"That was not the way it was written": X3 writer on the movie

[Goddessreicho]

Where was the character interaction? Did Jean and Scott tell us anything about thier realationship? Did Storm reveal her posistion in the heirarchy? Did she and Scott have a tacticle descussion, showing thier different syles? Where was a scene outside of the leather between Jean and Ororo?

Where was the X-baseball game?

When did the X-men work as a cohesive team without having to be rescued by Wolverine and not actually lose the fight?

What's Scott's story that doesn't involve Jean?

Where Ororo's story, or theiving skills?

Where's the mention of other older X-men?

 

[X-Maniac]

I agree with much of what you say. A lot of the traditional comicbook interactions and motivations were abandoned by Bryan Singer.

We found out nothing about the actual X-Men in the first movie - we were told that Storm, Jean and Cyclops were among the first students and that was it! An X-Men movie with no background on the X-Men!!!

I still enjoy all three movies as cinematic versions of the comicbooks, but so much more could have been done.

 

[javon]

^I agree with you Maniac.

 

[liamoversion2]

To those of you still feeling incredible anger over not seeing The Phoenix Saga done justice, I'd just like to say that I think one day we will see the Phoenix Saga done properly on the big screen - it's only a matter of time before someone sees the potential and decides to do it. I mean, it only took Bryan Singer one look at X-men history to decide that he was going to plant seeds for Phoenix from day one.

I guess the timing just wasn't right. The Phoenix saga explores many themes, but the most important for me personally is that it's primarily an exploration of the limits of the human mind - a woman pushed to the absolute edge of consciousness, touching on something greater, on the cusp of attaining Godhood, but then becomming corrupted.

That's a pretty heavy theme... maybe (and I hope this doesn't sound tacky), but maybe it just wasn't the right time for us to see that movie... I mean if it had been, then the forces in play would have been pressurised into giving us that movie... this is what I believe...

The same thing happened in X-men evolution. The fifth season was going to deal with Jean's transformation, and then they just decided to cancel the show. I mean, WTF? What kind of crazy karmic forces are really at play here? What is it about that story that sends people running ?

Like I said, one day. It's only a matter of time before we see an enigmatic Jean Grey, firebirds, Phoenix screams, and deep, emotive, cosmic drama. IT JUST HAS TO HAPPEN!

 

[ntcrawler]

THe "biggest X-Men fans" didn't actually read the comics. just look at the artwork on the covers. And lookiing at the script, that is how it was written. IT was just written pretty freaking badly.

 

[X-Maniac]

To those of you still feeling incredible anger over not seeing The Phoenix Saga done justice, I'd just like to say that I think one day we will see the Phoenix Saga done properly on the big screen - it's only a matter of time before someone sees the potential and decides to do it. I mean, it only took Bryan Singer one look at X-men history to decide that he was going to plant seeds for Phoenix from day one.

I guess the timing just wasn't right. The Phoenix saga explores many themes, but the most important for me personally is that it's primarily an exploration of the limits of the human mind - a woman pushed to the absolute edge of consciousness, touching on something greater, on the cusp of attaining Godhood, but then becomming corrupted.

That's a pretty heavy theme... maybe (and I hope this doesn't sound tacky), but maybe it just wasn't the right time for us to see that movie... I mean if it had been, then the forces in play would have been pressurised into giving us that movie... this is what I believe...

The same thing happened in X-men evolution. The fifth season was going to deal with Jean's transformation, and then they just decided to cancel the show. I mean, WTF? What kind of crazy karmic forces are really at play here? What is it about that story that sends people running ?

Like I said, one day. It's only a matter of time before we see an enigmatic Jean Grey, firebirds, Phoenix screams, and deep, emotive, cosmic drama. IT JUST HAS TO HAPPEN!

You'd think the time was right. Space movies (Star Wars etc) are around, epic disaster movies too, and superhero movies can be confidently and accurately done (Spider-Man, Batman Begins).

I hope that somehow Phoenix can return, but i doubt you'll get a total reboot of the story for many years.

If we get another X-movie soon, maybe X3's version was an unstable clone while the real Jean still slumbers...Or maybe it was the real Jean and she did die, but she has been secretly cloned into a new version called Rachel or Madelyne....

 

[Goddessreicho]

I highly doubt it. Most writers looks at the bigger picture and how the larger crowds will recieve it. The drawback of the Phoenix saga is just that.

It's been told before, over and over, and over, and over and over again. Well, what's one more time, you say.

The ending. The fact that this woman dies and comes back, again and again isn't something that will go over well. Heck look at people who knew nothing about Jean and how they saw her ressurection. They laughed at it. Really. Most people found it totally laughable. They paid 10$ to see a woman's body who was washed away in the previous movie only to come back again.

This is something that anyone can see on any countries day time soap-opera for free. We already got far to many soap-opera themes in this as it is, by the writers focusing on Logan and Jean while she was already in a monogomous realationship.

I have no idea if they should try to salvage what's left of the x-men, and try to make them better more through characters, or not.

Edit: OH GOD! No clones or evil twins, time traveling, or alternate universes! NO NO NO. Again way to soap-opera-y and far to predictable. There's no way that wouldn't be the laughing stock of the year.

 

[ntcrawler]

And Penn wrote:

"The studio didn't want to do Pheonix, period. And I'm talking five months before filming began, they were like, "No, no, no, we're not going to do Pheonix, we're doing Magneto versus the X-Men." We felt confident we would win the fight. We lost, to be quite frank. If you see the first half of the movie, we won every fight, and if you see the second half, we did not win every fight....

What the hell? What do you mean you won? That wasn't Phoenix. You call that a victory? Maybe for your own sick twisted, version sure. The Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde that you consider brilliant. The Jean that comes back instantly evil and starts killing the same people she just saved and for no reason. If that's the case, then in retrospect FOX was right for not letting you put in the Phoenix. Resurrections should not be taken for granted, and if you only get one chance to do it right, there's nothing worse than rushing it and messing it up. Your idea of a victory messed it up on all counts.

Won every fight? Oh you mean like Cyke's death? It's obvious how you went against FOX's wishes with this one and "won".

The only justice to have done was to let you lose and send Jean back to the land of the dead where she could be with her dead love, the one you imagined she'd kill in cold blood.

 

[X-Maniac]

THe "biggest X-Men fans" didn't actually read the comics. just look at the artwork on the covers. And lookiing at the script, that is how it was written. IT was just written pretty freaking badly.

But it's never been truly representative from Day 1. It's been a version of events and a very enjoyable one too, but many elements were misportrayed or omitted or changed. Iceman being a student, Rogue being a wimp, Jean being a doctor, Storm being scared, etc etc.. we've been over this before, you know what I mean... and Bryan's interpretation of the Phoenix saga in the first two movies was very different from the comics.

 

[X-Maniac]

OH GOD! No clones or evil twins, time traveling, or alternate universes! NO NO NO. Again way to soap-opera-y and far to predictable. There's no way that wouldn't be the laughing stock of the year.

It might well be the laughing stock in the X-universe as currently depicted on screen, yes... and there's only so many times an audience can see a character come back to life (except Dracula!).

I'd be quite happy with cloning and time-travel. After all, Multiple Man is a living example of cloning at work - they could use him to establish the technology!

These ARE comicbook superheroes. I didn't read the comics to watch them sip coffee or lie on the couch farting in front of the TV.

 

[ntcrawler]

^^^ Immortals from Highlander keep coming back and not dying and no one gets tired of them or considers it silly. Why should they about Jean/Phoenix? Except that the immortals don't take their death lightly, and when they do come back, they make sure to stick around at least for dinner

 

[Hunter_Poe]

Honestly, what the hell happened with scott....thats all i want to know you got to 5'Oclock man.

 

[Goddessreicho]

Jean isn't a god. Especially not in the movie-verse. She isn't immortal. Even the Highlanders had a weakness. Once decapitated they were finished. They didn't have to think away problems either. She needs bounderies. This is why I think the Phoenix Saga is over for good. All powerful characters make lousy people to tell a story about. They took a big risk to do this, and it may have paid of fiancially, but artitically they screwed up and they know it.

X-manic if you didn't read the comics to watch them be normal, then why support Singer's "realalistic vision."

 

[Mike059jig]

WOW..These Idiots could of taken so much heat off their shoulders if they did what fox told...make this movie X-men Vs magneto like all the first two movies then everyone would be happy....simple as that, But no...they had try be the writers to helm the Dark Pheonix Saga where they failed miserable...fight for what?.....FOX was saving them from Heat and the writers brougtht the heat on themselves, Fox made their job very easy and they just complicated it.....6 months to shoot two story lines?? they could barely shoot one storyline in the fist 2 movies...they guys need to stay away from X-men...

 

[liamoversion2]

I highly doubt it. Most writers looks at the bigger picture and how the larger crowds will recieve it. The drawback of the Phoenix saga is just that.

It's been told before, over and over, and over, and over and over again. Well, what's one more time, you say.

The ending. The fact that this woman dies and comes back, again and again isn't something that will go over well. Heck look at people who knew nothing about Jean and how they saw her ressurection. They laughed at it. Really. Most people found it totally laughable. They paid 10$ to see a woman's body who was washed away in the previous movie only to come back again.

This is something that anyone can see on any countries day time soap-opera for free. We already got far to many soap-opera themes in this as it is, by the writers focusing on Logan and Jean while she was already in a monogomous realationship.

I have no idea if they should try to salvage what's left of the x-men, and try to make them better more through characters, or not.

Edit: OH GOD! No clones or evil twins, time traveling, or alternate universes! NO NO NO. Again way to soap-opera-y and far to predictable. There's no way that wouldn't be the laughing stock of the year.

I completely disagree... The Phoenix Saga was pretty much the only reason X-men survived... There are still X-men today because of that story.

Go and watch X-men 'The Last Cr*p' again and tell me there's anything better in it than the scenes involving Jean Grey... just try.

Even though the Jean Grey we got was a pretty bad fascimile (Famke was still amazing), the scenes involving Jean are the only ones worth watching. They're the only ones with any real drama or with anything going on that's of any real consequence - even if what she's doing makes little sense. Atomizing Xavier? uh...ohhh---kay ???

The rest of the movie is pure unadulterated crap. Take Jean out of the equation and all you've got is one serious pile of s**t. It was friggin disgraceful.

 

[Mike059jig]

What?Even though this movies sucked.....I enjoyed Magneto's scene...over Lady in red that said nothing in the other half of the movie

 

[Cyclops]

Excuses, excuses, excuses. I have never heard a screenwriter whine so damn much about negative opinions.

"We hate your ****ty excuse for a script, you hack!"
"Waahh!! It's not my fault! Waahh!! FOX changed things! You guys are so mean!!"

 

[PeRfEcT_StOrM]

exactly..plz gimme a break...sigh..

 

[Goddessreicho]

Jean Grey...hmm! Oh You mean the wooden silent board who took on the role of Carrie on steriods with no soul, just like all of the other X-men.

No, I'm not wasting my time watching the X-men again.

Jean who risked everything only to turn around and callously undo everything she did. If Storm and Logan hadn't gotten the X-men away from there then Logan would have been the last one left, and Jean would have obliterated everyone everywhere. Now what kind of story would that have been.

Oh by the way, she probably slaughtered her parents too. Or she took away thier dreamhouse while they weren't home.

Ugg...How cruel is that?

Famke was amazing in a role that demanded nothing but a angry face, um ok sure whatever.

Look step back and get out of the Famke fanboyism and see the ultimate fault of X3. With no emotion from the character who was planted to bring out emotion, my lack of empathy is warrented.

 

[ntcrawler]

Excuses, excuses, excuses. I have never heard a screenwriter whine so damn much about negative opinions.

He sounds even whinier than Alan Cummings

"We hate your ****ty excuse for a script, you hack!"
"Waahh!! It's not my fault! Waahh!! FOX changed things! You guys are so mean!!"

FOX changed things? It's no longer your script? Then don't put your name on it or on the credits, you dumb-ass

 

[X-Maniac]

X-manic if you didn't read the comics to watch them be normal, then why support Singer's "realalistic vision."

I wouldn't say I 'support' it. But I prefer to find enjoyment than keep crapping on my own doorstep and making myself hate everything.

I enjoy all three movies. X1 was made at a time before superhero movies were popular, it was given a low budget and was fairly hesitant and toned down. So the launchpad for this series was given no commitment or confidence. Bryan did a good job with what he had. Far from perfect, but still enjoyable.

But now, seven years after X1 was being made, the superhero movie market is more confident. More money is thrown at these films, people are more interested in them.

 

[ntcrawler]

Jean Grey...hmm! Oh You mean the wooden silent board who took on the role of Carrie on steriods with no soul, just like all of the other X-men.

Yeah, that one. The hysterical-gone-berzerk Jean in X3 with no soul, no conflict, no personality except during her brief reunion at Alkali Lake. A cross between Carrie, and Lucy from Bram SToker's Dracula. "Come to me, Jonathan..."? More like "Come to me, Scott Summers..."

Jean who risked everything only to turn around and callously undo everything she did.

Yeah, wasn't that a brilliant plot twist and character development?

If Storm and Logan hadn't gotten the X-men away from there then Logan would have been the last one left, and Jean would have obliterated everyone everywhere. Now what kind of story would that have been.

A conclusion to a storyarc/ End of a trilogy? That'd be one hell of a way to end things, wouldn't it? That or it could then be truly seen as a bad dream

Oh by the way, she probably slaughtered her parents too. Or she took away thier dreamhouse while they weren't home.

Ugg...How cruel is that?

To some people, that would be considered a brilliant way to portray just how mean and nasty and tormented she is. To the rest of us? Which again wouldn't make sense for someone to be like this after just a few months ago heroically giving up her life to save everyone else's. Now she's back and blasting away the same people she saved without a moment's hesitation. WTH?

Famke was amazing in a role that demanded nothing but a angry face, um ok sure whatever.

Don't forget she got help from digital makeup

Look step back and get out of the Famke fanboyism and see the ultimate fault of X3. With no emotion from the character who was planted to bring out emotion, my lack of empathy is warrented.

She had emotion, but it was too one-sided IMHO. there was no good side, no hint of struggle or conflict or regret. More like Jean Grey: Bad, Insane, Berzerk, and Loving It!!!

 

[kooguy911]

If you want to see a movie that has no character interaction, personality, or essemble attitude, then go see Batman And Robin.


If you think X3 is bad, you fans are lucky it isnt as bad as B&R....

 

[Majik1387]

Sounds like bullshiit.

Didn't they do a question/answer thing a while back on the X-Verse about X-3? And didn't one of the writers say that they did write the phoenix fire into the script, and even gave an "excerpt" of the Alcatraz battle of Jean being bright and burning as the sun is but in the shape of the Phoenix?

If you want to see a movie that has no character interaction, personality, or essemble attitude, then go see Batman And Robin.
If you think X3 is bad, you fans are lucky it isnt as bad as B&R....

At least B&R was meant to be the campy mess that it is.

 

[liamoversion2]

Yeah, that one. The hysterical-gone-berzerk Jean in X3 with no soul, no conflict, no personality except during her brief reunion at Alkali Lake. A cross between Carrie, and Lucy from Bram SToker's Dracula. "Come to me, Jonathan..."? More like "Come to me, Scott Summers..."



Yeah, wasn't that a brilliant plot twist and character development?


A conclusion to a storyarc/ End of a trilogy? That'd be one hell of a way to end things, wouldn't it? That or it could then be truly seen as a bad dream



To some people, that would be considered a brilliant way to portray just how mean and nasty and tormented she is. To the rest of us? Which again wouldn't make sense for someone to be like this after just a few months ago heroically giving up her life to save everyone else's. Now she's back and blasting away the same people she saved without a moment's hesitation. WTH?



Don't forget she got help from digital makeup



She had emotion, but it was too one-sided IMHO. there was no good side, no hint of struggle or conflict or regret. More like Jean Grey: Bad, Insane, Berzerk, and Loving It!!!

Yes you're both right. That's not what I'm arguing here. The Phoenix we got was a terrible fascimile. Didn't I already say this? But the rest of the movie was FAR WORSE!!!! Oh my God Ian Mckellen's scenes were disgracefully bad. The rest of the movie made even less sense than what was happening with Jean, and that's saying a LOT!

There's not really mucy point in picking small inconsistancies and flaws because the whole screenplay was an absolute f**king sham. It's not just one aspect that needs critical attention, it's every single little detail, beginning with the very basic concepts.

But yeah, I stand by what I said... I thought Famke did a friggin AMAZING job giving life to a character when she was given probably less than ten lines of dialogue. She did better than Halle could have in three whole movies.