"By The Goddess!": The Official Storm Discussion

"By The Goddess!"
The Official Storm Debate​

Even though Storm hasn't been officially added to Days Of Future Past, like, nearly 100% of the most active thread discussions in this forum continue to either be derailed or completely consumed by the topic. And I'm sure a number of you are getting sick of it coming up all the time. I guess it's best to go ahead and launch a spot for it. At least this way, whether Halle Berry or some other actress is cast--or not--we have a place to debate about the character's necessity in this film.

Stats:



Real name: Ororo Munroe
Other aliases: (current) None, (former--in Kenya and Tanzania) "Beautiful Windrider"
Identity: Known
Place of birth: New York City, New York
Marital status: Married
Group affiliation: (current) X-Men, (former) Leader of the Morlocks
First appearance: GIANT-SIZE X-MEN #1
Height: 5 ft. 11 in.
Weight: 127 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: White
Strength level: Athlete
Flight speed: Subsonic (when propelled by winds)
Fighting skills: Excellent hand-to-hand combatant, trained by Wolverine

Known superhuman powers: Storm has the psionic ability to control the weather over limited areas. She can fly by creating winds strong enough to support her weight. Storm has limited immunity to extreme heat and cold.

Special limitations: Storm's psionic powers over the weather are affected by her emotions; hence, if she does not maintain control of her emotions, a fit of rage might induce a destructive storm. Also, Storm suffers from severe claustrophobia.

​

The Scoop:​

So the big hubbub all over the net and chatrooms is regarding whether Halle Berry, arguably the franchise's biggest female star, is going to appear in Days Of Future Past. The character has a serious role in the source material and X3 concluded with Storm taking the lead at X-Mansion as Headmistress with Xavier's blessing. However, when pressed about Halle Berry's return, Bryan Singer had this to say:

My thoughts? Halle Berry received critical acclaim for her portrayal opposite Tom Hanks in last year's Cloud Atlas and she has more films coming out shortly. So clearly her personal life is not getting in the way of her career.

Also, Singer is not stupid. Say what you want about him, but the man knows how to tell a story. Besides, he has already invested 2 of his own films with this character. While I don't believe he did the best job with developing Storm, he's already reunited everyone else (except Scott and Jean who are MIA). How could he explain a missing Headmistress but yet have Rogue (who sold out in X3) in there? I just think he's so much more smarter than this.

Bottom Line: I think Bryan knows that the Halle Berry/Storm situation is the most polarized subject of this entire franchise. Many love the actress. Many despise her. And NO actress generates more discussion consistently. Yet, almost everyone loves the character herself. So it's a quandary. I think Singer may be holding off on announcing Halle Berry because of these possibilities:

1.) He doesn't want any bad buzz this early in the film's production--and let's face it, announcing Halle Berry would create...hate to say it...a s***-storm of controversy. Pun absolutely intended.

2.) He wants to "soften the blow" by pairing the announcement with that of Famke and/or James and/or Rebecca altogether.

3.) He has no plans to cast Halle herself for reason #1 but intends on casting a "First Class" equivalent with another younger actress.

This whole, "I want to make sure she fits" thing is bullspit because the source material AND the existing franchise demands her involvement. Again, he *found a way* to include Anna Paquin who is completely unnecessary. This shouldn't even be a discussion....but it is.

Questions For Discussion:

1.) Should Storm Have A Role In The Next X-Men Film? Why Or Why Not?
2.) Which Younger Actress Could Be Cast As Storm Of The Past?
3.) Do You Think Bryan Singer Will Add The Character In Days Of Future Past?​

 

1) Yes. The ending of X3 where Storm is the headmistress of the institute is enough as to why it would "make sense." Not to mention she is actually in the story, and faces the best chance against the Sentinels, providing some cool-as-**** visual effects.

2) I don't know. But, a younger Storm in the 70s would be great, and even better would be to have both a 70s Storm and a future Storm.

3) Yes. And if he doesn't, I will shake my fist ire!

 

One of my biggest gripes with Singer's interpretation of Storm was that the character came across a bit weak and mousy. X3 left Storm in a way more confident (if not annoyingly overmuch) place. She had a foe in Callisto which kept her hands full and had some of the best special effect sequences of the film. I'd like to see Bryan Singer pick up with the attitude of X3's Storm but temper it with the gentleness of his version. Not sure if striking that balance is possible, but it should be certainly tried.

 

Halle looks really great as Storm on that X3 promo. Just give her a longer wig, like that comic pic, and some golden parts on the uniform here and there, and it would be near perfect.

 

1.) Should Storm Have A Role In The Next X-Men Film? Why Or Why Not?
Yes because at the end of X3, she was the headmistress of the Xavier Institute for Gifted Mutants.

2.) Which Younger Actress Could Be Cast As Storm Of The Past?
Yaya Dacosta

Fierce!

3.) Do You Think Bryan Singer Will Add The Character In Days Of Future Past?
Yes, he has to.

 

He doesn't have to. Days Of Future Past was brilliant because it started off with most of the X-Men dead. Someone important needs to have been killed by Sentinels before the start of DOFP.

 

Dead or alive, it doesn't mean Bryan shouldn't include her in the movie.

 

But some people need to be dead at the start of the movie...ykno...it's like...part of the whole thing. Since Cyclops is already dead, Storm would take his place as leader. She should be already dead at the start, I think.

 

But we still don't know the official plot/synopsis of the movie. Just because they are adapting DOFP, it doesn't mean that most of the X-Men are already dead at the start of the movie. The Sentinels could still be in manufacturing stages at the start of the movie, the whole Sentinel-effect could happen in the middle of the movie.

 

I think it'd be more impressive from a cinematic standpoint to see someone like Storm get into battle with the Sentinels and then die at their hands. There is little emotional investment for the audience for her to be dead off-screen before the movie's storyline begins. The stakes for the time traveler(s) would be so much higher for us as viewers if we see their comrades murdered...it creates suspense and a sense of real urgency to go back to "stop things" from happening.

I guess that's why I'm dumbfounded that Bryan apparently is struggling with finding a way to fit Storm into this storyline. I just can't wrap my head around it.

 

I think that scenario is potentially exciting but is that what we really want? It would all be about the execution. Tastefully done, it could be a magnificent sequence but if not handled properly, it...wouldn't be. And would Halle want to come back just to die? We don't want another Cyclops situation. Personally, I"d kill Wolverine in the future.

 

Fat chance of that happening. LOL

I think Halle would be willing to come back "just to die", especially if the "past" is corrected to undo the future. She could serve as "bookends" in the film, basically providing brief cameo appearance(s) at the beginning and end of the film. That's all I'm really expecting at this point. The fact that Bryan is still considering whether she should be in the film or not tells me she is definitely NOT a time traveler and will be reduced to a cameo, if at all.

Killing Storm off in the movie-verse permanently would be just as bad as what was done to Scott in X3. And the fanbase would never forgive such a decision.

 

I agree that some X-Men should have already paid the price, but it shouldn't be their only living leader. Storm should most definitely be alive in DOFP because after all the injustice already done to her character, having her just be dead now would be the final blow.

Also, if she isn't the leader, then get ready once again for Logan the leader and only the guy who gets to make decisions about anything they do in battle!!

 

Totally agree on the last part. However, I wouldn't be happy with just a cameo. I want the future scenes to have depth and to show how much they're struggling and how grave the stakes are. In the comics, it was kind of like a last man standing situation, where Magneto gave up himself so the mission could continue and then the rest of them got picked off one at a time. I want Storm to be the leader and to survive at least until the final moments of that timeline!

 

1) Yes, for all the reasons I've been screaming about for the last few months! She is the leader post-X3, she needs to finally be the Storm we all know and love, and she needs to kick Sentinel ass!

2) I don't know any suitable younger actresses really, but I don't want a 70s Storm. To me, the Storm character is so much better as an adult. I want only for 70s Scott and Jean to be introduced because their characters need to have a special place as the first students and I think having a teenage Storm along with them will just distract from that (and also just be a third wheel again like in X1). Beast being there will be ok because he'll be more like Xavier's colleague while also being their teammate and scientist.

3) I really don't know, but if he could just FREAKING DO US ALL A SOLID FOR ONCE AND DO THE STORM CHARACTER RIGHT!!!!

 

Josh, would you be willing to settle for a Storm in Past-only?

Oh, and check your personal messages. LOL

 

young storm would have to be like 16 wouldn't she storm in x men 1 looked 35 at the most

 

I would really, really prefer a future Storm...

So in the meantime, I'll contribute this manip I made. I'm terrible at it (please don't zoom in), but enjoy!!!

 

Every day that passes without an announcement of Halle joining the film makes me think more and more that Storm wont be in this. If she is not I will be HIGHLY disappointed. And it will just be sad that none of the original movieverse X-men will likely be around. And by original I mean that we were introduced to and were X-men at the start of X1.

 

I hope she isn't. Halle was awful, just awful

 

I'll agree that she wasn't good, but I put at least half the blame on Bryan.

It's pretty obvious that Bryan didn't care for and/or understand the character. As the director, he didn't have Halle act regal or push her to get the accent right (and she had so few lines that it wouldn't have been THAT difficult). He also put her in terrible wigs and gave her some pretty weak (whack) dialogue. In X2, her lines even started becoming stuff like "I gotta shake 'em". Any X-Men fan would know that Storm does not speak like that! These are all problems and responsibilities that lie with the DIRECTOR (and writers).

As for Halle, she could have definitely put in a lot more effort and worked on her line delivery and facial expressions (especially in X1).

A big part of me just really wants to see him AND Halle finally do the character justice.

 

I thought she did fine with what she was given. But my general love for the character was just happy to see her on screen even if it wasnt done in the best way. And I still have faith in Halle to give us a good Storm if they give her good enough material.

 

Yeah, she was absolutely dreadful in X1. Mostly because of that ridiculous accent.

LOGAN YOU CAHN'T DOTHISALONE!

 

I don't want to see a Storm of the past yet. What I really want from DOFP is to see the Storm we all know from the trilogy, in a desperate battle with Sentinels in the future. If Storm was to be killed off it would have significant emotional resonance for viewers. Storm fans would also, hopefully, get to see the goddess side of Storm, the leader, unleash her powers. It would be a great VFX opportunity for the movie and would really up the stakes and estabish the dramatic tone too imo.

 

I think she should be dead at the beginning of the film. Halle was awful in the role.

I would not be totally opposed to her just showing up to die against the Sentinels, preferably in a non-speaking role.

There could be a young version of Storm in the past because we don't really know how old Storm is in the film series (unlike say Jean).