The new X-Men: Dark Phoenix trailer reveals a lot of new footage and story details about the movie. With Disney's impending acquisition of Fox drawing a line under the entire X-Men franchise, it's generally believed that Dark Phoenix will be the last X-Men film with the existing cast and creative team. As such, Dark Phoenix should properly be seen as writer-director Simon Kinberg's attempt to bring the entire franchise to a satisfying close.

He's attempting to do this by having another stab at adapting the classic "Dark Phoenix Saga," a cosmic X-Men adventure in which Jean Grey fell prey to mental manipulations and was transformed into Dark Phoenix (previously adapted in X-Men: The Last Stand). In the comics, Dark Phoenix swatted the X-Men aside with ease and then headed into space, where she literally consumed an entire star for sustenance, committing a horrific act of genocide. Kinberg has continually stressed that, while Dark Phoenix does deal with matters on a cosmic scale, it's a lot more grounded and intimate. As such, although Jessica Chastain's mysterious villain has been confirmed to be an alien, only the very beginning of the film appears to be set in space.

Related: Dark Phoenix's Jean Grey Looks Worryingly Like X-Men: The Last Stand's

This is the second time Fox has brought The Dark Phoenix Saga to the big screen, and indeed X-Men: Dark Phoenix increasingly seems like an attempt to redo 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand - but this time, to do it right. Let's run through the second Dark Phoenix trailer and explore what it reveals about the upcoming X-Men blockbuster.

37. Jean Talks To Phoenix

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Sophie Turner As Jean Grey

The Dark Phoenix trailer opens with a distraught Jean Grey sat in the rain, clearly heartbroken after recent events. Disturbingly, Jean begins to address the Phoenix within her as though it's a separate person. "Why did you make me do that," she asks it. "She was my friend." Actress Sophie Turner has noted that playing this part required her to do a lot of research on mental health issues, particularly on schizophrenia and multiple personality disorder. Legendary X-Men writer Chris Claremont did indeed originally intend the Phoenix to be what he called a "schizoid entity," a separate persona created by Jean's fragmented mind. Marvel later retconned it as a cosmic force, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix appears to be trying to blend the two ideas.

It's amusing to note that this will be the second superhero blockbuster in 12 months in which a major character talks to themselves (the first being Venom).

36. The X-Men Confront Jean At Her Family Home

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer X-Men Confront Jean

Jean heads back to her family home in order to deal with the emotional trauma she's going through early in Dark Phoenix and the X-Men confront her. The first trailer heavily implied that the young Jean's powers flared while she was in a car being driven by her parents, causing their deaths, but that this memory was suppressed by Charles Xavier in a misguided attempt to help her heal. If that's the case, it's possible she's regained access to those memories, explaining why she's gone home. The idea of Jean going home is lifted straight from the comics; in the "Dark Phoenix Saga" she went to see her parents, who attempted to talk her round. It was used in X-Men: The Last Stand as well, and both occasions resulted in a tragedy.

Related: X-Men: The Worst Things Jean Grey Has Done

35. The Death of Mystique

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Jean Kills Mystique

The Dark Phoenix trailer's opening scenes confirm what had widely been expected; Mystique dies, killed by an out-of-control Jean Grey. Mystique's approach is a powerful and poignant one, attempting to persuade Jean that the X-Men are her family now. It's not enough, though, and a blast of Phoenix Force tosses Mystique aside at deadly speed. Jennifer Lawrence's Mystique has been a major character in the post-First Class era of X-Men films, and by Dark Phoenix appears to have become the emotional center of the X-Men. As such, killing her will naturally tear the X-Men apart, with some believing Jean can be redeemed and others insisting she's gone too far and needs to be stopped. Mystique's death was hinted at in the first trailer, but it's something of a surprise to see it confirmed so blatantly in the second; most superhero films keep major character deaths a secret in an attempt to shock viewers when they go to see the film. Fox is clearly attempting to tell audiences that anything can happen in Dark Phoenix and that nobody is safe.

34. How The Movie Imagines The Phoenix Force

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Jean Grey

Whenever Jean taps into the Phoenix power, her face seems to crack, becoming webbed with lines of energy as her eyes change color. These may be visual manifestations of the way Jean's mind is fracturing; alternatively, they could also symbolize the idea that the power is literally breaking through unchecked, unable to be constrained by Jean's human frame. Whatever the case may be, this is actually an original idea, with no comic book precedent.

33. Jessica Chastain Corrupts Jean Grey

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Jessica Chastain Fear

Jessica Chastain's character is a corrupting force, twisting Jean's mind and pushing her to become Dark Phoenix. In the comics, Jean fell from grace due to the manipulations of Mastermind, a predatory psychic who wanted to turn her into his puppet and ultimately became the first victim of Dark Phoenix's wrath. Chastain's character appears to serve a similar role, although her origin and purposes are still clouded in mystery. Unlike Mastermind, Chastain's villain is certainly well aware of Jean's power, and she encourages the young mutant to embrace the cosmic force inside her. Chastain appears to be inside Jean's family home, perhaps suggesting this scene is shortly before the confrontation between Jean and the X-Men.

Related: Why Fox Is Making a Second Dark Phoenix Saga Adaptation

32. Jean Grey Is Wearing A Very Distinctive Jacket

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Jean Grey and Jessica Chastain

As revealed by the recent X-Men: Dark Phoenix poster, Jean will spend some time wearing a long, dark red jacket, reminiscent of the one Famke Janssen wore when she played a Phoenix-possessed Jean Grey in X-Men: The Last Stand. While it wouldn't have been surprising to see that look appear as an Easter egg in Dark Phoenix at some point, it's surprising to see it appear so prominently in the film; it's a little on-the-nose, as though the movie is openly admitting that it's a second attempt to do this story justice.

Page 2 of 6: The X-Men Mission To Space & More Of Our Dark Phoenix Trailer Breakdown

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Space Crew

31. The X-Men's Mission To Space

X-Men: Dark Phoenix is expected to begin with the X-Men heading into space to rescue a doomed crew of astronauts - a mission that goes terribly wrong when the shuttle is exposed to cosmic energy and Jean Grey is transformed. Inside the X-Jet, you can see the assembled team - Mystique, Quicksilver, Storm, Jean Grey, Cyclops and Beast - all wearing the yellow team uniforms inspired by Frank Quitely's designs from the early 2000s. This mission to space is fairly similar to the beginning of the classic "Phoenix Saga" in the comics, where Jean gained a significant power-up and began her journey to becoming Dark Phoenix.

30. The Phoenix Force

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Phoenix Force

The Dark Phoenix trailer makes it clear that Jean isn't just exposed to a cosmic flare, though; she's exposed to the Phoenix Force, and absorbs it into herself. In the X-Men comics, the Phoenix is a primordial force of death and rebirth. It's impossible to overstate the importance of the Phoenix Force to Marvel's cosmic lore; according to the X-Men: Phoenix Force Handbook it's "allegedly a nexus of all the psionic energy that has, does, and ever will exist in all realities of the Multiverse." The Phoenix Force typically seeks out hosts and is particularly drawn to telepaths and telekinetics. It's a powerful, dangerous entity in its own right, charged with serving the cosmic balance by burning away anything it considers to be stagnant - including entire worlds and civilizations. In The Dark Phoenix Saga, when Jean went out of control she proved able to destroy an alien star system with chilling ease. The alien Shi'ar have prophecies foretelling the Phoenix Force's role in ending the universe itself at the Big Crunch, with the Phoenix destined to serve as the spark that ignites the next Big Bang and starts the next universe. At this stage, it's still unclear just how comic-book-accurate the Phoenix Force will be in X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

Related: X-Men Theory: How Galactus And Phoenix Force Can Be Easily Retconned Into The MCU

29. Does The Phoenix Force Choose Jean Grey?

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Jean Taken By Phoenix Force

In the film, Jean is exposed to the Phoenix Force in space. It seems to choose to inhabit her, even pulling her out of the space shuttle. This is a first hint of the Phoenix's power, with Jean somehow surviving exposure to the vacuum of space. Chastain's voice-over promises that Jean has "the power of the gods," and there's an extra depth of meaning to that particular line of dialogue. Legendary X-Men writer Chris Claremont originally conceived the idea of Jean becoming Phoenix because he wanted to turn her into what he described as the X-Men's "Thor analog," a cosmic heavyweight who could lead the X-Men into spacefaring adventures.

28. Brand New CGI Phoenix Effects

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer New CGI

The effects in the latest Dark Phoenix trailer are much improved than the previous teaser, reflecting that Fox has had several months to work on new CGI for the film. They show the cosmic power of the Phoenix Force sweeping inside Jean, as she screams in pain.

27. Mystique's Funeral

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Mystique Funeral

Jean evidently goes on the run (presumably to Genosha), and the X-Men have time to mourn and grieve. As teased since the EW cover story back in December 2017, they hold a funeral for Mystique, and it's clear that Jean's actions have caused a split among their ranks. Notice the framing of this scene, with Beast and Xavier on opposite sides of the grave.

26. Jean Attacks Magneto

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Magneto Eye

A battle between Jean and Magneto really doesn't seem to be going well for the Master of Magnetism; Magneto appears to be completely overwhelmed by Jean's power, and she's even using her telekinesis to crush his helmet. There's something powerfully symbolic about the idea of using Magneto's trademark helmet as a weapon against him. Notice that a tear runs down Jean's cheek, suggesting that a part of her is still resisting the Dark Phoenix. Magneto begins the movie ruling the mutant nation of Genosha, where Jean runs for help. It's likely this confrontation is a result of this (although Magneto's helmet may suggest it takes place later).

Related: Marvel is Finally Done Trying to Make Magneto a Hero

25. Cyclops And Xavier In Cerebro

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Cyclops in Cerebro

Cyclops and Charles Xavier engage in a heated argument in Cerebro, with Cyclops wanting to know what to do. For once, Xavier has no answers. The relationship between Cyclops and Xavier has always been an interesting one in the comics, with Cyclops initially the most loyal of all the X-Men but ultimately coming to question the Professor's methods and blaze his own trail. It's possible the film will explore a similar character arc for Tye Sheridan's Cyclops, as he realizes for the first time that Xavier causes as many problems as he solves.

Cerebro can be used to track mutants, so it's reasonable to assume they're in this chamber because Xavier is attempting to find Jean. Given her powers, though, it wouldn't be a surprise to find Jean can cloak herself from Cerebro.

Page 3 of 6: Jessica Chastain's Villain Plan & More Of Our Dark Phoenix Trailer Breakdown

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Jessica Chastain in New York

24. Jessica Chastain Watches Over New York City

The Dark Phoenix trailer then shows Jessica Chastain's unknown villain looking over New York City as there's an ominous swell of music. A major action piece is set to happen outside the United Nations building in New York, with set leaks reporting an alien attack at the UN. Presumably, this is before the attack, with Chastain serving as its mastermind.

23. Cyclops Saves Charles

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Cyclops Saves Professor X

As fraught as the relationship between Cyclops and Charles Xavier may be in Dark Phoenix, there's no way Scott Summers will leave his mentor behind. The placement of this scene in the trailer and general context of the film suggests it will be part of the New York devastation caused by Chastain's villain.

Related: Professor Xavier May Be a Bad Guy Now

22. "What They Fear... They Seek To Destroy"

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Jessica Chastain Fear

The X-Men have always been famous as a superhero team who strive to protect a world that hates and fears them. Jessica Chastain's villain turns that idea on its head, though, persuading Jean that people seek to destroy that which they fear. But is Chastain speaking of the humans, or of the X-Men? It looks as though this scene is part of the conversation in the Grey family home, meaning this could be what prompts Jean to kill Mystique.

21. A Bishop Easter Egg

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Evan Peters As Quicksilver

It's easy to miss, but in the background of the sequence at the Grey house there's a truck with the logo "Bishop Power." In the comics, Bishop is a time traveling mutant who attempted to avert the end of the world. He previously appeared in X-Men: Days of Future Past, played by Omar Sy.

20. Quicksilver Tries To Stop Jean Grey

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Quicksilver Attacks Jean Grey

The Dark Phoenix trailer then shows some of the action surrounding Mystique's death - this is either the incident that leads Raven to try and calm Jean or the reaction to it. Jean kicks up a telekinetic storm of some kind - one that Quicksilver races through in an attempt to stop her. And while Quicksilver's powers have frequently been something of a "Get Out of Jail Free" card for the First Class era X-Men films, it's doubtful he'll prove so effective this time.

19. Beast Blames Charles For Mystique's Death

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Beast and Charles

A furious Beast blames Charles Xavier for Mystique's death. The First Class films have stressed the relationship between Beast and Mystique, with the two blue mutants bonding to a great extent. It's unclear just how close they've become over the years they've served as X-Men together; have they become a couple by the time of X-Men: Dark Phoenix? Regardless, it's clear that Beast still cared a lot about Mystique. This scene hints at the beginning of a fracture within the X-Men family, with some of the team - grief-stricken - believing Jean has gone too far, and needs to be stopped. As Simon Kinberg noted in an interview with EW, "For me, if there’s a metaphor for the film, it’s like if someone in your life or your family starts to lose control, whether that be because of drugs or mental health issues or more minor things, the question is: At one point do you give up on them? And how long do you hold out hope for them?"

Page 4 of 6: Professor X's Biggest Mistake & More Of Our Dark Phoenix Trailer Breakdown

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Young Professor X

18. Young Charles and Jean - His Biggest Regret?

The Dark Phoenix trailer gives a brief glimpse of when Charles Xavier first met Jean Grey, well before he went bald in X-Men: Apocalypse. When Jean came to Xavier, she was scared and broken. Sensing her nascent power, Xavier decided that he had to keep her stable. The trailers keep quiet as to just what lengths Xavier went to in order to achieve that goal. At the least, he used his own telepathy to repress her pain and grief, unwittingly planting the potential for a schizoid entity. At the worst, he adjusted Jean's memories, suppressing her knowledge that she was responsible for the accident. Xavier's Dream may be one of harmony between men and mutants, but in the comics, he has had no qualms about abusing his powers. X-Men: Dark Phoenix appears to be looking at Charles Xavier through quite a critical lens.

Related: X-Men: Dark Phoenix Finally Admits Xavier Isn't A Hero

17. Devastation In New York

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer New York Attack

New York is left in chaos in the aftermath of violence involving the X-Men, a divide that from the previous trailer appears caused by opinions over what to do with Jean. Fox is known to have constructed a set based on the United Nations building, and reports have suggested that Professor X, Magneto, Cyclops, and Jean Grey are all caught up in a major action scene at this set.

Notice that no scenes have been shown from the battle itself; given Fox's secrecy over Chastain's character, it's clear that Fox want to keep some secrets for nearer to the film's release.

16. Beast In Pain

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Beast Attacked

There's a brief shot of Beast on the ground, wracked with terrible pain. The context seems to suggest that he's tracked Jean down, but found himself overwhelmed by her colossal power; however, it's worth noting that trailers are often misleading, so it shouldn't necessarily be assumed that this is the case.

15. The Deserted Mansion

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Professor X in Empty Mansion

Professor Xavier wheels himself through a deserted mansion. This would back up the X-Men splitting apart in the aftermath of Mystique's death, with Charles left alone. While it's understandable that some of the X-Men will blame Xavier for what has happened to Jean, at the same time this does seem quite a harsh response; Mystique was Xavier's best and oldest friend, and her death will shake him just as much as it does anyone else.

14. Cyclops And Jean Grey Together

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Cyclops and Jean Grey

The relationship between Cyclops and Jean is at the core of Dark Phoenix, although there's precious little of them together in the marketing. This shot from the trailer sees him holding her in his arms, based on the setting and costume after the space mission goes wrong and she's consumed by the Phoenix force (so far, only scenes from the first act have shown the X-Men in uniform). At first, the X-Men believe Jean is dead after retrieving her body.

13. Nightcrawler Attacked

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Nightcrawler Attacked

Nightcrawler doesn't appear to play a major part in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, which makes sense; the film is centered on the relationships between Jean Grey, Cyclops, Magneto, Xavier, and Beast. Still, he's definitely part of some action scenes, with the trailer shows him taken down by what appears to be a telekinetic. This looks to be part of the New York battle with Kurt inside the tram that the police investigate.

Page 5 of 6: Magento's Role & More Of Our Dark Phoenix Trailer Breakdown

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Michael Fassbender as Magneto

12. Magneto Plans To Kill Jean Grey

Magneto believes there's only one possible way this can end; he wants to kill Jean Grey. The original Dark Phoenix Saga didn't feature Magneto at all, so it will be interesting to see what role he plays. The trailer adds to a confrontation scene seen in the teaser between his Brotherhood and Charles' X-Men, with him declaring his plans. It's the opposite of X-Men: The Last Stand, where Magneto sought to manipulate Jean and use her powers to his own ends. This moment would appear to come before the New York battle.

By this point in the film, Magneto has donned his helmet. This is supposed to protect him from telepathic attack, so no doubt he believes that he's dressed for battle. Unfortunately, as an earlier scene in the trailer proves, that helmet isn't much protection from a telekinetic.

11. Cyclops Still Believes In Jean - But Is He The Only One?

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Cyclops Mystique Funeral

Not everybody is prepared to give up on Jean Grey. "As Jean starts to become more unstable, there are people in the X-Men who don’t think she can be helped and saved, many of whom think the world and others need helping and saving from her," Kinberg explained. "And so Scott is probably the most prominent person who’s holding on to the hope that Jean can be saved." This forces Cyclops to step up and become a leader, gathering a core group of believers around himself. It may well turn into X-Man against X-Man, as Cyclops fights to keep the woman he loves alive.

Related: Dark Phoenix is The First X-Men Movie Without Wolverine

10. The Best Shot Of Jean Becoming Phoenix

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Jean Grey Becomes Phoenix

The trailer then gives a stunning shot of Jean Grey becoming Phoenix during the space mission. The emerging cracks on her face this time indicate that something is going into her rather than that power is leaking out. It's appropriate that this shot is happening over water; in the comics, Jean Grey crashed a space shuttle into Jamaica Bay, and emerged from the waters as Phoenix (an idea used in X-Men: The Last Stand).

9. Beast In Action

A brief action beat in the Dark Phoenix trailer shows Beast battling a group of armed men and women. This is clearly on a mutant prisoner transport (which the trailer shows later), but it doesn't look as though Beast is fighting the guards. Given the next scene is set on the same transport, it's possible these are Jessica Chastain's agents.

8. Magneto Attacks Jessica Chastain

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Magneto Attacks Chastain

Jessica Chastain's Dark Phoenix character is powerful enough to take on Magneto himself. In one of the most intriguing scenes in the trailer, Magneto levitates a number of guns and opens fire on Chastain's mysterious villain. Until this scene, Chastain's character had only ever been seen talking to Jean, but now she looks to be joining the action. Both Jessica Chastain and Simon Kinberg have promised that she possesses a whole suite of powers, both mental and physical; "There’s a whole sequence where she basically takes apart the X-Men," Kinberg observed. This is presumably part of that sequence, which appears to be connected to the mutants being captured.

7. Storm's Lightning Powers

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Storm

In the comics, Storm is one of the most powerful X-Men - and it looks as though Dark Phoenix gives her an opportunity to show off. X-Men fans have frequently complained that the films have weakened Storm considerably, but Alexandra Shipp's iteration seems to operate on a comic-book-accurate power level. She's hovering above the mutant transport, summoning all the power of the storm to clear the roof  of either guards or Chastain's agents.

Page 6 of 6: The X-Men Are Captured & More Of Our Dark Phoenix Trailer Breakdown

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Phoenix Attacks Cyclops

6. Jean Unleashes The Phoenix Force - Against Cyclops?

Will Jean Grey unleash the full power of the Phoenix Force against Cyclops, the man she loves? As the threat of Dark Phoenix grows ever greater, surely even Cyclops' faith will be tested. The end of the trailer puts focus on a set piece that appears to be near the end of the film when Phoenix is fully unleased with Scott in the crosshairs.

Old-school X-Men fans will be unable to resist a wry chuckle at Cyclops, though. In the classic X-Men: Animated Series, Cyclops was famous for spending most of his time turning round and yelling, "Jean!"

Related: Dark Phoenix First Trailer Remade Using X-Men: The Animated Series

5. Storm Warns Cyclops

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Alexandra Shipp as Storm

Continuing from an earlier shot in the trailer, Storm cautions Cyclops that it's too late for Jean. It sounds as though she's among the X-Men who believes Jean has to be stopped, for the sake of the planet - and indeed is shown with Magneto's Brotherhood in other material.

4. Jean Grey Goes Full Dark Phoenix

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Final Phoenix Form

The end of the Dark Phoenix trailer shows Jean Grey embracing the Phoenix Force; it erupts around her and the young woman's image is transformed to give her darker hair and a colder stare. In the comics, the Dark Phoenix look is traditionally associated with a levitating Jean, dressed in red, with her hair billowing around her. Kinberg has used this aspect, evidenced from elsewhere in the trailer, but has added the idea that the Phoenix Force is breaking out of her body, with her skin cracking and energy shining through.

3. The Mutants Have Been Captured

The final train fight in X-Men Dark Phoenix

The final scenes of the Dark Phoenix trailer show the mutants captured and under armed guard as they're ferried away on a train. While this is new to audiences, it does fit into the accepted understanding of the plot. Per Kinberg to EW, "As consequence of what happens in New York, the X-Men and Magneto and the people Magneto has brought with him end up in that train." This means, after the mutants have split, there's a fight and both groups are captured.

2. The Mutation-Inhibiting Collars Suggest Biggest X-Men Stories

Magneto in X-Men Dark Phoenix

Notice that they're all wearing collars to inhibit their powers. In the comics, this technology is associated with the Magistrates of Genosha; the island nation initially treated mutants as tools of the state before the X-Men liberated the mutant populace and Magneto claimed the country for himself. It suggests that X-Men: Dark Phoenix will be drawing upon other classic X-Men stories as well, perhaps even "X-Tinction Agenda," where the X-Men had to deal with a corrupt anti-mutant state.

Related: Dark Phoenix Could Be Disney's First X-Men Movie

1. Jean Lifts The Train

X-Men Dark Phoenix Trailer Train Lifted

Jean will help the X-Men escape the train in Dark Phoenix, levitating the carriages off the tracks, although whether she's helping or attacking them is another matter. "[She] sends it spinning through the air and people go flying off the train," Kinberg explained to EW. "It ends well for some and not so well for others." He described this as one of the biggest sequences in the entire film, and at this stage he isn't willing to say much more.

More: X-Men: Dark Phoenix: Every Update You Need To Know

Key Release Dates