MCU X-Men - Part 2

[Tg11]

If they go younger on Magneto then I would go with someone in their 50s or 60s right now

 

[CaptainWagner]

If they’re going with a bigger name for Wolverine, I really think Hunnam is the guy. Give him some hair dye and gel and he’s good to go. I wouldn’t mind seeing camera tricks or CGI to make him a little shorter as well.

I feel like Wolverine needs someone who can disappear into the role, so a big name may not be the right thing to look for.

 

[MasterCat]

Wolverine would be a good role for a macho, possibly blue collar actor who's not famous. Like if you could find a 34-year Clint Eastwood and make it his A Fistfuil of Dollars.

 

[MasterCat]

How old was Xavier supposed to be in the X-Men's first appearance?

 

[CaptainWagner]

Well, speaking of Wolverine, here's the pitch I put together for what I'd do for his first MCU solo film in my fantasy X-Men franchise.

The Cast

Spoiler

Alex Hogh Anderson as Logan/Wolverine
As I mentioned last time, casting young for the new Logan may be off-putting for some, but I think it's the best way to avoid comparisons to Jackman's iconic tenure. Anderson is a bright talent making a name with incredible intensity and ferocity, carrying all the traits needed to be the Wolverine of a new generation.

Piper Curda as Hisako Ichiki/Armor
Coming off of my previous two X-Men films, this would be a big step up for Curda's tenure as Armor, elevated to a primary role following her new mentor, whether he wants that title or not. Curda is another up and coming star, the likes of which Marvel would be wise to snatch up to lead their next wave of franchises.

Jason Mitchell as Fantomex
The endlessly suave Jason Mitchell has been making a big splash in Hollywood since his breakout role in Straight Outta Compton. He has swagger and charm to spare, all to bring to the bizarre mind of one of Weapon X's most eccentric creations: The elusive master thief Fantomex.

Sam Neil as Dr. Malcom Colcord/Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Omega Red/Aubrey Plaza as Brenda Jackson
And now for our villains. Sam Neil is an iconic nostalgic star, and has in recent years rounded out his repetoire into more menacing, antagonistic performances, with an elegant, distinguished air for the ominous man seeking out the remnents of the Weapon X. He is accompanied in his mission by Hafpor Bjornsson as Omega Red. The Game of Thrones star is a hulking figure and captivating onscreen presence, making for a fittingly brutal pysical opponent. Lastly, his second in command, ex-SHIELD agent Brenda Jackson, whose insider knowledge guides Colcord on his mission.

Jessica Walter as Heather Hudson/Courtney B. Vance as John Wraith
Two old faces from Logan's past return to lend him a hand on his journey. Jessica Walter's sophistication and brilliant dry wit would put her right at home in the MCU. Seeing her chide as disgruntled Wolverine for misbehavior would be glorious. Courtney B. Vance, meanwhile, has a firy yet friendly personality to bring to one of Logan's former comrades who is getting a bit "too old for this ****".​

The Plot

Spoiler

-Late one rainy night in a prestigious museum, the master thief Fantomex pulls off an incredible heist. Before he can make a clean get-away, however, he is confronted by a mysterious old man: Dr. Malcom Colcord. After refusing to answer questions about his past, Fantomex tries to flee but is overpowered by Omega Red. Colcord announces he has "great plans" for his newest prize.

-We find Wolverine on the Xavier estate, struggling to adjust to his new home following the events of "X-Men: Dangerous Game". He is plagued by nightmares alluding to shattered fragments of his forgotten past and a mess of insecurities and regrets about what past he can remember. No matter what they X-Men say, it's clear to himself that he doesn't belong here.

-Hisako Ichiki, otherwise known as Armor, thinks differently. She sees in him an injured warrior who she can connect with in a way that none of the teachers at the school have. Nonetheless, Logan continues to push her away. When a news story triggers something in his hazy memory, he flees into the night, not realizng that Hisako is tracking him.

-Logan returns home to Canada, but on the way must help save Hisako from a gang when she reveals herself and risks making a scene with her flashy powers. She refuses to leave, and he begrudgingly takes her along to a wilderness lodge run by Heather Hudson and John Wraith, two old friends of Logan who he can barely remember. Logan's time at Weapon X is delved into, leading up to the collpse of the program after Jim Hudson blew the whistle on increasingly immoral expiraments, an effort he paid for with his life.

-Heather explains that old Weapon X sites have been raided and files stolen, while past subjects and employees have begun to disappear, with some turning up dead. She and John have linked these attacks to a mysterious figure who seems to be aided by one Brenda Jackson: ex-SHIELD, ex-Hydra. We see the villains in action again, now forcing Fantomex to do their bidding. Colcord's past involvement with the program and Wolverine is hinted at, as his facial scars are revealed.

-A deal has been set up as a trap for the mystery man. Logan, Wraith, and Armor go to stop it. Before he leaves, Heather lets Logan know that she sees something new in him, and that maybe it's time to stop running. At the drop-off point, everything goes south. Fantomex takes on the heroes and beats them before fleeing. He catches the tracer that Armor placed on him, but leaves it there nonetheless.

-The chase leads overseas to Russia, where Colcord has set up base in the abandoned KGB Weapon X branch. He is frustrated that so few of his expiraments are working. Jackson suggests the start using the fit subjects to study, but Colcord insists he needs them if he can hope to capture Wolverine, his end goal and the ultimate creation of the program.

-In Russia, our heroes fight their way through gathering leads on Colcord's operation. Armor reveals that she brought along a costume that was designed for Logan, however he refuses to wear it. But they raise a bit too much attention. An ambush is triggered by Omega Red and Fantomex. Omega Red kills Wraith and Armor and Logan are taken prisoner.

-They are taken back to the base. Logan offers himself up for experimentation if Hisako is spared. He is taken into a lab, and Fantomex is ordered to imprison Hisako. Instead, he turns on his masters and sets the lab into meltdown, releasing all the subjects and causing mass chaos. Colcord, meanwhile, has revealed his origin: A mere guard for the original Weapon X, he was scarred when Wolverine went rougue, and blames him for the collapse of a program he believed was viatl to ushering in a new era of "peace through strength".

-When all hell breaks loose, Jackson abandons Colcord and flees with his data. The Doctor cuts his losses and tries to flee with Logan on a plane. Armor and Fantomex pursue and the ensuing fight crashes the plane. WIth his friends down for the count. Wolverine stands alone. Colcord mocks him for being always alone, with no family or friends to turn to. The only thing Logan has left is to give up his body to science and become part of a "brave new future". Logan, however, finds the suit Hisako made him. Donning the mask, he tells Colcord that all that used to be true, but isn't anymore. By the time he's through, Omega Red is throughly disabled and Colcord is dead, bled out into the snow.

-Our heroes reunite and march towards home, although Fantomex opts to return to his free-wheeling independent life, with a promise to return to help out if needed. In the final scene, Armor leads Wolverine, in full costume, to Cyclops, asking where he signs up for duty.

POST CREDITS SCENE:

1) Another fun snippet of Wolverine adjusting to life as an X-Man
2) Agent Jackson brings everything she was able to salvage to a mysterious room full of futuristic computers and reports to a spectral AI that lives within them, labeled SINISTER. She regretfully informs him that the mutants were able to obtain some files from the site. We cut back to a shocked Logan openig up old Weapon X files on a computer.​

 

[Gamma Goliath]

How about BD Wong for professor x?

 

[MasterCat]

How about BD Wong for professor x?

No thanks; he'd be 60 by the time Marvel Studios could legally film. Xavier only needs to be in his mid-late 30s to have an avuncular relationship with the first X-Men.

 

[MasterCat]

I think Prof X is such a complex character that people need to explain their take on him when fancasting. Patrick Stewart is a great actor, but he never stretched the character beyond straightforward good guy. McAvoy committed to the Greek tragic flaw of "telepath who doesn't understand people well" and I found him superb in First Class, but by the otherwise very good DoFP he showed a lack of gravitas (and should have shaved his head).
616 Xavier has a dark side. He's repeatedly mind-wiped innocent people, recruits teenagers for a private school because they're - his term - Homo superior and trains them to fight in a Danger Room, and says true things that nonetheless make him sound like a New Age cult leader ("I am consort to the Empress of the Sh'iar galactic empire"). If the writers and directors wanted him to run a gamut of characterization from wisecracking old man to creepy mind controller over a six-film contract, I think Ben Kingsley nailed that range in Iron Man 3. However I think Xavier could stand to be cast much younger.

 

[Silvermoth]

Yeah it wasn’t that long ago that people were saying Morgan freeman for the new Professor X. I think there’s morally compromised Charles and then there’s that which is a bit too far.

Oh what about Erick Avari? He played the professor in the Brendan Fraser version of the Mummy remember and he’s heaps of fun

 

[Gamma Goliath]

Yeah I don't see marvel turning professor x into a creepy twisted kind of dude.

 

[Havok83]

How old was Xavier supposed to be in the X-Men's first appearance?

mid to late 40s

No thanks; he'd be 60 by the time Marvel Studios could legally film. Xavier only needs to be in his mid-late 30s to have an avuncular relationship with the first X-Men.

60 is the perfect age to be Xavier.

 

[AndrewGilkison]

Yeah it wasn’t that long ago that people were saying Morgan freeman for the new Professor X. I think there’s morally compromised Charles and then there’s that which is a bit too far.

Oh what about Erick Avari? He played the professor in the Brendan Fraser version of the Mummy remember and he’s heaps of fun

This guy played Electra's dad in the Ben Affleck Daredevil movie, right?

 

[Protar]

Yeah I don't see marvel turning professor x into a creepy twisted kind of dude.

Probably not to a huge extent, but I would not be surprised to see a more complex Xavier. Kind of like Dumbledore in the later Harry Potter books - genuinely good and kindly, but also a master manipulator.

 

[psylockolussus]

Here's what I think should happen

Cyclops, Storm, Rogue, Psylocke, Emma, Gambit, Angel, PhoeniX, Havok, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Forge, Banshee, Bishop, Dazzler and Polaris should be in the same age range like late 20s to early 30s.
Iceman, Shadowcat, Armor, Pixie and Jubilee should be the young crowd of the group. So late teens to early 20s.
The Wolverine and the Beast should be over 40s or late 30s, they should look older than the rest.
Professor X, Cassandra Nova Prime, Cable, Ernst and Magneto should be in their mid 50s.

 

[Chris B]

Would anyone have a problem if they took a que from the Ultimate comics where Wolverine started off working for Magneto and the Brotherhood?

In the case of the movie, I was thinking that they could substitute Magneto and the Brotherhood with Mr. Sinister and Marauders and have Wolverine defect during the third act of the film in time for the climax.

 

[Havok83]

Would anyone have a problem if they took a que from the Ultimate comics where Wolverine started off working for Magneto and the Brotherhood?

In the case of the movie, I was thinking that they could substitute Magneto and the Brotherhood with Mr. Sinister and Marauders and have Wolverine defect during the third act of the film in time for the climax.

Id be perfectly fine with that but Id rather Wolverine not appear in the first film. Id have him debut in his own solo and have him join the team with the second X-men film. Or maybe he can start off as a villian in the first and have him leave there to go do his solo and join in the second

 

[Shikamaru]

I buy mutants existing in the Marvel U a lot more than I did a few years ago.

First, we should keep in mind that mutates aren't completely adored either. Marvel's always been more realistic than DC when it comes to people's reactions to superpowers. So while the Avengers have it easy compared to the X-Men, by no means is it a night-and-day case. We can just look at Civil War and a lot of Spider-Man comics to see how they too get a share of hate.

Second, a lot of mutant persecution has more to do with appearances than actual powers. Beast and Nightcrawler are weaker than Captain Marvel and Spider-Man, why do they get more hate then? No doubt people say they fear mutants for their powers, but that sounds more like rationalizing than an actual reason. If I feared people more powerful than me, I would fear half the Avengers before I fear half of mutants. But other than Ben Grimm and Hulk (who isn't exactly a beloved hero), pretty much all mutates look 'normal'.

Lastly, I would argue mutates give people hope that they can compete with mutants. There are many people on subreddits like transhumanism and plastic-surgery putting their faith that science can 'elevate' their bodies and abilities into what they see as 'better'. I imagine the psychology of liking mutates but not mutants is about the same. I mean, mutates might not be liked at first, but I can see how the appearance of mutants can cause a shift in attitude and lower the standard for what a "freak" is.

 

[Marvel united]

mid to late 40s



60 is the perfect age to be Xavier.

Xavier wasn't that old in the comics. The actor imo should be mid to late 40s and at latest, early 50s. We need longevity out of these characters. Casting someone who is already 60 or pushing 60 is not the right way to go.

The X-Men themselves should have two groups within the Mansion- The main X-Men who are in their late teens and early twenties (Cyclops, Storm, Jean, Hank, Colossus etc) and the younger members who are 14-16 years old (Iceman, Kitty, Jubilee etc)

I'm also split on how I want the school for gifted youngsters to be portrayed. The comics had a much smaller ratio of students. If I recall correctly, only the main X-Men members while the movies made it a private school with a plethora of students.

I think the movie Mansion should start out smaller with only 16 or so students and grow In subsequent movies

 

[Tymminator]

Probably not to a huge extent, but I would not be surprised to see a more complex Xavier. Kind of like Dumbledore in the later Harry Potter books - genuinely good and kindly, but also a master manipulator.

I like where you are getting at. Dumbledore is a great example of the route I would want them to go with the character.

 

[MasterCat]

Here's what I think should happen

Cyclops, Storm, Rogue, Psylocke, Emma, Gambit, Angel, PhoeniX, Havok, Colossus, Nightcrawler, Forge, Banshee, Bishop, Dazzler and Polaris should be in the same age range like late 20s to early 30s.
Iceman, Shadowcat, Armor, Pixie and Jubilee should be the young crowd of the group. So late teens to early 20s.
The Wolverine and the Beast should be over 40s or late 30s, they should look older than the rest.
Professor X, Cassandra Nova Prime, Cable, Ernst and Magneto should be in their mid 50s.

Again, old X-Men make no sense if their powers appear at puberty. It worked in the first FOX film because it was a blank slate how their universe differed from ours. The old X-Men you want to cast will have been active through a period of at least 11 years from Iron Man to Spider-Man 3.3
There's no believable way a large number of mutants could have hidden themselves that long. SHIELD would have found them, and all of SHIELD's files were leaked to the public at the end of Winter Soldier.
I don't see why some people are so dead set against using the set-up from the Kirby/Lee comics, with some characters from Giant-Size X-Men #1 and Claremont's version of Magneto swapped in. Lack of interest in teenage heroes because they themselves are much older?

 

[Silvermoth]

mid to late 40s



60 is the perfect age to be Xavier.

Yeah Charles should have grivatas. He should be one of those people in the marvel u who when they speak, people say “oh ok I have to listen to this”

This guy played Electra's dad in the Ben Affleck Daredevil movie, right?

He did! But different universe

Would anyone have a problem if they took a que from the Ultimate comics where Wolverine started off working for Magneto and the Brotherhood?

In the case of the movie, I was thinking that they could substitute Magneto and the Brotherhood with Mr. Sinister and Marauders and have Wolverine defect during the third act of the film in time for the climax.

I would prefer he was an ex maurader. There’s enough cool brotherhood members to get through before adding more, especially attention hogs like wolverine

 

[psylockolussus]

Again, old X-Men make no sense if their powers appear at puberty. It worked in the first FOX film because it was a blank slate how their universe differed from ours. The old X-Men you want to cast will have been active through a period of at least 11 years from Iron Man to Spider-Man 3.3
There's no believable way a large number of mutants could have hidden themselves that long. SHIELD would have found them, and all of SHIELD's files were leaked to the public at the end of Winter Soldier.
I don't see why some people are so dead set against using the set-up from the Kirby/Lee comics, with some characters from Giant-Size X-Men #1 and Claremont's version of Magneto swapped in. Lack of interest in teenage heroes because they themselves are much older?

And again since whendid I mention that I wanted the X-Men for their first few films in the established MCU timeline? No I didn't. Also I want the X-Men to be older and eXperienced in the first film. You need to read the older posts in this thread before you complain someone's post.

 

[MasterCat]

And again since whendid I mention that I wanted the X-Men for their first few films in the established MCU timeline? No I didn't. Also I want the X-Men to be older and eXperienced in the first film.

OK, so you're for a rebooted X-Men-only universe.
I don't think Feige will go for that.

 

[Gamma Goliath]

That's foxmen again but better. I want a true mcu xmen. It's a real challenge that marvel should be welcoming.

 

[The Infernal]

Would anyone have a problem if they took a que from the Ultimate comics where Wolverine started off working for Magneto and the Brotherhood?

In the case of the movie, I was thinking that they could substitute Magneto and the Brotherhood with Mr. Sinister and Marauders and have Wolverine defect during the third act of the film in time for the climax.

Then you've just given Wolverine Gambit's backstory. Gambit should be the one to track down and form Sinister's Mauraders. That way you can set up the trial of Gambit storyline.

OK, so you're for a rebooted X-Men-only universe.
I don't think Feige will go for that.

Having them separate would just be silly. Audiences want to see them together and explaining why they're both now back at Marvel proper and can never crossover would just make for a convoluted mess.