Fox negotiates X3!!
You knew this day would come sooner or later and with X2 bringing in record numbers in DVD sales, what better time than the present? I don't think there was any doubt that there would eventually be an X-MEN 3, but this week Bryan Singer and Fox have officially begun negotiations for a third X film. The move follows a separate deal Singer just signed with the studio that would have his production company, Bad Hat Harry, set-up with a two-year development deal at Fox. Now I'm excited and you should be too at the prospect of Singer directing another X-MEN film but before we start going crazy and pulling our hair out, both parties admitted negotiations are still in the early stages. And any deal for a third film will be made more difficult by the fact that the actors were only under contract for ONE sequel. A third film would require new deals for all players, some of whom have seen their stars rise to multi-million dollar levels (Halle Berry, for example, if she would even consider returning, would likely price herself out of the film). But it's just good to know that X3 is in trusted hands and that in all likelihood, Bryan Singer will be back. And if X2 was such a big improvement on X-MEN just think how amazing X3 will be! Danger Room! Sentinels! Beast, Angel, Gambit!!
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They better have gambit or im boycotting this one
Fuck halley Berry i say that they replace her with an actress that would like to be a part of this franchise. Heres my vote
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Halle Berry is way overrated...
Gambit and Beast would be great. I wanna see fucking Mr. Sinister! I say we raise Raul Julia from the grave and have him play Mr. Sinister, I can't think of anyone who would be better.
And Aisha Taylor is neither a) very sexy nor b) very funny. She definitely put the finishing move on Talk Soup. Where has John Henson gone?!?
I am really excited about the idea of a third film in the series, but I don't know about adding all of this other stuff in. It could get really cluttered (though X2 handled that really well, so eh)
I'm also interested in why everyone wants to see Beast...
Quote from: Slobh
I'm also interested in why everyone wants to see Beast...
Because he's a fucking badass. If they got anywhere near the cartoon version of Beast, I'd be so happy. Though, now that I think about it, I don't think they could pull it off well, unless they went to Gollum-like measures. Maybe Beast is best left as a cameo by Hank McCoy in X2. Also, I think a third 'blue' character would be a little too much. Oh well. Damn you Slobh for making me think things through.
Quote from: Gamblor the ManwhoreQuote from: Slobh
I'm also interested in why everyone wants to see Beast...
Because he's a fucking badass. If they got anywhere near the cartoon version of Beast, I'd be so happy. Though, now that I think about it, I don't think they could pull it off well, unless they went to Gollum-like measures. Maybe Beast is best left as a cameo by Hank McCoy in X2. Also, I think a third 'blue' character would be a little too much. Oh well. Damn you Slobh for making me think things through.
Where are your UCB Theater pics
yeah if they did beast i best they would opt to cg him which would be lame
Quote from: SlobhQuote from: Gamblor the ManwhoreQuote from: Slobh
I'm also interested in why everyone wants to see Beast...
Because he's a fucking badass. If they got anywhere near the cartoon version of Beast, I'd be so happy. Though, now that I think about it, I don't think they could pull it off well, unless they went to Gollum-like measures. Maybe Beast is best left as a cameo by Hank McCoy in X2. Also, I think a third 'blue' character would be a little too much. Oh well. Damn you Slobh for making me think things through.
Where are your UCB Theater pics
The goddamned guy I went with, I gave him one of the doubles and he scanned every pic except the one with the UCB guys cuz he lost it. No one I know has a scanner, I'll hunt someone down. Do you go to UCB often?
Quote from: Banky
yeah if they did beast i best they would opt to cg him which would be lame
I mean, I have faith in Bryan Singer, but I'm afraid it could turn out Hulkish, that would suck.
I've NEVER been to the theater or New York, Gamblor. But I know a decent amount about that scene there.
Let's talk Beast :x
What do you people want to see him do, really? Say something smart and then jump away?
id much rather see gambit
Quote from: Bankyid much rather see gambit
So would I, but I think he's sort of overrated too. If Gambit ends up in this, I'd like to see him use his ability on other things, and not so much cards.
The only reason Halley Berry got more screen time in X2 is because she's now more popular. I didn't like either of the X-Men movies, so I probably won't like the third.
Producer Lauren-Shuler Donner ("X-Men" 1 & 2) is hard at work on a variety of projects as of late including the Keanu Reeves-led adaptation of "Constantine" and took a little time out of her schedule to talk with DH about what's going on with a third "X-Men" movie.
Are you getting many X3 questions?
Sure, mostly which character would you want to see in X3? [From others] I'm getting Beast, I'm getting Gambit - I have a great idea for Gambit but I can't say what it is.
When do you think it'll start shooting?
Ideally I would love to come out Summer of 2005 which means we'd better get going, but it's going to take a while to make the deals and all that.
What about writers?
Writers we're going to use Dan Harris & Mike Dougherty (the writers for "X2"), and then we're also going to develop a "Wolverine" movie at the same time but it won't come out until after "X3"
Are any of the actors signed on like Anna?
Some of our younger cast are. Shawn [Ashmore, aka. Iceman]...Anna [Paquin] is not. What we did was made everybody two-picture deals, so anybody who was in the first two are not but Shawn is and Colossus and Kitty Pride...
Will Colossus have a bigger role?
We'll see, probably.
Will the Dark Phoenix storyline be used?
We have to, we kind of left that out there so we have to follow that thread along with some other stories.
Ian McKellan told us he's keen on doing X3?
I can't imagine doing it without him or Patrick [Stewart] or any of the main cast...and Halle [Berry]. We have to make sure that she's used well and we have a great great storyline for her, or maybe we do a Storm movie...who knows.
halle berry needs to stop ruining every movie she's in.
i hope she prices herself out, man she sucked in X2, so much. my eyes were rolling out of their sockets.
Quote from: Pi hope she prices herself out, man she sucked in X2, so much. my eyes were rolling out of their sockets.
Did you notice how she magically lost her African accent in X2 that she had in X1?
Quote from: PawbloeDid you notice how she magically lost her African accent in X2 that she had in X1?
haha, i thought she just "evolved".. u know, into a whiter person.
luckily her role was so pointless it was easy to ignore and focus on the good things, like famke.
Quote from: PQuote from: PawbloeDid you notice how she magically lost her African accent in X2 that she had in X1?
haha, i thought she just "evolved".. u know, into a whiter person.
luckily her role was so pointless it was easy to ignore and focus on the good things, like famke.
....damn so true...gorgeous lady she is...
i forgot that she was in goldeneye also....for the longest time i always thought that "russian-esque" chick was hot .and it wasnn't until seeing united that i realized it was her......
someone please post a "semi-revealing" pic of her................
educate the uneducated..
bmw has a car called the x3 -- any thoughts?
Quote from: NEON MERCURYsomeone please post a "semi-revealing" pic of her................
educate the uneducated..
i think she's one of those chicks who looks better with clothes on..
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Quote from: cowboykurtisbmw has a car called the x3 -- any thoughts?
....its also the name of this thread...
Quote from: P...looks better with clothes on..
...you do have a point...........................................................
Quote from: Gamblor du JourWhere has John Henson gone?!?
A-men brother!!
I wish they'd turn the series over to someone else, like the HP series is doing. I can't explain it, but I just don't like Singer.
And I'm up for seeing Gambit. I always thought he was one of the best in the series. I also would like to see more Jubilee.
They should also do the Age of Apocalypse. That'd be nice.
I'm glad Singer's finishing the trilogy out. X2 still gets my money for most satisfying popcorn movie of last summer. I also thought Halle Berry was good in it, but I'd rather see someone who actually wants the role and cares about it to play Storm. If someone else was cast as Wolverine or Magneto, it would suck, but Berry is expendable, sadly.
Funny how quickly I've grown to dislike her, after loving her so much in Monster's Ball.
Wolverine Howling for Fox
David Benioff drafting an X-Men spin-off script centering on the enigmatic mutant Wolverine.
In a seven-figure deal, 20th Century Fox has hired Troy scribe David Benioff to pen a spin-off of the X-Men franchise centering on the comic strip's most popular character, Wolverine. Benioff will pen the script with the hopes that a deal can be made with Hugh Jackman to reprise the metal-clawed super-mutant on the big screen.
Wolverine has always been one of the most popular and most intriguing of the X-Men mutants. With a mysterious past and no recollection of where he came from or how old he is, Wolverine possesses the ability to heal any injury incurred almost instantly. In addition, flashbacks revealed that his skeleton was altered during medical experiments with liquid metal making his skeletal structure indestructible and giving him his signature retractable claws.
Although no official deal has yet been reached, Fox is going after Lauren Shuler Donner and Marvel Studios' Avi Arad, who produced the two X-Men films, to produce the Wolverine spin-off. Fox's Hutch Parker will be overseeing the project's development with senior vice president Alex Young.
Repped by WMA, Benioff most recently penned the script for the Marc Forster-helmed Stay, which Fox will release this fall. He's currently working on several tome adaptations, including Right as Rain for Curtis Hanson, The Kite Runner for Sam Mendes and Warner Bros.' For Whom the Bell Tolls.
The two X-Men features picked up a total of over $700 million at the worldwide box office. The studio is now moving forward with their plans for a third installment with Simon Kinberg drafting a script. The project had been stalled after helmer Bryan Singer ankled the film to work on Superman for Warner Bros.
Matthew Vaughn Helming X-Men 3
Source: Ain't-It-Cool-News March 14, 2005
Ain't-It-Cool-News has confirmed that Layer Cake director Matthew Vaughn will direct X-Men 3 for 20th Century Fox. Bryan Singer directed the first two films of the franchise and is now shooting Superman.
The anticipated third film is expected to center on the Dark Phoenix saga. Both Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn wrote scripts, but the site says the studio will use Penn's draft for the movie.
In related news, while Hugh Jackman (who is also producing), Famke Janssen, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming and more are all coming back, Halle Berry still isn't sure. She tells XMenFilms.net:
I have not read the script. All I have asked, is that if I come back as Storm, she need to be closer to the comic book. So, if they have in fact written her closer to the comic book character, then I'm in. If not, I'm out. I hope I'm in though. I love Storm, and really want to be part of the last film.
who? and 'last film' haha, yeah right.
it will be the last film if she's in it. the last film she'll ever ruin.
a man can dream..
Without the direction of Bryan Singer carrying over into the third X-Men film, I'm predicting a Batman 3 like fallout from this next film. At least he's doing Superman. That will be great.
X3 Villain Update
Plus, Avi talks Angel & Dark Phoenix.
Slowly but surely the pieces of X-Men 3 are coming together. IGN FilmForce checked back with its secret X3 source after receiving an anonymous tip that claimed the following: that there are two entirely different scripts in the works (rather than one cohesive storyline worked on by two different screenwriters); that the villains included Simon Shaw of the Hellfire Club, the previously reported Dr. Bolivar Trask, as well as Mr. Sinister; and that there was a new female lead in it.
None of this is true, according to our insider. They stressed that there is only one draft of the screenplay but that it is, a la X2, being worked on by two different writers. They also informed us that there are no new female leads in it, and that the villain will NOT be either Shaw, Dr. Trask or Mr. Sinister. And don't bother asking: they're not telling us who the villain is!
In related news, Empire Online spoke with Marvel Studios CEO and X3 producer Avi Arad who confirmed IGN FilmForce's report that Angel is NOT a female, as it had been reported elsewhere.
"It won't be a female Angel. I don't know where that came from, maybe because he looks angelic," Arad said. "There will be interesting characters that will be introduced. It just has to move forward. Obviously we have Wolverine, and Magneto, Professor X, Storm, Cyclops, Nightcrawler, Rogue, all these characters, but then you need to freshen up the story and make it new."
Despite earlier reports (and the ending of X2), fans apparently shouldn't expect the Dark Phoenix saga to be the basis for X3 after all. "It should never be this one story. The main characters are more important than Jean Grey," Arad explained. "This is a bigger story. Everybody's expecting Dark Phoenix, but Dark Phoenix would never be the main show. She'll be one of the characters, that's it. There are a lot of stories to tell."
The producer also sang the praises of the newly hired X3 director, Matthew Vaughn. "We are incredibly excited about Matthew," said Avi. "It's no less a leap than it was for Bryan [Singer]. With movies of this size, it's hard to wing it. He's very confident, that's what I like about him. 'Yeah, I can do that!'"
Janssen Signs for X3
Phoenix set for next X-Men.
It's official... Famke Janssen has signed on the dotted line to return for Fox's forthcoming X3. According to today's Variety, Janssen recently inked a deal to return in the third film of the blockbuster superhero franchise. Hugh Jackman has already signed on. Jackman will, of course, reprise his role as Wolverine and Janssen, as expected, will play the character of Phoenix.
This most recent development jives with what sources are telling us: Dark Phoenix is the big villain in X3. Not the Sentinels, Mr. Sinister, Dr. Bolivar Trask, or the Hellfire Club. We were cautioned, however, that it still doesn't make Famke's character the main story.
Marvel's Avi Arad recently talked to Empire and gave a similar disclaimer. He says, "This is a bigger story. Everybody's expecting Dark Phoenix, but Dark Phoenix would never be the main show. She'll be one of the characters, that's it. There are a lot of stories to tell."
Variety adds that Halle Berry, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are still in negotiations, but are expected to return.
X-Men 3, directed by Matthew Vaughn, is tentatively set for a May 26, 2006 release.
So Matthew Vaughn gets X3, Daniel Craig gets Bond...what about Colm Meany?
Famke Jansen died at the end of X2... so this means she didnt die or what...
It's the story arc in which Jean Grey does die, but then comes back with heightened powers and a bit of a mean streak. Hence the name Phoenix (along with a fiery bird of psychic energy that eminates around her body. See the last scene over the water in X2.) It the comics I think it was linked with a story involving an alien race. The name escapes me at the mo.
Big Chris in X3?
Plus, the screenwriter talks shop.
According to a scooper for Ain't It Cool News, British football star-turned-actor Vinnie Jones may be up for a role in X-Men 3. Jones has reportedly been spotted in the X3 production office in Vancouver.
IGN FilmForce's trusty X3 source informed us that the Jones rumor is true and that the filmmakers are "definitely" talking to him about an unspecified villain role.
Jones has worked with three key members of the X-Men production before. He appeared in Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, which were produced by X3 director Matthew Vaughn. Jones also appeared in Swordfish opposite Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman.
His other credits include Gone in Sixty Seconds and Eurotrip.
In other news, X3 screenwriter Simon Kinberg spoke to Now Playing magazine about working on the mutant movie.
"The X-Men movies I think are actually the great challenge of the Marvel Universe, because there are so many characters [and] the tone is so specific and it is political and philosophical. You also have to make them really fun – a lot of moving parts happening at the same time," the scribe explained, adding, "The truth is the biggest challenge of writing the movies is fitting all the characters [in]. I have so much love for these characters, I don't want to introduce one that I love as a cameo – I want to really get into it and let them get into the depth and the layers of the character."
Kinberg would not comment on which new characters would appear in X3, which Sneak Peek reports begins filming July 15th for a May 26, 2006 release.
Juggernaut Likes Rubber
The latest X3 buzz.
Contact Music reports that British football star-turned-actor Vinnie Jones will "wear a rubber suit to boost his physique" for his role as the villainous Juggernaut in X-Men 3.
"His character is 2.13 metres (seven feet) tall and weighs 413 kilograms (65 stone), meaning broad Jones will need to wear a latex costume," the site claims. "An insider says, 'Vinnie thinks it's a great laugh and can't wait to get into the suit.'"
In related X3 villain news, a scooper for Ain't It Cool News says Ray Park appeared at the recent Armageddon convention in Wellington, New Zealand where he said he was in talks with producers to reprise his role as Toad in X3 (since you never really saw him die in the first X-Men film).
Ironically enough, IGN FilmForce had just been advised by a source last week that "as of now, no Sabretooth and Toad in X3." Could Park be up for a new role instead (if he's really up for any part at all)?
X3 Has More Pryde
The latest on Kitty.
The Comic Reel recently reported that "Marvel's production company is auditioning actresses to play a new 17-year-old female lead character [in X-Men 3], based on a recent rewrite of the script. The source believes this to be Kitty Pryde stepping into the spotlight, replacing Katie Stuart who was briefly on screen in X2."
IGN FilmForce can confirm that this is indeed the case. According to our trusty mutant insiders, Kitty will be a much bigger character in X3. She will also be the same age as Iceman (Shawn Ashmore) and Rogue (Anna Paquin).
With production set to start this July in Vancouver, fans should expect some major casting announcements soon.
X3 is slated to open May 26, 2006.
Quote from: MacGuffin"replacing Katie Stuart who was briefly on screen in X2."
:yabbse-angry:
:yabbse-cry:
Vaughn Talks X3
"The film I'm doing is more in the tone of Unforgiven."
X-Men 3 director Matthew Vaughn chatted with Coming Soon about the project. Vaughn promises to "expand on things. There's three or four scenes I know people will just be shocked and close to tears."
"I know that there's going to be elements I'm going to be bringing to it that will worry the fans in the sense that I want to make a movie that stands up in twenty, thirty years time basically. ... The film I'm doing is more in the tone of Unforgiven."
Vaughn also confirmed that Juggernaut will be in X3 but that Vinnie Jones is not exactly a done deal for it yet. "What's interesting about Juggernaut is that he's the brother of Professor X, and that's why I thought it would be interesting having an English thug opposite Patrick Stewart."
Interview: Matthew Vaughn
The director of X3 talks about the upcoming project.
Source: IGN.Filmforce
Today in Los Angeles director Matthew Vaughn sat down with journalists, primarily to discuss his latest film, Layer Cake, which releases May 13 in New York in L.A. But since Mr. Vaughn is directing the third installment of the X-Men franchise, the discussion often turned to that highly anticipated sequel. We had plenty of questions for him, and we thought we'd give you all the X3 scoop as soon as we could.
Q: So you have you have X3 lined up next to direct?
MATTHEW VAUGHN: In theory.
Q: It's not ready to go yet?
VAUGHN: We're trying to see if we can get it off the ground at the moment. There's just a hell of a lot [to do]. We're meant to be filming it in August... We're working on it at the moment.
Q: Previous X-Men films have had trouble balancing so many characters and Berry has said she would only play Storm again if she had more to do.
VAUGHN: As far as I know, Halle's doing the film. In the script, she's got a lot to do and I've got a lot of experience with dealing with a lot of characters in a film... That doesn't intimidate me at all, so I think I know how to get that balance. That should be one of the easier parts of making this movie.
Q: Did Fox pursue you or did you come to them?
VAUGHN: What happened on X-Men was I just read [that] they didn't have a director and I was looking for something to do next. (Laughs) So I just got in touch and they watched [Layer Cake] and they liked it.
Q: Are you a comic fan?
VAUGHN: Yeah. I used to be a big comic fan. I'm not as much anymore. I'm still a fan, I just haven't got time to read them. I like comic books, I like comic book movies. Good comic book movies, which I don't think there are many. Most of them are absolutely awful.
Q: Do you have any crazy plans to reinvent the franchise?
VAUGHN: I won't say crazy, no. I have plans to put my stamp on it. I hope to, I mean the studio has been incredibly supportive. I thought when I pitched them the way I wanted to make the movie, they'd run a mile. I think the X-Men are very much movies of the '90s and I think it's time for them to toughen up a bit.
Q: What is your personal stamp as you see it?
VAUGHN: I think fantasy should all be based in reality and then it becomes... You have to be able to relate to the characters and X-Men was pretty good because you saw all the floors and the conflict that they are going through. I think that conflict needs to be expanded on and I wanted the villains to be less, sort of, what's the word? At the moment I think there's a lot of mustache-twirling in the last films and I want to get rid of that and make the villains really scary and more realistic.
Q: Do you see this as a grittier, more violent film then the previous two?
VAUGHN: Violent, I wouldn't say. Grittier doesn't mean violent. I liked what Joss Whedon... You know how Whedon dealt with everything. I thought that that's more my sentiment.
Q: Can you talk about the premise?
VAUGHN: I can't. I could but I can't. (Laughs)
Q: We know there will be new characters. Even if you can't say who they are, can you say they whether they will be major characters or more along the line of the brief appearances of Kitty Pryde and Colossus?
VAUGHN: I wouldn't say there are going to, it's pretty hard to get to the forefront because there's some big guys you are going to have to squeeze past, but they'll have more to do then the last one.
Q: Are you addressing any element of the Dark Phoenix saga?
VAUGHN: Maybe. (Laughs)
Q: How closely are you working with the writer?
VAUGHN: Working very closely. Literally very, very, very closely. I've sat with them and wrote, we've been writing together.
Q: Will Wolverine take his shirt off again?
VAUGHN: Would you like him to? You'll have to ask Hugh. I don't know if Hugh's been to the gym lately.
Q: Are you signed for more than one?
VAUGHN: I will never sign anything which makes me have to do more than one film.
Q: Are you working closely with Avi Arad?
VAUGHN: Yeah, Avi's a cool guy. He's cool. Apparently he invented Air Hockey. I don't know if that's true or not but a friend told me that and I was impressed.
Q: Do you have any involvement in the teaser trailer for X3 that will be before Fantastic Four?
VAUGHN: They've announced the teaser trailer? It's gonna be the ultimate tease because it's going to have nothing from the movie on it. It's going to literally be an "X" and a "3." (Laughs)
Q: What do you see as the pitfalls of bad comic movies?
VAUGHN: Watching them.
Q: What do they do wrong?
VAUGHN: I don't know, just make a bad movie. I've got to be careful what I say. They either don't make a good film... You either ignore the comic book and make a great movie or you stay very close to the comic book. But I think a lot of times they ignore the comic book and they don't make a good film so you're just stuck in this no man's land.
Q: Which are your favorites?
VAUGHN: I did like the Spider-Mans. I thought they were very, very good. I liked Hulk. Everyone hated Hulk but I actually thought it was a good film. Admittedly, I saw it after everyone nailed it to the floor and I saw it on a digital projection which probably made The Hulk look better. I like the X-Men, otherwise I wouldn't be doing it... Matrix, I always call that a comic book movie and I thought that was good. One. (Laughs)
Q: What do you expect to be the biggest difficulty with X3?
VAUGHN: For me it's just the time [that] we've got a real problem about. They want us to come out next May and that's a problem. We've got a hell of a lot to get done in 12 months. That's the only difficulty I foresee. Making a film is making a movie, it doesn't matter what the budget is.
Q: Are you prepared for the fan reaction? No matter what you do, some will still hate it.
VAUGHN: Fine, let them hate it. As long as I don't have to sit down in a room with them, it doesn't bother me... You can't please everyone... If you make a good movie, that's all that matters. The comic book fans can read their comics and be happy with their comics, but if they don't like it, don't watch it...
Q: Speaking of bad comic movies, one of the big problems has been the overuse of CGI.
VAUGHN: Yeah, I hate CGI. That's why I'm trying to do everything in-camera. Listen, you have to use CGI but I want to do as much in-camera as possible. I'm a gamer, I like videogames and I feel like, when you watch movies, half the time it's like watching an extended game... You just switch off [with bad CGI], I couldn't agree with you more.
A King for Gambit?
Comic Book Movie claims that Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers (who can be seen tonight as The King of Rock n' Roll in the final part of CBS' miniseries Elvis) is up for the role of ragin' Cajun mutant Gambit in X-Men 3.
As cool as I think that casting would be, it's my duty to inform you that IGN FilmForce's trusty X3 sources have branded the rumor "100% false."
In related news, Cyclops actor James Marsden spoke to The Advocate about X3. "It's very complicated. I want nothing more than to be a part of X-Men 3, especially since they're probably going into the Dark Phoenix saga, which would include my character a lot, but the schedule might conflict. I hope it all works out. I told them I'd do it for free." Marsden, you'll recall, is also a member of the cast of the rival Superman Returns.
Finally, Monsters & Critics spoke with X2 composer John Ottman who expressed interest in returning for the third and final X-Men film. "I would love to do X3, and I know they want me to do it. The only hitch would be if Superman conflicts with their schedule. I really wanted to do X3 because I set up all the themes to be expanded upon later."
For a second there, I thought that read Jonathan Rhys-Davies :shock:
Grammer, Grace in X3
Beast and Kitty Pryde cast but what of Colossus?
Variety reports that Emmy-winner Kelsey Grammer has been cast as loquacious, furry mutant Dr. Hank McCoy, a.k.a. Beast, in X-Men 3.
"Kelsey was born to play the role," Marvel Studios CEO Avi Arad informed the trade. "This is a big role in the new movie, and when we met with him, you can see that Kelsey has that you'd-better-have-a-dictionary-handy intelligence."
IGN FilmForce's own Ken Plume also talked to Avi Arad about Grammer's casting, and Arad discussed how Beast will be brought to life onscreen, saying "there will be make-up and prostheses. It will be a combination of artforms to bring it to life, but a lot of it will maintain around his face – his eyes, his mouth, and so on. It will be very much like the kind of stuff we did with The Thing."
Variety also confirms that Vinnie Jones is in talks to portray the villainous Juggernaut in the sequel, and that Maggie Grace (TV's Lost, The Fog remake) is in talks to play Kitty Pryde. The trade adds that 20th Century Fox "is also searching for an actor to play Angel, a handsome winged mutant who is ashamed of his feathery appendages."
IGNFF's trusty X3 source advised us that the only major parts left to cast are Angel and Colussus. Yes, that's right. X2's Daniel Cudmore will not be returning and the role of the steely Russian strongman will be recast.
In related news, Superhero Hype claims that unknown actor Scott Madej has been cast in X-Men 3 as either Gambit or young Professor X (possibly in flashbacks to Juggernaut's origin).
X-Men 3 begins filming this summer for a Memorial Day weekend 2006 release.
Vaugn's off the show, according to AICN.
What do you want to bet Marvel gets back at DC for stealing Singer and lures Whedon away from Wonder Woman (which will inevitably be terrible no matter what, unless they take a Charlies Angels approach, and thus should not be made) to take over this?
thats insane news. my prediction is that it will not be good, due to the fact that they're no longer making a movie, but making a release date.
I agree. X2 was made under the same time constraints, but Bryan Singer had developed the project himself and was familiar with the cast. Even if the script for this is great, it's going to be hard to pull off.
Stupid studios and their release dates. At least they still give Raimi three years to make his Spiderman films.
Details:
Vaughn Drops X3
Director quits X-Men 3.
Director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake) has left the X-Men 3 production, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The helmer cited personal reasons for his decision, mainly that he'd come to the realization that he'd need to uproot his family to L.A. & Vancouver for a year for the production. Vaughn, who signed on for the project two months ago, reportedly originally planned to commute between the Vancouver location and his family in London.
Vaughn is the second director to leave the X3 production in the past year. Last August, Bryan Singer left the project, choosing to film Superman Returns instead.
The now director-less X-Men 3 currently has an August 2 production start date and a release date of May 26, 2006.
This is the future.
They will try to get Carnahan, you know, he almost did MI3 so he has the chops for an action packed flick, then he will leave and they'll steal JJ Abrahms from Cruise which he'll steal back, at this point several top players will be mentioned, among those McG will head the list with Pitof and W.S. Anderson close behind, then Ratner will take over to end this franchise.
pta will take over. trust me.
he will have two movies out next year. yehaw!!!
Quote from: mogwaipta will take over. trust me.
he will have two movies out next year. yehaw!!!
he will turn this into a thinly veiled Oil adaptation.. "there will be blood type X"
fuck you , claudia schiffer's husband, i wanted to see this . layer cake was fun
i'll direct it!
Our prayers have been answered!!!
http://www.moviehole.net/news/5718.html
Ratner to take over X-Men 3?
Posted on Thr, 2-Jun-2005
He couldn't handle one guy in tights, but he can handle a whole troupe of them?
Brett Ratner, one-time attached to direct "Superman Returns" before his wobbly knees told him to get off something so epic, may be the guy set to captain the "X-Men 3" tug, says Aint it Cool.
Ratner's name is being thrown about as a replacement for Matthew Vaughn, who it was announced departed the super-sequel recently.
Another chap whose in the running is John Moore, helmer of the slick action/adventure flicks "Flight of the Phoenix" and "Behind Enemy Lines".
Personally, I'm not sold on either of those chaps. They've made nothing but 'so so' flicks. Whedon would've been my choice - but he's not keen on directing anything that he hasn't had a hand in penning, so you can forget about that fanboy dream.
Hopefully, the script of "X-Men 3" will be grand enough on it's own that it doesn't matter who's calling the shots.
It's a pretty controversial sequel, says the abovementioned site. "Three major characters that absolutely should not die, die. Really dead, too. Not Spock Dead. And one mutant who should not lose her powers, loses her powers permanently. Really loses them, too. Not SUPERMAN II loses them. And the sex scene... when you see who does what to who... oh, boy".
HILARIOUS!
This is what I get for posting that fake Ratner/Vertigo story last week! Oh well. AICN reported last year that Ratner was doing MI3, but that never happened.
if he takes over he will retitle the movie as rush hour x. he will definitely ruin the franchise. hm, what franchise? :saywhat:
Oh great. I can't wait for the movie to start off with the Danger Room blowing up and and killing everyone except for Wolverine and Cyclops. Oh the hillarity that will ensue as they argue over what music to listen too and who drives as they go to Chinatown to rough up Brotherhood mutants.
Quote from: hacksparrow"Three major characters that absolutely should not die, die. Really dead, too. Not Spock Dead. And one mutant who should not lose her powers, loses her powers permanently.
So that's how theyll deal with Halle Berry.
Quote from: GhostboyQuote from: hacksparrow"Three major characters that absolutely should not die, die. Really dead, too. Not Spock Dead. And one mutant who should not lose her powers, loses her powers permanently.
So that's how theyll deal with Halle Berry.
See, I figured The Rat would get Chris Tucker to play Storm.
damn, i was just going to use a casting chris tucker joke.
Quote from: GhostboyThis is what I get for posting that fake Ratner/Vertigo story last week!
The best part was:
Quote from: ewardQuote from: Ghostboy
Brett Ratner has signed on to develop a remake of the Hitchcock classic 'Vertigo' for... producer Brian Grazer
FUCK. fuckfuckfuckfuck are they serious? they cant be. fuck. god damn it.
*sigh*
ghostboy writes the best fake news stories.
Some others fell for these...
http://www.xixax.com/viewtopic.php?p=115081&highlight=#115081
http://www.xixax.com/viewtopic.php?p=110816&highlight=#110816
http://news.yahoo.com/s/eo/20050603/en_movies_eo/16680
"X3" Doesn't Mark Spot for Director By Julie Keller
Another would-be X-Man has exited X3.
Just weeks before production was set to begin, British filmmaker Matthew Vaughn became the second helmer to drop directing duties on the third edition of the blockbuster superhero franchise.
Vaughn would have made his Hollywood directorial debut on the high-profile project after producing Guy Richie's low-budget British gangster flicks Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch before finally helming one of his own, the recently released Layer Cake.
Despite its career-making potential, Vaughn had a very good reason for leaving X3: The London-based filmmaker didn't want to be away from supermodel wife Claudia Schiffer and their two small children--two-year-old Casper and six-month-old Clementine--to spend the better part of year shacked up with mutants.
"As the shooting evolved, he realized he would have to move to Los Angeles and Vancouver for at least a year," 20th Century Fox said in a statement. "Not wishing to uproot his family for an extended period, Vaughn opted to depart the production.
"We understand Matthew's reasons for leaving, as nothing is more important than family."
Shooting is scheduled to begin next month. Hutch Parker, president of 20th Century Fox, tells Daily Variety that the movie still "right on schedule" to make its planned May 26, 2006 release.
But Parker had no immediate word on who would replace Vaughn.
This is the second major X3 directorial defection. Bryan Singer, who helmed the first two X-Men films, skipped out to take the reins of Warner Bros.' upcoming Superman Returns.
While Vaughn's out, there have been a couple of key additions to the X3 roster. Fraiser's Kelsey Grammer has been tapped to play Beast, the super-intelligent blue behemoth good guy, and Lock, Stock star Vinnie Jones is set to star as the evil, metal-clad Juggernaut.
Also making an appearance will be the winged Angel and Kitty Pryde, aka Shadowcat, who can pass through walls. That role is rumored to be going to Lost's Maggie Grace.
No word yet if Halle Berry will be back as Storm--especially after her abysmal showing in Catwoman--but the rest of the key players are all on board, including Ian McKellen (Magneto), Patrick Stewart (Professor X) and Hugh Jackman (Wolverine).
Warner Bros. would have been wise to simply wait until Singer was ready and willing to do X3. They will cost themselves millions in attaching somebody new to the project. Horrible idea..
I present: The I hate to be right post! (http://xixax.com/viewtopic.php?p=188949#188949)
From AICN:
Shock! Gasp! Ratner is aboard to direct X-MEN 3! Aren't you just thrilled? Doesn't this fill you with glee & joy?
Hey folks, Harry here... Moriarty and I knew when we got multiple confirmations that Ratner was the lead candidate to replace Matthew Vaughn as the director of X-MEN 3 that you folks would be upset. Not only that, but when we began contacting everyone involved with no return calls... that it was definitely irreversible and true.
Now, I saw many of you suggesting Alex Proyas to direct X-MEN. Well, one of the reasons they couldn't get Alex Proyas is that after his experience working on I, ROBOT under Tom Rothman - the word I've heard is that Alex has been heard by some to say that he won't make another film for Fox until Rothman is no longer in charge. Personally, I know quite a few filmmakers that feel the same way... so, we're stuck with Brett Ratner directing X-MEN 3.
Now that we're stuck with this 'genius' is there a single solitary bright spot? Well - I haven't read the script - so I can't say anything good about it. The review Moriarty got is pretty fucking scary - and he'll have that for you as soon as his computer gets back online. The review read like a list of demands from talent and execs. Killing 2 of the top three actors in the series and another major character... Then - the regurgitate the angry father of a mutant plotline... whose answer is to make a demutant serum that he gets from... yet another mutant. Well, gosh - the plot worked last time right? Sigh.
9 Weeks till they begin shooting and what this script needs is the type of director that could tell Rothman to butt out of his film, and would work with his writers to weed out the idiotic ideas from the few good ones the script has. However, there is one real fun thing about bringing the Rat aboard... and that's Lalo Schifrin. He's coming aboard to score the film. Now - there's something else kinda funny going on here. You see, people seem to be acting like this was some miracle last minute something... but 3 weeks ago some visual effects folks that were in Canada were heard loose-lipping that they'd been called by Ratner to discuss X-MEN 3. 3 WEEKS AGO!
Moriarty should be back later this week with a full on expose on what sucks and doesn't regarding the script to X-MEN 3. Hey, remember - BATMAN BEGINS rules.
Link (http://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=20387).
Is there an official word on this yet?
Quote from: FernandoIs there an official word on this yet?
Brett Ratner signs on as 'X3' directorSource: Los Angeles Times
For "X3," 20th Century Fox is hoping the third time is the charm. The studio announced Monday that "Rush Hour" veteran Brett Ratner would direct the latest "X-Men" installment — the latest filmmaker to step into that role. Fox production chief Hutch Parker said he was confident Ratner would have "X3" ready for its scheduled May 26 opening, with filming set to commence in early August in Vancouver. "The production plan is pretty much in place," Parker said. "You are not starting from scratch."
Ratner replaces Matthew Vaughn, who dropped out last week because, among other things, he didn't want to be away from his family for a long time. Vaughn had stepped in for Bryan Singer, who directed the first two "X-Men" movies but is currently making "Superman," which Ratner at one point was going to direct.
In addition to having cast most of "X3's" lead roles (including Hugh Jackman's return as Wolverine), the film's producers also have scouted locations, hired department heads and even storyboarded some key action sequences.
Asked about the fast track the film is on, producer Lauren Shuler Donner said that the earlier two "X-Men" films also were made in less than a year. "We've done it before," she said. "And we'll do it again."
Quote from: FernandoIs there an official word on this yet?
"shitty"
Quote from: PubrickQuote from: FernandoIs there an official word on this yet?
"shitty"
"classic"
Brett Ratner Shrugs Off Critics, Promises More Humor In 'X3'
Director insists he'll deliver movie on time — with Berry and Jackman. Source: MTV
LOS ANGELES — Director Brett Ratner got his start in Hollywood by persuading Steven Spielberg to help finance his student film; when conventional wisdom seemed to be against it, he made "Red Dragon," a third movie starring Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Why, then, is this seemingly fearless man suddenly feeling some pressure?
"It's not going to be easy," Ratner said of his newest gig, taking over the seemingly cursed reins of "X-Men 3" with marching orders to deliver the effects-heavy film to theaters by next Memorial Day weekend. "But we're definitely going to hit it."
Like any great comic-book story, you need to understand the origin if you hope to fully enjoy the tale: Bryan Singer, who wrote and directed the first two installments of the Marvel Comics mutant-superhero series, declined a third volume to instead bring back DC Comics character Superman via "Superman Returns," which is currently being filmed.
"Layer Cake" director Matthew Vaughn then stepped in with ambitious plans that included the casting of Kelsey Grammar as well-mannered monster Beast and Vinnie Jones as one-man wrecking crew Juggernaut. Weeks later, Vaughn stepped down for reasons that remain unclear.
"They called me and they said, 'We're interested in you for "X3," ' " Ratner recalled. "I said, 'Yeah, great, I wanted to do the first one originally.' "
The 36-year-old Ratner, who proudly declares that he has "read comic books my whole life," had indeed been a candidate to initiate the "X-Men" franchise at the beginning of the decade. This is where things get real confusing: Singer instead took on the task of bringing Wolverine and friends to the screen, while Ratner came tantalizingly close to directing an earlier version of the Superman movie — yes, the same one that Singer is now overseeing.
"I think we bring stuff onto ourselves," Ratner said of the musical-chairs game with Singer. "He had dreams of doing 'Superman,' that was his fantasy, and I had a dream of it too, and it didn't work out, but 'X-Men' is a part of that dream as well.
"Bryan Singer and Brett Ratner are in that age range who grew up on comics," Ratner said, referring to himself in the third person. "Well, I don't know if he grew up on comic books, but in that generation where comic heroes are part of our society and part of our pop culture.
"Bryan Singer left ['X-Men 3'] because he didn't like the material," Ratner insisted. "But I don't think this movie is tainted; I think it is fantastic and the script is amazing.
"Jackie Chan says Brett Ratner is the luckiest guy in the world," the director said of his "Rush Hour" star's opinion of him taking over the comic-book franchise, "and I feel like I am."
Not everyone, however, considers Ratner quite so blessed. "[They think] I'm the antichrist!" he laughed when asked about what many diehard fans are posting on popular movie-discussion Web sites. "I don't think about it."
Ratner does realize that his résumé, which includes Chris Tucker vehicles and clunkers like "After the Sunset" and "The Family Man," doesn't exactly endear him to geeks looking for a Sam Raimi-like genre veteran harboring a unique vision. He also acknowledges that comic-movie heroes including Superman and Batman both went horribly wrong after new directors took over the franchise for the third installment.
"I'm not Joel Schumacher," he said of the fan-despised director behind "Batman Forever" and the even more poorly received "Batman & Robin," "and I'm not ... um ... who did the third Superman?"
That would be Richard Lester. "I'm Brett," Ratner said, "and all I know is what I know, what I can do and what I have to work with."
As far as the growing myth that the third film always kills a superhero franchise, Ratner responded: "Well, there's also the fact that all the Supermans die a tragic death," he said, referring to the sad fates befallen by the likes of Christopher Reeve and George Reeves. "Do you think the new guy [Brandon Routh] is going to die also?"
Ratner insists that the "X-Men 3" script is up to snuff, that production will commence in Vancouver, British Columbia, in eight weeks, and that series stars Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, James Marsden and Rebecca Romijn will return. As for what he'll add to the successful Singer recipe, the director said, "I want to stay true to the franchise and true to the characters, but I think it's elevated ... I don't want to be pompous and say I'm going to take it to the next level. I think the script that Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn wrote gives me a tremendous amount of confidence."
He also said you can expect his X-Men to have an enhanced sense of humor. "Not jokes for the sake of jokes," Ratner added, "jokes that come from character humor, that come from characters and that come from the situations."
Will Brett Ratner have the last laugh, or will the latest "X-Men" director discover that the third time is anything but the charm? It's a question that would likely stump even Professor X himself.
---------------------------------------------------------
James "Cyclops" Marsden chatted with About.com regarding his roles in both X3 and its summer '06 rival, Superman Returns:
"I have all the confidence in the world in Fox and the director that they deemed worthy of directing X-Men 3. Sure, it's getting down to the wire. It's getting close. We've got to make this movie. But we've done two before and there's a comfort zone in there that we all feel like we've done it and we can do it again. Matthew Vaughn fell out for personal reasons or family reasons. Brett Ratner is directing and he's a very competent director and I think we'll be fine."
Quote from: Brett Ratner"But we're definitely going to hit it."
I think he means the fan.
Seriously, has this fucker even seen Batman and Robin? Humor is what killed Batman. And for god sakes, he refers to himself in the third person. Even QT isn't that annoying.
Ratner's idea of humor would be putting Wolverine back in his yellow spandex.
I'm not going to see this movie i can already tell
well as long as he delivers the movie on time...
haha this is now my most anticipated film of all time. this should be a treat.
Quote from: MacGuffin"I'm not Joel Schumacher," he said of the fan-despised director behind "Batman Forever" and the even more poorly received "Batman & Robin," "and I'm not ... um ... who did the third Superman?"
That would be Richard Lester. "I'm Brett," Ratner said, "and all I know is what I know, what I can do and what I have to work with."
ugh, just self destruct already..
This non-sequitur is hilarious:
QuoteAs far as the growing myth that the third film always kills a superhero franchise, Ratner responded: "Well, there's also the fact that all the Supermans die a tragic death," he said, referring to the sad fates befallen by the likes of Christopher Reeve and George Reeves. "Do you think the new guy [Brandon Routh] is going to die also?"
Jackman Producing Wolverine
The latest on the X-Men spin-off.
Hugh Jackman and his production partner at Seed Productions, John Palermo, have just signed a first-look deal with Fox. And according to industry insider magazine Variety, the deal includes the David Benioff-penned X-Men spin-off, Wolverine, that Jackman will reportedly topline after he finishes X3.
The trade adds that Jackman and Palermo will produce Wolverine with Lauren Shuler Donner and Marvel honcho Avi Arad. It will be his first credit as a producer. "That project is a good start for me as producer, because I have intimate knowledge of the character," Jackman said in statement.
Palermo added that he expects Benioff's first draft of Wolverine to be finished soon. In an interview earlier this year, Benioff spoke about the project saying, "It's not even totally finalized what story we are doing. What I can say is that in the X-Men movies we've seen a lot of the sweet Wolverine, so I think it's time to mess him up a little bit because all the fans know that he's the best there is at what he does but what he does isn't very nice."
And while we're not sure what, if any, comics the Wolvie film will draw inspiration from, Benioff said, "That's definitely the best Wolverine saga, the whole Lady Mariko and The Hand storyline. I went back and reread the Chris Claremont and Frank Miller miniseries and the Barry Windsor Smith Weapon X."
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Cumming Out
No Nightcrawler in X3?
The official site for actor Alan Cumming announces that "Alan will NOT be appearing in X3. Fox has not picked up his option to play Nightcrawler for a second movie."
This is a surprising development as Cumming was one of the standouts in the last film, X2: X-Men United.
IGN FilmForce checked with its sources close to X3 and was advised that it's still to be determined whether Kurt Wagner will come back. Nightcrawler may make an appearance in the film, but he is definitely not a featured character.
X3 begins filming this August in Vancouver for a May 26, 2006 release.
It's official.
The only thing this movie has going for it now is Brett Ratner.
Exclusive X-Men Movie Update
Another spin-off is in the works, but which X-Man will star?
Today's Variety reports that X2 and X3 screenwriter Zak Penn has signed a two-year, first-look deal with 20th Century Fox, the studio behind the X-Men and Fantastic Four films.
As part of this pact, the trade says Penn is "expected to develop a film at the studio to direct, possibly a spinoff of the X-Men franchise. The movie would not be the either of the currently in-development Wolverine or Magneto project."
So which project might it be? Could it be that rumored Storm spin-off? Nope.
According to reliable sources, Penn's project centers around a group of mutant youngsters at Charles Xavier's school for gifted children. Expect some of those young protagonists to probably include characters already established in the X-Men movies.
As for X-Men 3, there's still no big casting news yet. The roles of Angel and his nefarious father remain uncast, as does the part of Gambit. Fans should note that Gambit will not have a major role in the film. Recently, it was learned that the part of Colossus was going to be recast; however, now I'm hearing that Daniel Cudmore may reprise the role after all (but that's not definite).
Maggie Grace (Lost) is no longer going to play Kitty Pryde. No reason was given for her departure. Although the blog said Ratner is using pages from Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men comic to audition Grace's replacement.
Finally, it has been confirmed that Nightcrawler is pretty much out of X3, which begins filming this August for a May 26, 2006 release.
Fox tries to save the world, script and release date
The studio claims a script for a Sony superhero movie infringes on copyrights of the third "X-Men" film and files a lawsuit.
Source: Los Angeles Times
Call it: The Clash of the Hollywood Titans as 20th Century Fox heads into court against Sony Pictures Entertainment.
At stake? Whose superhero movie will rule the month of May, which is traditionally one of the biggest months at the box office.
It all began when Fox announced plans to release "X3," the third installment in its blockbuster comic book superheroes action series "X-Men," on May 26, 2006. Meanwhile, Sony decided to put "Zoom," its own comic book superheroes movie, in theaters on May 12.
Now, Fox and Marvel Enterprises, the creator of the "X-Men" comic books, have filed a federal court lawsuit claiming that "Zoom" infringes on the copyrights of "X-Men," a franchise that has grossed $700 million worldwide. Fox's legal assault against a rival movie studio for copyright infringement is rare, experts say.
The suit, filed June 20 in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, aims to keep Sony and "Zoom" producer Revolution Studios from marketing and distributing their movie in a way that piggybacks off the success of the "X-Men" comics and films.
The suit contends that Sony and Revolution intended to release "Zoom" in August 2006 but moved up the date after Fox announced its "X3" plans.
" 'Zoom's' release in May 2006 immediately before the release of 'X3' is an unfair attempt by Sony and Revolution to manipulate the market and trade off the time, energy, resources and effort Marvel and Fox have invested in 'X-Men,' " the suit states.
Already, attorneys on both side are launching verbal salvos trying to undercut the legal claims of their opposition. Bert Fields, defending Sony and Revolution, called the allegations "absolutely off the rails."
"These two pictures are totally different," Fields said. "['X-Men'] is a dark, frightening picture about mutant wars and ['Zoom'] is a lighthearted comedy with Tim Allen and Chevy Chase and has a totally different story."
Fields, a partner at the law firm Greenberg, Glusker, Fields, Claiman & Machtinger, also said Sony's decision to release "Zoom" so close to "X3" is merely a case of "healthy competition."
"I have never seen a studio sue another over placing a movie near their competitor's picture," Fields said. "Every studio places their pictures in order to get the best of their competition. That is what America is all about. No court in the world would say there's something wrong."
But Robert B. Cohen, executive vice president of legal affairs at Fox, rebuts the dark-versus-comedy argument put forward by Fields.
"You can't steal someone's literary property, change the tone and then pretend you never stole the key underlying elements of the property," Cohen said. "Does anyone seriously think that Fox could go ahead and make 'Spider-Man, The Comedy' without Sony objecting?"
Pierce O'Donnell, who represented Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1998 when MGM went to court and successfully blocked Sony from developing a James Bond film, said the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has a strict test to prove copyright infringement.
"If you don't have [substantial similarities] of character or plot or dialogue or unique setting, then you don't have a lawsuit," he said.
Clark B. Siegel, a partner at Irell & Manella LLP, who co-chairs the Century City law firm's intellectual property group, said the suit underscores the importance studios attach to choosing release dates for their big franchise films.
"Obviously, [Fox] wants to be the first picture out," Siegel said. "They don't want this other picture out two weeks before. If ['Zoom'] came out in late August, they wouldn't care as much. It wouldn't have stolen their thunder."
Marty Kaplan, associate dean of USC's Annenberg School for Communication, said studios "always play games of chicken with one another over release dates."
"It's a little bit like staking a claim on gold mining land," he said. "They announce these release dates in a way that tropical birds ruffle their plumage in order to keep their competitors from saying, 'No, this is mine.' "
In many cases, Kaplan noted, the studios will select a release date for their biggest franchise films even before the film is in the can. "Zoom," for instance, doesn't begin shooting in Toronto until July 11, while principle photography on "X3" won't begin in Vancouver until August.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Fox and Marvel by attorney Robert Boldt of the L.A. law firm Kirkland & Ellis LLP, states that Fox has invested "hundreds of millions of dollars" in developing, producing and marketing "X-Men" and its sequels.
The studio has hired Brett Ratner of "Rush Hour" fame to direct the picture, which stars an ensemble of top actors playing various comic book roles. They include Halle Berry as "Storm," Hugh Jackman as "Wolverine," Famke Janssen as "Phoenix," Ian McKellen as "Magneto," Rebecca Romijn as "Mystique" and Patrick Stewart as "Professor Charles Xavier." In this sequel, Kelsey Grammer has come on board as a character named "Beast."
In "Zoom," Allen plays a former superhero named Jack who is called back to work to transform an unlikely group of ragtag kids into superheroes at a private academy. The film co-stars Chase and Courteney Cox.
According to the suit, though "Zoom" is based on the book "Amazing Adventures From Zoom's Academy" by Jason Lethcoe and three related "Zoom" comic books, the actual script is not only quite a departure from the books but also very much like the X-Men movies and comics.
Fox first took notice of the "Zoom" project last summer when studio officials noticed that Revolution was going to be making a movie based on a book about superheroes. Cohen sent a letter to Revolution warning them not to infringe on the "X-Men" franchise, but the studio says Revolution never replied.
In May, Fox executives managed to get a 98-page "Zoom" script, and the feathers began flying. Cohen sent a letter May 25 to Sony and Revolution demanding that they stop development.
The suit cites numerous similarities between the "Zoom" script and the X-Men franchise. In the book, the suit notes, the superheroes of "Zoom" attend a school on an imaginary island in the sky. But in the "Zoom" script, like in "X-Men," the superheroes are trained in underground facilities — the "Zoom" kids are taught at "Area 52," a secret military installation inside a New Mexico mountain, while "X-Men" students get their training beneath an institute in New York.
Fox's Cohen said Revolution made a number of very late cosmetic changes to the script that did not remove the key similarities.
"Both properties continue to have kids who are stigmatized because they have particular superpowers, who are led by a mentor on missions in a flying vehicle to save the world, based on intensive training they received in a special school with a room that simulates live combat," he said.
Fields scoffed at the comparison. "They make a big point that both facilities are underground," he said. "How many pictures [of this genre] have underground facilities? It's not a protectable idea." Besides, he noted, in the "Zoom" script, the facility is in the side of a mountain in New Mexico, not in New York.
But Cohen said, "It is silly for Revolution to suggest that 'Zoom' is now different because, for example, the X-Men school is underground, whereas the Zoom school has been moved from an 'underground' location to one that is 'under the ground of a mountain.' "
Fields said the "Zoom" script is "still a work in progress."
that seems like a ridiculous claim. what about Volcano and Dante's Peak? or Deep Impact and Armageddeon? or Antz and A Bug's Life? or a hundred other movies that were EXACTLY the same premise and opened a few months within each other. i thought thats just what studios did. btw, i can already picture the zoom teaser. you know, where it starts out with the serious imagery/announcer and everyone THINKS its going to be X3 and then its chevy chase or tim allen saying some funny shit. man....fox is going to HATE that.
Arad Talks X3
The lowdown straight from the Marvel honcho.
The IESB conducted a 40-minute, multi-part video interview with Marvel Studios CEO Avi Arad, who discusses Marvel's entire upcoming slate of comic book film adaptations, including X-Men 3.
Marvel Gateway has posted a summary of the Arad interview for those who can't or don't want to download all the video segments.
Arad confirmed that Maggie Grace has left X3 due to scheduling problems with her TV show Lost. Official casting of Kitty Pryde could be known as early as Tuesday July 5th.
He also confirmed that Alan Cumming will not reprise his role as Nightcrawler, and that the character has been completely dropped from X3. The reason, said Arad, is that Nightcrawler didn't serve the story and, with so many other characters in the film, he had to go.
Arad also reiterated that the small role of Gambit has yet to be cast but that a strong actor is needed since they may have to carry a movie down the line. So does that mean there is going to be a Gambit spin-off film?!
Arad added that Daniel Cudmore will be reprising his role as Colossus after all, and that Kelsey Grammer's Beast will be a hybrid of CGI and a suit.
In other X-news, The New York Post claims that director Brett Ratner wants to include a minor character from X-Men lore in the film, a mutant hooker known as Stacy X. The paper reminds us that her "super power is that she secretes a pheromone that helps her to seduce men. She can seduce anyone." Unknown thesps Kate Nauta and Aya Sumika are reportedly in the running for the role.
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my threads are still thumping years later
quit leaving.
STAY.
Avi Arad Probably Hates You
Defends Ratner, brands online critics "idiots."
Marvel Studios CEO Avi Arad spoke with Zap2it about X-Men 3, wherein he defended the choice of Brett Ratner to direct the sequel. Ratner, a last-minute replacement for Matthew Vaughn, has been met with heavy criticism from fanboys in certain quarters of the Internet.
IGN FilmForce readers have sent plenty of feedback on the choice, almost all of it negative. So what does Arad think of Ratner's critics?
"Idiots." He actually said it twice just to be clear.
In his defense of Ratner, Arad countered, "Did you see Red Dragon? Did you see that? And you saw Family Man, which is totally different, a very emotional story. Then, you have two giant comedies. What are they thinking? This is a great filmmaker. Do you know how much experience this guy has? Let alone his new Jessica Simpson video? This guy knows what he's doing. ... Brett Ratner came onto this thing and from the get-go, you felt experience."
Arad also apparently blasted online script reviewers and the online rumor mill in general, although Zap2it included no actual quotes from Arad on them.
X-Men 3 begins filming in August for a May 26, 2006 release.
Quote from: MacGuffinLet alone his new Jessica Simpson video? This guy knows what he's doing. ....
this is so ridiculous it seems like a joke.
Credibility, meet Toilet. Now flush.
maybe avi arad and brett ratner are gay :embrace:
Does this make anyone else depressed?
X-Men was a decent, albeit rushed, intro to the X-Men universe. X2 gave you more action and character development in one of the best "comic book" movies yet made. And it had an uber fantastic KHAN ending shot.
X3 should've/could've been something special.
At least WB is looking up... but I really like Mutants :cry:
Quote from: killafilmDoes this make anyone else depressed?
X-Men was a decent, albeit rushed, intro to the X-Men universe. X2 gave you more action and character development in one of the best "comic book" movies yet made. And it had an uber fantastic KHAN ending shot.
X3 should've/could've been something special.
At least WB is looking up... but I really like Mutants :cry:
WELL THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT, THEY'RE GOING TO BANK BIG OFF OF THIS HORRIBLE MOVIE AND YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IT ANYWAY AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAHAHA!
Hostage Taker Nabs Angel
Ben Foster joins the cast of X3.
Variety has confirmed Web rumors that 24-year-old actor Ben Foster (Hostage) has been cast as Warren "Angel" Worthington III in X-Men 3. The Boston-born thesp is no stranger to Marvel movies, having appeared as "Spacker Dave" in The Punisher opposite Rebecca "Mystique" Romijn.
The report claims Foster will play Arcangel (a.k.a. Angel), which suggests that the filmmakers are striving for a darker portrayal of the winged mutant, but sources have advised IGN FilmForce that he will just be Angel in the movie. The filmmakers have strayed from the established chronology by not making Angel a contemporary of Hank McCoy (Kelsey Grammer), Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) and the other original X-Men.
Foster's credits include Get Over It, Liberty Heights, Big Trouble and the upcoming Alpha Dog, directed by Iron Man helmer Nick Cassavetes.
X3 begins filming next month for a May 26, 2006 release.
i dont like this kid, and he seems too young for a role that should've been more adult. not that i give a shit about this movie anymore, its ratner.
haha this is my most anticipated movie right now. It's gonna be so bad. Roger Corman was over at my lair the other day and we were reading about the new developments on this movie.....and laughing.
i have a source on the inside who said Ratner was "a douche bag."
they also overheard him discussing a movie over the phone that involves a guy who "goes back to the carribbean ..for one last high."
Quote from: picolasthey also overheard him discussing a movie over the phone that involves a guy who "goes back to the carribbean ..for one last high."
Finally, Ratner returning to his oeuvre. Somewhere, Chris Tucker's phone is ringing.
Quote from: picolasthey also overheard him discussing a movie over the phone that involves a guy who "goes back to the carribbean ..for one last high."
that is almost as great as SNAKES ON PLANES. actually, it's better. he was prolly talking to kevin smith about how awesome it is to get high.
I agree with Mod, I really don't like Ben Foster. He was horrible in Hostage, not that much was good in it.
Edit: I didn't realize that was him in Freaks and Geeks, so he earns a point.
Exclusive X-Men 3 Casting News!
The ensemble cast adds three more.
IGN FilmForce has confirmed a Web rumor that Predator actor Bill Duke has joined the cast of X-Men 3. Movies Online claims that Duke had been cast as the scientist who created the mutant-hunting Sentinel robots but that's not accurate. Sources indicate that Duke actually portrays a politician in The President's cabinet.
Duke's other acting credits include Payback, National Security and Red Dragon, which was directed by X3's Brett Ratner. Duke has directed such films as A Rage in Harlem, Deep Cover and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, as well as a slew of TV series.
IGNFF has learned of some other additions to the X3 cast. Portraying the role of Warren Worthington, Sr., father of Angel (Ben Foster), is Michael Murphy (perhaps best known to fanboys as the mayor of Gotham City in Batman Returns).
Murphy was the star of Robert Altman's famous political satire, Tanner '88, and his other credits include Live From Baghdad, Manhattan and Salvador.
Finally, British actress Olivia Williams has been cast as Dr. Moira MacTaggert. The Marvel Database Project reminds us that, in the comics, the Nobel Prize-winning Moira was a former lover of Professor X's who ran a mutant research center on Muir Island in her native Scotland. She also also the mother of the mutant known as Proteus. Moira died after discovering a cure for a new strain of the Legacy virus.
Williams' credits include The Sixth Sense (as Bruce Willis' wife), Peter Pan (as Mrs. Darling), Rushmore and Below.
I've seen posters already in the movie theatres... and they didnt even finish casting... awsome
Exclusive: Oscar Nominee Joins X3
Fog actress makes house call.
IGN has learned that Oscar-nominated Iranian actress Shohreh Aghdashloo has joined the growing ensemble cast of X-Men 3. Sources advised us that she will portray a character named Dr. Rao.
UXN reminds us that in Joss Whedon's run on Astonishing X-Men, "Doctor Kavita Rao, a world-renowned geneticist, had claimed that she had developed a serum, called Hope, which could 'cure' mutants of their mutation. While hundreds of mutants immediately signed up for the procedure at Benetech, the corporate backer of Rao's research, the X-Men debated the societal meaning of this: someone comparing mutation to a disease. Still, the chance at being "normal" has weighed heavily on Hank McCoy's mind, as he considered the ability to no longer be 'a Beast.'"
The 53-year-old Aghdashloo was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in House of Sand and Fog, opposite The Hulk's Jennifer Connelly.
Aghdashloo's other credits include Twenty Bucks and the forthcoming The Exorcism of Emily Rose. She also has appeared on Fox's hit TV series 24 as Dina Araz.
IGN Interviews Simon Kinberg
The screenwriter talks X-Men 3, Ratner & Gambit!
Along with scribe Zak Penn, British-born Simon Kinberg is the screenwriter of the now-filming X-Men 3. He has worked on two other 20th Century Fox/Marvel Studios collaborations, Fantastic Four and Elektra. His Columbia University senior thesis script, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, was produced with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie starring and became one of summer 2005's biggest hits.
With X3 roughly midway through filming for its May 26, 2006 release date, Mr. Kinberg was kind enough to take time out to speak with IGN FilmForce about the film, director Brett Ratner and Marvel in general.
IGN FilmForce: Now that X-Men 3 is about halfway through principal photography, what do you think have been the biggest challenges the production has faced thus far? And what's gone better than expected?
Simon Kinberg: The challenges are the same as any movie. The only difference is this film is larger than any I've been around. I think the biggest challenge from a script standpoint has been making sure we take care of all the characters. There are ten or eleven major characters in this film that all need time and focus.
To answer the second question, I think this film is much more emotional than I ever imagined. There are some really heart-breaking moments in the movie. And the performances are so damn good, beyond my wildest expectations.
IGNFF: Director Brett Ratner has not exactly been met with universal approval by fans, especially given the mostly warm reception Bryan Singer's X-Men films received. What strengths do you think Ratner brings to this particular project that fans should know about?
Kinberg: Well, first and foremost, Brett starts from a love of the comics. He's got an immense respect for the X-Men universe. He's also got a lot of respect for Bryan's films, so he's not trying to create a radically different template. He's staying loyal to the tone of the first two films, but he's making this movie more visceral and emotional. Since we're dealing with one of the most intense storylines in X-Men history, he knows how important emotion is. And the actors have really responded to him. Wait till you see Famke Janssen in this film. She's going to blow your mind.
IGNFF: Some fans also have voiced concern that X3 is overstuffed with characters. But are these "guest stars" (such as Multiple Man and Moira MacTaggert) merely just "easter eggs" for fans? Sort of like how Dick Tracy included many cameos but the story still focused on three or four central protagonists.
Kinberg: I'm Jewish, so I don't know much about easter eggs. But I don't think our movie is overstuffed with characters. That would be like saying the comics are too crowded with characters. This film takes place in the X-Men universe, so when we write a geneticist, it's Kavita Rao instead of some nameless, faceless doctor. This movie has a bigger canvas than the first two films, so there's room for more characters. Think about how many characters there were in Return of the King or Revenge of the Sith. Having said that, there's still not enough room for every great character, so we have to make sacrifices sometimes. Like Gambit. I'm a huge Gambit fan, but we knew there wasn't enough space to do him justice, so he'll have to wait till X4.
IGNFF Since I know you can't talk about the film's plot in any revealing detail, what then would you say X-Men 3 is about thematically?
Kinberg: One of the great things that Bryan did with the first two films was really making them about something. He understood the metaphor of the comic, and translated it to the screen. This movie continues some of the universal X-Men themes, like alienation, persecution, the struggle for equality. But on an emotional level, it also deals with what happens when someone you love starts to spiral out of control. How can you help them? When is it too late?
IGNFF: It has been revealed/alleged that certain characters will die in X3. Why do the filmmakers feel it is necessary to do that?
Kinberg: I know what's been alleged online. Some of it is true. Most of it is not. All I can say is, death is a part of life. One of the moments I remember most vividly from childhood was when Obi-Wan died. …
IGNFF: Many fans think Nightcrawler stole the show in X2. Which character do you think will most likely be the standout in X3?
Kinberg: I think we have a bunch of cool new characters. If I had to choose one, I would say Beast. He looks incredible. The prosthetics are better than anything I've ever seen. And Kelsey [Grammer] is uncanny in the role. As much as he seems perfect for Frasier, this guy was born to play Hank McCoy. The voice, the eyes, the intelligence, the pathos in his voice, just the way he walks.
IGNFF: Does X3 set up an X4 or the Wolverine spin-off? Or is this really the end of the X-Men film series?
Kinberg: We didn't write the script with the next movies in mind. But it's definitely not the end of the series. I know they [20th Century Fox and Marvel Studios] plan on making Wolverine and more X-Men movies. We wrote the script as the end of a trilogy, the end of one cycle. The next movies will start a new cycle.
IGNFF: How does your experience on X3 compare with your experience on the Fantastic Four movie?
Kinberg: Many of the people were the same. The studio, the producers. But my experience was very different. On Fantastic Four, I was the last writer, after fifteen other writers worked on it. I came onto the film about a month before production, so most of the movie was locked in place. It was really Mark Frost's draft that we shot. I was always working inside his structure. On X3, there wasn't a word written before I got hired. I was the first writer, so I was working from scratch. Then I started working with Zak [Penn, co-screenwriter], and we've been writing together throughout production. It's a whole different thing when you're there at the beginning, middle, and end. Also, this is the third movie of an established franchise with a very clear tone, whereas Fantastic Four was the first movie, so there was a lot more set-up.
IGNFF: You've worked with Marvel a few times now. Do you have any plans to work on any other Marvel projects, such as those lined up at Paramount?
Kinberg: I 'm definitely talking to those guys about other projects. I grew up on their comics, and there's nothing cooler to me than getting the chance to bring these characters to life. [Marvel Studios execs] Avi Arad and Kevin Feige have been really supportive of me from the start, even before I got my first gig in this business. So yeah, I'd love to keep working with them. They feel like family.
IGNFF: Do you have any plans to pen a Marvel comic book? Screenwriters like David Goyer, Kevin Smith and Sam Hamm have all taken a stab at comics.
Kinberg: No plans, for now. There are too many good comic book writers out there. I'd rather remain a fanboy.
that's awesome about kelsey grammar, because I was completely convinced it was the worst decision ever. i mean, beast is what, in his 30s, maybe 40s, or something? grammar's 50. it just seemed awkward, given beast's physical prowess.
So are they just throwing every single character they can find into this movie to compensate for the utter lack of qualified direction, character development, and interesting plot?
Brett Ratner, making magic happen...
Stan Lee Reveals His X3 Cameo
Source: Sci Fi Wire November 11, 2005
Sci Fi Wire talked to Stan Lee who revealed what his cameo role will be like in X-Men 3:
In X3, Lee said, "It's not one of my biggest roles, I'm a little embarrassed to say. I'm a guy in the suburbs watering the lawn with a hose, and the water as you can imagine is coming out of the hose and going down on the lawn. Then one that has power to move things mentally"—Jean Grey, played by Famke Janssen—"she's driving, and she gestures at my house, and all of sudden the water goes up instead of down. And remember Sunset Boulevard, where Gloria Swanson says, 'I'm ready for my closeup, Mr. DeMille'? Well, it's supposed to be a big closeup of my face. And I say, 'What the f--k?' And every time I say it, [director] Brett Ratner said, 'Make it lower, Stan.' And at the end, I whisper it. So I don't know if it will come out at all."
......that is so dumb.
X-Men 3 Makes Its Move
The blitz begins next month!
According to The Xverse, 20th Century Fox and Marvel Entertainment will launch an aggressive marketing campaign for X-Men 3 in December. The Brett Ratner-directed sequel opens May 26, 2006.
The Xverse claims that USA Today will be the first outlet to publish official still photos of the cast. (USA Today was also the first to publish a photo of Brandon Routh as the Man of Steel.)
X3's teaser trailer will reportedly debut on the (revamped) official film site before hitting theaters with the December 14th opening of King Kong.
And remember that the December 6th release of Fox's Fantastic Four on DVD will include an "exclusive" look at X-Men 3, hosted by Marvel Studios chief Avi Arad.
"USA Today": Impersonating A Newpaper Since 1982!
You had to go and look up 1982, didn't you?
haha it's ok, it was a good joke.
Quote from: Gamblour on November 23, 2005, 11:20:39 PM
You had to go and look up 1982, didn't you?
Wikipedia is my bible.
X3 Trailer Next Week!
First look to be online.
IGN FilmForce was among the online news outlets who visited the set of X-Men 3 this week in Vancouver. A full set visit feature will be published closer to the sequel's May release date. That said, IGN can inform you that the trailer for X-Men 3 will debut Monday at Apple.com.
None other than Wolverine himself, actor Hugh Jackman, accompanied the press to Brett Ratner's screening room/trailer truck hybrid to watch the new trailer for the first time. Actually, the trailer went over so well that it was screened twice.
Featuring a newly recorded voice-over narration by Patrick Stewart, the trailer will include the first look at both Beast (Kelsey Grammer) and Angel (Ben Foster). An official still photo of Beast is also expected to be released Monday. The trailer will appear in theaters starting with the Dec. 14th release of King Kong.
The trailer includes shots of Magneto attacking the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Wolverine pitted against Cyclops, Storm flying (finally!), a Danger Room sequence (again, finally!), the return of Jean Grey (surprise) and Magneto and his minions, including Juggernaut (Vinnie Jones), ready to finally wage war on their sworn enemy, homo sapiens.
Monday can't come fast enough for X-fans!
New pics here: http://www.usatoday.com/life/gallery/2005/x3/flash.htm
Beast looks like leathered up crap in that picture, but I don't see Grammar in there at all. Hopefully the trailer will make him look better.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/x3/
Quote from: Gamblour on December 05, 2005, 02:14:45 PMHopefully the trailer will make him look better.
It didn't.
haha no it didn't. but he's certainly not terrible. I mean, get the Kelsey Grammar voice with much bravura and dignity and wisdom, it could be a pretty cool character. That makeup is pretty amazing. The Storm twisty spin move looks dumb. Angel looks interesting. The CGI looks simply incredible, e.g. Phoenix ripping the door open. The trailer wasn't great by any means, it was just poorly put together, but a lot of that imagery looks good. Maybe Rat has a winner on his hands.
movie looks good... but trailer doesnt... i wonder how different they are trying to make this one from the other ones... why change it if the others were a success? if someone can fuck up the franchise, thats ratner!
Quote from: Gamblour on December 05, 2005, 08:19:29 PM
Maybe Rat has a winner on his hands.
The birth of a nickname, friends.
yeah it just looks average. I'm not saying it's cheap, but the fighting I'm sure won't be as cool as X2 and the special effects neither. I wasn't into the first one but I saw the second one midnight of the opening day and I just remember having such a blast looking at the special effects. I'd never seen a crowd so pumped up over CGI shots before this movie. Sadly, I doubt x3 will do that.
the trip hop beat at the beggining of the trailer, that was funny
I like the guy and all, but what thought process does one go through that culminates with the decision to cast Kelsey Grammar as a creature in an action film?? Curious....
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'X-Men 3' has another villain in Melancon
Source: Hollywood Reporter
The evil mutant assassin Psylocke has joined the lineup of "X-Men 3," the latest installment of the Marvel superhero franchise.
The character will be played by Filipina actress Mei Melancon, who previously worked with "X-Men 3" director Brett Ratner in "Rush Hour 2."
Word began leaking last week from the Vancouver set that "X-Men 3" would introduce Psylocke, who has had several incarnations in the Marvel comic book series and is best known for her fighting and telepathic skills as well as an ability to transport herself and others through shadows. In the film, she will fight against the X-Men as a member of Magneto's (Ian McKellen) Brotherhood of Mutants.
"X-Men 3" is set to bow May 26, on Memorial Day weekend, via Twentieth Century Fox.
ratner is directing this? i didn't know that.
and i thought the trailer looked pretty decent. :shock:
Quote from: ©brad on December 30, 2005, 10:31:29 AM
ratner is directing this? i didn't know that.
and i thought the trailer looked pretty decent. :shock:
watch it again though... you can see the awkwardness of the camera movements... unecessary dolly moves and crane shots... it's like you can almost see the equipment
Non-Apple Quicktime TeaserTrailer here. (http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1397950&sdm=web&qtw=480&qth=300)
After watching the 2nd season of Nip Tuck... Jean Grey is kinda weird
X3 Officially Titled
Fox makes a Stand.
The XVerse has been advised by 20th Century Fox that X-Men 3 has now been officially titled X-Men: The Last Stand. There had been rumors of that new title for awhile.
"X-Men: The Last Stand, is currently being cleared for usage. The title also appeared in a review of 2006 films by USA Today, lending further support to the notion," reports The XVerse.
In related news, The Comics Continuum reports that the novelization of X3, adapted by X-Men comics scribe Chris Claremont, will be released by Del Rey on May 16.
The novel's official plot synopsis claims that in X3, "with the help of new recruits The Beast and Angel, (the X-Men) must face evolution itself in the form of their former teammate, Jean Grey! Possessed with the cosmic power of the Dark Phoenix, the resurrected Jean Grey has become a danger to herself, her mutant comrades, and the entire planet! To stave off this imminent threat to humanity, a potential cure is discovered and processed to treat -- and ultimately eliminate -- genetic mutations, once and for all! Now, as the battle lines are drawn, the X-Men, led by Professor Charles Xavier, must contend with both Jean Grey's world-consuming powers, as well as the malevolent Brotherhood, a band of powerful mutants organized under Xavier's former ally, Magneto!"
kinda fucked up that they're trying to milk this whole 'trilogy' notion to get more people into the theatre when they're totally planning on doing these films forever. or maybe they just mean 'the last stand of all the characters you care about who got too expensive and you can have 10 more movies with lesser mutants.
1 in 300 will take the time to say that title instead of "X3" like last time, though.
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The Wolverine one looks like a poster for Hostel.
who is that at the bottom far left?
storm
I think they look good.
The top left angel one looks like Angels In America II. Or gay angel porn (i.e. Angels in America II).
I would have been confused by that poster if I didn't see it alongside the rest of them.
They look like really bad pop album promotions.
'X3' Director Says Movie Will Really Be 'The Last Stand'
Ratner reveals there will be no more X-Men films other than possible spinoffs. Source: MTV
HOLLYWOOD — Leaked images from the set of "X3" have been swirling around the Internet with the intensity of one of Storm's tornados, building a torrent of discontent from die-hard "X" fans repelled by the less-than-impressive appearance of beloved characters like Beast, Juggernaut and Colossus.
And while the man responsible, director Brett Ratner, is quick to defend his vision, all the noise being made is also furthering his desire to really go out with a bang.
"Well, it seems to be the last of the series," Ratner said of the eyebrow-raising title for the third film, "X-Men: The Last Stand," due May 26. "We wanted to make sure the audiences knew that this was a trilogy. Even though they weren't made together like 'Lord of the Rings,' this is really closure for the X-Men series. ... This is the last stand for sure."
A spokesperson for "X-Men" studio 20th Century Fox confirmed that "X3" will be the final film for the mutant team, a revelation that is likely to only increase the level of fan frustration over "The Last Stand."
It's no secret that the "Rush Hour" helmer has been under fire ever since he slipped into the director's chair vacated by Bryan Singer, who powered the first two films to financial success and an outpouring of geek glee. Web sites devoted to the series have been tearing down Ratner ever since, painting him as the man who will undoubtedly bring the franchise down, making the icy reception of the leaked photos a surprise to no one.
"Those photos were [taken] before I even started shooting," Ratner explained. "They were done in the testing process, so those photos are very, very old."
"I think whenever you're on the Internet and you have nothing to do and you're a fan, you become very anxious to get the information, but you have to consider the source," he continued, saying that such leaks undermine his efforts. "If it's sent out by [the studio], then you know it's official, but if it's put up on the Internet by someone who stole something illegally, then I think you should first consider what you're looking at."
The director insists the final version of the characters will stay truer to the classic comics and will vary greatly from the highly criticized images.
"If you take any beautiful woman and put her in bad lighting, she's not gonna look good," Ratner said, insisting that the leaked images have had the same effect on his costumes. "It's not the look of the movie and it's not even close to what we went for, and I'm hoping when the fans see the final result, they're gonna love it."
Following the directorial shuffle that found Ratner separated from his beloved "Superman" gig while Singer indirectly traded franchises with him, the Man of Steel will soar again one month after "The Last Stand," but winning the race to this summer cinema has apparently done little to hide which superhero story is closest to Ratner's heart.
"I love [the X-Men] world, and I'm sure Bryan Singer would love to do it too, and he's actually better at it than I am," he admitted before alluding to the long-rumored spinoff movies for Wolverine and Magneto. "For him to come back [for those] would be amazing," Ratner beamed, offering up another trade. "Just like I would love to do a Superman movie one day. We'll swap."
Wolverine actor Hugh Jackman has professed his enthusiasm for the spinoff idea, and Marvel Studios head Avi Arad has even said development for those two films is already in the works.
From an interview on Dark Horizons:
"Question: Can you pinpoint a specific element that you put your personal stamp on once you came aboard?
Brett Ratner: Yeah. Like I said, it's been very important for me to stick to the tone that Bryan (Singer) and the actors created. My input really has been just trying to make a more emotional film. A film with more heart and more pathos. I wanted to try and tell a story and act if this is a trilogy and the third in the series. Go in there and not reinvent it, not make it a Brett Ratner film, but stay with the formula that's worked in the past and add more heart. I'm a very emotional guy and I like emotion and I like feeling something in the movie. The audiences care about these characters so much and it was very important to me to stay true to who they were and not try and reinvent it."
Brett Ratner might be the smartest man alive. (though I seem to be ignoring that part where he wants to have it dripping with emotion.... :doh:)
New Trailer here. (http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/tls/trailer/)
that trailer isn't working for me. :(
actually, maybe that's a good thing.
best picture 2006.
i'm backing a winner this time. oh, and turns out jean grey's a dude.
the trailer worked for you?
it worked for me. i mean, it didnt work for me, but i watched it. i dont think this looks bad really but knowing the ratner situation i may try to wait until video anyways just to boycott him. if this buzz is really good i'll see it in the theatre but if its really bad i'll wait. if it's mixed i'll probably go anyways.
ok i got it to work.
this looks good actually, except for this line:
"sometimes when you cage the beast, the beast gets angry."
you don't say.
agreed cbrad. I think the editing of the trailer is pretty weak and lacks any punch until the very end. it's bland bland, then suddenly it clicks and fucking rocks. Then again, it's just a trailer.
Well, it made me happy in the pants.
Just seeing the Phoenix makes my day though, so yeah....
X3: Storm Whips It Good
Filmmakers get her ready to fly.
Let's face it. After two movies, Storm's character development leaves something to be desired. Yeah, we got to see her do a few actiony things, when she wasn't teaching class or leading a field trip. But change is upon us. For in X-Men: The Last Stand, we can tell you this: her level of anti-Magneto action takes a big jump. Or, more to the point, a lift-off.
"Those fans that wanted to see Storm fly finally get to see that," says producer David Gorder. "She has a bigger role, she's flying, and fighting, and Halle looks really cool doing it" he adds, promising fans will see moves from her they've never seen before.
"The movie for me is still very much an ensemble," says Berry. "That's one of the things I really love about working on X-Men. But this time my character is saying something, she has a definite point of view. Brett was really instrumental in making that happen. He's really been a supporter of just finding a voice for the character." And, she admits, he was adamant that this new movie featured Storm's flying ability.
"We incorporated it into the storyline," says Ratner. "It's part of the plot."
To put Storm in the air, the production turned to Simon Crane. He's "one of the best second unit directors in the world," says Ratner. "He's been shooting some fantastic action sequences with these guys. I'll look at the dailies at the end of every day and I'm shocked."
Part of making it all look real is having Berry do much of the flying herself. "I don't know why Halle actually does it," says Ratner, "because nobody is going to believe it's her anyway." Nevertheless, for one particularly tough scene, Berry was "up in the air, hovering. She's literally creating a kind of windy, tornado effect and she actually spins. She's on a wire. She must have done it eighty-seven times."
For the more complex scenes, the filmmakers "cyber-scanned" Berry, effectively creating a digital double for Storm. "Putting them in a wire is one thing," says Gorder. "But we would never use the actors in any serious practical stunts. Storm and Magneto will do wire work in which they're in a harness on a wire. They're the characters that will fly."
"I've been saying this now since I started the movie, I just want to fly," says Berry. "Storm flies in the comic book, and I wore a cape for two movies and never used it. It's part of her power and part of what her mutation is, and it's nice to be able to get to use that talent and that gift in a profound way that really helps my fellow characters."
For a glimpse of the new Storm in action, check out the latest trailer for X-Men: The Last Stand. As Professor X tells her, "You, of all people, know how fast the weather can change."
Quote from: MacGuffin on March 15, 2006, 01:52:42 PM
X3: Storm Whips It Good
Filmmakers get her ready to fly.
Let's face it. After two movies, Storm's character development leaves something to be desired. Yeah, we got to see her do a few actiony things, when she wasn't teaching class or leading a field trip. But change is upon us. For in X-Men: The Last Stand, we can tell you this: her level of anti-Magneto action takes a big jump. Or, more to the point, a lift-off.
"Those fans that wanted to see Storm fly finally get to see that," says producer David Gorder. "She has a bigger role, she's flying, and fighting, and Halle looks really cool doing it" he adds, promising fans will see moves from her they've never seen before.
bout damn time.
everyone talks about wolverine and the dudes but in my opinion, it was the WOMEN who made the X-
Men badasses, especially storm and rogue. however, i'm not too happy w/ rogue in these films b/c she doesn't fly and isn't super strong as she was in the comic.
i miss the cartoon that cartoon on saturday mornings!
::sigh::
Quote from: ©brad on March 15, 2006, 05:16:38 PM
however, i'm not too happy w/ rogue in these films b/c she doesn't fly and isn't super strong as she was in the comic.
i miss the cartoon that cartoon on saturday mornings!
::sigh::
Oh I'm right there with you. Ultimate X-Men geek right here, and I miss the cartoons SO MUCH! Rogue was always my favorite, and she was so great in the cartoon. That was the best Rogue voice ever. And the best Storm voice. Halle Berry is good, sure, but yeah.
I'm a Jean Grey freak too though. So so SO excited about the Phoenix. I'm really ready for this movie to come out, even if Ratner is directing it.
From that description from MacGuffin, doesn't sound like he's doin too bad.
Quote from: sheshothim on March 15, 2006, 08:13:25 PM
Quote from: ©brad on March 15, 2006, 05:16:38 PM
however, i'm not too happy w/ rogue in these films b/c she doesn't fly and isn't super strong as she was in the comic.
i miss the cartoon that cartoon on saturday mornings!
::sigh::
Oh I'm right there with you. Ultimate X-Men geek right here, and I miss the cartoons SO MUCH!
when i was little i used to take a deck of cards to school and throw em at ppl cos of that cartoon. kids are awesome.
Quote from: Pubrick on March 16, 2006, 08:15:03 AMwhen i was little i used to take a deck of cards to school and throw em at ppl cos of that cartoon. kids are awesome.
HAHAH. i used to do that too! i could never throw the cards right, though.
gambit was all about cards and laying pipe w/ rogue.
my favorites were always Beast and Nightcrawler. Maybe prophetically because I'm short and hairy with a prehensile tail. oh, and Bishop was the absolute shit. Black, from the future, and could shoot balls of energy from his fist. haha "black from the future"
Quote from: Pubrick on March 16, 2006, 08:15:03 AM
when i was little i used to take a deck of cards to school and throw em at ppl cos of that cartoon. kids are awesome.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!
That's awesome.
NON-HD Quicktime Trailer here. (http://playlist.yahoo.com/makeplaylist.dll?id=1416417&sdm=web&qtw=480&qth=300)
Interview: Brett Ratner
IGN chats with the director about X3 and Rush Hour 3.
It's a busy time for Brett Ratner, as he puts the final touches on X-Men: The Last Stand and readies Rush Hour 3. On top of all that, Ratner also serves as Executive Producer on the hit series Prison Break. Recently IGN caught up with Ratner at the Prison Break season 1 wrap party for a brief chat about his upcoming films.
IGN FILMFORCE: So are you excited to have X-Men 3 finally opening?
BRETT RATNER: Are you kidding?! It's like a dream come true. I can not wait.
IGNFF: You were an X-Men fan before coming onto the project, right?
RATNER: Oh yeah, yeah. I was a major fan of the cartoon. I loved the cartoon.
IGNFF: Was there an X-Men storyline you really loved beforehand?
RATNER: A specific story? Well, I loved Dark Phoenix. I was just so into Dark Phoenix. I was just completely excited that Dark Phoenix was in this movie. I couldn't believe it.
IGNFF: Who is your favorite X-Men character?
RATNER: Magneto. He just has the coolest powers, and Ian McKellan's interpretation of it I think is just brilliant.
IGNFF: Obviously this is a movie where you have a ton of outside analysis going on from the fans. Did you try to set that aside while making the film?
RATNER: Yeah. I mean, when I got the movie, I spoke to Brian [Singer], and he said, "Let me give you one good bit of advice." I said "okay," and he said, "Don't read Aint it Cool News. I'm like, "Why?" He's like, "They're just gonna talk s*** about you, and they did the exact same thing about me. They did the exact same thing when I did the first X-Men." So I kind of stayed away from it and just focused on making the film.
IGNFF: So what do you think the people criticizing you will say when they actually see the film?
RATNER: Oh, I think they'll be eating crow! I think so. Because the movie came out great. I'm really proud of it.
IGNFF: And you're doing Rush Hour 3 soon, right?
RATNER: Yes I am.
IGNFF: When's that start shooting?
RATNER: August.
IGNFF: Can you give us any idea what the storyline will be in this one?
RATNER: Well, in the first one, Jackie [Chan] was in LA; he was the fish out of water. In the second one, Chris [Tucker] went to Hong Kong. In this one, they're both going to Paris. So they're both gonna be the fish out of water; they're both not going to speak the language.
IGNFF: There's a lot of talk about various X-Men spin-off projects and possible sequels. Would you be interested in working on one of those?
RATNER: Oh yeah! It was so much fun making this movie and I would do it in a second.
Brett Ratner is one eloquent dude. Not, like, Uwe Boll eloquent, but you know.
If you're a purist avoid the following clip, although I wouldn't say it is a huge spoiler but it kind of is given that you'll know _____________ are on this flim.
New little cool clip at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSCfrPxnD1I
Quote from: Pubrick on March 07, 2006, 09:34:17 AM
best picture 2006.
i'm backing a winner this time.
Don't know how serious you were but I think this will be awesome, in fact my dream summer afternoon would go like this:
Beginning early afternoon...
MI315 minute break
Superman Returns20 minute break
X-Men 3
Quote from: Fernando on May 01, 2006, 04:10:57 PM
in fact my dream summer afternoon would go like this:
Beginning early afternoon...
MI3
15 minute break
Superman Returns
20 minute break
X-Men 3
my dream summer afternoon would look like this:
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elnuevodiario.com.ni%2Ffiles%2Fsuplementoarticulo%2F1135125975_Contrport-Jessica%2520Alba.jpg&hash=0d60fcc06e218e0e9d04a404ab87cec33c762ffe)
Quote from: Fernando on May 01, 2006, 04:10:57 PMNew little cool clip at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSCfrPxnD1I
Does X3 come in Smell-O-Vision? 'Cause when I watched that I was sure I could smell cheese.
yeah it seems like xixax wrote a fake ratner interview portraying him as an ultra-dude. but i guess its real. plus, the xmen cartoon sucked ass. limited animation anyone?
Quote from: modage on May 02, 2006, 12:54:57 PMplus, the xmen cartoon sucked ass. limited animation anyone?
:evil:
Quote from: modage on May 02, 2006, 12:54:57 PM
yeah it seems like xixax wrote a fake ratner interview portraying him as an ultra-dude. but i guess its real.
It seriously reminded me
a lot of that Uwe Boll "Bloodrayne" interview. The only thing it was missing were the misspellings and punctuation problems, presumably because the interviewer was transcribing it, rather than Ratner typing his answers. It even has a similar slam at Ain't It Cool News.
The only thing it was missing was a "yes - because MUTANTS movies are sexy"
Ratner Insists X3 Will be the Last X-Men Film
A year ago, rumors were certain the X-Men franchise would extend for several more flicks if box office profits remained strong. Several months ago Ratner and company declared X3 to be the final installment for the franchise. Within a few weeks other people were insisting it was merely the last movie for this current story arc, and not the end of the franchise as a whole. This general bickering and disagreement has continued, with the only certainties seeming to be the spin-off films. Even then, there's much debate over what these films will turn out to be (Wolverine and Magneto are known, at least).
Director Brett Ratner has again forcefully insisted his film will be the final one. "There's no way they're going to make another X-Men. This is, like, the end of it; hence the title The Last Stand." Several people (most notably Professor X himself) have suggested this may be a clever ploy to drive up ticket sales -- but Ratner insists he's genuine.
whateva.
anyway, the first two haven't really set up a proper arc for this one to end it all. xmen is actually one of the few franchises in which i wouldn't mind if they continued on for a while. they're so many interesting characters that they could explore more, but can't given the limited screen time (hence it becomes the wolverine/magneto show).
i love how we treat ratner on these boards.
brett ratner: xixax as chuck norris: the rest of the world.
haha, i think the funniest thing is how he says pretty much the same exact thing different ways:
Quote
I was a major fan of the cartoon. I loved the cartoon.
Quote
Well, I loved Dark Phoenix. I was just so into Dark Phoenix.
Quote from: MacGuffin on May 02, 2006, 07:31:45 PM
Ratner Insists X3 Will be the Last X-Men Film
... Ratner insists he's genuine.
He doesn't seem to realize that it's not up to him... perhaps his ego causes him to forget that he's just a director-for-hire, and doesn't own or control the rights to X-Men. Ratner can insist anything he likes; Marvel and Fox will decide whether or not they want to make some more money on the film franchise.
Unless at the end of the movie they DO take whatever medication or experiement and they become human... with no more mutants... then its definitly over, dont you think?
Quote from: kal on May 02, 2006, 10:03:37 PM
Unless at the end of the movie they DO take whatever medication or experiement and they become human... with no more mutants... then its definitly over, dont you think?
That'd be a pretty fucking pussy "last stand," don't you think?
And it doesn't rule out prequels.
Excellent DVD Extra for X-Men 3 Rumored
It'll just be a deleted scene or outtake, but this little clip sounds like a fantastic DVD extra. The rumor comes from none other than John Bruno, visual effects supervisor for X-Men: The Last Stand who recently sat down for an interview with Total Film. After sharing his thoughts about working with embattled director Brett Ratner (he was nervous at first, but found him fun to work with), Bruno shared a great story from on-set during filming. Bruno told TF about an evening of filming on the Alcatraz set which started with the basic director's read through of instructions (you know, the "this person stands here, this person walks in from this side," etc.). After Ratner got a few lines into his directions, which he had written out on two pages of paper, actor Ian McKellen interrupted him and requested permission to take over. Bruno's description of the event is as follows: "So he took the script and read two pages of description. It was like he was standing there reading Shakespeare, it was fantastic. Here we all were, three in the morning, frozen solid and everybody was just mesmerized by Ian reading this description! It was so good, we had him do it again just for laughs." Now if that doesn't sound like something you want to see on an X-Men DVD, I don't know what would.
It wouldn't be like a major studio not to milk a franchise dry.
7-Minute X-Men Sneak Peek Now Online!
The seven-minute preview of 20th Century Fox's X-Men: The Last Stand, which aired on Fox tonight, is now online exclusively at Dell.com!
http://www.dell.com/html/us/xmen/index.html
International Trailer here. (http://www.foxjapan.com/movies/x-menfinal/trailers/qt_large.mov)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hK33lODnbiE
Ratner finally gets a comic franchise
Ever since he was a kid in Miami Beach, Brett Ratner has dreamed of directing a comic book franchise. So when the chance to direct "X-Men: The Last Stand" came up, he chased it hard.
Over lunch at the gusty Fox Villa in the hills high above Cannes, the 37-year-old filmmaker recalled how he balanced the urge to make his own mark on the last installment of the popular series with the need to satisfy audience expectations.
THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER: WERE YOU ALWAYS A DIE-HARD COMIC BOOK FAN?
Brett Ratner: I grew up reading "Superman" and "Batman" and occasionally "Richie Rich." I was not an "X-Men" fan per se. I was a fan of the TV cartoon and became a fan of the "X-Men" universe. I loved it.
THR: YOU FIRST TRIED TO RE-WORK THE NEW "SUPERMAN" FRANCHISE.
Ratner: I put it out there that I wanted to do a comic book movie. When "Superman" came my way, it was a dream come true. As a kid, I was blown away by the first Tim Burton "Batman." I couldn't fathom how it was done; it was a big unbelievable visual experience for me.
THR: LOSING "SUPERMAN" MUST HAVE BEEN A REAL BLOW.
Ratner: I got upset that Bryan Singer's got "X-Men," Sam Raimi's got "Spider-Man" and they hired Chris Nolan to do "Batman." It was like, "What am I going to do? I'm not going to have any franchise." The "Superman" script by J.J. Abrams was brilliant but too expensive to make. Warners didn't want to make it with an unknown actor. Bryan managed to figure out how to do a lower-budget version of that. When Bryan left "X-Men," I wanted it so bad. I realized it was the end of a trilogy; it's not "Star Trek 8." It's truly like "The Lord of the Rings" I was going to be part of history. "X-Men" is special, it has scope, it's the biggest action movie ever, it's thought-provoking. The movie deals with friendship and when you give up on somebody you love.
THR: HOW MUCH DID YOU CONTRIBUTE TO THE SCRIPT?
Ratner: I wasn't trying to reinvent the series. I didn't change the story at all. The cure concept was brilliant. Storywise, my focus was on the emotionality and the psychological journey of the characters, who the audience and myself have to love.
THR: INCLUDING THE ONES WHO GET WIPED OUT!
Ratner: It's "X-Men." Jean Gray (Famke Janssen) gets killed in "X-Men 2" but shows up on the first day of shooting of "X-Men 3." She's like Aphrodite rising, a girl hitting puberty who is expressing herself while the men in her life are suppressing her. She's good and evil. The Dark Phoenix is the dark side of Jean Gray. I wanted the movie to be visceral, not otherworldly. In the comics, she's blowing up planets. You can do anything in a comic book. The "X-Men" movies always have an element of reality to them, they're less sci-fi movie drama.
THR: SO WHAT ACTUAL CHANGES DID YOU MAKE?
Ratner: I did change the structure tremendously. The Golden Gate Bridge sequence was in the middle of the movie. It was such a huge sequence: "How am I ever going to top this?" I didn't want to end the movie in Washington, D.C., like "X-Men," "Planet of the Apes" and "ID4." We made Alcatraz the place where they make the cure, and they use the bridge to get onto the island. I also incorporated the fans' big fantasy wet dreams from the comics, like the danger room, the postapocalyptic practice room where Colossus uses the fast-ball special: He takes Wolverine and throws him. I integrated that into the third act so there was no reason for the studio to say we didn't need a multimillion sequence that looks like "The Terminator"
THR: IN THIS "X-MEN," THE CHARACTERS TAKE TO THE AIR. IT'S THE MOST AMBITIOUS EFFECTS MOVIE YOU'VE EVER DONE.
Ratner: Bryan's effects were always reality-based, so I tried to keep the tone consistent with the first two movies. The action sequences were simple for me, but putting VFX (visual effects) on top of them complicated it. In order to make people fly, you need to do more wire work, which I learned because of my experience with Jackie Chan. I took a practical approach. Why were the first 'Star Wars' movies so much more visceral than the new ones? With greenscreen environments, it's harder for the actors and audience to hold on to something. When I read the biggest computer-graphics sequence on the bridge, I said, "How in hell am I going to do this?" We put Magneto and his brotherhood on a quarter of a mile section of the bridge we built on set in Vancouver, with extras, cars burning and flying pieces of scrap metal. That grounded it. CGI is used as an enhancement. When I first saw Weta's completed shot on the big screen, I was floored.
THR: YOU INHERITED SOME CAST BUT ADDED SOME NEW MEMBERS OF YOUR OWN.
Ratner: When you work with Shakespearean actors, you get good performances. Working with Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in one scene, the walls were vibrating from their voices. I was new. If I was going to leave a mark, I was responsible for these new characters who weren't in the other "X-Men," like Ellen Page as Kitty Pryde and Ben Foster as Angel. Kelsey Grammer isn't going to be known as Frasier anymore, he'll be known as Beast. He has such power, he needed that deep Shakespearean voice to cut through a thick costume.
THR: SO THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME HAVING A FILM IN THE OFFICIAL SELECTION?
Ratner: It's the ultimate thing to have a film here, it's the closest thing to going to the Academy Awards, the most prestigious experience for a director. Wherever the film is written about, it's a film "de Brett Ratner." I'm going to take a mental picture on the red steps; that's a memory I will hang onto for a long time.
THR: WHAT'S NEXT FOR YOU?
Ratner: ... I start "Rush Hour 3" on August 23. This time both Jackie and Chris (Tucker) are fishes-out-of-water in Paris. I've been begging Ian McKellen to do the very bad French villain, who is inspired by Max Von Sydow in "Three Days of the Condor."
Message to X3 Moviegoers
Seeing The Last Stand this weekend? IGN has an important tip.
You're planning to see X-Men: The Last Stand this weekend, right? We expect most of you are. That being the case, apart from our regular reporting on the movie, IGN FilmForce now asks you to do one important thing. If you're an X-Men fan, you'll regret it if you don't! At the theater this weekend, when the credits roll, when the audiences begins to filter out of the exits... keep your seat. And then, perhaps, share this little secret with a few of your friends: the movie isn't over.
We don't want to spoil anything for you, but we want you to know that the scene that follows isn't your typical post-credits tack-on. It's a coda for one of the main characters. The scene is maybe 30 seconds in length, but it's enough. And it will surely be one of the more talked moments in the fan community.
Think you know what this scene is? Guess all you want, but chances are that you won't see it coming.
Major mutant war happens this Friday! Wolverine yells, "Hold the line!" - that stand's not easy. All you have to do is hold on through the end credits - that's much easier. You don't want miss the coda!
Secrets of X-Womanhood Disclosed
CANNES, France (AP) - The women of "X-Men: The Last Stand" can kick your butt. The Associated Press sat down with Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, Rebecca Romijn and Anna Paquin at the Cannes Film Festival, where the movie premiered.
The third film based on the Marvel comics about superpowered mutants, "Last Stand" features Berry as weather-controlling Storm, Paquin as lifeforce-draining Rogue, Romijn as evil shapeshifter Mystique and Janssen as Jean Grey, a mega-telepath with a nasty alter ego called Dark Phoenix.
AP: Did you ever envy one another's superpowers?
Berry: I envied that I never really got to do my powers until the third movie. Fly and do electricity and spin and make a tornado like I got to do now. I envied that I never got to do what I do.
Paquin: I still never get to do anything. Three movies, absolutely no action. It's kind of amazing.
Romijn: Somebody's always got it worse than you.
Paquin: I managed to survive three action comic-book movies and pretty much almost not to see one single bit of real violence or, you know, action sequences.
Berry: You'll have to do a Rogue spinoff, just so you can do something.
Paquin: Dude, I don't know if anybody wants to see that, actually.
Berry: Well, you got a great love story. I didn't have that. I got no action and no story. I had nothing.
Paquin: I had some gloves.
AP: Who would win in a smackdown among Storm, Mystique, Rogue and Jean?
Janssen: Jean or Phoenix? If it's Phoenix, I say Phoenix wins.
Romijn: I would say Phoenix wins, too. I think we establish in `X-Men 3' that Phoenix is ultimately the most powerful.
Janssen: If you put Jean into the mix, I'm not sure how well she's going to fare.
Romijn: We've established that Jean hasn't been used to her full potential, so when she becomes Phoenix, it's a whole new thing. She's repressed.
Janssen: Yeah, Jean's got some issues. She's in therapy, if that makes you feel any better.
Paquin: Who would win depends if I'm going to be close enough to touch them. That's kind of a trump card, isn't it?
AP: So if Rogue sneaks up on Jean from behind ...
Paquin: Yeah, if she doesn't see it coming ...
Janssen: The thing is, of course, she can see it coming, because she reads minds.
Romijn: But Mystique could turn into any of them and just confuse everyone.
Janssen: And Storm can just make it misty and foggy.
Romijn: She would lose.
Janssen: She would lose because I can just see right through that fog.
AP: So what's up with the hair? Storm's got a powder-puff thing going this time and Jean's has turned fiery red.
Janssen: It was really a hair commercial, if you think about it. We all said, if you want to get a great hair commercial out of this movie, let's just make sure that the hair changes and upstages everything.
Romijn: They tried to give Mystique a bob. It was awful. Like a weird Mom bob. We went back to the old hair.
Berry: It's a woman's right to change her hair, and I think it's not by mistake that all the women have different hair, like, every time.
Paquin: I don't.
Berry: That's what women do. We change our hair.
Paquin: I don't.
AP: You don't what?
Paquin: I don't have different hair. I'm never different.
AP: With women so prevalent, are the "X-Men" movies female-empowerment films?
Romijn: What I like most about these movies is they're not gender-specific at all. Yeah, of course, the women kick butt, and so do the guys. It's a non-issue.
Paquin: It's never even addressed. When they're going into battle, it's more whose power is most useful.
Janssen: I find it's rare to see in a Hollywood movie, period, that many female characters. That many strong female characters. But specifically in the genre of comic-book adaptations, it just does not happen, because you have "Superman," you have "Batman," you have all these characters, and then you have the love interest. The fact that we have that many female characters in a movie of any size in Hollywood, it's great.
AP: Famke, was it more fun playing Jean as good or evil?
Janssen: The combination of the two. That's how I view people. It's how I view life. You can't stereotype people, you can't put them into boxes. Everybody is a complex individual who has both good and evil, sad and happy. You name it.
AP: Anna, why does Rogue find her ability to steal others' power a curse?
Paquin: She's completely isolated. She doesn't have the option of conducting a normal life or having normal relations with people. It's also a lot more recent. She's a lot younger, so it's been less time to get used to it. I feel like maybe if she had a little more time, she might have come to sort of accept that.
AP: Halle, how is it that Storm comes to really assert herself this time?
Berry: Storm finally steps up and takes a stand and asserts herself and has a voice. She becomes truly what she was in the comic book. She has to use all her powers finally for the good of all her team and for the good of what she believes in. For me as an actor, each time you want to feel like your character evolves and grows, and this time I feel like she did in spades. I enjoyed her so much more this time.
AP: Rebecca, why's Mystique the bad egg? Was she just a mutant from the wrong side of the tracks?
Romijn: I think she was probably so ostracized by the way she looked from a really young age. She was probably treated really bad because of it. I can understand why she was so angry. In the second movie, Nightcrawler asks her if she can look like everybody else, why don't you look like everyone? She says because you shouldn't have to. She has a really strong sense of identity. She really knows who she is.
AP: What kind of superhero would your moms have been happy to have you bring home as boyfriends?
Janssen: Oh, my God. Ask my mom, she's here.
Berry: I don't know. I'd just like one to tell the truth. I'd be happy with an honest one.
Romijn: Honesty Man!
Berry: Could you at least not lie? Tell the truth all the time?
Romijn: Love Man! I just want my daughter to be loved.
Janssen: Yeah, and be happy.
Romijn: Love Man, Honesty Man, Happy Man!
Janssen: No, not Happy Man. Me to be happy. Not a happy man. God, no.
Paquin: All of the above, how about that?
every comic fanboy's wet dream-- hot chicks having a roundtable about superheroes.
halle berry comes off as an idiot.
my dear paquin conquers the roundtable discussion by a mile. this was pretty good:
Berry: It's a woman's right to change her hair, and I think it's not by mistake that all the women have different hair, like, every time.
Paquin: I don't.
Berry: That's what women do. We change our hair.
Paquin: I don't.
... and ...
Berry: Well, you got a great love story. I didn't have that. I got no action and no story. I had nothing.
Paquin: I had some gloves.
Quote from: Just Withnail on May 25, 2006, 10:23:46 AM
Quote from: MacGuffin on May 22, 2006, 03:16:54 PM
At the theater this weekend, when the credits roll, when the audiences begins to filter out of the exits... keep your seat. And then, perhaps, share this little secret with a few of your friends: the movie isn't over.
I forgot this.
yeah, not to worry. you missed like 20 seconds. it was kinda cool but im sure a lot of people here will be underwhelmed after all the anticipation for something potentially awesome.
it was pretty good.. nothing i'd race to see again.. the line "i'm juggernaut.. BITCH!" got the biggest applause. the nerds got their stan lee sighting.. yadda yadda.. i'm not a big x-men buff but it was good enough for a popcorn flick.
Spoilers.
Jean killing Xavier? Yeah, that was a fuckin outstanding scene. I thought her struggle with Phoenix was really well done. Beast was done really well. Overall I really enjoyed it. I think I'm with Cinephile. It wasn't anything terrific but well worth the price of a full price ticket & popcorn. I'm out of the superhero movie loop ATM. I'm sure there will be a Wolverine film. Any word on when/if that's happening?
I thought this was terrible. The emotion and development of the second film is reduced to nothing. Storylines come and go and some are totally pointless (Rogue v Iceman v Kitty), as well as certain characters. A lot of the writing was bad, for instance the "Just like chess, you always send in your pawns first" immediately followed by the redundant "This is why you send in your pawns first..." What the fuck? I got it the first time.
Juggernaut was the best part, suprisingly. And what exactly is the scene after the credits?
I'm with Gamblour, but even moreso...
Spoilers, but believe me, you couldn't spoil this movie any more on the spoilinist day of your life even if you had an electrified spoilin machine
To the people who actually liked this film: were you drunk, high, forced to say you liked it at knife-point?
This is undeniably the WORST memorial day weekend movie ever made. It is also perhaps the LAZIEST big-budget picture ever made.
Hands down, Ratner out Ratnered himself. I hated him before, but I almost feel bad for him now.
For those who haven't seen it, this is not an overreaction, DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY OR TIME!!!!!!!
There were a few good laughs at how fucking awful EVERYTHING in this movie was. other than that, it's pretty unbearable.
Here's the list:
- They decided to turn Xavier's school into Hogwarts
- They decided that Jean should come back with the power to turn everything retarded.
- They decided not to spend time on even THINKING about where to put the camera or how it would cut together, just a mess of mind-numbingly boring shots.
- It's full of laughs at the serious parts (Jackman's worst moment of his entire career, when he gives the "speech" to the four mutants we couldn't give half a shit about, the really bad macho lines, the moments when people would talk, etc...) and crickets for the awful awful jokes which are inappropriately littered throughout this dreadful what felt like five hours.
- McKellan manages to keep Magneto cool through the first half because he's just that good, but once they start giving him lines, it's really hard to get past.
- It's a WONDER everyone involved didn't walk off the set when they were given this script.
- The story was pointless and uninvolved. At no moment could one really care AT ALL what was happening.
- This list could go for five pages, but I'm getting heartburn just thinking about how bad this movie was.
Seriously, I knew it was going to be bad, but I had no idea it would be THIS bad. I'm amazed that anyone here could actually claim to have liked it. Even the dipshits who clapped at the Super Ex-Girlfriend trailer came out groaning about how bad the movie was.
I'm baffled at this, really... it's so fucking bad... it might be worse than The Forgotten.
edit:
Quote from: Myxo on May 26, 2006, 06:24:08 AM
Jean killing Xavier? Yeah, that was a fuckin outstanding scene.
This was perhaps the most poorly executed and ridiculous scene in the entire movie (with exception perhaps of that part where the bird-boy flies away and Powder looks out the window, jerking off). Anyone else might have made a scene like that cool... I think Mcfucking G could have made that scene cool, but for whatever reason, this scene was LAME ON TOP OF LAME.
I saw this with a friend at a midnight showing. I knew and loved X-Men enough as a kid to not mind going, but I didn't see the first two movies. (which I believe are likely pretty good) Still, I knew all the characters and the essentials of their relationships.
Of course my viewing was horrendous. I covered my ears at every ridiculous piece of dialogue and shut my eyes at every inflated "heartfelt" scene. The movie was crammed with so many plots I thought I was getting the entire cartoon series in one sitting! Storyline was cramped and every character was forced to show long-standing emotions through quick (and painful) dialogue. Even Wolverine managed to have his share of dumb scenes. Only Beast came out unblemished for not having one line of bad dialogue and having the most entertaining fight moves. Still the total experience sucked.
After the movie I of course played down my feelings to my friend. He paid my way in to have someone go with him. The good surprise was he hated it too. He's a devoted fan and couldn't believe how ridiculous the series got. His feelings were mutual to mine.
Ok everybody can give Ratner shit, and maybe the movie sucks (havent seen it yet), and maybe the reviews are really bad... but it openned with 44 million dollars the first day, 2nd biggest openning ever after Star Wars 3.
Not bad. And I think Ratner, Fox and everybody else will be happy despite whatever bullshit reviews say. It will make over 100 million in the first weekend.
'X3's' Rogue Is Acting Out
Anna Paquin's latest characters, mutant and otherwise, struggle to grow.
Source: Los Angeles Times
In "X-Men: The Last Stand," Anna Paquin plays Rogue, a super-mutant facing existential crisis. Capable of absorbing the life force of whomever she comes into skin contact with, the character must either carry on as an all-powerful untouchable — someone who can help save the world but can't kiss her boyfriend — or opt to be "cured" of her otherness via a medical procedure at the core of the movie's mutant-versus-human conflict.
It's hard out there for a comic book hero. But life isn't all about summer blockbusters and tight-fitting leather X-suits for the Canadian-born New Zealander, who won a best supporting actress Oscar at 11 for her role in "The Piano." She's already worked with many of the best actors and directors in the biz and tackled theater, winning a Drama Desk Award.
That stage experience netted Paquin, 23, the title role in writer-director Kenneth Lonergan's movie "Margaret," due later this year. For the comedy "Blue State," Paquin has also moved behind the camera as executive producer.
In "X:3," your character has a lot on her mind.
Well, that's Rogue's whole thing. She's intense, emotional, introspective. Always has been.
In that sense, "The Last Stand" is atypical of most comic book adaptations.
That's the balance that "X-Men" has always been able to keep. There's a great deal of emotion and strongly held belief behind every action sequence, behind what they're doing. I think that's why people have continued to be interested in the movies — why the comic books have lasted, like, 30 years.
How aware were you of that comic geek stuff when you signed on?
I had just done "Almost Famous" and was just graduating to those young woman roles. And then they were like, "We want to put you in the middle of our gigantic action movie." I was like, "Um, OK."
You started acting so young and you're —
— and maybe I'm naive. If I am, I hope to stay in my nice little bubble of youthful optimism. People say, "Oh, you have a nice balance of big and small movies." That's just dumb luck. As an actor you take what you can get.
But you chose to work in the theater. How does appearing on stage stack up to working in film?
There's nothing like taking your character through their journey every night on stage. Sometimes, for brief moments, sometimes for entire shows, you enter into this state that's like transcendental meditation.
You performed Kenneth Lonergan's "This Is Our Youth" in London and now you're his "Margaret."
I'm on every page of the script. It was the best thing I ever read, so I was intimidated.
Who do you play?
She's 17, enjoying testing how her sexuality affects other people, and tries to get the attention of a bus driver played by Mark Ruffalo. He runs a red light and hits a woman — she dies in my lap.
It's pretty profoundly disturbing. [The character] lies to the cops about what caused the crash, has a bout of conscience and then decides to tell them the truth. But by then, nobody cares. So she starts acting out. It's self-destruction left, right and center.
Rogue's self-discoveries en route to adulthood lead her to act out as well. Is it fair to see the roles as bookends?
Definitely. We actually shot "Margaret" in the middle of shooting "X-Men" — I got a 10-week hiatus. As far as doing those kind of roles, that's the stage of development that I'm up to, a lot of the roles in general that I take explore that.
What was it like playing the character for a third time?
Rogue's basically in my blood. I've lived with this character for seven years. It's a big part of my life. Getting back on set, seeing everybody, it comes out of muscle memory.
Bryan Singer chose not to direct this "X-Men" installment, then Brett Ratner was hired just before shooting began. How'd he do?
Brett, he was very respectful about allowing us to remain with the characters we've already established. He was aware that he would never be as familiar with the characters as we were.
Don't get me wrong. He'll nit-pick and do 25 takes to get what he wants. It must have been a somewhat daunting task to jump onto a movie two months before it starts with a cast that's already been doing it for two movies. You gotta hand it to him on the confidence front. He made it his own film but kept the cohesion of the trilogy.
How long do you expect to stick with the franchise?
I don't know how long it will be before people get sick of me running around in black leather. I don't flatter myself.
What led you to take on executive producer duties in "Blue State"?
Over dinner with my older brother, we started talking about how much fun it would be to start a production company. A few years later we decided, "Why not?" He got financing, I wrapped "Margaret" and "X-Men." We finished [in early May].
How did you like being on the other side of the camera?
I loved it: getting to make all the bigger creative decisions, being in the loop and getting to have an opinion, finding my instincts were pretty OK after being in films for 14 years.
You feel your input as an actress doesn't matter?
Ultimately, if you're not your own boss, you don't get the final say.
What's the comedy about?
This young Democrat played by Breckin Meyer vows he'll move to Canada if Bush gets reelected — and you know how that turned out.
The only justification for seeing this lack luster film was seeing that internet video of the dubbed X-Men episode reference "Do you know who I am? I'm the Juggernaut, bitch!"
overstuffed, underdeveloped. not a complete train wreck but worse than i thought it would be, even from ratner. :yabbse-thumbdown:
Lets no forget that we all knew this was going to happen. However, if you consider that its ridiculously entertaining and that the special effects were good, the movie is not a bad way to spend a couple of hours. That also makes it better, the fact that it wasnt long enough to make you sick.
I enjoyed it and I wouldnt see it again soon or analyze it much. What is the point? It's Ratner. It's (((((((SPOILERS))))) Magneto losing his powers and everybody else that matters dead. Who the fuck cares about the ones that are left? I was right when I was insisting that they were going to be cured, and why this would probably be the last one. Not because they said it, but because between Ratners fuck ups and the fuck that nobody is left, there is no sequel.
Can somebody tell me what is the scene at the end of the credits? I missed it.
I am going to have to go with general concensus and say this was awful. The writing was dismal, and I don't mean just the dialogue. Ratner went to great lengths to involve this rediculous style of unbearable pans throughout the whole thing that just got annoying, not interesting. Halle Berry's Storm was a hackneyed joke, you could feel her demands for more screentime leaking though the character. Once again this year, Ian McKellen is the only really good thing in a pretty bad movie. **1/2/*****
Quote from: modage on May 27, 2006, 05:13:42 PM
a complete train wreck
I agree
Quote from: kal on May 27, 2006, 06:06:23 PM
its ridiculously entertaining
you're ridiculous for having been entertained
several million people would disagree with you... its not good, it won get good reviews or prizes, but its visually entertaining for almost 2 hours... if not why did you go at all to see it? or better, why did you stay? when you are BORED then you leave.
its ok to express your opinion but coming back again and again to trash the movie and everybodys opinion is kinda stupid... every person has their point of view... not agreeing with you doesnt make them right or wrong.
Quote from: kal on May 27, 2006, 11:19:18 PM
several million people would disagree with you... its not good, it won get good reviews or prizes, but its visually entertaining for almost 2 hours... if not why did you go at all to see it? or better, why did you stay? when you are BORED then you leave.
its ok to express your opinion but coming back again and again to trash the movie and everybodys opinion is kinda stupid... every person has their point of view... not agreeing with you doesnt make them right or wrong.
I probably HAVE been overtrashing this movie, but I can't understand people who claim they enjoyed it. It just doesn't compute.
You're also off base with that "several million people would disagree" bullshit.... you seem to think that ticket sales have anything to do with whether people LIKE a movie. People came to see it because they DIDN'T KNOW it sucked... they enjoyed the first two and there were lots of shiny commercials for it and thought the third would be good. Everyone that walked out of the sold-out theater I saw it in was commenting on how much it sucked. As I mentioned before, these are the same "average joes" that were chuckling at the My Super Ex-Girlfriend trailer.
Im not saying you are wrong. But you forget that the majority of the people dont analyze movies like we do, and they dont give a fuck. Give them some cool special effects, some girls, some action, and they are set. The movie is entertaining because at no point you are bored watching it. You may think its stupid, poorly directed, or that it doesnt make sense, but at no point the movie gets dense or boring. I for one only went because I needed to get my mind of a lot of work and stuff, and it worked. It served its purpose. If I start analyziing it, it sucked, but if I just enjoy the visual aspects and the fact that its a comic book, then I dont mind. Yes, XMEN and X2 were much better besides the fact that they are comic books, also maybe Spider Man, but this in my opinion served its purpose. And so far honestly, outside Xixax, I didnt see people hating the movie. I think the average people like it and thats what they went to see. And as far as Fox is concerned, that is what matters and that is why they made it and why they could make X4. This film has the 2nd largest openning day in history and it will for sure have one of the top 3 openning weekends ever. So believe me, nobody gives a shit what we say about Ratner or the film. It served its purpose with me and most of the people who made it and saw it.
yes, but kal. you come to xixax. and you DO know better.
OK I'm too lazy to use the quote button, however someone said that the Beast had no bad lines in this movie and well...were they listening when the Beast said "Oh, my stars and guarders!" ??? And is that actually what he said or did i mishear it? Was that a line? A WRITTEN LINE? I hope it was an inside joke for comic fans or something otherwise...I just don't know what to say...
Quote from: kal on May 28, 2006, 12:05:33 AMI think the average people like it and thats what they went to see. And as far as Fox is concerned, that is what matters and that is why they made it and why they could make X4. This film has the 2nd largest openning day in history and it will for sure have one of the top 3 openning weekends ever. So believe me, nobody gives a shit what we say about Ratner or the film. It served its purpose with me and most of the people who made it and saw it.
But what I think you're forgetting is that this series has a built-in audience. Those are the people that made it a huge opening. The true test will be if the film has legs. Bad word of mouth from those fans can cause a serious drop from week to week, and not lead to repeat business. I think all those 'bloggers' and comic-book geeks that bad-mouthed Ratner when he first signed on went out of curiosity to see what he did to the series, if it turned out like from Burton to Schumacher.
all i know is that i'm sick of seeing these assholes on every talk show and commercial on TV for what has seemed like MONTHS. i can't remember the last movie that was so over-exposed. AHHH! as i type this right now an interview w/ ratner and berry is on the TV guide channel!
bring on superman already.
lol, thats exactly the point.... we knew what was going to happen with Ratner directing this. Thats when you see how the studios have no fucking clue.
Quote from: Ultrahip on May 28, 2006, 02:03:17 AM
the Beast said "Oh, my stars and guarders!" ??? And is that actually what he said or did i mishear it? Was that a line? A WRITTEN LINE? I hope it was an inside joke for comic fans or something otherwise...I just don't know what to say...
That's right out of the comic.
and Kal, next time you need to clear your head, toss on some Yanni and grab a Viewmaster, it's cheaper and serves the same purpose.
:yabbse-grin:
the movie already made 107 million dollars... and its not even Memorial Monday. So yeah, I think its the biggest Memorial Weekend Openning ever, maybe the biggest 4 day openning ever as well.
Ironic considering the film is crap, but thats life... and now Ratner will be the new hero for saving the Summer Box Office....
One day you'll realize two things:
1. these numbers you're obsessing over are pointless
2. what ironic means
Quote from: ©brad on May 28, 2006, 08:58:48 AM
all i know is that i'm sick of seeing these assholes on every talk show and commercial on TV for what has seemed like MONTHS. i can't remember the last movie that was so over-exposed. AHHH!
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages.amazon.com%2Fimages%2FP%2FB00005JOX9.01._SS500_SCLZZZZZZZ_V55710153_.jpg&hash=d2528ec3124f1fd568950cda0cea6e8d17593b4f)
Quote from: RegularKarate on May 28, 2006, 03:47:33 PM
One day you'll realize two things:
1. these numbers you're obsessing over are pointless
2. what ironic means
how come he only tells me "fuck you" and calls me a retard when everyone on the board keeps on zinging him?
because you are a fucking retard, pete.
regularkarate, im not obssesed about the numbers... but they happen to be the most important thing for the people who make movies happen. if they didnt have the money to invest, to pay the actors, crew, etc nobody would do it. if nobody watches a movie and they dont make money, then it also doesnt work. even the most independent and classic films need financing and they need distrbution and press, it all costs money.
you can trash my comments all you want. im here because some of the stuff is fun, and there are a few really smart guys in here. i enjoy reading and discussing. i dont take it personal because i dont give a fuck what somebody that doesnt know me and doesnt know more than me about this can say.
i may be a douche bag here to you, but i have two movies in production now that i got the financing and i invested a lot of money myself, and that makes me care about numbers. when they come out i will need them to do well or else i would have lost a lot of my own money, the investors money, and it will be very hard for me to make more movies in the future. maybe im wrong, but i think it is pretty important. not as important as the quality of the work maybe, but for big studios and corporations thats all it matters at the end of the day. and for actors who charge millions just to show up, its also a big deal.
Quote from: kal on May 28, 2006, 06:22:17 PM
because you are a fucking retard, pete.
normally I'd fire something back, but since everyone on this here board makes fun of you, and since you don't care because you have a therapist, a high school diploma, and a nice car, I guess I don't really need to.
brad, one thing is to be obsessed and a very different one is to care. you should learn that.
and pete, say whatever you want dude, i dont care. i'll see you when i take my nice car to the car wash and you are the one washing it.
lets not forget this thread is about xmen and not me, so if you have something to say you can start a new thread or send me a PM. if not, leave me the fuck alone because i never start anything with you.
can you post a picture of yourself online please?
you can find some in variety and billboard, whenever you want...
leave me alone, will you? i dont want to talk to you anymore, and i dont like just ignoring people so lets just stop talking.
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi11.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa175%2FLeven321%2F101811321_l.gif&hash=83cccccb9fee4734ef9451fe0a0a83eaa052a017)(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi11.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa175%2FLeven321%2F101811321_l.gif&hash=83cccccb9fee4734ef9451fe0a0a83eaa052a017)(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi11.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa175%2FLeven321%2F101811321_l.gif&hash=83cccccb9fee4734ef9451fe0a0a83eaa052a017)(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi11.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa175%2FLeven321%2F101811321_l.gif&hash=83cccccb9fee4734ef9451fe0a0a83eaa052a017)(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi11.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fa175%2FLeven321%2F101811321_l.gif&hash=83cccccb9fee4734ef9451fe0a0a83eaa052a017)
went to the midnight showing for shits and kicks but it turned into the runny kind of shits and if you've seen it
you know what i mean
there were horrible lines
and we all started laughing
morgan was drunk he made the best joke
'it's mystique' made me laugh every time
what a fucking horrible ending
singer would never have allowed that script to have gone through i'm just a sayin
this movie sucked.
beast fighting was fucking sweet though. i was a big fan of the cartoon on tv and so having nostalgia of watching the show back in the day was fun and made me smile but other then that... shit, man. whatever.
and seeing that bitch from Hard Candy in it just made it that much worse. it was funny when she called juggernaut dickhead though... because... you know, his helmet looks like the tip of a penis. cronopio'll tell you, since he's obsessed with cocks and all.
sometimes, i really hate movies.
the movie sucked. i wasn't expecting great cinema, and my expecxtations were especially low re: ratner. this still managed to dissapoint me. it was comically bad in parts.
samsong basically said what there is to say.
beast was good in general. a lot of the fight scenes were pretty entertaining... unfortunately, they were the high points of the movie.
stay through the credits (or have a basic understanding of the comic) for an X4 plot tease.
Mark Beall's Geek Beat: What the Geeks Thought of X3
America has had a weekend to digest the new X-Men film, and early indications are positive. The numbers are big and the reviewers are happy. Once again America has reminded the industry why they've been pouring all this money and effort into superhero films.
Lest we forget in the midst of the Age of the Silver Screen Hero, much of the credit and thanks goes to those fans who have frequented the comic book shops these past decades, keeping our heroes in business long before Hollywood made them blockbusters. If it weren't for the True Believers, Marvel would have closed shop years ago (they flirted with monetary disaster on more than one occasion) and who knows where Professor X and his students would be now. So what do the dedicated have to say about the latest installment of Marvel on screen? They were worried in the run-up; afraid of what director Brett Ratner might do. I've been in touch this weekend with some serious geeks, folks who know Professor X better than Patrick Stewart, and they've got some great opinions on this stuff -- so I'm going to let them do the talking. The Geek Beat is proud to present our very first Geeks' Referendum!
Erik Hendrix was the first to send a response to me, and he jumped right out of the gate with a forceful opener: "I'm going to have to go against the grain and say I absolutely loved it. The film captured a great deal of who the characters were and how they would react in certain situations - that is what Ratner did best."
Erik's opening point is a solid one, and cuts perhaps right to the heart of why we geeks love these films often in spite of our own misgivings -- there is just something fantastic about seeing Professor X, Wolverine, Magneto, and the rest of our favorites stomping around on the screen being ... well ... themselves. You can't tell me you don't get chills every time Wolverine slides his claws out.
Erik also made a quick but accurate observation about the amount of mutants in the film: "I also loved the inclusion of so many more mutants, after all that's what X-men is about. Even if many of them did not have very much screen time, it is great to see the presence of more mutants. It definitely made the movie feel more like the comics." Yes, Marvel is full of mutants running in and out of the pages. Sometimes mutants we haven't heard of for years pop up for a quick three page cameo and then disappear again. As Erik points out, this is the Marvel way.
The final point Erik made before signing off was another gem, and one I think all comic fans need to keep in mind: "all Comic Books reinvent themselves, they re-tell the stories, and they retconned out plots they don't like. The movies are just another re-telling of these superheroes..."
Dan Portnoy (who happens to run a nifty little website) got a little more in depth, sharing his thoughts on particular elements of the film. He pointed out something many may have overlooked: "the special effects to make Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen younger were great -- so subtle but perfect." He also fairly points out a high point in casting: "The fantastic surprise of the film in found in Ellen Page's portrayal of Kitty Pride. She was incredible!"
Get ready for a big quote here, because Dan jumped right into the heart of the Phoenix Saga, a storyline familiar to all X-Fans which got a rather truncated and re-imagined version for the film. Here are Dan's thoughts:
"I thought the movie did a great job with regards to Jean Gray and the beloved Phoenix. Tweaking some of the major points of a form of schizophrenia vs an alien was a bit of a betrayal but they did stay true to the characters essence -- unhinged, unsure and misguided ... Anytime Phoenix "shows up" the effects are great -- they just don't do enough with her in the last scene, she has to have a psychotic break before she gets involved."
Dan's verdict: "Overall, X3 is easily worth the cash for the theater experience ... I can live with the adjustments but my preference would be to get Brian Singer back on board and ditch Storm, provided there's another one."
Cinematical reader Cangrande may have nailed many fans' opinions right on the money: First, "Not as bad as I feared. A mess, but a mess of good stuff. Everyone will say, rightly, that the Phoenix is enough story for any film. Any three films, really. The cure is plot enough for any film. Both great ideas, but given short shrift in the race to end the franchise."
Jonah Spangenthal-Lee spoke up for those fans who felt ripped off by this final film. Jonah is a freelancer who wrote me a scathingly beautiful attack on the third film. I only hope he posts his full thoughts somewhere eventually so you can read them all, but I'll share some of his best points here with you.
In short, his opinion can be summed up in one thought: "There are plenty of lukewarm reviews of X3 going around, and I want to be the first to say loud and clear that paying money to see this film is a mistake. It's not only a terrible comic movie, but it's just plain bad film making. "
Perhaps most interesting in what Jonah had to say was a clever observation about the character deaths. "We already know Wolvey is moving on to his own film, right? As for the rest: "X-3 is a big old f* you to anyone who decided to invest in characters played by actors deemed too expensive to keep around. Yes, Cyclops dies(offscreen no less), the all-powerful Phoenix dies, Professor X dies, Rogue gets rid of her powers as does Mystique ... This is clearly a passing of the torch to a younger and less-expensive cast. Wait for it. We'll get a Generation X movie, or New Mutants, or something. This is too good a cash cow for Fox to put to pasture."
Jonah is correct insofar as sequel potential goes. A next generation mutant film (such as Gen X or New Mutants) has already been strongly rumored. Was Fox so wanton with deaths because they were planning on a setup for the next group of talented youngsters?
Jonah has a lot more worth sharing with you, but I'm running out of space here. I'll end with a great summation from him: "This is a mistake, plain and simple. Brett Ratner was a bad choice. He's not a good director. He clearly doesn't know how to work with actors (see any actors delivery other than McKellan or Stewart), and when you should have a film that's really about this great collection of characters and their own individual quirks, why the hell would you want your movie to feel like it was directed by a committee shouting through a bullhorn?"
Quote from: Dan Portnoy on May 30, 2006, 11:21:22 AM
the special effects to make Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen younger were great
does anyone have caps or youtubes?
Quote from: picolas on May 30, 2006, 05:07:05 PM
Quote from: Dan Portnoy on May 30, 2006, 11:21:22 AM
the special effects to make Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen younger were great
does anyone have caps or youtubes?
No, but I am sure we all know what it looks like when someone has a jurassic layer of makeup on
Well, First off i would like to say i had the typical opening night fan boy bull shit audience, and I'm not exaggerating when i say that i almost left after the crowd went fucking nuts during the snakes on a plane trailer...It was just disgusting...On a side note, i think snakes on a plane has gotten to point where it's like a trend, everyone thinks it's ok to think it's cool, or something, which is just upsetting me, and i just wonder what is up, hopefully some one here can enlighten me...I mean i acknowledge that it's silly/funny or something, but the hype this gets is just unreal.
Ok, X-3, was fucking equally as silly...it was just bad, for the most part i agree with what a majority of people were saying, but i couldn't get past the story line...I mean seriously,
SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS - Professor x gets killed, and i almost left, then wolverine, saves the day I mean fuck, his bones are made of adamantium, and he has the power to heal quick, give me a fucking break, fuck the forced love plots...And to top that all off magneto loses his powers...fuck...I understand that the so called "cure" was just something that oppresses the mutant gene because at the end magneto gets his powers back, and the little Xavier clip blah blah blah...but how can anyone like this writing? I mean i understand that it's a movie and they can take the story and change it a bit, but shit this was like making a movie about the civil war and then making the south win...can any comic book reader really appreciate this? Not to mention they basically say "OH NO WE FUCKED WITH YOUR HEADS, AND KILLED PEOPLE YOU DIDN'T EXPECT AND TOOK AWAY POWERS FROM THOSE SAME TYPE OF PEOPLE" then at the end they say "WHOA NOW, JUST KIDDING, GOTCHA!" which i think is a pussy way to end it...I was as bad as the ending to "the grudge" or something...As for the whole juggernaut thing, i don't guess i get the whole "I'm juggernaut, bitch" thing, so i thought that was pretty dumb, not to mention when bullet tooth tony was standing next to everyone, the little camera trickery was just laughable...the kitty, iceman, and rogue plot seemed like something that they decided to throw in for length purposes because everyone saw it going no where, and it did just that.
I was so sickened by the writing i couldn't even focus on the directing...I can't recall coming out of a theater with this much dissapointment...
And yes i realize that my posts are mixed up and jumbled, but I'm too lazy to edit them and shit, so it just spills out, i apologize.
It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I think there were even some great little moments, like Rogue and Wolverines little moment. It really felt like what should've been two awesome movies somehow became one mediocre one. So yeah fuck Fox.
I don't think I've ever seen so many Xixaxers fork over money to see a Ratner film.
Quote from: Ravi on May 30, 2006, 11:33:58 PM
I don't think I've ever seen so many Xixaxers fork over money to see a Ratner film.
Seriously. Pigs are flying over the frozen tundras of hell this week.
I was able to watch lengthy parts of the first two X Men movies. Of course, seeing it on TV is why I only saw parts but I'm going to rent them both soon enough. I did like what I was seeing so I'm enthused to come back to X-Men 3.
I remember one critic ad libbed back in 1959 that Testament of Orpheus was a congratulatory film by Jean Cocteau for himself. Testament was wrapped in the identity of Cocteau's two previous films in the trilogy and hallmarks of his entire career. The critic went on by saying the film was a meandering journey of identity and memory but felt too self serving to be artistically rewarding. Pablo Picasso, a friend of Cocteau, makes a very short appearance in it so only really adds to the criticism. X Men 3 is a congratulatory film alright, but a congratulation work by a studio for maxim profits. I can in no way see how Bryan Singer would have allowed for such a breech in patient storytelling if he helmed this. The film is redudant with explosions and character revelations.
The greatest insights into this film is the strategic planning of advertisement coupled with a perfect release date and getting it helmed by a director (for hire, nonetheless) with a publicist who actually gets his dumb comments widely publicized. Die hard fans better begin to make excuses because the studios truly sold this film out to draw new audience blood. I know people here remember the cartoon, but 15 year olds don't. They do remember Halle Berry looking hot in sexy attires though. Thus the first two films serve the greatest purpose for this overreaching success of this film.
i love Testament of Orpheus.
Quote from: samsong on May 31, 2006, 02:59:46 AM
i love Testament of Orpheus.
I can't say my experience of watching it was very rewarding. I could explain why to a certain extent, but I won't. I really don't know Cocteau's work in reference to serious study. I just know his films but I do want to give his films some respect before I comment. My comments above are just paraphrasing another person's remarks to serve another purpose. This is hardly the place to joust on Cocteau.
what a shitty movie.
:yabbse-thumbdown:
Quote from: Ravi on May 30, 2006, 11:33:58 PM
I don't think I've ever seen so many Xixaxers fork over money to see a Ratner film.
After all the anti-Ratner rhetoric on these boards, I'm kinda surprised myself.
..as if by some miracle the director they hate would churn out something worthy of their 8 bucks. If you dislike Ratner so much, why even bother going? Odds are pretty good you're gunna come back with "Fuck, that was horrible!" Are his films like the traffic accident you drive by on your way home from work? :doh:
I can't speak for everyone else, but my only interest was the series. I enjoy X Men and was told I could follow the story along well enough even if I hadn't seen the first two. I think a lot of people also went because they were fans of the series.
I also never saw this as a Ratner film, per say. Its as flawed as almost all his films are, but I think the wheels were turning for this one to fail long before he ever joined up.
Ratner is like Mystique. he has no discernable characteristics other than morphing to imitate the type of film he is currently making. i'm sure everyone here saw it because X2 ruled and the trailer for this one was pretty good and the curiosity was too great. what IF everyone was overreacting, you just have to see for yourself. nobody is.
X-MEN: THE LAST STAND'S RALPH WINTER
With an estimated $107 million in three days -- the fourth-largest opening ever -- and obliterating a nine-year-old Memorial Day weekend record with $120.1 million, X-Men: The Last Stand producer Ralph Winter has another hit with his fourth Marvel film.
The Continuum caught up with Winter on Monday morning for a short question-and-answer.
Question: You must be in seventh heaven with the box-office results?
Winter: The results are phenomenal -- it is so gratifying that the audiences are enjoying themselves. From the Cannes opening to the Mann's Chinese midnight showing to the local theaters, I am getting lots of reports of general movie goers having a good time.
Question: All of the Marvel movies you've been associated with -- X-Men, X2, Fantastic Four and now The Last Stand -- have exceeded expectations on opening weekend. Why do you think The Last Stand did so well?
Winter: This movie delivers on the action and on the thematic level that causes people to think. We were able to carry on the smart themes that Bryan (Singer) started with on the first two. And this has built to a nice climax.
Question: Do you think this is really the last X-Men movie?
Winter: This is the last movie of this type. There might be spinoffs, but it would be hard to gather this cast or a bigger one for another movie of this size.
Question: You're on Fantastic Four 2 next. What can you say about it, perhaps addressing the Silver Surfer/Galactus reports?
Winter: FF2 is next with lots of new stuff. The first ones of these are always hard to establish, but now we can go further with the franchise and the characters. The visual effects will get better, there are new characters, though not all the ones you have suggested. We have to keep a few surprises for next summer, so I can't talk much, but we are excited about painting this picture on a bigger canvas.
Quote from: MacGuffin on May 31, 2006, 04:46:49 PM
This movie delivers on the action and on the thematic level that causes people to think. We were able to carry on the smart themes that Bryan (Singer) started with on the first two. And this has built to a nice climax.
HA!
Wow. If he only knew.
I saw this movie opening night, and wow...I was soooo disappointed. I went into the film, with high hopes. After all how hard can it be? Singer set up the pins, all Rattner would have to do is knock them down. Alas, he failed. Here are some of my problems with the film.
Spoilersaroonie Ahead.
1. Character introductions - NONE! Where the hell did Kitty Pryde come from? What happened to Nightcrawler? When did Beast grow his blue hair in between his cameo in the second film and the third? Also, character consistency was not done well at all in this film. I don't know how many of you noticed it, but suddenly Wolverine was the most stable of the X-men? For godsakes, after he kills the woman he loves, he is standing on the balacony of the mansion with a big smile on his face. Give me a break! Cyclops was utterly insane in the film, Xavier was a dick to Wolverine, but my biggest irk was that suddenly Colossus, was not Russian!!!!
2. Juggernaut - What a waste of great casting, a great costume, and a great idea. Juggernaut is powerful enough and interesting enough to be the main villian of another film. The step brother of Charles Xavier is virtually impossible to stop! Yet, his character is lost among the millions of mutants that had to be in the film. His character development is lost too, infact there is NO acknowledgment between him and Charles when they see each other. I understand that it is hard to do in the film, however anything would have been appreciated. A look, a glance, ANYTHING, to show a relationship between the two. It could have been done much like Wolverine and Sabertooth in The X-men's first film. Where nothing was said, but a past relationship was implied.
3. Death upon Death, upon Death - Xavier dies, Cyclops dies, Jean grey needed to die (even though we had viles upon viles of an alleged cure), Rogue's character is basically dead ("I did it for us"), then again her character was dead after the first film.
4. Phoniex - In X2 we get a glimpse of what the phoniex show have been when Jean Grey is desperately trying to stop the flood from killing her fellow x-men, yet in this film we have zombie Jean Grey.
There are a ton more that can take up a entire page, (like the scene where Xavier, Wolverine, and Storm go the Jean Grey house and don't even see Magneto, and his brotherhood standing 5 feet infront of them) but I'll just say this, I was sooooo dissappointed. I hope to god and pray that Rattner is not signed to the 4th.
Bruno Confirms McKellen in Magneto Prequel
A short while ago actor Ian McKellen indicated he would very much like to reprise his role as super-villain Magneto in the planned prequel for Marvel films. He referenced the studio's ability to retro-age his appearance as seen in the Jean Grey recruitment scene from X-Men: The Last Stand. While the concept met with general nods of approval from fans there was general consensus that it'd probably be a silly decision to make, and most everyone expected a younger actor to be cast.
The studio may have pulled a "not so fast" moment on all of us, however, according to visual effects supervisor John Bruno. A tipster who claims to have chatted with Bruno recently told Superhero Hype that Bruno confirmed Ian McKellen as the Magneto in the prequel, utilizing the same cinematic magic (and the same company) which de-aged the actor for X3. McKellen is reportedly "very happy" with this development. He has certainly created the film version of the character with his powerful performances, and it is difficult to imagine anyone else performing up to his level; but at the same time it is difficult to imagine Ian McKellen playing a significantly younger version of himself. I guess we'll wait and see for now.
Quote from: MacGuffin on June 01, 2006, 12:58:37 PMMcKellen is reportedly "very happy" with this development impending paycheck.
Ratner Promises "Mind Blowing" X3 DVD
Brett Ratner is promising fans a fantastic special edition DVD, even though The Last Stand has only been in theaters for a week. Of course, in the fast world of DVD production it's never to early to get moving, so it makes sense plans are already in place.
Ratner has said the disc will include a full length behind the scenes documentary filmed by Ratner himself. It's not a press kit put together by studio grunts or a production feature made for a TV debut; it's just Ratner with his camera showing us anything he thinks is cool. According to the director the documentary itself weighs in at a hefty two hours, which means a double DVD special edition. Ratner promises the DVD will be "mind blowing," but no other real features have been discussed to this point.
Quote from: MacGuffin on June 01, 2006, 09:36:16 PM
it's just Ratner with his camera showing us anything he thinks is cool.
Awesome. Two hours of Rebecca Romijn's tits.
GodDamnImDaMan, I agree with your last post. Like, exactly agree. That's how I felt.
!SPOILERS!
Actually, this movie put me into a week's depression. I saw it at the midnight premeire, and I was never so devastated in my life. Maybe they could have just done ONE more thing right...let Rogue get 'cool' rather then COMPLETELY LOSE her powers, put FUCKING GAMBIT in the movie, KILL OFF STORM!!!...ok, maybe not kill her off, but I have this utter hatred for her. Anyway, they didn't do a goddman thing right to my standards. And I love X-Men. Comic reader, just so you know I'm for real real.
Coming attractions
After a boffo box office debut for X-Men: The Last Stand, the franchise opts for a divide-and-conquer strategy.
Source: USA Today
The X-Men mutants plan to divide and conquer.
After last weekend's four-day, $122.9 million debut of X-Men: The Last Stand, the third film in the Marvel Comics series, producers are devising ways to launch some characters into their own franchises.
The first spinoff will be Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. His character has an as-yet-unrevealed back story in which researchers replaced his original bones with a metal skeleton. Jackman has signed on to star and co-produce, and X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner says it will likely head into production next year.
"We've also talked about doing something on the kids in (Professor X's) school, focusing on their lives, and less of a global adventure for the team," says Hutch Parker, production president of 20th Century Fox.
The studio is also exploring a movie with Three Kings director David O. Russell based on the character of Emma Frost, a sexy mutant telepath who can transform her skin into diamonds. She is an X-Men comics regular but was not featured in the movies.
Another likely solo project: Magneto, also in the script phase. The film will focus on his youthful pre-villain days, Shuler Donner says.
Though it would require a younger actor for those sequences, she says the film would need Ian McKellen to anchor the flashbacks. "What's a Magneto movie without Ian?" she asks.
how evil/soulless is this sentence fragment?
"producers are devising ways to launch some characters into their own franchises."the first part.
"producers are devising ways"and the second part.
"to launch some characters into their own franchises."taken seperately they make me want to burn things. and together, blow stuff up.
Quote from: MacGuffin on June 02, 2006, 06:45:52 PM
Another likely solo project: Magneto, also in the script phase. The film will focus on his youthful pre-villain days, Shuler Donner says.
Though it would require a younger actor for those sequences, she says the film would need Ian McKellen to anchor the flashbacks. "What's a Magneto movie without Ian?" she asks.
uh, whats a Magneto movie where he's not a villain?
Quote from: MacGuffin on June 02, 2006, 06:45:52 PM
The studio is also exploring a movie with Three Kings director David O. Russell based on the character of Emma Frost, a sexy mutant telepath who can transform her skin into diamonds. She is an X-Men comics regular but was not featured in the movies.
I sincerely hope not. A bad trend will only continue if another good filmmaker appeases a genre. Some will rationalize the results and the studios may even love it, but a bad trend will continue nonetheless. It reminds me of something I read that was an illustration of the major difference between theater and film:
"The theater began as a sacred event and eventually included the profane. The film began as a profane event and eventually included the sacred. The theater's struggle is not to forget its past. The film's struggle is not to be afraid of the future."
But, film continues to hold up its past. Great filmmakers of the 60s and 70s were likely only to dip into genre if they had severe financial issues acquiring budgets for their own projects. These filmmakers were making films at the beginning of the collapse of the old studio system and knew of the incredible limitations that would be put on their work if they regulated themselves to craftsmens of genre projects. The blossoming of art cinema around the world invigorated filmmakers to make personal and grand films. As time went on and the scars of the old studio system began to fade the film world began to equate everything on an equal basis. Every year more and more serious filmmakers would dab into genre films. At first, the dabbling was done to the irreverence of genre. Buster Keaton made a career of going between genres and yet remaining himself in every film. But as the trend continued the weight of the genre dipping started to be measured by how wholly faithful the film was to the original genre. For serious filmmakers, whether genre dipping be for irreverence or straightforward homage, it was all the same.
There are still craftsmen of genre and excellent ones at that. I just refute this application of equal grandeur to those aspiring filmmakers and commentators who see personal films and genre on the same level. Ang Lee was doing very little service with Hulk beyond applying his hand to a summer blockbuster. If David O'Russell does this film, I hope it is greatly entertaining and is the answer to financing every personal project he wants to do. Lets hope he has nothing more in mind for it.
Oh God please NOOOO!!!!!! NOT FUCKING EMMA FROST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
genre is not a dirty word. plus, you should give filmmakers more credit to do something interesting with it. like when you heard the words 'adam sandler romantic comedy' you might've thought 'terrible', but with an amazing filmmaker at the helm, that was not the case.
Quote from: modage on June 03, 2006, 10:35:35 AM
genre is not a dirty word. plus, you should give filmmakers more credit to do something interesting with it. like when you heard the words 'adam sandler romantic comedy' you might've thought 'terrible', but with an amazing filmmaker at the helm, that was not the case.
I doubt an Emma Frost adaptation will be as much of turn around as Punch-Drunk Love was for "romantic comedies". Punch-Drunk Love worked because it no longer existed as that type of romantic comedy. With Emma Frost you can't get away from a bigger budget and thus tighter studio control. Plus its harder to get away from super hero silliness.
See, I don't fault you for disagreeing. I just don't think there's much room for discussion here. We just have very different beliefs on film.
Here's my problem with an Emma Frost film:
I read some of her series, and it reminded me of a racier, dirtier Betty and Veronica. Sure, she uses her powers, etc. etc., but she uses them for random stupid crap she does in her everyday life. Cheating in poker??? I'll admit...I stopped reading them well over a year ago, so I don't know what she's doing now, but I can tell you I wasn't impressed. I have a feeling an Emma Frost movie would just be this cheesey girl power thing....superhero film, not so much.
Quote from: sheshothim on June 03, 2006, 04:48:52 PM
Here's my problem with an Emma Frost film:
I read some of her series, and it reminded me of a racier, dirtier Betty and Veronica. Sure, she uses her powers, etc. etc., but she uses them for random stupid crap she does in her everyday life. Cheating in poker??? I'll admit...I stopped reading them well over a year ago, so I don't know what she's doing now, but I can tell you I wasn't impressed. I have a feeling an Emma Frost movie would just be this cheesey girl power thing....superhero film, not so much.
This sounds different, but keep in mind, the writer is only speculating that it'll be an origin story:
Emma Frost making her big screen debut?Source: Moviehole
Twentieth Century Fox still haven't found a cure for their enthrallment with "X-Men".
On top of the "Wolverine" and "Magento" movies, a studio rep tells USA Today that they're looking at doing a further two spin-off's, one featuring popular comic book character Emma Frost.
The character is featured prominently in the comics, but didn't appear in any of the three "X-Men" movies.
David O'Russell ("Three Kings") is developing the 'Emma Frost' film, which, I'm assuming, will be an origin tale, explaining how the lass became to be a sexy mutant telepath who can transform her skin into diamonds.
According to Wikipedia, Frost has been both friend and foe of the X-Men. She was originally one of the wealthy, mutant elites who comprised the Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club. She has had a lifelong interest in teaching the next generation and led the club's junior team the Hellions.
After her students' deaths, she joined Charles Xavier's cause, mentoring the X-Men junior team Generation X. She later joined the X-Men and became headmistress of the Xavier Institute, although her ethics and loyalty remain in question.
I would have to see it, sadly enough. It's my duty. I don't know I don't know I don't know.......I only have skepticism after X3, and my hatred for Emma Frost doesn't help any.
I enjoyed this film greatly. Very entertaining and the time just flew by watching this. Magneto was great as always. I never read the comic books, so I didn't really care that it strayed from them.
P.S. Ghost Rider & Superman look awesome. Can't wait to see them.
Quote from: 1976 on June 03, 2006, 07:05:16 PM
I enjoyed this film greatly.
P.S. Ghost Rider look awesome.
invalidated.
'Stand' up and take a bow, Brett
Source: NY Daily News
'X-Men: The Last Stand" director Brett Ratner gamely attempted humility as he discussed his movie's record-breaking $122 million Memorial Day weekend in a phone call to Lowdown yesterday.
"I feel sort of guilty, because I look up to guys like Spielberg, and I beat every record of his," the 37-year-old Ratner crowed - quietly and in good taste.
Steven Spielberg's 1997 sequel, "The Lost World: Jurassic Park," held the previous record of $92.7 million.
"He's like my idol," Ratner said. "Biggest Memorial Day opening in history - so that feels good."
Ratner was also basking in the afterglow of his reception at the Cannes Film Festival. "I walked in with Halle Berry. Everyone is in black tie, and they say, 'Eeetz Brett Ratner!' and everyone stands up and claps for you as you walk in. For a filmmaker, I don't think there's anything better. Other than maybe winning an award."
At Cannes, the director stayed at the Hotel du Cap, which he'd christened "du Crap" after an unsatisfactory visit last year. But this time, "It was the greatest stay of my life. I'm not kidding. They gave me a five-bedroom villa with my own butler," Ratner gushed. "The attitude at the hotel has completely changed. It's not even like you're in France!"
Ratner, who was there with his lady love, Romanian model Alina Puscau, added: "Literally, I will get married there. My future children's weddings will be there. I've already reserved the same villa for next year."
Is this a wedding announcement?
"Ehhhhhh ... naahhhh," Ratner dodged.
As for the possibility of an "X-Men 4," Ratner insisted, "No, I think there's really not. I think there'll be a spinoff for sure, and the other characters can show up."
Will he direct it?
"If they offer it to me," he answered. "I hope they will."
People shouldn't take him seriously.
Quote from: MacGuffin on June 04, 2006, 01:42:15 AM
"I feel sort of guilty, because I look up to guys like Spielberg, and I beat every record of his," the 37-year-old Ratner crowed - quietly and in good taste. "He's like my idol," Ratner said. "Biggest Memorial Day opening in history - so that feels good."
yes, opening weekend breaking other records means shit as far as 'wow, you're the man, brett ratner!'. it means 'wow, bryan singer was the man cause i loved the last two xmen and i cant wait to see this one'. thats due to bryan singers previous films and fox's marketing dept for cutting a good trailer for this near shitfest. so lets not get carried away ratty.
lol mod, dont get so angry :yabbse-grin:
whatever it was said it will be forgotten after it takes the biggest 2nd weekend drop since Gigli...
Quote from: modage on June 03, 2006, 09:35:29 PM
Quote from: 1976 on June 03, 2006, 07:05:16 PM
I enjoyed this film greatly.
P.S. Ghost Rider looks awesome.
invalidated.
What can I say, I love action movies :)
Quote from: 1976 on June 03, 2006, 07:05:16 PM
I never read the comic books, so I didn't really care that it strayed from them.
you havn't read anything in this thread if you think that's why ppl hated this film.
Finally got it over with. So many bad parts. So few decent parts. So many changes that didn't need to be made.
SPOILERS even though I shouldn't have to say it
The Good:
-Beast fighting with the acrobatic wrecking ball technique
-The introduction, and consequently possession, of Proteus -- Charles and Moira's son (at least that's how it appeared to me)
-Colossus stealing Professor X's TV after his death
The Bad (specifically, instead of generally the entire movie):
-The changing of mutants powers, sex and other dumb shit (Juggernaut isn't a mutant. Callisto can't run fast. Marrow was a chick, not some beefcake with no neck. Evidently all of Magneto's "pawns" had the mutant ability to jump really high)
-Every line from Storm, specifically the "No, because there's nothing to cure" junk
-Beast's face
-Evidently the idea that class # mutants needs a syringe per class (i.e. Magneto being a Class 4 and needing Beast to shove all four into him).
-What? No one can pick up one of the THOUSANDS of cure darts and give it to Wolverine? Pst, Wolvie, put the darts between your fingers and act like they're your claws.
-Whatever the fuck the clap lady was.
-Introducing a sucky bad character like the Porcipine or whatever the fuck he was who has to, y'know, hug you to kill you.
The questions/thoughts that came up while watching:
-Colossus must be gay
-Why don't they make the shirts out of the same material they make Wolverine's pants out of? Evidently they can stand up to Jean Gray's disentigration.
-Same thing with the metal Xavier's wheelchair is made out of. The infamous Black Box joke.
-Magneto can now control wood?
-So Iceman just killed a whole fuckton of Koy.
-Nothing stops the Juggernaut except for... walls? Evidently the helmut wasn't doing much. Gogo plaster!
-No one liked Cyclops much.
X-Men 3 Producer Wins Award, Breaks It
In Hollywood, people win so many awards they apparently have trouble juggling them all. Producer Lauren Shuler Donner (X-Men franchise; Constantine) was honored at the Women in Film Crystal and Lucy Awards on Tuesday night, and she accidentally dropped her made-of-crystal Crystal Award on the ground and broke it.
Its not a real award anyways.
Exclusive Interview: SCREENWRITER SIMON KINBERG TALKS X-MEN: THE LAST STAND - PART 1
In part 1 of iF's exclusive interview Kinberg dispels myths about Sentinels and wishes he could've used Gambit
Source: iF Magazine
Love it or hate it, call it a box office flop even though it broke records, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND has certainly made an impact at the box office and in the hearts of comic book fans everywhere. One of the men directly responsible for that is screenwriter Simon Kinberg who together with his writing partner Zak Penn were with the project from the beginning.
Kinberg chatted with iF to dispel rumors of an abandoned script, what it took to research the movie, and what X-MEN characters they want to include but didn't have room.
iF MAGAZINE: Were you brought in after one whole version of the film had been rejected?
SIMON KINBERG: No. Actually, Zak [Penn] and I were brought in separately. Bryan Singer had left to do SUPERMAN and Bryan took his writers with him to work on SUPERMAN. They had talked with Fox about a general direction for X3, but they had never written an outline, and they had certainly never written a script. Fox hired me about a month after Bryan left to start to write the script. They wanted to start production in July of the following year. I had seven or eight months to go from start to finish to have the script ready to go into production. I started writing for a couple months, and Fox did what many studios do now especially on these big tent-pole films, which is they hired another writer to write a separate simultaneous draft. They had done that with FANTASTIC FOUR, and Warner Bros has done that on several of their superhero movies. What happens 99 out of 100 times, is different writers write different drafts, and then another writer is hired to create a Frankenstein draft that combines all of the different and best elements of each separate draft. That was the path we would have been on, but Zak and I, instead of competing and looking over our shoulders, contacted each other and decided to write the script together. Given the short time frame, and the fact that both of us are collaborative guys, we had the same sort of sensibilities about this movie. In January or February of last year Zak and I decided to join forces and become a proper writing team. We'd never met before, let alone worked together.
We started doing outlines and started writing a draft together and then in February of last year Matthew Vaughn was hired to be the director of the film. We worked incredibly close with Matthew, and wrote a very fast sort of structural draft so they could budget and start prepping the movie. The dialogue and nuances of it weren't there yet, but certainly the structure of it was. We worked with him for three or four months, and then Matthew ended up leaving the movie for personal reasons in June or July. The movie was hurtling towards production, and they needed a director to come in with about six to eight weeks of prep, and make the it work.
Brett was one of the only directors that the cast felt strongly about, and who was willing to take on that very daunting challenge.
iF: There were rumors that there was a Sentinel script at the time, is that true?
KINBERG: There never was a Sentinel script that veered away from the story we ended up with. I have no idea where the rumors came from, but it may have something to do with the Sentinel in the danger room. It also might have something to do with the fact that there was an earlier draft of X-MEN 2 that had Sentinels in it.
iF: How much research did you do in the writing of the script?
KINBERG: I'm a huge X-MEN comic fan, and I grew up a huge X-MEN geek. So, I had read the vast majority of the comics that were in my lifetime, and I was certainly familiar with the Phoenix Saga. I went back and re-read the Phoenix comics in great detail. Not just the [Chris] Claremont saga, but also the other incarnations of the Phoenix over the X-MEN's history. We did a lot of that type of research, and Zak and I photocopied pages that we felt were especially relevant and posted them all over our office. The walls were literally wallpapered with pages of comics.
iF: You also brought in elements of the most current X-MEN storylines like Joss Whedon's ASTONISHING X-MEN as well correct?
KINBERG: One thing that I knew going in was that it was going to be the Dark Phoenix story since Bryan had laid the groundwork for that in X2, but what we didn't know was what the other parallel stories would be. I think everyone felt that one of the strengths of the first two X-MEN movies was that they had a number of parallel stories. In many ways the Phoenix story is the emotional "A" plot of the film, but the political "A" plot of the film became about the cure. That was actually a studio executive's idea. One of them had read Joss Whedon's gifted run with the mutant cure in it and thought that would be an interesting quandary for the characters. One thing that you'll find when you look online, is that whether fans do or don't like this movie (and the opinions are pretty wildly diverse as you can imagine), they certainly acknowledge that there is a lot of the comics represented in this movie. I won't claim credit for anything good in the movie except Zak and I are the biggest X-MEN geeks that were anywhere around this film with the exception of Avi Arad. Zak and I were certainly the ones on set everyday, who were fighting really hard to shoehorn everything into the movie that we loved about the books.
iF: Was Alan Cumming in the original script as Nightcrawler?
KINBERG: I don't know if Alan backed out or whose decision that was. There was a draft of the script where Nightcrawler had a cameo but not a big part. I think the studio felt that either we should give Nightcrawler a major story since he was so well established in X2, or we would do sort of what the comics do, which is to move onto another story with a new set of characters knowing that Nightcrawler is out there in the X-Universe and can possibly return for some other X-MEN movie in the future. Bryan did such an excellent job with Nightcrawler in X2 both in terms of representing his powers and giving him an emotional arc, that there wasn't much left to do with the character in X3. It also felt like he might tread a little bit on the terrain of Beast; in terms of similarities in the characters and their political standpoints in terms of dealing with their mutancy. We ended up jettisoning the character.
iF: Were there any other favorite characters that you wanted to use in X3 that you didn't get to use?
KINBERG: I think the one character we really wanted to find a way to include in the movie, and ultimately just couldn't find a way to do it, was Gambit. We wrote a cameo for him, and then really felt like it was better to save Gambit and give him a major role in a future X-MEN movie, rather than give him a cameo where fans would be saying "that's all I get of Gambit?" The plot that we chose for the story, felt like it was so good at introducing Beast and Angel, because of the department of mutant affairs and Warren Worthington the first being the creator of the cure. It all felt very right and very resonate. Finding a place for Gambit where he wasn't going to be just one of the team didn't come to us. We didn't want to introduce a fan favorite character and not be able to do him justice. There just wasn't enough space in this movie.
That actually makes me feel better about Gambit not being in it. It's like...my hatred has detracted by about one point.....out of a gillion.
why is jessica alba not only on a first-name basis w/ ratner but also congratulating him at the mtv movie awards? ("you did an awesome job brett!" she said). as if the general moronic 13-year old girl MTV audience is going to know who the hell brett ratner is. furthermore, why is the trailer currently #1 on imdb.com? (superman is #3!) why am i still hearing about x-men over and over at work? why can't this movie die? seriously, is this a conspiracy or somethin?
and so help me god kal, if you come in here talking about how ratner deserves praise for all the $$ the film is making or any other box office-related observation, i'm going to feed your balls to a coyote who's high on crystal meth.
I have no problems with making whatever correlation between the box office performance of a film and the quality of the film--I mean it all depends on the individual movie--sometimes I agree, like Titanic or ET or jurassic park, that the box office resembles the general public's reaction towards the film. and there are films that I disagree with, but that's beside the point. what I think is stupid is drawing a correlation based on the first weekend alone. I mean, that's all advertising and packaging and hype and timing and things that really have nothing to do with the quality of the product--if people are purchasing the tickets even before any word of mouth. 122 million dollars does not mean 122 million dollars happily spent. power gloves did not make millions of nintendo kids happy. enron stocks did not improve the lives of the investors.
Quote from: pete on June 12, 2006, 09:04:54 PM
I have no problems with making whatever correlation between the box office performance of a film and the quality of the film--I mean it all depends on the individual movie--sometimes I agree, like Titanic or ET or jurassic park, that the box office resembles the general public's reaction towards the film. and there are films that I disagree with, but that's beside the point. what I think is stupid is drawing a correlation based on the first weekend alone. I mean, that's all advertising and packaging and hype and timing and things that really have nothing to do with the quality of the product--if people are purchasing the tickets even before any word of mouth. 122 million dollars does not mean 122 million dollars happily spent. power gloves did not make millions of nintendo kids happy. enron stocks did not improve the lives of the investors.
You're exactly right, but it's sad and dumb that this has to be explained...
Exclusive Interview: SCREENWRITER SIMON KINBERG TALKS X-MEN: THE LAST STAND - PART 2
Source: iF Magazine
Simon Kinberg, one of the two screenwriters on X-MEN: THE LAST STAND was faced with a daunting challenge for any comic book fan, how to translate your favorite stories from the comics into the medium of film? Kinberg and writing partner Zak Penn did just that, and the result has fans on both sides of loving and hating this third X-MEN movie. iF talked to Kinberg about just how close the movie was allowed to be like the comics without leaving Bryan Singer's original vision in the dust.
iF MAGAZINE: If the film follows true to the comics, did anybody really die or did the studio request that you not kill any of the main characters?
SIMON KINBERG: That was us being entirely true to the comics. The studio was incredibly open to doing whatever was the most dramatic thing to do for the movie. I think they viewed this as the end of a trilogy and potentially the end of this time of X-MEN movie. There might be spin-offs and "young" X-MEN movies. Certainly because of the success of the opening weekend, the studio has to be wondering how they will do an X4 when there aren't a whole lot of movies that open at that number. When we were making the movie, I would say the studio was not only open, but was encouraging of taking out certain characters if that serviced the story. We, as the resident geeks, realized what it meant to "kill someone in the Marvel Universe".
It's a combination of things that influence how big James Marsden's part was in X3. Certainly him going to do SUPERMAN had a lot to do with it, he couldn't be in two places at one time. When we sat down and said "Jimmy is doing SUPERMAN" there was the potential for re-casting Cyclops. Kitty Pryde was recast; Pyro was recast from the first film. Cyclops wears a visor, so we could've recast him. He's not the sort of iconic celebrity that Hugh or Halle are, but it's sort of like recasting someone in the LORD OF THE RINGS movies. The character is a bigger celebrity than the actor in these types of films. What we all felt was that in a way, the most dramatic incarnation of the Phoenix story would be to have her wake up and kill her lover. Past that point in the story, you know no one in a room with her is safe. If she's literally capable of killing the man she loves right off the bat; then you know there will be no holds barred for the rest of the movie.
Not just Marvel movies but also STAR TREK movies and STAR WARS movies, these kinds of sagas treat death differently. They have fantasy elements to them so death and life are relative terms. That's just part of the nature of the genre.
iF: How close to the big bird of fire did you get with Phoenix?
KINBERG: We got very close. It was a fight, well not really a fight, it was a discussion. There were some fights but that was a discussion among all the different filmmakers -- meaning the producers, the writers, the director. There were some of us that thought it should be closer visually to the representation in the comics. I personally really wanted to see, especially at the very end when she goes nova, her as a big bird of fire. I also wanted to potentially see the bird of fire leave her body when Wolverine stabs her at the end. Both of those things were discussed and explored. John Boone the visual effects coordinator even did some versions of what that would look like. I think the decision that was made by the vast majority of the people working on the movie, was to try to create the most realistic grounds in tone. Certainly it was something that Bryan did very well in the first two movies. In doing so you sacrifice certain things; you sacrifice certain things from the comics. Certainly in adapting the Dark Phoenix Saga you know that you don't have the Shi'ar Empire, you don't have Jean destroying planets, you don't have her flying around the solar system. It's a very different version of Phoenix. That is less about our own personal taste, and more about wanting to remain true to the tone of the first two films, which are really good movies.
iF: Have you been approached to continue working in the super hero genre with the next Marvel films?
KINBERG: Yeah, I talk to Avi [Arad] all the time and there are certainly different things whether they are in the X-MEN universe or in other franchises that they're interested in me doing. I have to say that after living with the X-MEN for a year and a half now, I mean I really lived on the set of this movie in Vancouver for three and a half months; I'm sort of open to taking a little break from comic book adaptations. I'm working on the MR. AND MRS. SMITH TV show, and I'm working on this movie called JUMPER with Doug Liman and we start shooting in four weeks. I'm doing a sort of more adult thriller with Nicole Kidman and that'll take the next six to nine months of my life. On the other side of that, I'm not sure what it will include but it might be something involving the X-MEN Universe again, but no immediate plans. X4 I would certainly be open to doing, and WOLVERINE has a really good writer working on it now, but you never know.
Exclusive Interview: SCREENWRITER SIMON KINBERG TALKS X-MEN: THE LAST STAND - PART 3
WOLVERINE movie hints dropped during our final discussing with the X-scribe
It's the highest grossing movie of the summer ($200 million and still counting), but the future is still uncertain for more movies based on Marvel Comic's mutant books. One of the biggest fans of the comics was Simon Kinberg who with Zak Penn scripted X-MEN THE LAST STAND for the big screen. Kinberg gave iF some clues as to where the screen future of the X-MEN lies, and how each actor approached what may be their final portrayal of an iconic role.
iF MAGAZINE: What was working with the Wolverine character like knowing they are planning a WOLVERINE movie?
KINBERG: WOLVERINE doesn't exactly come after X3 so what happens to him is not terribly relevant to his own movie. We did talk about a couple of characters that they wanted to save for the WOLVERINE movie spin-off. I can't tell you who they are, but there was really only one we wanted to use for X3, and they said they're not going to have a big enough part to risk losing them for WOLVERINE. Sabretooth will be in there, but I don't know in what form. I think his relationship with Wolverine is under explored. I like X1 a great deal, I thought the tone was fantastic and thought the X-Men were great, but I was a little under whelmed by the Brotherhood in that movie. I thought the secret island lair and Magneto's plot were confusing to me, and Sabretooth and Toad were not as strong as Mystique. I like working with actors who have inhabited their characters for a while, and I welcome their input. Hugh has lived with Wolverine for five years and he knows this character better than anybody. He knows him better than Chris Claremont or better than Avi Arad, and certainly better than any of us working on this film. Hugh was also a producer on this movie, and we worked really closely with Hugh on Wolverine. The most conversations that I had with actors on this movie were with Hugh about Wolverine and Famke about Phoenix. They both are incredibly smart people who had a lot of intelligent informed questions about the characters. I would say the most input about Wolverine came from Hugh and not the studio.
iF: How did you deal with the elements of security on X-MEN THE LAST STAND?
KINBERG: Working on MR. AND MRS. SMITH, I got used to a lot of the elements of secrecy and certain elements of the plot thanks to the tabloids. This was a whole other level. We were sworn to all kinds of secrecy on this movie. We weren't supposed to tell anyone that the Phoenix was in this movie until a month or two ago, but Famke's [Janssen] name is on IMDB, so I think people were going to catch on. The fans certainly knew that she was in it. It's a funny universe to be a part of, let me tell you.
iF: Halle Berry said Storm's role "evolved" as production continued, how true is that?
KINBERG: All scripts evolve while you're shooting. This was a movie where we didn't have a lot of prep time, so she's right. The reason I was up there on the set for three and a half months, was not to watch them shoot the movie, but to help revise as we were going. None of the structure or the story or the general character arcs changed over the span of shooting. Certainly the details with in a scene shifted all of the time. That was my role in being up, everyday I met with Brett and the actors and we'd talk about the scenes we were about to shoot. More often than not, there would be little tweaks to the scenes. With Storm, that's probably the character that changed the most over the span of production. Probably because her scenes changed, which had nothing to do with her character. It was once we realized how adamantly opposed to the cure she was, how she could be a voice in the movie, I took more advantage of that. Her role in the physical action changed as well, which I didn't have any control over, that was more Simon Crane the stunt coordinator's domain. She became a more integral part of the action.
iF: Did Patrick Stewart have any reservations about Xavier having "feet of clay" in this film?
KINBERG: I think the opposite. I think Patrick was so interested in making Xavier a grayer more complex, potentially problematic character. I think the "angelic" treatment he had gotten in the first two movies while being heroic wasn't that interesting for an actor to play. It's not the direction the character ends up going in the comics, and I think some of that was important to Patrick. I think what was really important was that in some ways Magneto and Xavier sort of lean toward each other in this movie. Magneto's motivation and direction in this film is far more valid in some ways than Xavier's. He liked playing a man who had to make difficult decisions. There's a lot of little bits and pieces from the comics and when he says, "who are you to question me?" to Wolverine is one of them. Patrick really liked that moment too.
"X-Men" DVD set for October 3 release
The year's second-biggest movie is going to kick off the fourth-quarter DVD-selling season.
20th Century Fox is expected to announce Friday that "X-Men: The Last Stand," which grossed $233 million at the box office, will arrive on DVD on October 3 in two extras-laden editions.
The highlight of the third "X-Men" movie's DVD debut: three alternative endings, each with optional commentary by director Brett Ratner. The single-disc DVD release also includes 10 deleted scenes; audio commentaries from Ratner, the writers and the producers; a preview of the upcoming Ben Stiller movie "A Night at the Museum;" and two hidden "Easter eggs," one of the Beast reciting Shakespeare and the other of the X-Jet landing in Washington.
Fox also is preparing a collector's edition that includes an exclusive 100-page commemorative book with an all-new story penned by Marvel Comics master Stan Lee. It is his first original Marvel Comics book in five years.
In addition, Fox is packaging all three "X-Men" movies into a trilogy pack.
Region 1 (USA) Bonus DVD!
If you live in region 1, then you know that FOX is only releasing a 1-disc version of X-Men: The Last Stand on DVD, while folks overseas get the full 2-disc DVD release, featuring Brett Ratner's production diary, among other cool things. The general idea is that FOX will double dip (releasing a 2-disc version of X3 in the states later down the line).
You may want to go to your local Walmart store on October 3rd, as the retail stores will carry an exclusive version of X3 with a bonus disc featuring over 50 minutes of additional behind the scenes footage!
(https://xixax.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fxmenfilms.net%2Fxmfnews%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2006%2F09%2Fx3dvd3.jpg&hash=4d1f80719389449b11848cbf4e0c443a733dada8)
Quote from: MacGuffin on September 18, 2006, 10:39:02 PM
If you live in region 1, then you know that FOX is only releasing a 1-disc version of X-Men: The Last Stand on DVD, while folks overseas get the full 2-disc DVD release, featuring Brett Ratner's production diary, among other cool things. The general idea is that FOX will double dip (releasing a 2-disc version of X3 in the states later down the line).
Well I didn't know this because I don't care. But wow. Fuck. Those FOXes are some greedy bastards.
Ratner Preps X3 SE
Director says another set is forthcoming.
Brett Ratner, director of X-Men: The Last Stand, told IGN that he is working on a Special Edition DVD to follow the initial release of the film on October 3. "Well, there's almost an hour-long making-of, my personal making of the movie, my experiences making the movie," Ratner said during a phone interview. "There's special features which include, you know, just basically the creation of the movie - I mean, how we did it in the storyboards and original animatics."
The Last Stand was originally released in theaters in May 2006 to enormous commercial success. Ratner said that the forthcoming Special Edition, which has not yet been officially announced, will serve the fans better than the comparatively bare-bones edition due out next week. "This has basically the deleted scenes and some features, but the Special Edition, I think, is the real disc for the true X-Men fan," Ratner said. "It's like the definitive kind of experience that I had personally making this film, when I went into it, from every department's perspective, really."
Ratner also said that he has no plans to recut the movie in the future, and considers the theatrical version to be his 'director's cut'. "That is my cut," he insisted. "I mean, look, do I like the scenes that are deleted? I like them, but do they drive the movie forward? No. That's the beauty of DVD - the filmmakers don't have to fall in love with their scenes, because [they] can exist in another format that people can see forever. If you love the scene, you can see it, so you don't have to put scenes in movies that you love but don't necessarily drive the plot forward."
"Everything that I shot on film for this movie will be on these DVDs, you know?" Ratner said. "The making-of, the deleted scenes, the scenes that I considered, the alternate endings, the stuff that I thought, okay, maybe Rogue shouldn't get cured. But I was really passionate about getting her cured because I think a movie about choice needs to show both sides. But I did shoot another version because I wanted to make that decision in editorial when I watched the whole movie."
Brett Ratner Takes A Stand Against Critics As 'X-Men' DVD Release Nears
'I wasn't, you know, worrying about what other people wanted,' director says.
SANTA MONICA, California — Taking control of a beloved franchise might scare some directors. For Brett Ratner, it was just another day at the office. Ratner recently sat down with MTV to discuss the DVD release of "X-Men: The Last Stand" (due October 3), how his film differs from the first two in the trilogy and the power of the director.
MTV: Comic book fans are crazy — some guy has posted a script online for what he hopes will be "X-Men 4." Now that there's some distance from the release, what reaction have you gotten from fans, positive or negative?
Brett Ratner: When I was shooting the movie it was 90 percent negative, and then it became 90 percent positive. I didn't look at the Internet the whole time I was shooting because ["X-Men" and "X2" director] Bryan Singer told me, "Whatever you do, don't look at the Internet." There are rabid fans, and each fan has a different opinion of who should be at the forefront of the series. Some people were obsessed with Rogue, so they think that Rogue should have the most screen time. If I start to listen to that stuff, it'll just drive me nuts. I literally did not read anything. I was in Canada in heavy production for over 100 days focused on making my movie. I wasn't, you know, worrying about what other people wanted.
MTV: Was the success of the film a personal vindication in any way?
Ratner: No. I mean, look: I felt that it was a built-in franchise. It had a huge core audience, [so] the movie was going to be successful. The thing that I was personally excited about was that I love the movie. At the end of the day, I was happy with how it came out. It was one of my dreams to make a superhero film, and my dream came true. All the actors loved the movie so much, and that was great for me because they were in the first two. I'm sure if there was an "X-Men 4," they would all show up if I was directing it.
MTV: You got onboard late in the development process. You were more or less handed a complete script, yes?
Ratner: No. I don't know where you read that, but I wasn't handed a finished script.
MTV: So what input did you have into the script? Did you say, "I want more of this character," or, "I want a scene in this location"?
Ratner: I did not change the plot of the film. The plot of the film, the cure and the Dark Phoenix plot, was exactly the way it was. But as far as the scenes and the set pieces — there was not one location selected. There was nothing. I hired all the new X-Men. And the third act was completely different — I did change the entire third act. It originally took place in Washington, D.C. It had nothing to do with Alcatraz. But I don't think it matters. I'm the director of the movie.
Two of my other movies, I came into the project [while it was already in development]. Directors are, in my opinion, the auteurs of the movie. Not that writers aren't important, but that's why it's a Brett Ratner film and not a Zak Penn or a Simon Kinberg film. That's why it's a Bryan Singer film. I'm the most collaborative person with the writers. I actually had Simon and Zak there the whole time I was making the movie. They're the biggest "X-Men" fans in the world, so, you know, I'm not taking anything away from them. But what I'm saying is the script is not the movie. The movie's the movie. Where I put the camera, how I block the scene, the tone of the scene — but I did stay very true not only to the first two movies but to the comic books.
MTV: Speaking of comic books, how much of the movie was drawn from Joss Whedon's story "Gifted"?
Ratner: It wasn't just from Whedon. Every scene in this movie you could find in an existing comic book — a portion of it or the idea behind it. I didn't want the fans saying, "Oh, Brett Ratner invented this in his mind." So I made Zak and Simon show me the comic book references. Every single scene I had on my wall in my office in comic book form.
MTV: Was it difficult to balance so many characters? There are so many more mutants in this film than in the previous two.
Ratner: Well, that was the challenge. I didn't want to reinvent the franchise. My goal was to stay true to the first two movies and create a film that felt like it was part of a trilogy, as if you're watching "Lord of the Rings." I thought Bryan did a brilliant job of creating the universe, so I just stayed within that tone and focused on the emotionality of the story and the characters.
MTV: So would you have preferred to focus on fewer characters?
Ratner: No. When I did "Red Dragon," I had a huge ensemble. The most difficult part is balancing it. How much time do you spend with Rogue or Wolverine? The most interesting story line, I think, is the Dark Phoenix plot. I gave Halle Berry's character a little bit more to do. So that was my focus. Bryan focused more on the male characters. I focused more on the female aspect of it, because that was what my plot was.
MTV: Does living in the DVD age make it easier for a director? Are you able to experiment more?
Ratner: Absolutely. You no longer have to put scenes in the movie just because you love them. You know it's going to exist somewhere forever in another format.
MTV: What scenes that you fell in love with are on the DVD?
Ratner: Well, I put all the deleted scenes on. There are some interesting things on the DVD as far as debates we were having. For instance, if Rogue should get cured or not — I put on the alternate version where Rogue doesn't get cured. I was passionate about it, because ... you need to show both sides in the film. But there's no scene that was so important to me that I had to have it in the movie.
MTV: Are there going to be any future "X-Men" movies?
Ratner: It wasn't in the plan, but I loved the experience of it, and I loved all the actors, and I would definitely do it again if they asked me to come back. I had that little thing [at the end] where Magneto moved the [chess] piece. Did I want to see a sad, old pathetic man who lost his powers in a park? Did I personally want to see some hope? Yeah. It wasn't because of the fans, I just wanted to see it. Is it mind over matter, or is it the power? Poses a lot of questions.
Brett Ratner - Auteur
i really hope he gets hit by a truck.
Lets highlight some of the places where Brett Ratner makes shit up to make himself look better:
Quote from: Brett Ratner
When I was shooting the movie it was 90 percent negative, and then it became 90 percent positive.
Quote from: Brett Ratner
I wasn't, you know, worrying about what other people wanted.
Quote from: Brett Ratner
All the actors loved the movie so much... I'm sure if there was an "X-Men 4," they would all show up if I was directing it.
Quote from: Brett Ratner
I don't know where you read that, but I wasn't handed a finished script.
Quote from: Brett Ratner
I hired all the new X-Men.
How did Roman Polanski like the movie, Brett? Has Ingmar Bergman called to tell you it was his favorite of the year?
Put this in the "where the hell have you been" category:
CAN DIRECTORS KILL FRANCHISES?
X, Rated
by Christopher Orr
Only at The New Republic Online | Post date 10.10.06
Great directors," said Alexander MacKendrick (who was one), "dissolve and disappear into the work while making other people look good." Best known for directing The Ladykillers and Sweet Smell of Success, MacKendrick meant that a director's contribution to a film is at once the most crucial and the most obscure: He bears partial credit for almost every element--the cinematography, the editing, the set design, the individual performances of the actors--yet full credit for none.
Little wonder then, that there is such confusion about what exactly a director does. Those who become celebrities--Hitchcock, Scorcese, Allen, Tarantino--are generally the auteurs who advertise their presence most aggressively, whether by writing their own scripts or hewing to a signature style or casting themselves in their films. For others, a film's overall success is the only credit they're likely to receive. Evidence of the ubiquity of this confusion can be found at the Oscars, where the Best Picture has also been deemed the Best Directed a prohibitive four times out of five over the last 68 years (in the awards' first decade they were more discerning), even when it entailed such inanities as imagining that How Green Was My Valley was better directed than Citizen Kane or that Ordinary People was guided with a surer hand than Raging Bull.
Thankfully, we at last have a laboratory-perfect experiment to help us disentangle a director's contribution from the resulting film. I refer, of course, to X-Men: The Last Stand, the third and (as its title advertises and its quality ensures) last installment of the mutant superhero franchise. The movie shares a great deal with its predecessors: a solid cast, with Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, and others reprising their roles as mutants both good and bad; a similar storyline, with political tension again erupting between normal human beings and mutants (this time, thanks to the invention of a "cure" that can suppress mutations); and the familiar thematic undercurrent involving the desire to eliminate the Other, either through assimilation or extermination. What has changed since the first two films, however, is the director--which is to say, everything.
Bryan Singer, who directed the first two X-Men films, may not be a great director, but he is clearly a good one, and he has a particular gift for elevating pulp to something approaching art. For all the laser-beam eyes, retractable adamantium claws, and (worst of all) leather jumpsuits, there is an underlying seriousness to Singer's mutant movies. In the opening scenes of X-Men, he explicitly compares his heroes' plight to the Holocaust, the Red Scare, and contemporary antigay bias--but does so with such earnest sobriety that the analogies hardly seem outlandish. The moral quandaries his characters face are rich and resonant; their losses and sacrifices possess surprising weight. He's abetted, of course, by fine performances from his cast, especially the casual magnificence of McKellan's Magneto and the gruff tenderness of Jackman's Wolverine. There are plenty of rough patches in the first two movies, but they stand, with the first Spider-Man and perhaps Batman Begins as the best that the burgeoning superhero genre has had to offer.
X-Men: The Last Stand, by contrast, is an object lesson in what can go wrong when a director gets in over his head. The director in question is Brett Ratner (the Rush Hour movies, Red Dragon), who inherited the assignment after Singer decamped to rehabilitate Superman and original replacement Matthew Vaughn pulled out at the last moment. The difference is palpable: In contrast to the tonal resonance and cohesion of Singer's films, every element feels slightly off-key and unfocused in Ratner's hands. The actors are less convincing, the plot feels more haphazard, even the score seems timid and tinny. Watching the movie bears a peculiar similarity to reading a screenplay: If you use your imagination, you can envision the film this was supposed to be, but Ratner has bothered to do very little of the work for you.
The movie opens competently enough, with flashbacks to childhood scenes of mutant self-discovery--first of Jean Gray, the X-Woman who (apparently) sacrificed her life to save the others at the end of the second movie; then of Warren Worthington (a.k.a., Angel), a new mutant who seems to have inherited Emma Thompson's wings from "Angels in America." But already, there are slight signs of trouble: The scenes seem a bit rushed; the performances, oddly testy. Shortly after the movie returns to the present day, dark clouds being rolling in, altogether too literally. As had been hinted, Jean (Famke Janssen) is not dead, at least not exactly. Buried under a mountain of water at the conclusion of X2, she survived as a kind of schizo superwoman. Shortly after she turns up, she--or rather her out-of-control alter-ego, Phoenix--begins tearing things (and people) apart, molecule by molecule. Magneto and his Brotherhood of Mutants, meanwhile, go back on the warpath to destroy the anti-mutant cure.
Singer thrived during such bleak times, giving his mutants a kind of tragic majesty. Ratner, by contrast, wilts. He seems uncomfortable with this kind of earnest grandeur, and flinches away time and again. The first X-Man dies about a half-hour into the movie; not only does Ratner not show the death, for a considerable stretch of the movie it's not even clear whether he is dead. Another X-Man, still better-loved, dies 20 minutes later, and while this time we see the death, we never feel it. Even the subsequent funeral scene has no weight, none of the tangible sense of loss that imbued a similar scene in Hellboy, or the (again, apparent) death of Gandalf in the first Lord of the Rings film. Instead, Storm (Halle Berry) gives a half-hearted eulogy as the orchestra murmurs wanly, almost embarrassedly, in the background. The other actors go through the motions of grief, but they seem like attendees at a stranger's funeral, dutifully sad but nothing more. Though Last Stand is by far the most tragic of the X-Men films, it utterly fails to convey the emotional enormity to which it aspires.
Indeed, Ratner creates little space for emotion of any kind in Last Stand. A jealous love triangle is implied between Rogue (Anna Paquin), Bobby (Shawn Ashmore), and another girl, but it never comes to life. When Rogue contemplates taking the mutant cure herself--her mutation has the unfortunate side-effect of preventing her from getting intimate with Bobby--it's clearly meant to be a momentous decision. But, again, the gravity of the situation never comes across. (It doesn't help things that the movie essentially forgets about Rogue altogether for perhaps 40 minutes, before returning at the end to present her final choice, now little more than an afterthought.)
Almost every scene in the film feels a beat or two short, cutting away just before it gives us a reason to care about what we've seen. What's missing are the moments that don't show up in a script, the moments when no one is doing or saying anything, when the actors, had they been allowed, might have used tools other than expository dialogue to show us what they were feeling. (It's largely due to the absence of such moments that Ratner's movie, despite a plot every bit as convoluted as that of X2, is almost a half-hour shorter than its predecessor, clocking in at just over 100 minutes.)
Other failings are more obvious still: The shot selection is unimaginative and without grace; the action scenes are under-choreographed and lack ingenuity. Although she is meant to be the central figure in the movie, Jean Gray spends about half her screen time staring blankly into the middle distance. (We're meant, I think, to understand this as a sign of Jean's confusion, but it comes across as if it's Janssen, not Jean, who's waiting for someone--hello, Bret?--to offer her some kind of direction.) Capping it all off, there is a howlingly inept continuity error during the film's final showdown, when Magneto and his mutant army make an assault on Alcatraz Island, where the cure is being manufactured. When Magneto pulls the Golden Gate Bridge from its mooring and bends it toward his destination (what, you thought he'd deign to take the ferry?), he does so in the bright, afternoon sunshine; when, fewer than two minutes later (in film as well as real time) he and his troops prepare to disembark, it appears to be midnight. Time flies when you're--well, apparently even when you're watching a fairly dull movie.
In X-Men: Last Stand, Ratner does a considerable disservice to his collaborators and to his franchise. On the plus side, however, he has provided a potent reminder that there is a craft to directing, even if he's done so only by showing us its absence.
This reminded me of Alien 3, not in tone, but how much it fucked up what had gone before it. In Aliens, Ripley's big mission is to save the orphaned little girl....then, at th beginning of the sequel, she's dead before the end of the credits and there's still a shitty movie to sit through!
It was as if (and I'm not going to pin this solely on Ratner) they couldn't wait to f*** this up. There was no rythym to the movie, just a bunch of choppy scenes rushing to the next choppy scene. And what a weak way to send off a few of the major characters.....if they were aiming for resonance, the mark was missed by a mile.
That said, can't wait for X4: Sweet Valley High!!
Ratner Campaigns for "X-Men" Editors
Who says directors are selfish glory hounds who won't stick their necks out for their crew -- or at least send a mass email? Brett Ratner ("X-Men: The Last Stand") sent out an email plea to American Cinema Editor voters asking them to consider the scifi flick's triumverate of cutters for the 2007 ACE Eddie Awards. He even credits his editors with a little mutant creation. Here's Ratner's missive:
Dear A.C.E. Members,
I must draw your attention to the phenomenal editing in my most recent feature film, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND. Editors Mark Helfrich, A.C.E., Mark Goldblatt, A.C.E., and Julia Wong went above and beyond my expectations in creating a film that is both exciting and emotional; A cohesive and fluid storyline is of utmost importance to me, and they achieved it with X-MEN: THE LAST STAND with passion and intensity They were true collaborators in shaping the story, even conceiving and creating some of the mutants you see in the movie. And to top it off, they did this great work under an insane post schedule! The International Press Academy recognized their efforts – X-MEN: THE LAST STAND won the 2006 Golden Satellite award for Best Film Editing. I urge you to nominate X-MEN: THE LAST STAND for an Eddie Award in the Feature Film (Dramatic or Action) category.
Sincerely,
BRETT RATNER
Director, X-MEN: THE LAST STAND
As a semi-professional editor, my semi-professional respect for Ratner just went up a few notches.
Subtext:
These editors took the slapdash, poorly envisioned footage that I crapped out, and made a nearly coherent movie out of it! Anybody can edit a well-directed movie, but these guys edited a movie that I, Brett Ratner, directed! That's pretty fucking impressive, right? Now excuse me while I go cheat on my supermodel girlfriend with a pair of aspiring actresses with low self-esteem.
Sincerely,
THE RATNER
Director, MONEY TALKS