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Is There an 'X-Men' Sequel Coming with 'Days of Future Past' Story?

by Ethan Anderton
June 5, 2012
Source: AICN

At the end of last month, Fox sent out a whole slew of new release dates for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, the forthcoming sequel to Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and a 3D re-release of Independence Day. In addition, a surprise came in the form of X-Men: First Class 2 hitting theaters on July 18th, 2014. However, a more interesting tidbit about our favorite team of mutants comes from AICN who had a reader tip them off that 20th Century Fox had recently registered the title Days of Future Past with the MPAA Title Registration Bureau. Comic book fans will be flipping their lids now, but for others, we'll explain.

Days of Future Past is a two-issue story arc from the X-Men comics published back in 1981 which deals with alternate timelines. For a more detailed explanation of the story, here's the Wikipedia entry:

The storyline alternates between present day, in which the X-Men fight Mystique's Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, and a future timeline caused by the X-Men's failure to prevent the Brotherhood from assassinating Senator Robert Kelly. In this future universe, Sentinels rule the United States, and mutants live in internment camps. The present-day X-Men are forewarned of the possible future by a future version of their teammate Kitty Pryde, whose mind traveled back in time and possessed her younger self to warn the X-Men. She succeeds in her mission and returns to the future, but despite her success, the future timeline still exists as an alternative timeline rather than as the actual future. (The Official Handbook to the Marvel Universe: Alternate Universes 2005 gave the numerical designation of "Days of Future Past Earth as Earth-811).

Now, I'll be honest, this doesn't sound like a storyline that would work in the universe that Matthew Vaughn created for X-Men: First Class. It seems like a giant sci-fi leap for only the second sequel in what is kind of a franchise reboot. Of course, since Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence) did leave behind a crippled Charles Xavier with Magneto and his team of bad guys at the end of the first film, it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility for a more tame version of this story to end up in Vaughn's sequel.

However, this kind of storyline doesn't seem out of the question for X-Men 4, a sequel that producer Lauren Schuler Donner said was still coming over a year ago. It would allow for a sort of franchise reboot that wouldn't disrupt the events of the first three X-Men films, much in the same way that J.J. Abrams' Star Trek reboot leaves the original franchise intact in a different timeline. But considering First Class was a lead-up to the original X-Men franchise, this timeline split could work for Vaughn too. Either way, not every entity of Days of Future Past would likely make it to the big screen as it includes Sentinels and more, but I hope the story hits the big screen somehow. Hopefully we'll have details on X-Men: First Class 2 soon.

Filed under Movie News, Rumors

From around the web:

http://www.milliondollarcuffs.org Triangle Dimes

It would be weird to have X Men 4 and the sequel to X Men: First Class going on at the same time. It doesn't strike me that those directors and writers would communicate much. But then again, X-Men has always been bogged down in so much time travel, alternate dimension shit, and intergallactic madness that it wouldn't be much different from the comics.
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Kris-Bissell/100000554104028 Kris Bissell
  
  You call that weird? More like exciting.
http://the72pins.com DaftBot

It's actually the smartest move they could make to continue the franchise in a way fans would appreciate. Killing off so many main characters and curing others was a huge mistake. Being able to correct that with time travel or change things back and simply explain it away with time travel works. Also I think Sentinels are totally within reach for Fox. Their president who didn't want "giant robots looking stupid" is gone and if Transformers taught us anything it's that giant robots sell.
- http://www.milliondollarcuffs.org Triangle Dimes
  
  Giant robots sell if the movie is about giant robots. You can't just dump giant robots into an established franchise and expect it to work. If I saw giant robots in The Dark Knight Rises I probably wouldn't go to see it. Everything I liked about the first 2 X-Men films, along with First Class, was how reserved it was when compared to the comics. If they're going down that route it'll be pretty huge story, which is what most people hated about the third one. Too much going on, too many people, too large a scope.
  - http://the72pins.com DaftBot
    
    Are you really going to tell me that X-Men as a franchise can't have giant robots? A series where we have genetic modification, a character that doesn't age, a man who can read minds, cerebro as a super advanced piece of technology, their stealth jet that comes out of the basketball court, a guy who shoots lasers out of his eyes that can bring down a building... the list goes on. Plus we already got a shot of a sentinel in X-Men 3. While you may not want that continuity to exist it was there, it was there for a reason, and it could lead to the eventual moment when Sentinels are a part. Bringing up The Dark Knight series into this is different. That's a series that tries to stay as grounded as possible. X-Men had a man life the golden gate bridge and move it more than a mile away with super powers. Different kind of movie entirely. And I'm sorry but what you may have hated about the 3rd film is not what "Most people" hated about. I love big epic stories especially in comics, and I loved what they were going for but I think they failed on the execution. The right director can make anything work. If anything X-Men 3 didn't have too many people or too large a scope at all. It was still centered very much around Wolverine. In fact they were removing characters from the franchise and the cast shrank as it went on.
    - http://www.milliondollarcuffs.org Triangle Dimes
      
      You're thinking that because there are mutants in the script, anything goes. I think you're wrong. I think they're more as a political allegory, and individuals can be "weapons of mass destruction." The idea there is: how would giant robots be any better at fighting mutants, really? What do they bring to the table? If tanks and jets can't do it, then giant, lumbering, idiot machines can't either. It would be cool to see, but the film franchise, at it's best, is smarter than that. You saw a sentinel in x men 3? Good, awesome, everyone hated that one, it wouldn't surprise me if they carried on as if it didn't happen, cause they sure gave the impression they wanted to since they basically said "fuck it" and went as far away as they could from that for the prequel. Seriously, look at the BEST movies in the series, which most people would say are the second x men and first class. The second one was basically a story about wolverine, and first class was basically a story about magneto and xavier. A 2 hour movie is not long enough to lead up to a war, and Marvel figured THAT part out with Avengers. You try to cram too much into a movie, and too big a conflict, then it's just dry and boring. I think it's inevitable for it to end up like that, cause X-Men is mostly time travel and dimensions and sentinels all that other stuff, but I'm just saying that the best parts of the series, for me at least, are when it's focused on certain characters and not documenting a huge war.
      - Dominic A
        
        " The idea there is: how would giant robots be any better at fighting mutants, really? What do they bring to the table " Hmm apparently you never read any of the comics that had Sentinel storylines or you wouldn't be asking that question . Give that ? a 180 degree spin " How are ALL mutants going to be able to fight giant killer robots , programmed to neutralize their SPECIFIC mutations ( guess u didn't know that bit huh ? ) , and maybe you'll get the drama ... " but I'm just saying that the best parts of the series, for me at least, are when it's focused on certain characters and not documenting a huge war " Gee , comic book scripters were able to do that all the time , even for short arcs ( 1-3 issues ) . Graphic novels , or new spinoffs from established series of certain characters , with war plots , have been written just to showcase BOTH of those things . The recent Green Lantern graphic novel " Blackest Night " a compilation of 6 issues of the books , did that pretty well Why can't movie writers/directors do it ? Or at least try ...
      - http://www.milliondollarcuffs.org Triangle Dimes
        
        Well that's the idea, that the sentinels are basically "technological magic." It's the X-Men kryptonite, which is too perfect for the imperfect world they are describing. In fact, that's why Superman is so stupid. "He can do anything the writers are masturbating to that day, but this one thing is his weakness, and by the way all the right people have it, as the drama requires." ALso, regarding the huge wars, you're forgetting that when you go to a movie, unless the series is really working up to it (The Avengers for example,) you're starting fresh. You only have 2 hours to tell this entire story, origins and all, so if your argument is "you're wrong, that's what they did with X Men 3 and everyone liked it," you're wrong about one of those points and I'll let you guess which one. You're assuming that I don't know comics, and you're wrong. I just think certain tactics don't translate well.
      - http://the72pins.com DaftBot
        
        Ok so in a film where the allegory is that the mutants are weapons of mass destruction then wouldn't the sentinels just be the other sides escalation in an arms race? Your analogy sucks because if the mutants are weapons then wouldn't the human anit-mutant movement want to try something new since everything else has failed to this point? I also am really tired of how you're speaking for EVERYONE when when you make judgments about these films. "You saw a sentinel in x men 3? Good, awesome, everyone hated that one" So now you speak for the entire population of earth? Is that why when that scene happened everyone cheered in the theaters? The point is that they're already in the continuity and of all the things that were in X3 that's one of the things that was right. Holographic Danger room! That's what fans wanted. You can't just throw away a whole movie when there are little nuggets of fan service inside of it. But lets take a look at what you're saying. I think you have an idea of what this movie has to be without realizing what it can be or how you can make it work. The huge war you're talking about doesn't need to really be established at all. All you need to do is really jump into it, 5 minutes of exposition as to what's going on and boom the audience buys it. Why? Because we have imaginations. You already have established characters and ideas that we've spent time with and the moment you throw them into a new situation you'd be surprised how quickly the audience jumps in and understands, especially the fans.The point is this... ANYTHING can work or be adapted to make work. So why not this? You're such a fucking negative person on these boards that it sounds like you hate everything and want nobody to try anything. the fact is, even if it sucks... so what... it's 2 hours out of your life and you can go back and read the comic after. Let them try because they want to.
      - http://www.milliondollarcuffs.org Triangle Dimes
        
        I don't think it's insane to say everyone hated X Men 3. Seriously, if your whole argument is that you have a hate-boner for me saying "everyone," then you have a shit argument. Do you like X Men 3? If you do, just say it, but don't get mad when I say it was the worst reviewed one, and a ton of people thought poorly of it, which they did. I'm not dealing in absolutes, but you're the one getting pissed cause they think I am speaking for everyone and I DARE think that the film franchise can deviate from the comics cause a LOT of the stuff that happens in the comic world is fucking stupid as hell. You started this by saying "giant robots sell," and you're wrong. You're trying to speak for everyone by saying we all like giant robots, all I said was that it would seem lame with the route they're trying to take the franchise. THey dabbled in larger comic storylines for the movie, and they seemed altogether rushed and clumsy. All I said was they shouldn't do it that way, so I don't know why you're getting so furious. Fuck your Sentinels.
      - http://the72pins.com DaftBot
        
        @wmdimes:disqus No I'm not saying that "we all like giant robots" at all. Look at the grosses from Transformers as a franchise, even the worst of the series and tell me that it's not successful? you're twisting words to fit your argument and I'm frankly not going to get into a debate with some one who does that. You did speak for everyone by saying "EVERYONE". The moment you do that you work in absolutes and I'm not going to debate with some one who can't see that. Did I like X-Men 3? I thought after seeing the dreadfully boring Superman Returns weeks prior that it was a better film than that film was. At the time I felt that it was the best super hero film of that two year period. I can put myself into the context of that time frame... 2005-2007 and realize that there was really only ONE good super hero film and that was V for Vendetta and all the rest fell short so far below it that the next best film was X-Men 3. With that in mind I can also see that a time travel story can fix many of the mistakes of X-Men 3. Also I never stated at any point that the comics and movies need to mirror each other. I think that there's a gem in that classic arch that can be applied to the current films in order to fix make it so that the First Class films can deviate from what eventually happens in X-Men 3 and as a result have a better X-Men 4. Also Triangle, you clearly don't know me, don't know anything about me, but it's clear to me by reading what you're saying that you think I'm actually pissed off about this issue. I'm not. I really don't care what you say. I debate things I'm passionate about for fun because in the end your opinion and mine truly do not matter, and its FUN to argue these kinds of points because it shows what kind of a range of nerd there is out there.It's clear we both love X-Men but for totally different reasons and our debate shows that pretty thoroughly. But I also think you're a troll some times, especially on that Starship troopers post. I debated in high school and college and I've won awards for debating, I follow rules when I debate like not speaking in generalities, absolutes, or without facts. I don't take my opinion and because I like it, force it onto the general public. I always think twice before I write anything, I rewrite a lot, and I make sure that if I'm saying something I can site it if I need to. Try it, you wont' come off like such a twat <3
      - Dominic A
        
        TY for the backup Daft .. " so if your argument is "you're wrong, that's what they did with X Men 3 and everyone liked it, you're wrong ..." Actually TD that's not my point at all . There's no excuse for movies to NOT be able to replicate the scripting , pacing , and character introduction of comics . I realize that the stories are dumbed down somewhat for non-comic fans ; just means they better work harder to tell the story right . And they've got it wrong alot .( I just saw a " Smallville " TV episode that did that very well - I've never watched Smallville before and understood the story arc and characters perfectly .) . The "war plot" can be introduced as easily as Daft remarks next . I feel the ONLY thing wrong with " X3 " was the end ; Wolverine in NO way can stand up to Phoenix , even if her "good side" is holding back the evil side . But we had to have a Hollywood ending ... " Superman is so stupid " LOL You really have never understood the comics you've read , have ya ? Paraphrasing Steven from the Avengers reviews , if it seems the hero can't be beaten the story's not interesting . EVERYONE has a weakness , that can be exploited ...
http://twitter.com/FidelReyes_ Fidel Reyes

This story line is actually pretty cool, but the 3rd x-men ended up with the government accepting the mutants and in the comics I think they do the sentinals(robots) that capture/kill the mutants. So it would be weird, but I can imagine it, a dark(sort of apocalyptic) atmoshpere and like a mutant genocide, I don't know but this could actually work if they do it right or at least like first class to say the least. And Hopefully Magneto does get his full power back, Long Live The Brotherhood!
Bl00dwerK

I hate to be negative but they'll just screw it up. They'll have a bunch of characters that weren't even in the storyline in the comics, like they always do, or just rewrite the entire thing.. maybe both. I would love to see a faithful adaptation but it ain't gonna happen.
John

The perfect storyline to pretend that X-Men 3 never happened!
Akirakorn

LAME! Old Man Logan. Nuff Said.
- Dominic A
  
  Old Man Logan with Young Woman Storm as a gf Hot !
DoomCanoe

SOOOOOO AWESOME
David Banner

You can't have Days of Future Past without the Sentinels-it would be like having Fantastic Four-Rise of the Silver Surfer without Galactus. (It would be lame). I remember this as one of my favorite story arcs, but was it really only two issues? Been too long since I read The Uncanny X-Men Changing the time lines has happend, but not shown in any X-Men movie. If you watch the X-Men movies from: First Class-Wolverine-X1-X2-X3, something has happend, as the timelines don't match at all. This might be a clever way to fix it/explain it.
Faceman

They just need to get a right script for X-Men 4! Man, I've been waiting for X-Men 4 ever since it was announced by Brian Singer that if First Class succeeded he would be up for returning in the director's chair for X4. I loved First Class and even though it had some changes to the timeline and weird things (comparing it to the X-Men Trilogy) I really enjoyed and did see it as a prequel to the original Trilogy. I just want to see Hugh Jackman, Hellie Berry, Aaron (Which he character Iceman got me really pumped up after he finally turned completley to ice in the battle against Pyro), Rouge (I don't know the actress' name) and even Beast, oh and the guy who played Colossus as well. Everyone fitted perfectly and Patrick Stwert has a chance to come back with the whole thing they made after the credits of X-Men: The Last Stand with his mind taking over his twin brother's o something like that. I think everybody would say that an X4 film would be better a sequel to First Class. A sequel to First Class in my opinion could wait.
- Dominic A
  
  Rouge = Anna Paquin Currently Sooo Damn Hot in True Blood , as Sookie
WarrenWII

This MUST be that X4 treatment with X5 connections that Singer wrote!! It all makes sense. Singer is interested in directing a new x-men movie again, since 2010. According to Lauren, Fox loved that treatment. They could release the sequel to First Class in 2014 and then move to the future with X-men 4 on 2016 or so. Would be a really smart plan, now that Fox has probably realized that to have a large plan WORKS, as seen with Marvel.
jah p

It's time to see Apocalypse in these movies now! If they can build up Thanos for future Avenger movies, why can't we finally get a storyline that features Apocalypse?
mooreworthy

Following the franchise is like following the adoption of Brad and Angelina. they don't even know who they are going to get next.
- yourmoma
  
  lame
DotaD

If you paid attention, the cure was not permanent. Also Professor Xavier is still alive.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ5hK-D8kRQ Crapola

I remember getting excited about the first XMen movie, now my eyes glaze over even starting to read about it. I prefer the comic movies that are made from books that are independent or one-off contained stories. It leaves less room for people to moan about continuity.
peloquin

Maybe we'll finally see Bishop and Cable on the big screen if they're going for a time travel storyline.
- Dominic A
  
  Yes this storyline arc introduces both Bishop and Cable , as some of the last resistance in the war-torn future
http://profile.yahoo.com/FUMQLYKFEG76IIRXLRX66I4BQU Kamish

Bring on an Apocalypse Storyline...
loser

This is my favourite comic issue ever
- Dominic A
  
  And the Hollywood idiots better not screw it up with a happy ending . As noted above , the possibility of the alternate uni happening in the main uni was still true ...