that they don’t want to do one movie or other and bring that project to a halt. I’m not necessarily talking about what has been intended for the next 3 years, but who knows?
Yeah you guys are talking too many characters. Break it down to the core and start there and door right.
TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH, BRING APOCOLYPSE, HIS HORSEMEN..THE MORLOCKS AND ARCH ANGEL..THE SEGRAGATION AND ANIMOSITY BETWEEN HUMAN AND MUTANT..OK…THATS FINE..WE’S SEEN THAT FOR 3 MOVIES NOW, ITS TIME TO BRING THE REAL ACTION-LETS EXPERIENCE A LARGER SCOPE TO DANGER,APOCOLYPSE, SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST, THAT MEANS IT ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING,NOT COMPLICATED AT ALL..AND THERES SO MUCH STORY IN THE STORY ARCH THAT HAPPENED IN THE COMIC BOOKS THAT NEEDS TO BE REALIZED,HONORING THE SOURCE MATERIAL…GET ZACK SNYDER…DONT CHANGE KEY ACTORS FANS LOVE,ESPECIALLY HUGH JACKMAN AND PATRIC STUART..MAGNETO HAS BEEN THE VILLAN FOR THREE X MOVIES…ENUFF.KEEP GOING BACK TO HIM AND IT JUST BECOMES TOO PREDICTABLE..XMEN HAVE SO MANY ENEMIES BESIDES HUMANS AND MAGNETO..THE MILK IS GOOD, DONT LET IT SPOIL
I agree that Cyclops needs to be brought back and given his proper due with X-4. I would enjoy seeing Apocalypse set up as the main villain with Cable making an appearance.
Though alternatively I wouldn’t mind seeing what’s in comics now take shape on screen. The Nation X story arch followed by a similar plot going on in today’s X-Force would work well on screen.
They just need to pick something and try to keep the core ideas true.
Cyclops, Storm, Beast, Angel, Kitty Pryde, Rogue, Iceman and Colossus. No new mutants (at least not in prominent roles) and No to Gambit, Wolverine, Nightcrawler. Magneto and Prof X as supporting only.
The 4th movie has to have the Sentinels/Project Wideawake as the main villains. You could have the legacy virus which initially only infects mutants whom believe the virus came from the mutant “cures” from X3. When the virus begins infecting humans Sentinels are sent out to track down mutants to quarantine them which obviously the mutants don’t like. X-men are caught in the middle fighting Sentinels. A cure created by Beast stops the fight if only temporarily.
In the 5th movie Sinister could be revealed as the one responsible for creating the legacy virus under orders of Apocalypse. X-men would fight Sinister’s Marauders who are capturing mutants for Sinister’s experiments. In flashback it would also be revealed that Jean/Phoenix didn’t kill Cyclops but both fell unconscious giving Sinister the opportunity to get dna from Jean and kidnap Cyclops for experimentation. He uses their genes to create Nate Grey, a mutant powerful enough to destroy Apocalypse.
6th movie: Apocalypse.
Vid- out of all the suggestions I’ve read I really like yours the best. I really couldn’t see a way to have any type of continuation amongst the previous films and a new installment. But I’ll admit that your scenario solves that problem while introducing far greater threats to the X-Men. Which in itself could call upon some of the characters we all feel didn’t get their just due to have greater roles.
As far as rosters go. Honestly, when it comes to the X-Men trilogy in my opinion they’ve only gotten 4 mutants spot on. Wolverine, Professor X, Beast and Nightcrawler. Ok maaayybe 5, I like how they did Mystique but then again I may be bias because I enjoy any time she’s on screen. But with the exception of those few everyone else could be re-casted or re-written and I think it would be an improvement. But bringing in Sentinels(don’t know why that wasn’t the story line for X3), Mr. Sinister and Apocalypse would be great and could easily push a story 2-3 films.
as long as they do the films they have talked about (magneto,gambit,wolverine2,deadpool,firstclass,x-4),and give us more story for all of the original cast iceman,cyclops,gambit,colossus,nightcrawler,beast,angel,storm,rogue,and emma frost,and cool cameos like chamber,and beak,and a story well thought out like bryan singer did with stories involving the sentinels,sinister,and apocalypse ill be happy.but i want to see beak damb it!
To Honestly tell u X-men 3 wasnt that great hopefully it will better the 4th time aroungmake sure u guys have a characters if so the moving would be outstanding and full of action.
Ok, I don’t want to see Fox make any more Marvel movies ever again especially X-Men unless they give Marvel Studios 100% creative control and keep their filthy Fox hands out of the mix. I hope that the Kirby family vs. Marvel fight will help get Marvel’s get it’s properties back in Marvel/Disney’s hands again. Fox just doesn’t seem to know when to quit or to let other studios handle films that they are better at making. Fox should have hired John Woo and the makers of “Crouching Tiger,Hidden Dragon” make “The Legend Of Chun Li” and Fox should have hired the makers of “Shaolin Soccer” and “Kung Fu Hustle” to make “Dragon Ball”. Some studios are just better at making certain genre films than others and Fox needs to understand this. But all they want to do is reboot,reboot,reboot which worsens their reputation whether they realize it or not. F&CK Fox! Their greedy asses just don’t get it.
@ vid,
I agree about the core team for the most part but I’m not interested in seeing that version of Colossus again. If they bring in a monster Russian to play the role, then I’d be all over that.
With a Sinister storyline, Gambit’s gotta be involved and I can’t see them completely abandoning Wolverine either. They won’t miss taking advantage of the cross-over opportunities with the prequel and solo films.
Wonders if Im the only one that thinks Zoe saldana is a better fit for storm. yeah I would love to see a different vilian in the x-men movies…Mr. Sinister is an awesome fit, we could also bring back the morlocks because they went bad in X-3. and you could effectively tie in Gambit and sabretooth into the regular X men universe…because of the Morlock massacre. With the departure of scott and wolverine you could make storm the alpha leader of the new X-men…and then have her fight calisto like in the comics. I would love to see the introduction of Jubilee and Havoc also. Ok Im excited.
The caucasian Betsy will and I repeat WILL never be as good as the Asian Betsy. Psylocke (Asian Ninja) pwns.
I think that there should be a storyline with the romance between Gambit and Rogue. It is also the most popular romance in the comic series. If this happens, more people would come to watch the films.
what happened to pyro at the end of x3. everyone wants him back, maybe he could even be a part of the marauders even though he wasn’t in the comic books. fox already chanfed enough stuff around.
x4 should focus on the younger mutants. bring gambit in and he could hook up with rogue and they could also have colossus and shadowcat. They’ll also have to give magneto his powers back. He’s one of the main characters, they can’t kill him off and still have him alive. I don’t care about cyclops or jean since their characters were terrible in the movies.
The villians should be Sinister and the marauders so you could tie in gambit. They should also introduce the construction of sentinels but they should focus on them in x5. x6 should deal with apocalypse and the story could end like star wars with a double trilogy and mutants are finnaly accepted into society since they saved the world by blowing up the death star.
What we need is a new director. I really don’t care much for Bryan Singer as an auteur. Doug Liman would bring fresh intensity and action to the super hero genre and so would Ridley Scott. Fantastic auteurs with strong artistic and narrative vision.
I have hundreds of X-men comics dating back to the 60s and would love to see character continuity bought into line.
Whilst the last three films captured the general essence and atmosphere of the books, character ages and continuity plots are all over the place.
I guess you have to expect some deviations from the original source material with Hollywood interpretations as they are targeting a broad market; many of whom have never read the comic books.
Bring back Cyclops, Jean Grey, & Prof. Xavier with Angel, Iceman and The Beast. Cyclops should be portrayed as a strong and powerful team leader, not as a wimp.
Havoc, Storm, Colossus and Banshee ought to be better developed as well.
As much as I love Wolverine as a dark brooding character, for me he’s become a little over exposed and over rated. Take a back seat pal.
it wouldn’t be that hard introducing gambit into x4. you could have him pickpocket storm or one of the x men and they fight they soon realize that they are both mutants and become good freinds, gambit eventually decides to join the school that has become much more popular after the end of x3.
You could also introduce gambit by making sinister the main villain of the story, gambit could be working for sinister but he would be reluctant and looking for a way out. In the end he would turn on sinister and join the x men. he would be an x man in x5 and x6.