New Interview - Kinberg and Penn Speak

[Sparta*]

A lot of people are going to be pissed about Cyclops. You can't just kill off someone who was a major part in the first 2 movies, and a major part in the Dark Phoenix saga, in the first like 10 minutes of the movie. I'm sure Kinberg and Penn were pushed by studio execs to do this because Marsden decided to film Superman as well. Superman is competition for X3, and they knew this...Marsden was down-sized purely out of spite IMO and I blame the studio primarily.

 

[The Ones]

They didnt put ganbit in because they didnt want him to have a cameo?? Bollocks. Colossus, Shadowcat, Pyro and more had cameos before going on to have larger roles in the sequels.

 

[Cyclops Lives!!]

Lies,lies,lies!!They know they've done wrong and they're trying to blame FOX for this b******t!!Why tell us that Cyclops fans will be happy with his role?They haven't the guts to mention his name!We all know that everybody;s complaining about his death but they mention Gambit insteed!Everybody's responsible!!I can't believe Stan Lee acceppted to participate!They could have added 10 minutes to the short length of the movie with Cyke's scenes!How can you expect those money worshippers at FOX would respect Cyclops when MARVEL doesn't even care!!

 

[LastSunrise1981]

I blame Fox for a lot of the flaws though. After X2 they waited too long to find a director, instead of already having a replacement ready when Bryan left to do SR.

I remember Ratner being one of the main directors that was considered to do the X-Men movies. I believe had they hired Ratner after Singer, we would've gotten a longer movie and probably more Cyclops scenes. However, it's obvious Fox wanted to be childish, bitter, senile, and stupid about Marsden doing Superman, so they figured let's make an example out of him and really piss off the fans.

Rothman, if anything, has shown that he has no clear vision and he's all about making money, ruining stories, and making changes that not only affect the balance of what makes the theme unique, but rather doing it so he can literally give the finger to each and everyone of us.

To quote the great Magneto; "They wish to cure us. Well I say, that we are the cure." We are our own cure and we definitely have a voice, a mind, and a ideal compared to what Rothman believes we want to see or hear. In the end we can decide to see it or not see the film. My decision? I'm going to see it on opening night and I'll form my own conclusion.

If I don't like what I see, then I'll voice my disgust and displeasure to Fox headquarters, Penn, and Kinberg. Until then it's best we move on and just let it go at this point.

 

[Kurosawa]

Nice apology-er, I mean interview.

These guys aren't the greatest writers in the world, but they wrote what they were told to write by hacks like Rothman. If it wasn't them it'd just been somebody else writing it.

Still, the X-Men movie franchise can go to hell as far as i'm concerned.

 

[taintedFB]

Our only hope is that FOX hears our outcry and new writers DO CYCLOPS JUSTICE and bring him back in a sequel/ spin-off.

REMEMBER: His "death" is the ONLY death NOT shown on camera... its open to interpretation. Just because characters think he's dead, doesn't mean he is.

 

[Octoberist]

The problem with this interview, while good, is that I don't buy any of that stuff.

1. CYCLOPS- It was a mandate from Fox to kill him off? What? I know that they're getting paid, but I wonder if they actually fought to keep him alive (coma, etc). But if money talks, silence is golden I guess. And I'm shocked that Penn, a guy who's been with the franchise from the start, seems to take it very noncharlet.

2. GAMBIT- It makes SENSE if they're going to make another X-Men movie. But I bet anyone that when they were writing the script, X4 was not set in stone.

Fox is advertising this as the LAST STAND. If Penn, Kinberg, or Ratner didn't fight for Cyclops, I doubt that they would fight for an X4 either.

So basically, it's shady on the Gambit and Cyclops ordeals. Cyclops being political, and Gambit being the wishy washy answer.

 

[ccopas]

My only question would be why they felt the Dark Phoenix Saga wasn't enough of a story to tell on it's own? Why combine the story with the cure plotline? It makes no sense to me. I wouldd rather not have them make the movie at all then deviate from the original so much. I agree killing Cyclops cheapens the entire story. (and I'm not a big Cyke fan) Scott not being the one at the end with Jean would be like Gwen Stacy not being killed. Oh well, I think the majority of the blame falls on Marsden. If he was a better actor I bet they would have kept him in the movie. He has got to be the most wooden actor I have ever seen on screen, and completly miscast to play opposite of Famke, she looks old enough to be his mother.

 

[X-Maniac]

I can imagine they might want to keep back Gambit as a major star part for a future movie...

I'm sure Cyclops' fate was a Fox mandate... Even in X2, Cyke got reduced screentime so that Wolverine could take centre stage...So even if Singer was doing X3, he might well have also been ordered to remove/kill Cyclops...

 

[Octoberist]

My only question would be why they felt the Dark Phoenix Saga wasn't enough of a story to tell on it's own? Why combine the story with the cure plotline? It makes no sense to me. I wouldd rather not have them make the movie at all then deviate from the original so much. I agree killing Cyclops cheapens the entire story. (and I'm not a big Cyke fan) Scott not being the one at the end with Jean would be like Gwen Stacy not being killed. Oh well, I think the majority of the blame falls on Marsden. If he was a better actor I bet they would have kept him in the movie. He has got to be the most wooden actor I have ever seen on screen, and completly miscast to play opposite of Famke, she looks old enough to be his mother.

I don't think he was that bad. It's not like he had much to do anyway.

I never thought that Halle Berry was good as Storm, but then again, she never really did anything too. Makes sense?

 

[Electrix]

They have a good reason not to include Gambit.

They will have been told what to do with Cyclops, mainly due to with FOX having a grudge that he did Superman and because he wasnt availiable. They dont show a body so he could come back if they do an X4.

 

[Octoberist]

I can imagine they might want to keep back Gambit as a major star part for a future movie...

I'm sure Cyclops' fate was a Fox mandate... Even in X2, Cyke got reduced screentime so that Wolverine could take centre stage...So even if Singer was doing X3, he might well have also been ordered to remove/kill Cyclops...

But with X4, as of right now, it's just fanboy talk. Honest to God. Once there's more gossip or an offical announcement about X4, then I'll get excited about Gambit. But for now, it's just talking the talk.

And with Cyclops, he better come back. I think that the fans need to speak up this time, and hopefully they'll listen. I CAN see them bring Marsden back due to the secret ending in X3....

 

[X-Maniac]

My only question would be why they felt the Dark Phoenix Saga wasn't enough of a story to tell on it's own? Why combine the story with the cure plotline? It makes no sense to me. I wouldd rather not have them make the movie at all then deviate from the original so much. I agree killing Cyclops cheapens the entire story. (and I'm not a big Cyke fan) Scott not being the one at the end with Jean would be like Gwen Stacy not being killed. Oh well, I think the majority of the blame falls on Marsden. If he was a better actor I bet they would have kept him in the movie. He has got to be the most wooden actor I have ever seen on screen, and completly miscast to play opposite of Famke, she looks old enough to be his mother.

The cure story reaches out to the public much more than 'mutant woman goes nuts'.

A friend of mine said yesterday, after seeing the trailer for the first time, that it's the first time he can remember a big, obvious, deep theme in a superhero movie, something people can relate to. Especially if you are in a minority. There has been similar controversy among the deaf community with the cochlear implants that can 'cure' deafness - many deaf people do not like the idea of being seen as something to be cured..

 

[Octoberist]

They have a good reason not to include Gambit.

They will have been told what to do with Cyclops, mainly due to with FOX having a grudge that he did Superman and because he wasnt availiable. They dont show a body so he could come back if they do an X4.

It's only a good excuse if they're going ahead with X4. As of right now, nothings set. Even Jackman stated many times that this is the last X-Men movie. nothing ambigious about it.

Once Fox makes it official, Gambit is officially the only member of the X-Men team from the Fox cartoons to never hit the big screen.

 

[LastSunrise1981]

It's only a good excuse if they're going ahead with X4. As of right now, nothings set. Even Jackman stated many times that this is the last X-Men movie. nothing ambigious about it.

Once Fox makes it official, Gambit is officially the only member of the X-Men team from the Fox cartoons to never hit the big screen.

Jackman said it's the last of the trilogy. The trilogy is complete, once the money pours in and it makes its budget back, then another X-Men will be made as its really unavoidable at this point.

 

[ccopas]

I don't think he was that bad. It's not like he had much to do anyway.

I never thought that Halle Berry was good as Storm, but then again, she never really did anything too. Makes sense?

Well, honestly I think the majority of the cast was miscast in the first film. Ian, Patrick, Hugh, and Rebecca were the only 4 that, in my opinion were correctly cast. The other's were woefully miscast and Singer's work on the first film was pitiful. I really felt like I was watching an episode of the classic batman show where Magneto is going to use his "big bad evil mutant" machine on New York. Blah.
Famke was fine as Jean but they should have gotten someone her age to play Cyclops. They looked ridiculous together. It was so unbelievable that she would stay with Scott over Logan.
Marsden was laughable, I remember actually laughing outloud several times during the movie because he was so bad.
Rogue was miscast, and her character was a complete Kitty Pryde clone. Oh well, at least we'll always have X2 and Alan Cummings amazing performance.

 

[ccopas]

The cure story reaches out to the public much more than 'mutant woman goes nuts'.

A friend of mine said yesterday, after seeing the trailer for the first time, that it's the first time he can remember a big, obvious, deep theme in a superhero movie, something people can relate to. Especially if you are in a minority. There has been similar controversy among the deaf community with the cochlear implants that can 'cure' deafness - many deaf people do not like the idea of being seen as something to be cured..

I agree with you, I just wish they would have left the dark phoenix storyline out of it. It does sound like the cure storyline sounds more interesting and that it gets "bogged" down by the Phoenix story. They should have made two seperate movies.

 

[Octoberist]

Jackman said it's the last of the trilogy. The trilogy is complete, once the money pours in and it makes its budget back, then another X-Men will be made as its really unavoidable at this point.

You're right. But it sounds like the filmmakers want to make another one, but Fox doesn't want to. That's what I'm getting.

Money does talk , so I hope that X4 will be made. Fox would be stupid not to make another one. X-Men is the only franchise that they have, really. If not, Marvel should get X-Men out of Fox and onto a different studio..

 

[Octoberist]

Well, honestly I think the majority of the cast was miscast in the first film. Ian, Patrick, Hugh, and Rebecca were the only 4 that, in my opinion were correctly cast. The other's were woefully miscast and Singer's work on the first film was pitiful. I really felt like I was watching an episode of the classic batman show where Magneto is going to use his "big bad evil mutant" machine on New York. Blah.
Famke was fine as Jean but they should have gotten someone her age to play Cyclops. They looked ridiculous together. It was so unbelievable that she would stay with Scott over Logan.
Marsden was laughable, I remember actually laughing outloud several times during the movie because he was so bad.
Rogue was miscast, and her character was a complete Kitty Pryde clone. Oh well, at least we'll always have X2 and Alan Cummings amazing performance.

Singer had a hard time with Fox, who cut the budget in half and moved the release date from Christmas 2000 (X Mas..hahaha) to Summer 2000. So they didn't have a lotta time to deal with things.

I have to say, however, that I liked the jokes in X1 better than X2. It was more...geniune. I think we have to thank Joss Wheldon for that. Though he was the same guy who came up with the Storm line.

 

[Retroman]

Well, honestly I think the majority of the cast was miscast in the first film. Ian, Patrick, Hugh, and Rebecca were the only 4 that, in my opinion were correctly cast. The other's were woefully miscast and Singer's work on the first film was pitiful. I really felt like I was watching an episode of the classic batman show where Magneto is going to use his "big bad evil mutant" machine on New York. Blah.
Famke was fine as Jean but they should have gotten someone her age to play Cyclops. They looked ridiculous together. It was so unbelievable that she would stay with Scott over Logan.
Marsden was laughable, I remember actually laughing outloud several times during the movie because he was so bad.
Rogue was miscast, and her character was a complete Kitty Pryde clone. Oh well, at least we'll always have X2 and Alan Cummings amazing performance.

You compare X-Men to the campy batman show? I doubt you've seen it or else you wouldn't make such a ridiculous comparison.

 

[Octoberist]

NOt only that, I'm sure Magneto did some ridicious stuff in the comcis too. Who cares, right? It's a comic book movie: Enough said!

 

[Retroman]

Singer had a hard time with Fox, who cut the budget in half and moved the release date from Christmas 2000 (X Mas..hahaha) to Summer 2000. So they didn't have a lotta time to deal with things.

I have to say, however, that I liked the jokes in X1 better than X2. It was more...geniune. I think we have to thank Joss Wheldon for that. Though he was the same guy who came up with the Storm line.

Exactly. Lots of cuts were made and casting didn't go as planned either. They had the ordeal with Dougray Scott and James Caviezel bailed out on the Cyclops role.

 

[Octoberist]

alot of stuff happened. While X1 wasn't pergfect, it was enjoyable. I liked Jackman as Logan, and his relationship with Rogue. It was great.

 

[ccopas]

You compare X-Men to the campy batman show? I doubt you've seen it or else you wouldn't make such a ridiculous comparison.

Yes I saw it, and the movie was terrible. The plot resembled a plot from the campy batman tv show. They were interchangeable, excpet Marsden and Adam West, West is a better actor.

 

[Octoberist]

Crap, he wasn't that bad.

Not to say that West is a bad actor. He's a god.