As of today, not only is Twentieth Century Fox going ahead with their proposed X-Men prequel entitled X-Men: First Class, they’re hitting the ground running. Though there’s no cast yet, the studio’s assembled a director (Kick-Ass‘s Matthew Vaughn), a handful of producers (including Bryan Singer, who came up with the story and directed the first two X-Men films), and a release date (June 3, 2011). Production is set to start this summer to crank the summer blockbuster out in a timely fashion. For more on the story and the production details, follow the jump.
X-Men: First Class will tell the story of the mutants who came into their own without the guiding hand of the Xavier Institute. It will begin in a time when Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr (Magneto-to-be) were allies, and had to band together with a number of others, both familiar and unfamiliar to the film canon, to stop a global threat.
Variety reports that Singer picked Vaughn to direct because he’s been a fan of Vaughn’s since his feature debut with Layer Cake. “He has a deft hand with multiple characters and storylines, and a great love of the X-Men universe. I feel the combination of this story and his vision will make for an exciting and original X-Men film.”
Though I worry Fox is wearing this slice of the Marvel universe a little thin, what with a Magneto prequel and another Wolverine one on the way, I am genuinely excited to see this project moving forward. Vaughn is more than capable as a comic-to-film adaptation director, and save for one rather notable and recent example, live-action X-Men films have been historically pretty good — at least, Fox has $1.5 billion in the bank from the franchise thus far that says so.
Fox prexy of production Emma Watts said:
“‘X-Men: First Class’ presents an exciting opportunity to further explore the history and relationships of these beloved characters. Matthew’s combination of talent, verve and vision is perfectly suited to the task.”
Obviously with a release date of June 2011, casting will begin shortly. We’ll post updates as we hear them.
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20th century fox must be stopped!!!!!!…..If you love the Xmen and want them to be in the Marvel Universe along with Ironman, Thor and the Avengers then boycott this movie. It doesn't matter if Singer is producing it or if Vaughn is directing it —- Fox just doesn't get it. If you want good xmen then give them back to marvel!!!!
Mike, the X-Men film trilogy is what defined comic book movies. It is safe to say that without the X-Men films there would be no Iron Man, no Thor, no Avengers. Fox did a pretty decent job with the films, no worse or better than any other studio has done with their franchises, including Marvel.
I looked forward to this film, I hope that right after X-Men wraps Vaughn gets straight to filming Kick-Ass 2 :]
Not looking forward to this, seeing as they're going to try and shoehorn Wolverine into a prequel, that can't be good.
Fox is dumb, HOW do you fuck up The X-Men. I'd love to see the rights revert back to Marvel to, but it just isn't going to happen.
Corin, the original Xmen movie came out a decade ago. Since then fox has done nothing but mismanage some of my favorite characters including Daredevil and the fantastic four. Marvel sold the studio the rights to these films because at the time they had no way of making these movies on their own. That fact has now changed and it's time that these characters come home.
In the meantime, I would much rather see Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in the Avengers than watching a hacked up Xmen 4.
there not good enough “super power' in movie before….need more fight..more destruction..more cruel act..more super superb the character can do…..
@Mike: dude, what are you talking about?? X-MEN is MARVEL no matter what!! Stan Lee is the creator of it all!! Nothings changing, it's just going to get alot better!
@Corin: I agree “Kick-Ass 2″ is a must!!!!!!!!!