A Geeky Viewpoint

X-Men Top 50

We know that the following movies have been announced by 20th Century Fox for the X-Men Universe are:

• Deadpool - February 2016
• X-Men: Apocalypse - May 2016
• Wolverine 3 - March 2017
• Untitled Marvel - July 2018

In addition we have heard from multiple sources, aka Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg that two additional movies are in the works but the release dates have not been official announced.

• X-Force
• Gambit

Just for clarity purposes 20th Century Fox has also announced the dates for the two Fantastic Four Movies, also licensed by Fox but not apart of the X-Men Universe.

• Fantastic Four - June 2015
• Fantastic Four Sequel - July 2017

Let us add in the rumors that have some validity based upon what Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg have suggested that they are looking at.  A Mystique standalone film and a film starring the Original Cast.   I put more validity in the Original Cast reuniting as Ellen Page (Kitty Pryde) and Patrick Stewart (Professor Xavier) are both on the record indicating they have already had contract discussions.

Several things stand out when looking at this schedule.

Hugh Jackman as Wolverine

• Wolverine 3 most likely will take place in the near future to be continuous with the X-Men, X2, X3 (which didn't happen), The Wolverine time line.
• Gambit is introduced in X-Men: Apocalypse suggesting that his feature film will be set in the near past (90's) rather than in the present.   Not saying they won't move them forward to the near future rather it makes the most sense to position the movie historically slightly before the X-Men time line. 
• There is a gap in the movie release schedule from March 2017 to July 2018...  (Note: FF2 July 2017)
• There has been a lot of talk from 20th Century Fox and Lauren Shuler-Donner about a Mystique standalone film with the statement clearly made that Jennifer Lawrence is not signed for such a film and talks will progress at some point in the near future.
• X-Force has been announced but we haven't really heard a great deal about this movie since it was announced, only that with the X-Men: Days of Future Past storyline that the plot/story for X-Force needed to be reworked. 

When you look at the rival Marvel Cinematic Universes the X-Men Universe has few of the problems that exist in the MCU, Spider-Man and Fantastic Four universe.   Namely that there is a balance between heroes and villains.  Spider-Man has one hero and several dozen villains, MCU proper has dozens of Heroes but the number of villains is extremely limited, and Fantastic Four has well two villains and one of them eats planets.  
That may seem like a bit of an exaggeration, but Sony controls the rights to 50 to 60 villains but leases the rights to Spider-Man and have suggested that Black Cat could become a heroine.  
The Fantastic Four have about six villains that are clearly in the FF IP but the rest of the hundred or so others the super group has faced in the comics belong in other IPs.  
The MCU proper has a few super villains Thanos, Kang, but most of the Villains are from other IPs, Fantastic Four, Spider-Man, X-Men.   That's not saying you don't have individual villains in the MCU (Mandarin, Loki, Red Skull) but the biggies are few and far between.

Here is my take.

• X-Force in its current incarnation will be absorbed into the Deadpool film featuring Cable (rumored to be played by Stephen Lang) in kind of the same way the X-Men Origins: Magento became X-Men: First Class.   Cable and Deadpool have been linked in the comics for years and this is a great opportunity to link them together (as opposed to Colossus who has been long rumored to be good cop/crazy cop partner ala Lethal Weapon Danny Glover and Mel Gibson).
• There will be a film announced around the holidays to fill the slot for November 2016.   My Guess will be the Gambit standalone film.   The question is how do you want to move Gambit along the time line and where does him film fit into the X-Men Universe.
• The stand alone Wolverine film will feature X-23, Laura Kinney, a female genetic clone of Logan (James Howlett).   While their are other interesting Wolverine story lines, Old Man Logan for example, they do little to advance the X-Men Universe on film.  
• At San Diego Comic Con or shortly before another film will be announced for a November 2017 release date having some sort of ensemble cast.    My guess on this film right now it is more of an X-Factor (Gambit and Quicksilver joined by Polaris and another mutant to be named, cough X-23 cough.)
• The July 2018 Film will star the original cast and will feature the death of Hugh Jackman's character Wolverine.    

Various Members of X-Force

I do not hold out much hope for the Fantastic Four version of the Marvel Universe, I am actually quite shocked that 20th Century Fox is moving ahead with production, almost every rumor and posting by people either in the know or more specifically should be in a position to be in the know has been anything but positive.  In my mind their are too many radical changes to the story line to make it believable even for a super hero story.

20th Century Fox desperately wants to do a female super-hero movie, Mystique is the obvious choice with Jennifer Lawrence, but lets face it she won't come cheap and time for the number 1 female star is going to be difficult.   Adding in X-23 Laura Kinney gives 20th Century Fox another option, played by a raising star or another likeable young star does just that provide a solid option.   Kristen Stewart to me seems like the perfect.

What do you think?