Since I have been on a comic series kick for the last several weeks, I figure that I might as well continue it this week.
In honor of the fact that “X-Men: Days of Future Past” will be in theaters at the end of this week, and that I will be reviewing it next week, let’s take a look at the X-Men as a whole.
To date, there have been seven X-Men movies. These are “X-Men,” “X2: X-Men 2,” “X-Men III-The Last Stand,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” “X-Men: The First Class,” “The Wolverine” and the soon-to-be-released “X-Men: Days of Futures Past.”
Although it is not technically a part of the X-Universe, it is worth mentioning that there was a made-for-TV film called “Generation X” which used the characters Emma Frost, Banshee and Jubilee as the main characters. It was based loosely around the Generation X comics.
Each movie of the original X-Men Trilogy focused on the workings of what was basically Wolverine and the X-Men rather than the X-Men-driven movie that fans had wanted.
The two Wolverine movies had a large fan following, but “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” received large amounts of negative feedback from fans.
“X-Men: The First Class” started a new trilogy, one that wasn’t based around the same basic characters from the original trilogy.
Each movie features some combination of the various X-Men teams from the comics.
Before I begin, though, because of the fact that there are now two versions of a few characters, I will use names like Charles Xavier for the young versions and codenames, like Professor X, for the older versions. These include: Charles Xavier/Professor X, Erik Lensher/Magneto, Hank McCoy/Beast, Victor Creed/Sabertooth and Jean Grey/Dark Phoenix.
In X-Men, there are two teams that are warring, the X-Men and the Brotherhood. The members of the X-Men include: Professor X, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm and Wolverine. The members of the Brotherhood include: Magneto, Mystique, Sabertooth and Toad.
In “X2: X-Men 2,” the X-Men take on two foes. The X-Men team consisted of Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, Iceman, Pyro and Nightcrawler. The foes are Magneto and Mystique, as well as Col. William Stryker, his HYDRA agents and Lady Deathstrike.
In “XIII: The Last Stand,” the X-Men and the Brotherhood combat for the last time. This new team of X-Men includes Wolverine, Kitty Pryde, Storm, Colossus, Iceman, Beast and Angel. The new brotherhood includes Magneto, Mystique, Pyro, Juggernaught, Multiple Man, Calisto and the Omegas, as well as the Dark Phoenix.
In “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” we get to see Team X in the beginning of it’s creation. This team includes Wolverine, Victor Creed (Sabertooth), Wade Wilson (Deadpool), John Wraith (Kestrel), Fred Dukes (Blob), Col. William Stryker, Agent Zero and Silverfox. Remy LeBau (Gambit) also appears in the movies along with some cameos from Professor X, Cyclops and Emma Frost.
In “X-Men the First Class,” the X-Men were known as the Division X team and went head-to-head with the Hellfire Club. The Division X team includes Charles Xavier, Erik Lensherr, Mystique, Hank McCoy, Havok, Darwin and Banshee. The Hellfire Club includes Sebastian Shaw, Emma Frost, Azazel, Riptide and Angel Salvadore (Tempest).
The Wolverine has no teams, but tells of Wolverine’s Japan travels, while including his loves and foes. Those include Wolverine, Mariko Yashida, Mr. Yashida Dr. Green (Viper), Yukio and Hadara the Silver Samurai.
In “X-Men: Days of Futures Past,” we will be seeing one of the largest sets of mutants on screen facing off against the mutant exterminators, the Sentinels, led by Bolivar Trask and Col. William Stryker. The mutants include Wolverine, both Charles Xavier and Professor X, both Erik Lensher and Magneto, both Hank McCoy and Beast, Mystique, Storm, Rogue, Iceman, Kitty Pryde, Bishop, Colossus, Quicksilver, Blink, Sunspot, Warpath, Havok and Toad. It will also include cameo appearances from Spyke, Ink, Cyclops and Jean Grey.
Even though “X-Men: Days of Futures Past” is on the way, there have also been several other X-Men based films announced.
“X-Men: Apocolypse” was announced recently and has many fans ecstatic about the series. Since it is one of the most popular storylines of any X-Men comic, it is set to be the highest grossing X-Men movie yet. In addition to it completing the second X-Men Trilogy, it will also be introducing several younger versions of the original X-Men, including Cyclops, Jean Grey and Storm and will also add Gambit, who will be played by Channing Tatum, into a main X-Men movie. Tatum will also play Gambit in the solo film, Gambit.
There will also be a third Wolverine movie and an X-Force movie. The X-Force is a spin-off type of series that may include Wolverine or may go a different direction.
The last announced movie is the Deadpool movie.
There are two reasons for leaving this one for last. First, Deadpool is my favorite comic book character ever.
Second, a Deadpool movie, starring Ryan Reynolds reprising Deadpool/Wade Wilson, has been slated to be made since 2004.
Deadpool ranked 31st in IGN’s Top 100 comic book characters and is usually in the top 10 list of almost every comic book fan for good reasons.
Deadpool’s best feature is his talking, which he does constantly, even when there is no one around. He loves to break the fourth wall, and thanks to “Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe,” “Deadpool Killustrated” and “Deadpool Kills Deadpool,” the reader gets plenty of threats from the Merc with the Mouth.
I have really liked the direction that the previous X-Men movies have gone, but I hope they turn out better, starting with “X-Men: Days of Futures Past.” Don’t forget to watch it starting this Friday, May 23!