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X-Men - First Class


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Guest DekaWalMartRed
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x-men-first-class-cast-570x357.jpg

Magneto and Professor plan for the future

Controversy surrounds images posted online promoting the upcoming reboot/prequel of the 20th Century Fox X-Men movie series. Set in the 1960′s, the film introduces viewers to a younger Magneto and Professor Charles Xavier as they meet and pool their resources in building a future for the mutant race.

Before Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue and the rest of the mutants familiar to fans of the previous films by Bryan Singer, this retro movie is set in the 1960′s and features a new cast of characters familiar to comic book readers but somewhat new to moviegoers. However, these X-Men will be quite different to how we have seen them before. Havok, Beast, Angel Salvadore and Mystique make up the initial team of Xaviers recruits along with Azazel (Nightcrawlers father?), The White Queen and Dr. Moira Mac Taggert.

As many readers may know, I am a big fan of the X-Men. Making the next film a do-over of sorts isnt the best idea in my opinion. To be honest, I fully expected a New Mutants movie featuring Kitty Pryde, Colossus and Ice Man to follow the previous X-Men film, but far too much time passed and apparently all of the hard work that was poured into developing a cohesive universe of the X-Men on screen is getting junked to make way for something new. I know that First Class is posing as a prequel of sorts, but there are too many differences for this to be at all related to the other X-movies including Wolverine. That being said, I do like that MacAvoy (Shameless UK) was picked for the young Professor X and the addition of Kevin Bacon as the Hellfire Clubs Sebastian Shaw is interesting. X-Men: First Class has potential, its just still unclear if it can compete with the other comic book movies also in development.

Director Matthew Vaughn (Snatch, Layer Cake, Neil Gaimans Stardust, Mark Millars Kickass) exploded yesterday upon seeing the images popping up online claiming to show the cast in full costume (below) before the files were removed at 20th Century Foxs request … but MSN published the same images (in hi-res) today as being official. Vaughn has stated that he is a fan of the comic book series and has dedicated himself to faithfully representing the story on screen. The images of the cast in yellow and blue costumes a bad Photoshop and that it is a far cry from what we will see on screen.

If thats the case, why is MSN publishing these very same images crediting 20th Century Fox as the source?

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Michael Fassbender stars as Magneto, Rose Byrne plays Dr. Moira MacTaggert, January Jones plays

The White Queen Emma Frost, Jason Flemyng plays Azazel

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Nicholas Hoult plays Beast, Lucas Till plays Havok, Zoe Kravitz plays Angel Salvadore, Jennifer

Lawrence plays Mystique, James McAvoy stars as Professor Charles Xavier

MSN also spoke to actor Michael Fassbender about Magneto, a pivotal character in the X-Men universe:

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Michael Fassbender as Magneto (with 'that helmet')

Hes such a complex character, really, and the idea of him being a villain is interesting considering his history (Lehnsherr is a Holocaust survivor who lost his family in the camps, and later lost his wife and daughter) … hes a very solitary individual, and the pain and grief thats gone on even before we meet him in this film is an interesting pool of information to draw from, in coming up with this Machiavellian character for whom the ends justified the means. You can see where hes coming from. Human beings dont have the greatest track record in what theyve done throughout history, so his point of view is, Well, we are the next stage of evolution (humans) are to us what Neanderthals were to Homo sapiens.

Hes an extremist, and thats always a dangerous place to be. By the time we leave him at the end of this movie, hes become very clear about what he wants and his decisions and his game plan.

Theres a scene where they just sort of transformed this hall in London into Buenos Aires Airport, and I just looked around this mock airport and said to myself, My God, Ive just had a feeling of being in the 60s. From the colors to the costume designs to the production design itself, theres a sort of nostalgia in the air when you look around the room. Its just from my own perception of the 60s, and all that came with it in terms of the music and the fashions and so forth, but all of that comes across in the visual references that we all have. All of that is there to encapsulate the feeling of that era, for sure.

As for our costumes, we went back and forth on so many things. We added things that worked in the comics, took them away again, and stripped them down again. … When it came to the Magneto suit, you know, theres various stages of what has been done with it, but you will have something that is traditional to the comics. There is a helmet (laughs), which is of course essential to keep Charlie-boy out of my head, and the colors are also kept traditional to the comics, that sort of red and purple. I dont know if Im giving you too much, but Ill say it anyway (laughs).

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James MacAvoy as Professor X

James MacAvoy spoke to the LA Times regarding his portrayal of Professor Charles Xavier, the importance of the previous films and the influence of Patrick Stewarts performance:

This isnt a reboot, so Im not replacing anyone, in which case you might want to try to be as different as possible and stay away from what had been done before, McAvoy said on Monday during a break from a rescue scene that required water-tank work. This is a prequel, so Im the same character, just younger, but the challenge for me and for Michael is to show the same person in a different place in their life; to show someone before theyre this bad guy, before theyre this saint. Charles wasnt always a … monk, this selfless, sexless monk that he becomes.

Images have leaked of the X-Mens signature plane the Blackbird crashed on an island. Rumor has also circulated that the plot of the film revolves around a threat similar to the Cuban Missile Crisis combined with the revelation of the mutants living amongst humanity.

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Such a large cast and the details previously mentioned suggest to me that X-Men First Class may be an adaptation of Giant Size X-Men #1 in which the team battles an island-sized mutant called Krakoa.

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Whatever the case regarding the make-up, costume design, and production woes… we will find out what the X-Men really look like very soon. Until then, we will have to wait until the film opens on June 3rd, 2011. It will be a jam-packed Summer of blockbusters with Thor, Captain America and Green Lantern starring alongside the X-Men reboot. Will this be a Summer of joy or one of infamy?

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I haven't kept up with the news on First Class because I'm not too sure on a reboot. Now that I know more about it, my one and only question is how the HFIL is this going to work?!

It's more than just a reboot, it's a complete reimagining! I wouldn't normally mind, but is it seriously meant to tie in with the other movies? I guess it could work, since we haven't been introduced to the featured characters apart from an elderly Magento and Xavier...though Beast was in his prime and gave off the impression that he wasn't tied to the X-Men...I'll allow for Mystique because she could shape-shift herself to be younger...

Is Azazel seriously the father of Nightcrawler? I thought it was some rich dude Mystique married, unless that was him in disguise...

I don't know why I'm feeling a tiny bit worked up about it, perhaps it's because I hated X1 and X2 - X3 was the only half-decent one as it introduced us to more mutants, as opposed to only revolving around Wolverine and his issues. Perhaps, I'm just feeling the same way I felt about the Superman Returns movie...they have an opportunity to create something new and fresh, and yet they don't.

Posted

i thought i heard that mystique was nightcrawlers mother...

did i get that right?

I'm not too clear on these xmen to be honest and i don't know exactly who azazel is anyway, or what you guys are all talking about in here :mrgreen:

Posted

i thought i heard that mystique was nightcrawlers mother...

did i get that right?

Yeah, Mystique is Nightcrawler's mother...that family is a little complicated, but less so compared to the Summers Clan - now that's a brain twister XD

I'm ashamed to say, that while I love the X-Men series most of my knowledge stems from the 90's animated series, which was pretty good at keeping close to the material, hence why I was confused about Nightcrawler's paternity...I should really hit the books :/

X3 was good considering what it had to work from - X1 and X2 - the only parts I raged at were Cyclop's lame death (I'm a Cyclops fan) and Angel's small role, despite being a poster boy ;p Although, I thought its merits lay in actually having a story that didn't centre around Wolverine and also it introduced a lot more mutants the previous two combined. The Wolverine movie was just awful...so bad, I feel like giving it the Tsukihime anime treatment :/

Regarding this new movie though, I'm a little put out that Havok's not Cyclops' younger brother - he could be older, or a completely different person in this movie, much like how Juggernaut wasn't Xavier's step-brother in X3 :/ But these are all fan-gripes, so whatever...anything goes in Movie-verse [emote=onion]yawn[/emote]

Posted

indeed they do, I was a little disappointed when i heard there is no cyclops i just turned into a cyclops fan after reading the The curse of the X-men story arc where one of Dracula's sons "kill" him and try to take over the world (of course) by first powering up the vampire race by infecting the mutant population first and in this story Cyclops proves just how awesome he is without even fighting, he really reminds me of Shikamaru, he may have one of the most awesome powers there is but his mind and leadership skills are his true weapon, which made me like him a bit more than wolvie.

Posted

That's exactly why I love Cyclops' character so much and feel that he's quite under-appreciated [emote=simple]smallbiggrin[/emote]...of course that's my opinion as most people I meet are Wolvie fans :/

The X-Men Animated series of the 90's was my first introduction to the series - obviously I was a kid - and back then I could tell how cool he was XD I could see that, aside from being easy on the eyes for a cartoon character, as the Leader of the X-Men he had the hardest choices to make. It's easy for Wolverine to rebel and go back for that one "soldier" and get all in Cyclops' face over it, but Cyclops has to think of the rest of the team and live with the consequences and guilt associated with his decisions. He was a great leader and I would have gladly followed him anywhere. He's just not appreciated enough for his efforts and is quite often, in my experience, seen by other people as a whiny pretty boy who stamps his foot and rolls around crying about he's the leader of the X-Men and everyone should listen to him. Not true. So it really disappointed me when he wasn't given his proper due in the X-Movies...

Posted (edited)

i thought i heard that mystique was nightcrawlers mother...

did i get that right?

I'm not too clear on these xmen to be honest and i don't know exactly who azazel is anyway, or what you guys are all talking about in here :mrgreen:

Yep. And that makes Rogue his sister since Mystique adopted her. But they have a half brother too. His name is Grayden Creed. He's a normal human. His dad is Sabertooth.

Nightcrawler also has a daughter from an alternate future named Nocturn. Azazel is a demon mutant. He passed on his teleportation powers to his children. Nightcrawler has two half brothers named Kiwi Black & Abyss who also have teleportation abilities too.

Edited by Bobby
Posted

Wow other Cyclops fans! Cool. He's been my favorate X-man since I was eight years old and I'm always extremely loyal with my fandom. Not that its not been hard. He's suffered some really bad writing and missed potentiol. Good to see him doing alot better these days in terms of his strengths. He's always been up there in terms of strategic and tactical minds, second only to Captain America in my opinion.

As for the film... I dunno, I'll watch it because I'm a sucker for superhero films but it sure as hell isn't X-men First Class too me. Its so non cannon it hurts. I just look at it and think WHY?

Posted

Having this set in the sixtys and Havoc already being in his late teens I dont see how they can have him being Cykes brother. I'd put Scott at no older than his early thirtys although more likely late twentys. This would make First Class Havoc in his fiftys... not saying its not possible for them to be brothers but its unlikly. More likly he'll take Crosair's place as Cyke's dad.

Will be a diffrent take on the character. In the comics he's felt like he's been over shadowed by Scott for most of his superhero life. This version wont have that. In general it just gives me the feeling that these are the characters in name but not so much in personality.

Posted (edited)

Wow other Cyclops fans! Cool. He's been my favorate X-man since I was eight years old and I'm always extremely loyal with my fandom. Not that its not been hard. He's suffered some really bad writing and missed potentiol. Good to see him doing alot better these days in terms of his strengths. He's always been up there in terms of strategic and tactical minds, second only to Captain America in my opinion.

I have noticed this regarding Cyclops also, but I tend to chalk it up to people not having a proper understanding of who he is, and rather focus on the surface of his appearance - bossy and uptight. He just hasn't been given the proper care - for lack of a better word.

Captain America also happens to be one of my favourite heroes - I love what he stands for; it's an ideology that seems to be slowly fading over the years, and in these times, I feel he is the kind of hero we need more of - honourable and courageous. I was so mad when they killed him off in that lame way - I mean a SNIPER?! I know they brought him back afterwards, but that's a pretty lame retcon of events...As for his upcoming movie, I'll watch it and while I love Chris Evans...I'm not sure if that casting choice was right - I always thought the dude who played Flash Gordon, Eric Johnson, in the new series would have been a better match, but of course he's older now and it depends on whether it crossed his mind to audition, or if it would have been a role he'd have been interested in...

As for the film... I dunno, I'll watch it because I'm a sucker for superhero films but it sure as hell isn't X-men First Class too me. Its so non cannon it hurts. I just look at it and think WHY?

My feelings exactly, but when I talked about it with a friend of mine, his defence for it was the following:

The X-Men-verse has been retconned; re-envisioned; rewritten etc. so many times, by various people - this is the director's take on it.

What I don't get is why they confuse everyone by saying it's a remake/prequel...it can't be both, so I'm going for it being a complete re-imagining/rebooting.

However, I can't help but feel a similar feeling to how my brother felt about the Prince of Persia movie - good concept and story, but why Prince of Persia? Surely it would have done just fine if it was a story with its own cast. This is how I feel, if he wants a superhero/mutant movie set in the 60's, by all means do so, but why base it on X-Men? Sure it fits Magneto and Xavier, but why bring in characters that canonically wouldn't have been around/active then? It perhaps, would have been interesting - since this is a reimagining - if they explored the Juggernaut relationship...

Cyclops is my favorite X-Man as well. His brother Havoc is in this. Though they have another brother.

Would this other brother have been Gambit? I remember reading that it was, but I'm not sure if that was ever confirmed in 'canon'...he was also my favourite, for obvious reasons ;)

...

Just thinking about Havoc as Cyclops' dad is just weird (since Emma Frost's in it, would she be his mother...?)...Could you imagine having this conversation with someone, explaining the differences between each X-Men-verse? I mean, explaining the Summers Clan is hard enough - I find it infinitely funny, how Cyclops and Jean have four grown children, but never physically made any of them.

Edited by ErutanXiku
Posted

The re-imagining thing is the only way I can justify it in my head... but I'll still mainly see it as a waisted opertunity to do the real First Class. As I said I'll watch it anyway and try and lock my crazy fanboy part in a room where I cant hear his screem.

I never really apriciated Captain America untill I matured myself. Now, like you said, I see him as a proper hero. More so than alot of the suposed Superheroes who dont have that moral backbone and courage. Now he ranks in in my top favorates. It helps that Ed Brubakers run was pretty much the best and most consistantly writen run I've seen in comics for a long time. It got me to give him a chance and that was all I needed.

I also heard the theory about Gambit being the third summers brother, but a new character was created to fill that void. Dosn't mean that Gambit dosn't have some Summers genes in him though as there is a theory he's a clone of Mr. Sinnister, and that guy LOOOVES his Summers clan.

Your definatly right about them complicating things even more. Man if they make Alex Scotts dad and Emma his mother, when he's in a serious relationship with whitequeen in the comic universe and has had children with her in alternate futures... I wouldn't want to explain that to people. My brain is starting to ache thinking about it.

Posted

It's not Gambit. It's This Guy.

Thanks for the link :) Actually the name sounds familiar, wait...I'm pretty sure Cable's twin brother was called 'Gabriel' as well, wasn't he? *does research* Now that's just weird, I mean, I could have sworn I read that Stryfe was Cable's twin and not his clone...Oh well, Gabriel Summers sounds familiar...

You have no idea how much my fangirl screamed during that awful Tekken movie - my only solace is that the guy who came up with the series, practically denies its existence. But yeah...I'm with you on that one, but I'm not sure how much more punishment it can take...

Regarding Captain America, my first exposure was in the 90's Spider-Man animated series during one of my most favourite arcs. I came to appreciate and love his character instantly based on his sacrifice and his ideals.

There's seriously a theory that Gambit could be Sinister's clone?! Ow...how? I mean I'm sure Sinister was like the kid that used to bully Cyclops in the orphanage - which is just weird, because Cyclops has two sons named after him - Nathan Dayspring and Nate Grey, though Nate was created by Sinister. Seriously, Sinister has to be the Number #1 Cyclops/Jean shipper/fanboy...

Posted

Nah that origin for Sinnister was ditched, yes he posed as a boy who bullied Scott but he's actualy a few hundred years old. He's been pulling strings all over the place and created the Marauders as well as tampered with many, many mutants over the years. Gambit actualy had a hand in the Morlock Massacre which Sinnister was behind. I think he's meddled with him on sevoral occasions. It wasn't untill one of Chris Clarmonts X-men: The End series (thats his theoretical ending for the X-men titles set about twenty or so year from the current time frame)that he revealed that Gambit was a clone of Sinister. Its not 100% cannon but its more likely that most origins for him.

Also Nate Grey and Cable are pretty much just alternate universe versions of each other. Although Cable's mom is Madelyne Pryor not Jean... but they are geneticly identical. So really only one kid named Nate... they just did it twice... Not sure why Nathan though.

And why oh why did you have to remind me of the Tekken movie?!

Posted

Dude...seriously? Wow, so much has changed...I really should try harder to keep up...

Yeah, I know Gambit had an indirect hand in the Morlock Massacre - his punishment was totally unfair, but I'm proud that he told Rogue where to stick it when she tried to get back with him after he made his way back. Thanks for reminding me though, I had an idea for a fic that after Gambit returned from Antarctica he would transfer to the Generation X Academy and be an instructor, where he would form a bond with Emma who has an understanding of what he's going through - I just couldn't remember why he was stranded in Antarctica though...

Sorry about the Tekken movie; despite it being awful, the only thing I thought was right about it was casting Ian Anthony Dale as Kazuya, despite the character being nothing like him...

Posted

They revealed Sinister's origin on Fox's X-Men cartoon. He experimented on early mutants and became one as a result.

Cable does have a twin brother. A clone named Strife. Cable is proof of how the Mutant Gene is hereditary in the Summers family. Though Grandpa Corsair, who's a space pirate, is completely human.

Posted

I like Ian Anthony Dale but he was no where near as impressivey powerful as Kazuya should be. Not his fault, the coriography and script pretty much screwed him... Fighting with twin axes... WAAAHHHH!!! no no no... I mean I really wanted to like the movie but why must they insist on mixing up characters or not getting the spirit of them right.

He's Scorpion in the new Mortal Kombat mini series. I'm looking forward to that because they apear to be setting Scorpion up as the protagonist... which I feel is a really nice spin considering he's my favorate, and if you know his story it quite accurate.

lol... we apear to be side tracking this a bit.

Posted

Sorry I was responding to a previous post.. its also why I apologised as to derailing the thread. Chill dude.

Anyway to get back on subject. If they go for a Krakoa angle then perhaps Professor X pulls the same trick that he did with Vulcan and his team of X-men and erase the momorys of those close to them when they vanish. Thats why Scott dosn't remember discovering his Younger brother (Gabriel not Alex).

They'd just have to rescure Beast and Mistique.

I always thought it was intresting how Proffessor X's morality seemed to become increasingly more dodgy as time went on in the comics.

Its not his X-men any more.

Posted

Yeah, sorry for going off topic, but just one more thing: I like Ian Anthony Dale too! I was so excited when I heard he was playing Kazuya, but so disappointed by the role he was given - who in the world wrote that script anyway?! I am also excited about him playing Scorpion - great choice based on the promo vid, and I'm looking forward to catching the webisodes when they're released.

Back to X-Men...

Yeah...like how does Beast work? If Havoc's ending up something like 50 by the present day, wouldn't that make Beast like 70? I bring it up, since McAvoy likes to refer back to X1 - X3 when talking about portraying Xavier, and how he has live up to Partick Stewart's portrayal...

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