X-Men 3 Pictures/Preview

[Banter 0]

Ch-ch-ch-check it out!

 

New mutants, director recharge 'X3'

By Scott Bowles, USA TODAY

 

The mutants are back. Now they just need the humans to return, too.

 

X-Men 3 hits the big screen next year with our heroes facing their toughest challenge yet: a fan base anxious about how the franchise will fare with a new director at the helm.

 

Ever since Bryan Singer bolted from the series to direct next year's Superman Returns, devotees have wondered whether the band of superhero misfits could return with a film to match the caliber of the first two, which took in more than $702 million worldwide. (Related gallery: Get your first glimpse at X Men 3)

 

Star Hugh Jackman isn't worried.

 

"I wouldn't have come back if I thought we weren't going to do the series justice," says Jackman, who plays the popular mutant Wolverine. "I think X-Men— and Bryan — led the rebirth of comic book movies. We weren't going to treat a third one lightly."

 

Brett Ratner directs X-Men 3, which gets its first look here and opens May 26. Ratner is best known for comedy, including the two Rush Hour films, and studio executives concede that a regime change gave them pause.

 

"I don't care what director we would have brought in; there would have been concern," says Avi Arad, head of Marvel Studios. "We had to make sure we were coming back with something serious, something new, that would improve the series. I think we did."

 

The encore will feature new characters, including the blue-haired strongman Beast, played by Kelsey Grammer, and Angel, a winged mutant played by Ben Foster (Six Feet Under). The plot centers on a cure discovered for our heroes' mutations, and their dilemma in choosing whether to remain individuals or blend into mainstream society.

 

"I'd never really thought about doing comic book movies before," Grammer says. "But this one has always been about what it's like to be an outsider. And we've all felt that way at times. I think that story line is what appeals to fans more than any filmmaker or star."

 

Fan Thomas Hay, 29, of Livonia, Mich., agrees. "They've got the whole cast back, plus more comic book characters. I'm confident. The characters and story are the most important thing."

 

X3 probably marks the last installment of the franchise.

 

"We really have become a family," says Halle Berry, who plays Storm, a mutant handy with a lightning bolt. "I'm going to be sad to say goodbye."

 

And moviegoers? Arad concedes there may be initial apprehension among fans. But "when they see how much we worked to stay true to the story, true to the characters, they're going to remember why they became fans in the first place."

 

The first preview will be online later today. Check here.

Edited December 5, 2005 by Scooter Banter

[starvenger 0]

First, it's hard to recognize Grammer in there.

 

Second, the mutant in the second picture is damn ugly...

[dubq 0]

Wow, that's awful..

[HollywoodSpikeJenkins 0]

"We really have become a family," says Halle Berry, who plays Storm, a mutant handy with a lightning bolt. "I'm going to be sad to say goodbye."

 

Hey, Halle Berry. Fuck you.

[Slayer 0]

I thought Berry went diva and wasn't going to do this one

[Black Lushus 0]

I think the experience of Gothika and Catwoman told her she better stick to sure-fire winners...

[Boon 0]

No Nightcrawler.

[Matt Young 0]

Last installment of the series? Why?

 

I figured that the reason they chose to have

Storm lose her powers

was to take Berry out of future scripts and continue the series.

[Guest JMA]

Last installment of the series? Why?

Maybe they want to quit while they're ahead. You know, to prevent the inevitiable bad sequel (ala Superman IV or Batman and Robin) from happening.

[dubq 0]

JMA, I think this one is going to be that sequel.

Edited December 5, 2005 by vivisectvi

[2GOLD 0]

Last installment of the series? Why?

Maybe they want to quit while they're ahead. You know, to prevent the inevitiable bad sequel (ala Superman IV or Batman and Robin) from happening.

 

Actually no, it's because they want to focus on the spin-off movies to Wolverine and Magneto. They figure they can double the profits by doing it that way and keep getting newer movies out in a year or two.

[Guest JMA]

Last installment of the series? Why?

Maybe they want to quit while they're ahead. You know, to prevent the inevitiable bad sequel (ala Superman IV or Batman and Robin) from happening.

 

Actually no, it's because they want to focus on the spin-off movies to Wolverine and Magneto. They figure they can double the profits by doing it that way and keep getting newer movies out in a year or two.

It's kind of weird to have a movie that focuses solely on Wolverine when both X-Men movies already revolved around him.

[Black Lushus 0]

is Colossus in this movie?

[2GOLD 0]

Last installment of the series? Why?

Maybe they want to quit while they're ahead. You know, to prevent the inevitiable bad sequel (ala Superman IV or Batman and Robin) from happening.

 

Actually no, it's because they want to focus on the spin-off movies to Wolverine and Magneto. They figure they can double the profits by doing it that way and keep getting newer movies out in a year or two.

It's kind of weird to have a movie that focuses solely on Wolverine when both X-Men movies already revolved around him.

 

Didn't he always have the deeper and more interesting story?

I find it a little weird as well but he's really the only one with an extremely deep story.

I'm a little disappointed that I'll never see Acopcalypse on the big screen though, he was always my favorite ass kicking X-Men villian.

[CBright7831 0]

Thank God.

 

We finally get Beast.

[Boon 0]

How do we know the first trailer will be up today?

[Black Lushus 0]

off topic but X-Men related: did anyone else feel let down or maybe felt it was a cheap writer's cop out to finally reveal that Gambit's big secret was that he aided in the Morlock Massacre? That he led the killers down there...I dunno, I thought they could have come up with something better for one of the more popular and intriguing X-Men...

[CBright7831 0]

Apparently the trailer is also going to run with King Kong.

[2GOLD 0]

off topic but X-Men related: did anyone else feel let down or maybe felt it was a cheap writer's cop out to finally reveal that Gambit's big secret was that he aided in the Morlock Massacre? That he led the killers down there...I dunno, I thought they could have come up with something better for one of the more popular and intriguing X-Men...

 

I felt Marvel had a lot of cheap writer's cop outs for Gambit. They just really never put too much effort into writing his character that they could have. The massacre was weak and just another Gambit storyline disappointment for me. Course I've never given two shits about the Morlocks anyway. Really, did anyone give a fuck about the Morlocks?

[Black Lushus 0]

off topic but X-Men related: did anyone else feel let down or maybe felt it was a cheap writer's cop out to finally reveal that Gambit's big secret was that he aided in the Morlock Massacre? That he led the killers down there...I dunno, I thought they could have come up with something better for one of the more popular and intriguing X-Men...

 

I felt Marvel had a lot of cheap writer's cop outs for Gambit. They just really never put too much effort into writing his character that they could have. The massacre was weak and just another Gambit storyline disappointment for me. Course I've never given two shits about the Morlocks anyway. Really, did anyone give a fuck about the Morlocks?

 

no not at all, I hated them in the comics, I hated whenever they showed up in the cartoon, i hated that it consumed a huge chunk of X-Men Legends...

[Boon 0]

Gambit got over in my mind b/c of the Morlock massacre.

[Black Lushus 0]

Gambit got over in my mind b/c of the Morlock massacre.

 

see, that's just it, Gambit was already over, but Marvel pulled a WWE and decided to add something stupid and unnecessary to improve on the overness and it ended up sucking and making HIM suck...to me, the coolest aspect to Gambit was his relationship with Rogue and teasing us with whether or not he really could touch her or not...I don't know what's going on with that since I haven't read the comic since like 97...can he touch her now? can anyone touch her now?

[Boon 0]

I'd touch her.

[Banter 0]

It's up...

[2GOLD 0]

Gambit got over in my mind b/c of the Morlock massacre.

 

see, that's just it, Gambit was already over, but Marvel pulled a WWE and decided to add something stupid and unnecessary to improve on the overness and it ended up sucking and making HIM suck...to me, the coolest aspect to Gambit was his relationship with Rogue and teasing us with whether or not he really could touch her or not...I don't know what's going on with that since I haven't read the comic since like 97...can he touch her now? can anyone touch her now?

 

I think they got to kiss once for a brief second but I stopped following MARVEL when Wolverine left the X-Men to go whatever the fuck he went to do and they added all those horrid new mutants. Plus the Sabertooth/Jubs storyline that massively sucked the fun out of it all for me. Only time I remember anything about someone touching Rogue was her and Magneto fucked as part of the AoA storyline that sent all the Marvel-verse comics into that futuristic wasteland. It was around then that I just started pulling away from comics all together.

[Black Lushus 0]

I followed X-Men through AoA to about two years afterwards then I, too, stopped collecting comics altogether...

[2GOLD 0]

You know what? That trailer was pretty fucking cool.

It's the fight that SHOULD have happened in the Marvel comics that never fucking came.

 

Although if the guy with the metal helmet on the bridge is Juggernaut, then I'm really disappointed on his design. Plus the trailer gives away the spoiler that Jean goes botherhood. Course she'll turn back when she straightens her shit out but still.

 

I liked what I saw.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

1. Was that juggernaut to Magnetos right (left to us) when he was making his speech in the woods (and who Magneto frees?). I'm pretty sure it is. Wow. Looks like Crap.

 

2. What was up with the beats?

 

3. What's this story about? Humans vs. Mutants? I saw laser blasts? Sentinels?

[Banter 0]

Yeah, that was Juggernaut played by a juiced up Vinnie Jones. The custume looks like crap.

 

I think Beast looks as good as possible without CGI.

[Justice 0]

That is the shittiest Juggernaught they could have gotten. Seriously, just CGI him.

 

And yeah, that big guy was Collossus. Should be interesting how he plays out in this movie.