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Bryan Singer Drops Off Update on X-Men: First-Class at AICN

by Alex Billington
August 20, 2010
Source: AICN

On a very quiet Friday afternoon, Bryan Singer decided to give a call to Ain't It Cool News' Harry Knowles and drop off a hell of an update on Matthew Vaughn's X-Men: First Class (that he's producing), including an extensive look at the plot, the casting, his high hopes for the movie and so much more. This is going to be a huge buzz building machine and beyond that it's great hear all these kind of details so early on. Shooting is set to start on August 31st in a few weeks, which means production is gearing up quickly. The basic setting for the movie is the 1960's with JFK: "There is a spirit of a hopeful future that was prevalent in that time."

You can read Harry's full rundown from Bryan, but I've highlighted a few of the more key details below:

» They're crafting a Silver Age comic book movie like no other.

» Singer continues about the plot: "We will see how Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr met - and how they dreamt of a future with Mutant & Human kind. They're going to be in their late twenties. Xavier - as played by James McAvoy will not be in his wheelchair to begin the film - but we will see how he wound up in a wheelchair."

» He also says they'll be "representing other locales around the globe" while mainly shooting in England and the United States. He references James Bond saying "the international flavor will give the film a more James Bond vibe... I get the idea that this is going to be something quite special."

» We'll see McAvoy and Fassbender's Magneto formulate what it is they are attempting by creating the X-Men.

» Professor X will have hair this time! Haha.

» Singer was inspired by the "tech" in Bond films of the 60's and says that "the costumes will be far more comic bookish than we've seen before - and while Scott and Jean aren't here - Cyclops' brother Alex Summers aka Havoc will be, as played by Lucas Till."

» Another cool thing for X-Men fans - the Hellfire Club. Yet another grouping of mutants with their own title, this includes Kevin Bacon as the Black King Sebastian Shaw and January Jones as the White Queen Emma Frost. "Bryan said that's exactly why they're making use of the HELLFIRE CLUB... the dress and the costumes associated with that glorious period of the X-MEN... belong in the 60s."

» Singer was "especially excited" to land Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy/Beast. He was supposed to be appearing in Mad Max: Fury Road but that got pushed back so his schedule opened and Singer was happy to nab such a talented up-and-coming actor for an important role.

» Singer also told him there are characters in it "that we're not being told about though." Hmmm, any ideas, besides Scott Summers and Jean Gray (as they were confirmed as not being a part of this)? Here's all the characters we do know: Darwin, Young Raven Darkholme, Banshee, Havok, Mystique, Azazel, Emma Frost, Beast, Xavier, Magneto and a female Angel (or potentially Storm?).

So there you go - quite a massive chunk of info, but amazingly nothing too spoilerish. We really don't know the story or what happens or where it goes, but I'm sure we'll hear more eventually. I'm kind of wondering how they meet everyone along the way, what's the cause for grouping up, is there a central "threat to the US" storyline, those kind of things. And will this feel like a 1960's version of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek, in terms of quick intros and the "origin" of most of the main X-Men mutants? Because if so, that is the kind of X-Men movie I want to see! So far it sounds fairly good, I like where they're going and I'm very happy to see Bryan Singer supporting it so much as well, as that means he's confident in director Matthew Vaughn's plans.

Again, you should read the full article on AICN or leave a comment below. What do you guys think? Is this new X-Men movie with a great new cast and kick ass (pun intended) director going to be as good as we're all hoping? Is everything Bryan Singer said sound like they're headed in the right direction? Your thoughts?

Filed under Hype, Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

nelson

Sebastian Shaw helped with the Sentinels in the comics just saying this film has one hell of a cast Kevin Bacon James McAvoy January Jones Michael Fassbender Olive Platt Nicholas Hoult Jennifer Lawrence
Xerxex

can you say amazing cast? I think you can.
Outlaw

I liked X-Men and thought I loved X2: X-Men United. But in hindsight, I realize that what I liked the most about X2 was the promise of what X3 could potentially be: a story that actually featured Scott and Jean, two characters that have anchored many a great X-Men story but none better than the Phoenix Saga. When X3 did show up, it was the exact opposite of what I wanted to see. The Wolverine film only ventured further down that hole. 20th Century Fox has simply mishandled a franchise that could have been synonymous with quality films rather than just big name-recognition box office (which frankly anything as popular as X-Men would get regardless of what the movie is like...a fact that 20th Century Fox seems to know quite well). I was willing to accept that it was the departure of Brian Singer that hurt the franchise most, but in hindsight, Superman Returns was quite dull and it was clear that Singer was focused more on putting interesting ideas into the movie than the idea of making an interesting movie. And clearly, X2 without the payoff of a quality Phoenix Saga-infused story is actually just a pretty good sequel to X-Men instead of the epic standalone comic book adaptation I'd like to believe it was. Hearing about First Class and Matthew Vaughn, I had hope for this movie in spite of Fox's and Singer's proven track records. Perhaps with a proper reboot of sorts, Singer could help realign a franchise that could never seem to achieve the hype it promised. But now I see that this is no reboot, just a silly '60s prequel. Just like with Superman Returns, Singer is more preoccupied with the interesting ideas of setting his "mutants-are-another-word-for- anyone-who-is-oppressed" themes in a different historical time period than he is with making an X-Men movie that can live up to the potential the first two X-Men films demonstrated. And 20th Century Fox is just happy to slap an X in the title and watch the money stack itself up for them in neat little piles. It's disappointing to see, but not surprising. The ONLY remaining saving grace may be Matthew Vaughn, whose proven track record in interesting movies makes him the Wild Card. I'm not excited about the prospects of this film and I fear the worst for the end result. Fox and Singer have so far not given me a reason to expect otherwise. Matthew Vaughn: Prove Me Wrong.
http://www.cine-escape.com/ Sakyo

Totally agre...I want to see more...maybe a teaser or poster.. Totally SOld!!
Cracky

This is extremely neat.
Conrad The Great

It's spelled Jean "GREY" not Gray. Sounds good. Matt V knows what's up.
Cory

With this news, Singer and Vaughn are basically ignoring X-Men The Last Stand (to a lesser extent) and Wolverine (completely). Don't think that this set-up doesn't have something to do with Singer and Shuler-Donner's plans for X4.
TCox

Wow. Nice post Outlaw. It's nice to see a comment so well constructed with proper grammar. Not a common thing around here. I think I agree with everything you just said. I didn't realize it though, until I read your comments. You should be a politician.
Formideon

i think this sucks because are pure shit characters, ANGEL SALVATORE What??? that's sucks this character is one of the newest of marve, no for first class of x-men, we need CYCLOPS, JEAN, STORM, BEAST, please Fox
Mudd

Kill this film, I have no interest in seeing a prequel!
Gary the Bruce

MAD MEN is a great TV series, January Jones is great in it But they should have kept the babe factor high by keeping Alice Eve. If they finalised casting Rose Byrne, they made a great choice
Paul

I am getting less and less interested in this movie. Paramount should have the courage to remove the FIRST CLASS tag from this film. This is completely misleading for people who are familiar with the comics in which FIRST CLASS is only Cyclops,Beast , Strange Girl, Angel and Iceman. I don't think having Math V on board won't be enough to save a movie with this many second class characters played by first class actors.But that is just me trying to predict the future.
Loser

This sounds like it will be amazing, X-men will be back on top
Robbie

X-Men will rock.
dexter

Meh. This will probably suck.
tazz

so Bryan Singer screw over Cyclops once again. the general public wont get this when they say X-Men they straight away think of Cyclops, Wolverine, Jean, Storm. if this movie is a prequel to the other movies they basically f-up how they going to explain Emma Frost been in this movie while we seen her as a teenage in Wolverine set in the 70s plus Havok is the younger brother of Cyclops now if you think about it he will be older then Cyclops in the future.
The Movie Kidd

so this prequel is a reboot? wait...what?
raddestnerd

this is AWESOME! i want to know how this film will fit (or not fit) into the continuity of the previous X-Men films? frankly, all the non-Bryan Singer "X-Men" film have sucked so bad i don't want to consider them as part of the film canon.
silver

sounds awesome could potentially be one of the best comic book movies of all time
tazz

#17 its still a prequel but all wrong imo
ryderup

X.Men set in the 60's. Yes!
Penguin

#17 That's a good question. I originally thought this was a complete reboot but the Wolverine movies are, in the present, still being made. Like tazz said earlier Emma Frost was a teenager in the Wolverine movies. It'll be confusing. Though I am still excited for this. So far so good.
Morlock

Sounds like Singer is poised to do to the X-Men what he did to Superman.
ross

so perhaps a wolverine Hugh Jackman cameo??? that would be cool
deadpool72

the x-men franchise has just died.
http://www.cinexcellence.com Joseph Demme

Starting to like the idea of James M as Charles. Maybe.
1544K

Reads like a champ but still feeling the burn from the last X movies. On the fence.
Shaun

I cant see this being a good movie at all without the original class of X-men being involved. You need Scott, Jean, Bobby and Warren to make this movie remotely resemble the original story of the Xmen. Adding mutants like this "Angel" character played by Zowie Kravitz. I just think this road they are going down is a bad choice.
paul

but scott summers and jean were the first students, xavier even says that in the movie
S

I just don't see Kevin Bacon as Shaw. Shaw is a much bigger guy than Bacon. More like a body builder. I could be wrong, but isn't Havoc Cyclop's YOUNGER brother?