X-Men film series | |
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2006 DVD box set of first three films |
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Directed by | Bryan Singer (X-Men, X2) Brett Ratner (X-Men: The Last Stand) Gavin Hood (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) Matthew Vaughn (X-Men: First Class , X-Men: First Class 2) James Mangold (The Wolverine) |
Produced by | Lauren Shuler Donner (all) Ralph Winter Stan Lee (X-Men, X2, X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) Avi Arad Kevin Feige (X-Men, X2, X-Men: The Last Stand) Tom DeSanto (X-Men, X2) Richard Donner (X-Men, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) Bryan Singer (X2, X-Men: First Class) John Palermo (X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) Hugh Jackman Peter MacDonald (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) Simon Kinberg Gregory Goodman Tarquin Pack (X-Men: First Class) |
Written by | Bryan Singer (X-Men, X2, X-Men: First Class) David Hayter (X-Men, X2) Tom DeSanto (X-Men) Michael Dougherty Dan Harris (X2) Zak Penn (X2, X-Men: The Last Stand) Simon Kinberg (X-Men: The Last Stand) David Benioff Skip Woods (X-Men Origins: Wolverine) Jamie Moss Ashley Edward Miller Zack Stentz Jane Goldman (X-Men: First Class) Christopher McQuarrie (The Wolverine) |
Starring | Hugh Jackman Patrick Stewart Ian McKellen Famke Janssen Halle Berry James Marsden Rebecca Romijn Anna Paquin Shawn Ashmore Ryan Reynolds Liev Schreiber James McAvoy Michael Fassbender Kevin Bacon Jason Flemyng |
Distributed by | 20th Century Fox |
Country | United States Canada |
Language | English |
Box office | Total (5 films): $1,890,097,619 |
The X-Men film series consists of superhero films based on the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. The films star an ensemble cast, focusing on Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, who is drawn into the conflict between Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart / James McAvoy) and Magneto (Ian McKellen / Michael Fassbender), who have opposing views on humanity's relationship with mutants. Xavier believes humanity and mutants can coexist, but Magneto believes that mutants are destined to rule humanity. The films also developed subplots based on the comics' Weapon X and Dark Phoenix storylines.
20th Century Fox earned the film rights to the characters in 1994 (at that time an X-Men animated series was airing on the Fox network), and after numerous drafts, Bryan Singer was hired to direct X-Men and returned for X2. He left a potential third and fourth film to direct Superman Returns, leaving Brett Ratner to direct X-Men: The Last Stand. Critics praised Singer's films for their dark, realistic tone, and subtexts dealing with discrimination and intolerance, but Ratner's film was met with mixed reviews. Nonetheless, each film outgrossed the last, and Fox developed two prequels: X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) and X-Men: First Class (2011).[1] Both prequels have been planned to continue into two separate trilogies. Some spin-offs of certain characters are being considered, with Deadpool being the only one confirmed so far. There are also discussions of a potential continuation to the main trilogy.
The X-Men films contributed to a reemergence of superhero films in the 2000s.
Contents[hide] |
In 1994, 20th Century Fox and producer, Lauren Shuler Donner bought the film rights to the X-Men.[2] Andrew Kevin Walker was hired to write,[3] and James Cameron expressed interest in directing. Eventually, Bryan Singer signed on to direct in July 1996. Though not a fan of the comic, Singer was fascinated by the analogies of prejudice and discrimination offered by it.[2] John Logan, Joss Whedon,[4] Ed Solomon, Christopher McQuarrie and David Hayter wrote the script, with Hayter receiving sole credit.[2] Filming took place from September 22, 1999 to March 3, 2000 in Toronto.[5]
The first X-Men film introduced Wolverine and Rogue into the conflict between Professor Xavier's X-Men, and the Brotherhood of Mutants, led by Magneto. Magneto intends to mutate world leaders at a United Nations summit with a machine he has built, to bring about acceptance of mutantkind, but Xavier realizes this forced mutation will only result in their deaths.
Fox hired David Hayter and Zak Penn to write their own scripts for the sequel which Singer would pick, with an aim to release the film in December 2002.[6] The story was inspired by X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills, though the character of Stryker was changed from a reverend to a colonel.[7] Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris were hired to re-write the script in February 2002, writing around 26 drafts and 150 on set.[8] Production began on June 17, 2002 in Vancouver and wrapped by November, with the release moved to May 1, 2003.[6]
In the film, Colonel William Stryker brainwashes and questions the imprisoned Magneto about Professor Xavier's mutant-locating machine, Cerebro. Stryker attacks the X-Mansion, and brainwashes Xavier into locating every mutant on the planet to kill them. The X-Men must team up with the Brotherhood and prevent Stryker's worldwide genocide.
Bryan Singer wanted to shoot the third film back-to-back with a fourth.[9] On July 16, 2004, he left to direct Superman Returns,[10] having only completed a third of a treatment focusing on Phoenix,[11] and introducing Emma Frost, a role intended for Sigourney Weaver and Gambit intended for Keanu Reeves.[12] In addition, Singer also wanted to showcase more characterizations of Rogue, Iceman, and Pyro.[13] Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn were hired the following month, and a studio executive read Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men story "Gifted", featuring a mutant cure, suggested it be the primary story. Matthew Vaughn came on board as director in February 2005,[14] but left due to the rushed production schedule.[15] Brett Ratner took over in June,[16] and filming began on August 2, 2005.[17]
A pharmaceutical company has developed an antidote to the mutant gene, provoking controversy in the mutant community. Magneto declares war on the humans and retrieves his own weapon: the telekinetic and telepathic Phoenix, who is the resurrected former X-Man, Jean Grey. After Phoenix kills Cyclops, a final battle between the X-Men and the Brotherhood ensues, and Wolverine must accept that in order to save Jean from her second personality, he will have to kill her.
Each X-Men film was more expensive than the last, with larger salaries and more spectacular visual effects.[18] Fox chose the "divide and conquer" route for the franchise with multiple prequels.[19]
X-Men Origins: Wolverine was directed by Gavin Hood and again stars Jackman as Wolverine. It is a prequel focusing on the character and his time with Team X, before and shortly after his skeleton was bonded with the indestructible metal adamantium. The film reveals Victor Creed/Sabretooth (Liev Schreiber) to be his half brother. David Benioff began writing the film in October 2004, and unlike the other films it was shot in Australia and New Zealand. The film also introduces Gambit (Taylor Kitsch) and Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) to the franchise.[20]
X-Men: First Class, released on June 3, 2011, is directed by Matthew Vaughn.[21] It stars James McAvoy as the young Charles Xavier,[22] and Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr, who becomes Magneto.[23] It is a prequel[1] focusing on "the formative years of Xavier and Magneto, and the formation of the school and where their relationship took a wrong turn."[24] The villains of the film are the Hellfire Club,[25] featuring Kevin Bacon as Sebastian Shaw,[26][27] and January Jones as Emma Frost.[28] Bryan Singer signed on to direct X-Men: First Class in December 2009, however, in March 2010 Fox revealed that Bryan Singer would be producing X-Men: First Class instead of directing.[29] X-Men: First Class began principal photography in September 2010 in London. It was released in the summer of 2011. It received positive reviews upon release.[30]
At a Fox Blu-ray press event in Beverly Hills in September 2009, Lauren Shuler Donner confirmed that there are plans for a film involving the New Mutants.[31] Lauren Shuler Donner declared that Gambit is one of her favorite X-Men characters, and a film for him would be considered depending on the success of Wolverine.[32] In 2006, a film based on Emma Frost was being considered with director David O. Russell as a potential spin-off from the film series.[19]
I won’t lie to you, I have been talking to writers… I’m a big fan of the Japanese saga in the comic book.
In September 2009, Gavin Hood speculated that there will be a sequel to X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which will be set in Japan.[34] During one of the post credits scenes Logan is seen drinking at a bar in Japan. Such a location was the subject of Claremont and Miller's series, which was not in the first film as Jackman felt "what we need to do is establish who [Logan] is and find out how he became Wolverine".[35] Jackman stated the Claremont-Miller series is his favorite Wolverine story.[36] Of the Japanese arc, Jackman also stated that:
“ | ..there are so many areas of that Japanese story, I love the idea of this kind of anarchic character, the outsider, being in this world – I can see it aesthetically, too – full of honor and tradition and customs and someone who’s really anti-all of that, and trying to negotiate his way. The idea of the samurai, too – and the tradition there. It’s really great. In the comic book he gets his ass kicked by a couple of samurai – not even mutants. He’s shocked by that at first.[33] | ” |
Jackman added that another Wolverine film would be a follow-up rather than continuing on from X-Men: The Last Stand.[37] The inclusion of Deadpool and Gambit also leads to the possibilities of their own spin-offs.[38] Before Wolverine's release, Lauren Shuler Donner approached Simon Beaufoy to write the script, but he did not feel confident enough to commit.[39] On May 5, 2009, just four days after its initial weekend run, the sequel was officially confirmed.[40] A Deadpool spin-off has also been confirmed with Ryan Reynolds attached to reprise the role of Wade Wilson,[41] but producer Shuler Donner stated that she wants to "ignore the version of Deadpool that we saw in Wolverine and just start over again. Reboot it."[42]
Christopher McQuarrie, who went uncredited for his work on X-Men, was hired to write the screenplay for the Wolverine sequel in August 2009.[43] According to Lauren Shuler-Donner, the sequel will focus on the relationship between Wolverine and Mariko, the daughter of a Japanese crime lord, and what happens to him in Japan. Wolverine will have a different fighting style due to Mariko's father having "this stick-like weapon. There'll be samurai, ninja, katana blades, different forms of martial arts – mano-a-mano, extreme fighting." She continued: "We want to make it authentic so I think it's very likely we'll be shooting in Japan. I think it's likely the characters will speak English rather than Japanese with subtitles."[44] In January 2010, at the People's Choice Awards, Jackman stated that the film will start shooting sometime in 2011,[45] and in March 2010 McQuarrie declared that the screenplay was finished for production to start in January the following year.[46]
In October 2010, it was confirmed that Darren Aronofsky would direct the film.[47] Jackman commented that with Darren Aronofsky directing that Wolverine 2 will not be "usual" stating, "This is, hopefully for me, going to be out of the box. It’s going to be the best one, I hope... Well, I would say that, but I really do feel that, and I feel this is going to be very different. This is Wolverine. This is not Popeye. He’s kind of dark... But, you know, this is a change of pace. Chris McQuarrie, who wrote The Usual Suspects, has written the script, so that’ll give you a good clue. [Aronofsky’s] going to make it fantastic. There’s going to be some meat on the bones. There will be something to think about as you leave the theater, for sure”.[48] Bryan Singer was invited by Shuler Donner to direct, but declined.[49]
In November 2010, Aronofsky stated that the title of the film will be The Wolverine and described the film as a "one-off" rather than a sequel.[50] Also in November, Fox Filmed Entertainment sent out a press release stating that they have signed Darren Aronofsky and his production company Protozoa Pictures to a new two-year, overall deal. Under the deal, Protozoa will develop and produce films for both 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight Pictures. Aronofsky’s debut picture under the pact will be The Wolverine.[51] It had been reported that the film would begin principal photography in March 2011 in New York City before the production moves to Japan for the bulk of shooting.[52] In March 2011, Darren Aronofsky bowed out of directing the film, saying the project would keep him out of the country for too long. In a joint statement with Fox, Aronofsky stated, "As I talked more about the film with my collaborators at Fox, it became clear that the production of The Wolverine would keep me out of the country for almost a year... I was not comfortable being away from my family for that length of time. I am sad that I won't be able to see the project through, as it is a terrific script and I was very much looking forward to working with my friend, Hugh Jackman, again".[53] Fox also decided to be "in no rush" to start the production due to the damage incurred in Japan by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[54] On June 16, 2011 James Mangold was chosen to direct the film,[55] having previously been on a shortlist which included directors José Padilha, Doug Liman, Antoine Fuqua, Mark Romanek, Justin Lin, and Gavin O'Connor.[56] On June 27, Jackman said in an interview that filming for The Wolverine would start in October.[57] Silver Samurai will be the film's villain.[58] In September 2011, filming was postponed to Spring 2012 so Jackman can work on Les Misérables.[59] Location include both Vancouver and Tokyo, with Mark Bomback doing a rewrite of McQuarrie's script.[60] It was announced that the main cast of the movie will be concluded by Japanese and Japanese-American actors except from the character of Viper (the secretary for Japan's Minister of Justice) who is Caucasian. It is rumored that Israeli actress Sarai Givaty has auditioned for a role, the character is described as a sexy huntress. Givaty has reportedly passed two early auditions and has a third set up directly with director James Mangold.
As far back as 2003, New Line Cinema was attempting to produce a Deadpool spin-off. When working out the deal with Marvel over the film rights, strict limitations were set in place; New Line was not allowed to connect Deadpool to the other X-Men films.[61] In February 2004, writer/director David S. Goyer was working on the spin-off with Ryan Reynolds in the title role. "We would completely reinvent it," Goyer explained. "We can't connect it to Weapon X or anything like that. We'll see."[62] However, by August 2004, Goyer lost interest in favor of other projects,[63] but Reynolds remained interested. "It's still being talked about," the actor said in October 2004. "Avi Arad loves it."[64] In March 2005, 20th Century Fox became interested in moving forward on production for Deadpool after New Line Cinema put the project in turnaround.[65] The studio continued to consider the Deadpool spin-off early in the development of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which is why Reynolds was cast for the role.[61] After the opening weekend success of Wolverine, Fox announced on May 5, 2009 that they were lending Deadpool "out to writers" with Lauren Shuler Donner and Marvel Studios acting as producers.[66]
Reynolds emphasized that he, Donner, and 20th Century Fox are working to ensure that Deadpool remains loyal as possible to the comic-book: "The studio's working on a script and trying to find a director," the actor explained in July 2009. "The main goal is to make sure it stays close to the source material."[67] Donner met with Deadpool creator Rob Liefeld to discuss the planned direction of the film in September 2009.[68] Donner stated that she wants the film to "ignore the version of Deadpool that we saw in Wolverine and just start over again. Reboot it. Because this guy talks, obviously, and to muzzle him would be insane." She also confirmed that Deadpool will have the attributes that the character has in the comics, such as breaking the fourth wall.[42] Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick were hired to write the script in January 2010.[69] Robert Rodriguez was sent an early draft of the screenplay in June 2010. Although he liked the casting choice of Reynolds and the script itself, Rodriguez explained, "I've been really swamped with this other stuff. I've not decided whether ... anything I do would be after Spy Kids – that gives some breathing room. So whether or not I would help develop or not is the question right now."[70] The Los Angeles Times reported that Rodriguez and Fox were negotiating over several key points, but added that Rodriguez would not start filming for Deadpool until he finishes Spy Kids: All the Time in the World.[71] After negotiations with Rodriguez fell through, Adam Berg emerged as a top contender for the director's chair.[72] Reynolds is still attached, and filming is scheduled to begin in 2012.[73] On April 7, 2011 it was announced that VFX specialist Tim Miller would be directing.[74]
Fox envisions X-Men: First Class as the first film of a new trilogy.[29] Lauren Shuler-Donner compared the franchise plans to be similar to the darker, more mature content of the Harry Potter film series.[75] While speaking about the sequels, director Matthew Vaughn said, "First Class is similar to Batman Begins, where you have the fun of introducing the characters and getting to know them, but that takes time. But with the second one, you can just get on with it and have a rollicking good time. That’s the main difference between Begins and The Dark Knight."[76]
In a new chat about the film, Vaughn threw around a few ideas regarding a possible sequel to the prequel. On how First Class 2 could open, Vaughn said: “I thought it would be fun to open with the Kennedy Assassination, and we reveal that the magic bullet was controlled by Magneto.” Continuing that a First Class 2 wouldn’t necessarily follow the traditional comic-book sequel route of adding more characters to its roster, Vaughn added: “We will only have one more new character. I won’t say who he… I won’t say who he or she is! But we will only be bringing one more new character in, because, I think, as Professor X is in a wheelchair, Magneto needs to have a nemesis he can fight with. Someone that will be his equal. I know who it is. It would be nice if I could say something, but I can’t, mate!”[77] Vaughn has speculated that a sequel could be set in "in the latter part of the 1960s where you’ve got The Stones, The Beatles, Flower Power."[78] Actor James McAvoy said he has a contract for three movies,[79] and expressed interest in seeing Charles Xavier get “really messed up” in the sequel and speculated that a third film could show his transition into a character closer to the one played by Patrick Stewart in the original trilogy.[78] Michael Fassbender has said that he is "very excited" about the possibility of a sequel.[80] He has said: "We worked very hard. It was a very trying time. Thank God, James is a good guy a very smart guy and he's a very practical guy. Matthew's great because he makes films as a fan. There's something like a nine-year-old boy in him when he's making a film. He's very much into characters and allowing the characters to drive the plot and the plot to drive the action film, as opposed to action driving the film and threading in some sort of a plot. It was a very rewarding experience, so hopefully we'll get the same team back again."[81] Producer Lauren Shuler Donner has said that the sequel may be set in the 1970s.[82] Writer and executive producer Bryan Singer has stated that it could be set around the Civil rights movement or the Vietnam War,[83] and that Wolverine could once again be featured.[84] Hugh Jackman has said that he would like to return.[85] Simon Kinberg who co-wrote X-Men: The Last Stand and co-produced X-Men: First Class will write the sequel.[86]
Actress Jennifer Lawrence has expressed interest in reprising her role as Mystique in a sequel.[87] Rose Byrne and Álex González revealed that they had signed on for two more films in the X-Men franchise.[88][89] January Jones has said that she would love to do another film.[90] Lucas Till has said that he would like to reprise the role of Havok.[91] Jason Flemyng has expressed interest in exploring the origins of Nightcrawler.[92] McAvoy added he wants to portray the psychological transformations Xavier suffers: "He can't just become the guy that we saw in the first three movies. He just had two major things happen to him. He's lost his best friend, essentially, and he's just been paralyzed from the waist down. Which is just a huge, huge blow to his considerable ego. So he's got to deal with that."[93]
Producer Lauren Shuler Donner reported in August 2006 that renegotiations would be required to continue the main film series. Newer cast members were signed, while the older cast members, including Halle Berry, Rebecca Romijn, Famke Janssen, and Anna Paquin, were not.[94] Berry, James Marsden,[95] and Patrick Stewart[96] have expressed interest in returning, and Bryan Singer was approached once more to direct, but he was busy.[97] Shawn Ashmore stated that he is still contracted for another film featuring Iceman.[98] Tyler Mane and Ray Park have both expressed interest in reprising their roles from X-Men as Sabretooth and Toad, respectively, in future films, although it is unlikely Mane would be asked due to Liev Schreiber taking over the Sabretooth role in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and his commitment to the Halloween franchise. However, as of July 2007, there was no script for a fourth film, and none was in the works.[99]
Later in the month, however, Kevin Feige, president of production at Marvel Studios said that another X-Men film was possible.[100] Donner admitted, "There is forty years worth of stories. I’ve always wanted to do 'Days of Future Past' and there are just really a lot of stories yet to be told."[101] At a Fox Blu-ray press event in Beverly Hills in September 2009, Lauren Shuler Donner stated that she is currently "cooking up plans for" an X-Men 4. However she stressed that it has yet to be pitched to the studio.[31] Shuler Donner later pitched Bryan Singer on doing a fourth installment of the previously established X-Men franchise, following the completion of X-Men: First Class.[49] In March 2011, Shuler Donner revealed that the film was in "active development at Fox," saying, "We took the treatment to Fox and they love it... And X4 leads into X5.[102]
In December 2004, 20th Century Fox hired screenwriter Sheldon Turner to draft a spin-off X-Men film, and he chose to write Magneto, pitching it as "The Pianist meets X-Men."[103] In April 2007, David S. Goyer was hired to direct.[104] Turner said the script was set from 1939 to 1955,[105] and it follows Magneto trying to survive in Auschwitz. He meets Xavier, a young soldier, during the liberation of the camp. He hunts down the Nazi war criminals who tortured him, and this lust for vengeance turns him and Xavier into enemies.[104]
In May 2006, Ian McKellen said he would reprise the role using the computer-generated facelift applied to him in the prologue of X-Men: The Last Stand.[106] Lauren Shuler Donner stated that the film would need McKellen to anchor the story, which would take place in flashbacks.[19] With Goyer's hiring in 2007, it was said actors in their twenties would play the characters.[104] McKellen reiterated his hope to open and close the film in July 2008.[107]
The film was planned to shoot in Australia for a 2009 release,[108][109] but it was delayed by the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike.[110] In April 2008, concept art, including one of a younger Beast, was being designed.[111] In June 2008 the X-Men Origins prefix also applied to Wolverine was confirmed, and the project was seeking approval to film in Washington, D.C.[112] By December 2008, Goyer said filming would begin if Wolverine was successful. The story was moved forward to 1962, and involves Xavier and Magneto battling a villain.[113]
Ian McKellen confirmed that he would not be reprising his role as Magneto, citing his age as a barrier.[114] In 2009, X-Men's producer Lauren Shuler Donner stated that the movie may never be made.[115] Donner also said that "the studio has a wealth of potential stories, and they have to stand back and decide which ones to make. And Magneto, I think, is at the back of the queue. Maybe it'll get made in five years – who knows?"[116] Both Donner and Bryan Singer have stated that Magneto will probably not be produced, as the plot of X-Men: First Class "supersedes" the story of the planned film.[117][118]
Film | Release date | Box office revenue | Box office ranking | Budget | Reference | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Worldwide | United States | United States | International | Worldwide | All time United States | All time worldwide | |||
X-Men | August 2000 | July 14, 2000 | $157,299,717 | $139,039,810 | $296,339,527 | #191 | #257 | $75,000,000 | [119] |
X2 | May 1, 2003 | May 2, 2003 | $214,949,694 | $192,761,855 | $407,711,549 | #97 #190(A) |
#136 | $110,000,000 | [120] |
X-Men: The Last Stand | May 25, 2006 | May 26, 2006 | $234,362,462 | $224,997,093 | $459,359,555 | #74 #188(A) |
#97 | $210,000,000 | [121] |
X-Men Origins: Wolverine | May 1, 2009 | May 1, 2009 | $179,883,157 | $193,179,707 | $373,062,864 | #143 | #157 | $150,000,000 | [122] |
X-Men: First Class | June 3, 2011 | June 3, 2011 | $146,408,305 | $207,215,819 | $353,624,124 | #225 | #188 | $160,000,000 | [123] |
Total | $932,903,335 | $957,194,284 | $1,890,097,619 | $705,000,000 | |||||
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Each of the films set opening records in the United States: X-Men had the highest July opening yet,[124] while X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand earned the fourth highest opening weekends yet.[125][126] All of these records have since been surpassed. X-Men: The Last Stand and X2 rank as the seventh and eighth most successful superhero films, while X-Men is thirteenth.[127] The third, second and first films are the fifth, sixth and seventh most successful Marvel Comics adaptations,[128] as well as overall the seventh, eighth and fifteenth most successful comic book adaptations. It is Marvel's second most successful film series after the Spider-Man films.[129]
Film | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | Yahoo! Movies | |
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Overall | Top Critics | |||
X-Men | 82% (154 reviews)[130] | 59% (32 reviews)[131] | 64 (33 reviews)[132] | B+ (21 reviews)[133] |
X2 | 88% (222 reviews)[134] | 83% (40 reviews)[135] | 68 (38 reviews)[136] | B (15 reviews)[137] |
X-Men: The Last Stand | 57% (228 reviews)[138] | 53% (43 reviews)[139] | 58 (38 reviews)[140] | B- (15 reviews)[141] |
X-Men Origins: Wolverine | 37% (246 reviews)[142] | 19% (43 reviews)[143] | 43 (36 reviews)[144] | C+ (13 reviews)[145] |
X-Men: First Class | 87% (229 reviews)[146] | 70% (40 reviews)[147] | 65 (37 reviews)[148] | B (12 reviews)[149] |
Average ratings | 70% | 57% | 60 | B- |
Wesley Morris of the Boston Globe praised the X-Men films as "more than a cash-guzzling wham-bang Hollywood franchise... these three movies sport philosophy, ideas, a telethon-load of causes, and a highly elastic us-versus-them allegory." Morris praised X-Men: The Last Stand for "put[ting] the heroes of a mighty summer blockbuster in a rare mortal position. Realism at this time of year? How unorthodox!"[150] Roger Ebert gave the films good reviews, but criticized them because "there are just plain too many mutants, and their powers are so various and ill-matched that it's hard to keep them all on the same canvas."[151] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle, criticized the films' themes, saying "The pretensions take the form of the central metaphor that compares mutants to people of extraordinary, groundbreaking talent. That metaphor is bogus... The vision at the heart of X-Men – of a golden Utopia in which humans live side by side with mutants – is absurd."[152]
The first two films were highly praised due to their cerebral tone, but when director Bryan Singer left, many criticized his successor Brett Ratner. Colin Colvert of the Star Tribune felt "Bryan Singer's sensitivity to [the discrimination themes] made the first two X-Men films surprisingly resonant and soulful for comic-based summer extravaganzas... Singer is adept at juggling large casts of three-dimensional characters, Ratner makes shallow, unimaginative bang-ups."[153] James Berardinelli felt, "X-Men: The Last Stand isn't as taut or satisfying as X-Men 2, but it's better constructed and better paced than the original X-Men. The differences in quality between the three are minor, however; despite the change in directors, there seems to be a single vision."[154] David Denby of The New Yorker praised "the liquid beauty and the poetic fantasy of Singer’s work", but called Ratner's film "a crude synthesizer of comedy and action tropes."[155]
The X-Men films received good reviews from fans of the comic books, but there was criticism of the large cast, and the limited screentime for all of them. Richard George of IGN praised the depictions of Wolverine, Professor X, Magneto, Jean Grey, Storm, William Stryker, Mystique, Beast and Nightcrawler; however, George thought many of the younger X-Men characters, such as Rogue, Iceman, Pyro, and Kitty Pryde were "adjectiveless teenager[s]", and was disappointed by Cyclops' characterization. He observed the filmmakers were "big fans of silent henchmen", due to the small roles of the various villainous mutants; such as Lady Deathstrike. George thought that the success of X-Men "paved the way for other hits like the Spider-Man series, Fantastic Four, V for Vendetta and Singer's own adaptation of Superman."[156] Spider-Man director Sam Raimi said he was a fan of the series, particularly Singer's films.[157] Film historian Kim Newman also tonally compared Batman Begins to Singer's films.[158]
On June 1, 2000, Marvel published a comic book prequel to X-Men, titled X-Men: Beginnings, revealing the backstories of Magneto, Rogue and Wolverine.[159] There was also an adaptation of the film.[160] Marvel also released an adaptation of X2, which also contained prequels detailing Nightcrawler's backstory and Wolverine's time searching for Alkali Lake.[161] Del Rey Books also published novelizations of the three films. The latter two were written by Chris Claremont.[162][163][164] In 2006, X-Men: The Official Game was released, which was set between X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand.[165]
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