X3 Fanedit Project

[henzINNIT]

With The Wolverine and Days Of Future Past, it's great to see the X-Men series finally picking up after The Last Stand. I've considered starting a fanedit for the bungled third entry for some time, and now seems like a good time to really start laying some ideas out. There's obviously a limit to what can be done, but I feel with the deleted footage available there are few changes that can be made to improve the experience.

I'm currently between computers so it will be a little while before I can really get started, but I thought it would be great to start a dialogue with other fans about ideas for improvement.

Some early ideas I have:

-Restore the Xavier V/O for continuity.
-Trim around Xavier walking in the prologue (obvious and easily do-able).
-Move Xavier funeral to the end of the film for a more satisfying closure, and to quicken the pace between his death and the finale.
-Use the alternate ending of Logan leaving the team to better tie the film into The Wolverine.
-Trim some of the more offensive lines (Juggernaught, I'm looking at you)

There's other things rattling around my head, but I'd love to hear the thoughts of you guys. XOW is basically a write-off to me, so I wouldn't object to using footage from that either, though I doubt there's much of use.

 

[marvelrobbins]

I would sugest cutting the opening entirely as well as cutting the use of name "Moia Mactaggert" from classroom scene.also edit some of deleted scenes back Into film.

 

[psylockolussus]

-Edit out the name Secretary Trask.

 

[henzINNIT]

-Edit out the name Secretary Trask.

Good idea. Will do this if possible.

 

[Binker]

I'm doing the exact same project, lol. Two of the things of the things you're doing, I'm doing as well. The others, not really, which is where mine and yours will be quite different.

 

[BH/HHH]

I'm doing the exact same project, lol. Two of the things of the things you're doing, I'm doing as well. The others, not really, which is where mine and yours will be quite different.

So what else are you doing with yours?

 

[Binker]

Should I share my ideas? Well, if I were to share one idea I want to do, its this: one of the deleted scenes (which most of those and the alternate scenes will be restored, while cutting out some things from the film itself that should've been considered deleted scenes) was a shot of the phoenix from X2 followed by the X-jet landing in D.C. Because there wasn't any info on why this scene was made, I have this speculation that I want to try onto my project/cut: I believe, since X2 was said by Singer to be the Trek II/Empire of the films, that maybe one of his ideas or Ratner's was to pull a Trek III and open with the ending of X2. I think I can do this, but the problem is the other opening shots from the actual X3. I know people here said they should be cut out, but honestly I want to create an alternate version of the film as if it was done back in '06. And by then, the Wolverine spinoff was the only thing (along with an X4) that was on people's minds, so I should recut and repair this film as if I was we don't know if there will be an X4 because of the climax, and its rumored that the Wolverine spinoff is the Claremont/Miller story.

That's one idea I'll share

 

[BH/HHH]

Should I share my ideas? Well, if I were to share one idea I want to do, its this: one of the deleted scenes (which most of those and the alternate scenes will be restored, while cutting out some things from the film itself that should've been considered deleted scenes) was a shot of the phoenix from X2 followed by the X-jet landing in D.C. Because there wasn't any info on why this scene was made, I have this speculation that I want to try onto my project/cut: I believe, since X2 was said by Singer to be the Trek II/Empire of the films, that maybe one of his ideas or Ratner's was to pull a Trek III and open with the ending of X2. I think I can do this, but the problem is the other opening shots from the actual X3. I know people here said they should be cut out, but honestly I want to create an alternate version of the film as if it was done back in '06. And by then, the Wolverine spinoff was the only thing (along with an X4) that was on people's minds, so I should recut and repair this film as if I was we don't know if there will be an X4 because of the climax, and its rumored that the Wolverine spinoff is the Claremont/Miller story.

That's one idea I'll share

Why not? I wouldn't even have the tech or the patience to do a fan edit lol

 

[Great Mind(s)]

So I made one. If you guys want I can upload it somewhere. It has:

Xavier v/o
Additional introduction to Pyro and Magneto in the woods (Mags has a beard)
Mental fighting between Jean/Xavier
Alternate Jean Phoenix power display
Kitty/Bobby kiss, this way it shows why Rogue actually wants to leave.
All the additional little Jean moments.
Alternate Wolverine talking to the X-kids before leaving. This version Wolverine doesn't want them to come so Iceman has to explain to him why he needs them. It's a much better version. Wolverine is so nice and comforting in the theatrical cut. In the alternate one, he's more Wolveriney. It's the X-kids who have to turn him around. Then it cuts to Beasts deleted Shakespeare speech.
All the deleted mutant action
Extended Jean destruction
Alternate school re-opening
Wolverine returning to Canada at the end

I tried to trim the Xavier walking but wasn't sure if I wanted to keep it. I also have two versions one where Rogue takes the cure and one where Rogue doesn't...depending if they mention it in DOFP.

The one issue is that the deleted scenes are a little different quality and the music is different in a lot of them...so I have to fade the screen in and out to make it blend together better.

Good idea about editing out Trask and Moira's names. But I like this Moira better than what we got in FC... I'd rather edit her name out of that film.

In my cut, the Xavier monologue v/o merges with the Phoenix in the lake where it gets icy...but I put a blend in so that it goes to a white light before we see the X-jet...and it blends into young Jean's house...

 

[Binker]

Why not?

...why not. Lol

Okay, another thing to take care of is extending the fight scenes. Again, this goes back to putting most of the deleted scenes back in. The battle at the Grey house, and the final battle, all had nice moments from Wolverine, Storm, Beast, even Iceman. I mean Storm electrifies Wolverine to beat Juggernaut, and later causes a wave of water from the sky to cover the attacking mutants and electrocutes them. Iceman freezes the large man and then Colossus punches him into pieces. Why were these taken out?!

One more thing: the original version of the X-Men boarding the X-Jet. For some reason, the better version that was seen in the trailers, the version that wasn't cheesy in its dialogue, was deleted and we got the cheesy version instead. :| I don't understand why, but that needs to be replaced.

Some of the deleted scenes that won't be reinserted are ones like Jean seeing a child cry, or the original version of how she displays her powers at the camp, or even Beat quoting Shakespeare. But some things from the film itself will be deleted, one of them being Wolverine arguing with Storm over leaving the Mansion to get Jean back. I don't know, but that scene was cheesy in its delivery that I feel it should be deleted. In fact, I experimented and saw that without that scene, Logan with Jean's voice and her POV of the camp, then cutting from him looking at Xavier's head plate to the shot (reused from X1) of him leaving on the motorcycle was better.

The only two things that I haven't figured out yet are a) Xavier's return and b) Rogue: cured or not. First of all, I have in mind using the Wolverine at the bar as the post-credits scene. Cool idea, and plus it reflects my rule that I/you must recut/repair this film as if it is still 2006 and you don't know about an X4 but you know that the Wolverine spinoff will most likely use the Claremont/Miller story. That rule comes into my mind to either bend or not when it comes to those scenes, because of Days of Future Past. If I cut out Xavier's return, it would also mean maybe/maybe not cutting out the scene where he talks to the class or cutting out just that part on the coma body. You have to be the storyteller in your recut, so if I were to deleted the class scene, I would end up cutting out Kitty Pryde as a student and she would just be an "X-Kid" sorta speak, thus losing insight of Kitty as a character. Sure, we know her, but others didn't. As for Rogue, same thing but more based on how people felt because it could've been both ways.

Anyway, if anything else, I'll share it.

 

[BH/HHH]

...why not. Lol

Okay, another thing to take care of is extending the fight scenes. Again, this goes back to putting most of the deleted scenes back in. The battle at the Grey house, and the final battle, all had nice moments from Wolverine, Storm, Beast, even Iceman. I mean Storm electrifies Wolverine to beat Juggernaut, and later causes a wave of water from the sky to cover the attacking mutants and electrocutes them. Iceman freezes the large man and then Colossus punches him into pieces. Why were these taken out?!

One more thing: the original version of the X-Men boarding the X-Jet. For some reason, the better version that was seen in the trailers, the version that wasn't cheesy in its dialogue, was deleted and we got the cheesy version instead. :| I don't understand why, but that needs to be replaced.

Some of the deleted scenes that won't be reinserted are ones like Jean seeing a child cry, or the original version of how she displays her powers at the camp, or even Beat quoting Shakespeare. But some things from the film itself will be deleted, one of them being Wolverine arguing with Storm over leaving the Mansion to get Jean back. I don't know, but that scene was cheesy in its delivery that I feel it should be deleted. In fact, I experimented and saw that without that scene, Logan with Jean's voice and her POV of the camp, then cutting from him looking at Xavier's head plate to the shot (reused from X1) of him leaving on the motorcycle was better.

The only two things that I haven't figured out yet are a) Xavier's return and b) Rogue: cured or not. First of all, I have in mind using the Wolverine at the bar as the post-credits scene. Cool idea, and plus it reflects my rule that I/you must recut/repair this film as if it is still 2006 and you don't know about an X4 but you know that the Wolverine spinoff will most likely use the Claremont/Miller story. That rule comes into my mind to either bend or not when it comes to those scenes, because of Days of Future Past. If I cut out Xavier's return, it would also mean maybe/maybe not cutting out the scene where he talks to the class or cutting out just that part on the coma body. You have to be the storyteller in your recut, so if I were to deleted the class scene, I would end up cutting out Kitty Pryde as a student and she would just be an "X-Kid" sorta speak, thus losing insight of Kitty as a character. Sure, we know her, but others didn't. As for Rogue, same thing but more based on how people felt because it could've been both ways.

Anyway, if anything else, I'll share it.

And that's in the deleted scenes on the Blu Ray?

Just do what you gotta do to make the film better for you. I'd love to see this when it's done if possible.

 

[Binker]

And that's in the deleted scenes on the Blu Ray?

Just do what you gotta do to make the film better for you. I'd love to see this when it's done if possible.

And DVD too.

And yeah, I'll keep that in mind.

 

[Great Mind(s)]

I put the Wolverine returning to Canada scene directly after the alternate kids returning to school scene. I deleted the Wolverine watching the tv and seeing Beast and being all satisfied with the x-mansion crap. I originally thought of a mid credit placement but I think its better this way.
After the guy asks if hes heading home and he replies it fades to the golden gate bridge ending...

 

[henzINNIT]

Some interesting ideas presented here.

...why not. Lol

Okay, another thing to take care of is extending the fight scenes. Again, this goes back to putting most of the deleted scenes back in. The battle at the Grey house, and the final battle, all had nice moments from Wolverine, Storm, Beast, even Iceman. I mean Storm electrifies Wolverine to beat Juggernaut, and later causes a wave of water from the sky to cover the attacking mutants and electrocutes them. Iceman freezes the large man and then Colossus punches him into pieces. Why were these taken out?!

One more thing: the original version of the X-Men boarding the X-Jet. For some reason, the better version that was seen in the trailers, the version that wasn't cheesy in its dialogue, was deleted and we got the cheesy version instead. :| I don't understand why, but that needs to be replaced.

Some of the deleted scenes that won't be reinserted are ones like Jean seeing a child cry, or the original version of how she displays her powers at the camp, or even Beat quoting Shakespeare. But some things from the film itself will be deleted, one of them being Wolverine arguing with Storm over leaving the Mansion to get Jean back. I don't know, but that scene was cheesy in its delivery that I feel it should be deleted. In fact, I experimented and saw that without that scene, Logan with Jean's voice and her POV of the camp, then cutting from him looking at Xavier's head plate to the shot (reused from X1) of him leaving on the motorcycle was better.

The only two things that I haven't figured out yet are a) Xavier's return and b) Rogue: cured or not. First of all, I have in mind using the Wolverine at the bar as the post-credits scene. Cool idea, and plus it reflects my rule that I/you must recut/repair this film as if it is still 2006 and you don't know about an X4 but you know that the Wolverine spinoff will most likely use the Claremont/Miller story. That rule comes into my mind to either bend or not when it comes to those scenes, because of Days of Future Past. If I cut out Xavier's return, it would also mean maybe/maybe not cutting out the scene where he talks to the class or cutting out just that part on the coma body. You have to be the storyteller in your recut, so if I were to deleted the class scene, I would end up cutting out Kitty Pryde as a student and she would just be an "X-Kid" sorta speak, thus losing insight of Kitty as a character. Sure, we know her, but others didn't. As for Rogue, same thing but more based on how people felt because it could've been both ways.

Anyway, if anything else, I'll share it.

Those action beats were cut for time mostly. The Iceman freezing Phat was because the effect looks bad. Storm's electric wave was considered too similar to how she dispatches Calisto and therefore redundant.

The alternate boarding sequence was cut was pacing. I agree the unused one was better but it is much slower. I think a mixture of both could work better.

Storm and Logan's argument is cheesy as hell. No way would I keep that either. A lot of material will go in my edit because I want to move from Xavier's death to the climax as quickly as possible.

 

[Binker]

Those action beats were cut for time mostly.

X3 as 104 minutes, just like X1. But X2 was 134 mins, so X3 should've still used those beats because it wasn't like the movie was getting long.

I also decided on another change in my cut; I wasn't sure over the two openings of X3 when I was going to open with the ending of X2, but I worked it out: I'm removing the young Warren flashback. The reason is because of this: young Jean was important, as it reflected the bulk of the story, and it paralleled the later scene between the same three characters of Xavier, Jean, and Magneto. Young Warren doesn't have that, and instead it's just there, pretty much. You still get what you need from Angel and Warren's father without that scene. So removing it would also fix some of the bugs in my recut.

 

[henzINNIT]

Time was a poor choice of words. More like pace.

On the Angel pre-credit sequence, I agree totally. The scene establishes Angel with an importance he just doesn't have. I would be cutting it too. It's a nice little scene though, I've been thinking of ways to incorporate it later as a flashback, but Warren is so minor there's very little room to put it back in. I might put in some glimpses of it before he approaches the team for asylum.

 

[Binker]

Time was a poor choice of words. More like pace.

On the Angel pre-credit sequence, I agree totally. The scene establishes Angel with an importance he just doesn't have. I would be cutting it too. It's a nice little scene though, I've been thinking of ways to incorporate it later as a flashback, but Warren is so minor there's very little room to put it back in. I might put in some glimpses of it before he approaches the team for asylum.

I disagree on pacing too. But then again, I or we won't know until we start the editing and see how it looks.

As for using the Angel pre-credit as a flashback; I thought about that once for Jean's pre-credit, but I couldn't see it as anything else but an awkward cut, and that'll be the same for Angel's pre-credit.

 

[henzINNIT]

A rough cut list I've come up with for an X3: Cured Edition:


- Xavier Voice-Over
- Opening credits, tweaked with new title card
- Xavier and Magneto visit the Grey house (shots of Xavier walking cut for continuity)
- Danger Room sequence
- Scott haunted by Jean, cut straight into him on his motorcycle.
- Beast is summoned to the White House, Mystique interrogation (references to Trask cut)
- Charles and his students, Charles talks to Storm
- Beast visits the school, informs them of the cure
- Magneto crashes a mutant meeting
- Mystique in the mobile prison (re-coloured for night time)
- Rogue decides to leave (may use shots of her looking out of the window from the Bobby/Kitty scene, followed by her leaving and talking to Logan)
- Beast visits the cure facility, meets Leech
- Angel arrives at Worthington labs, refuses the cure (pre-credit sequence integrated in Nolan-esque flashes to better communicate his relationship with Worthington Sr.)
- Iceman discovers Rogue's absence, encounters Pyro at a cure centre
- Magneto frees Mystique and recruits Juggernaught (Multiple Man cut – he's pointless)
- Magneto discusses the weaponised cure, Beast resigns his role in the white house
- Scott arrives at Alkali Lake, awakens Phoenix. They embrace. Cut to...
- Xavier's horrified reaction. Storm and Wolverine go to investigate.
- Jean is recovered, Logan and Xavier discuss her condition (dialogue trimmed to reduce Professor *******.)
- Using the shots of Xavier using his power on an unconscious Jean, the fate of Scott is revealed as though Xavier reading her mind.
- Jean awakens again, throws her little strop and leaves the mansion.
- The X-Men arrive at Jean's house, fight fight fight. Xavier gets confetti'd. Fade out.
- Open on Magneto rallying his troops in the woods, while Logan looks on. Logan confronts Jean and Magneto gives him a swift exit. Calisto remarks about the dangers of Jean on their side.
- Shot of the empty chair, Storm and the others discuss what to do with the school.
- Logan returns and warns of Magneto's plan
- Magneto moves the bridge. Jean sensing a frightened child added.
- Alternate suit-up scene
- The final action sequence remains largely unchanged. Cut the obvious Juggy dialogue and maybe add some of the deleted action beats.
- Logan kills Jean
- Xavier's funeral. Storm's speech now inter-cut with some character fates. We see that Rogue has returned and refused the cure. Logan leaves the mansion (utilising shots of him packing and driving off cut from earlier). A new school year begins with Storm and Beast welcoming new students.
- Angel flying
- Mags moves the chess piece
- Closing credits
- Mid/Post credit sequence: Logan returns to Alberta Canada (The Xavier one is unnecessary and will be dealt with in future films)


Not sure if this will hold together when I eventually edit, but this seems pretty satisfying to me. My priorities were to HEAVILY reduce the downtime after Xavier's death, and so a few bits were moved up or cut entirely. A few bits of continuity can be cleaned up fairly easily too, and I feel that after the Wolverine, there are some simple changes that can better tie this into that. The more downbeat ending for Logan seems essential now. There's probably a handful of bad lines that could be tweaked that I'm forgetting about too.

 

[joebocop]

Would be interested to know whether you are still planning on giving this a go henz. I really like nearly all your choices although i would like an alternate ending for rogue as I don't know what route they are planning for DOFP although i suspect it will be that she did get the cure but it didn't last, in much the same way that i assume magneto's curing will be dealt with so would like the option of maybe both.

Love the Xavier funeral being at the end, Last Stand felt very upbeat when you consider they lost Xavier, Cyclops and (Jean, although they thought they already had). I like that all 3 are recognised in the theatrical version with kitty standing over their graves, so I would like that to be kept.

Are you cutting Charles and his students in class as a means of getting rid of the Moira scene? I quite like the scene as I think it alludes/foreshadows the ethical line he may have crossed to be back in DOFP (inadvertently though it may be) plus there is some good kitty pryde characterisation. Could he just refer to Moira as his colleague? That's seems jarring to me as I don't think Xavier is the kinda guy to not give credit where it's due, I think that is me being very pedantic. I think with the footage available that is the best option.

I assume you are keeping the mystique being cured section? I didn't like it, and if I could completely redo the film again that would not happen and she would be in the final battle. But I think once again it is the best option for what we have.

One final thing, are you keeping Logan and Rogue's final talk before she goes off to be cured? I really like that scene. As much as I think Wolverine shouldn't have become as soppy as he does. I wouldn't like it if their whole father/daughter relationship got glossed over in the last film. In fact his relationship with Rogue seemed far more important in X1 and X2 than his relationship with Jean.

 

[henzINNIT]

I actually completed this a while ago. It was a nightmare lol, had a lot of problems with the software and I never really got it pristine (a few audio blips n such) enough to boast about haha. A few things in the above list were changed after I found them to work less effectively in practise, but it's pretty much identical to my plan.

Of the things that went, sadly I never could find a way to incorporate the Angel flashback once I had removed from the intro. Also, the changes I had in mind for Scott's death and how it is revealed never quite gelled eiether. It got tantilisingly close , and I think a more skilled and experienced editor may be able to pull that off.

I'm really happy with how the funeral move turned out. It feels more appropriate at the end, and brings the cast together, whereas they're quite scattered in the other closing moments.

I kept the Xavier teaching scene as it was. It establishes X and Kitty with some nice moments for both. I thought as far as continuity was concerned, the scene was minor enough not to be totally out of place. It's not paid off directly, but the dialogue speaks to the other plots in the film, and may be referenced in DOFP.

Mystique being cured remains, but her giving away Magneto's location was cut when I streamlined the 3rd act. Sadly, the last we see of her is her curing scene, which isn't ideal, but quite effectively brutal. I'm working with what I've got lol

I did keep Logan and Rogue's conversation, though it's much further up in my cut. It's a shame their relationship petered out, but they at least got that nice little moment.

 

[joebocop]

I would love to see how it worked out. But obviously if you aren't happy with it and would rather not then I understand.

This is the first film ever that i am actually thinking about having a go at editing myself, and i never thought i'd say that. Days of Future Past announcement a while back made me think it was going to be ditched so to speak, but now that it will most likely be referenced in DOFP I want it to be as good as can be and sort out the few minor continuity errors. So to make it at least an average X-Men Film.

I would consider Moira being roughly the same age in First Class and X3 a big enough continuity error to remove. How easy would it be to just cut her saying the name?

 

[henzINNIT]

Whereabouts are you? I'm not sure how to put something of this size online but I could post a copy to you. I'm from the uk so it would be region coded I expect. It's not perfect, but might be worth a watch for you, if only for ideas for your own project.

I was inspired the same way you were tbh. Now the franchise is finally moving forward again, it's time to make the best of what we have. It was especially important to me to give Logan a more downbeat ending, considering how his latest film picks up.

It's been a while, but I would guess Moira's name could be removed pretty cleanly. I removed all references to Trask with no fuss.