A few months ago, Bryan Singer, the man responsible for dragging the comic-book story of a group of superpowered mutants in a prejudiced world, known as The X-Men, kicking and screaming onto the big screen announced that he would be returning to the franchise after two disappointing sequels (X3 and last year’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine.) Singer and producer Lauren Shuler Donner sat down with Hero Complex to discuss the future of the series, which will begin when Singer steps up to the director’s chair for the prequel X-Men: First Class.
First Class will focus on the friendship between a younger Charles Xavier (Professor X) and Erik Lehnsherr (Magneto) as they strive to bring equality to the mutant population, and as Xavier gathers what will become the first team of X-Men.
The premise has compelling elements to it, Singer said. “Just doing younger mutants is not enough. The story needs to be more than that. I love the relationship between Magneto and Xavier, these two men who have diametrically opposite points of view but still manage to be friends — to a point. They are the ultimate ‘frienemies’.”
So why did Singer find himself drawn back into the franchise after leaving Fox for Warner Brothers to helm Superman Returns?
“I genuinely like the people, and my personality meshes more with this universe than it does with other universes, I think; I see that now at this point,” Singer said. “I feel a connection to the X-Men characters and also the ensemble nature of the films. If you look at ‘Usual Suspects” or my last film, ‘Valkyrie,’ I feel especially comfortable with ensemble juggling. In the space between all the characters you can disguise a central thought that’s hidden in all the discourse. I missed that with the singular relationship story of Superman. And, well, it always gives you something to cut to…”
Now that he has returned to the series that effectively helped kick off the current superhero film trend, it seems that some people involved are looking way ahead at establishing a long future for the X-Men.
Shuler Donner also has pitched Singer on doing a fourth installment of the previously established “X-Men” franchise and Jackman had that lunch with Singer to coax him into a project as well, which may or may not be a “Wolverine” film, which Jackman has said will be set in Japan and released in 2011. “I wish I could be four people,” the director said with a moan. “I could make everybody happy.”
Singer turned to Shuler Donner and said of “X-Men 4″: “Hold that one off for just a little, I’m fixated on the other one right now.” She nodded and answered, “I will, I will … I’m holding it open with high hopes. It’s totally different [from 'First Class'] and it will be so interesting for you.”
How do you feel about Singer returning? Do you think the story should be carried on from X3? How do you think the writers can redeem the mistakes of X3 and Wolverine?
