Bryan Singer Confirms: ‘X-Men: First Class’ Sequel is Called ‘Days of Future Past’

Fassbender. McAvoy. The Future.

In an interview with IGN, producer Bryan Singer announced that the highly anticipated sequel to Fox’s X-Men: First Class is “Days of Future Past.” Singer calls the in-progress script “very ambitious.” Even casual X-Men fans are familiar with the  iconic story-line, which involves the modern day Kitty Pryde’s close encounter with a dystopian future in which the already tumultuous relations between humans and mutants have descended into living nightmare territory. These days it’d likely be presented as a six or eight month event, but back in 1981, it was just two issues–#141 and 142–of Claremont and Byrne’s storied run on Uncanny X-Men. Not that the concepts involved haven’t been revisited numerous times in the three decades since, of course.

Singer says the film will touch on aspects of that original story, but also extend into new territory for the X-Men film universe, a world the producer describes as being just as big as the Marvel Universe (being mined over at that other studio).

Now, it’s unclear at this point just how closely this Days of Future Past will mirror the comic iteration, especially given the divergence between the time lines. Might this story feature elements from three different eras, including characters and relationships from the 60s era First Class, the more modern status quo of the original X-Men film trilogy, as well as the not-so-distant future? Will Jackman’s Wolverine play a role? Will Sirs Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen reprise their roles as the older versions of Charles Xavier and Magneto respectively?

Ambitious is right.

Matthew Vaughn is set to direct the film, which is scheduled for July of 2014.

Comments

  1. Wow talk about a step up from First Class. This is like the X-Men equivalent of Avengers if they have previous actors reprise their legendary roles. I think this would be like a combination of Star Trek (2009) & Avengers feel in the X-Men movie universe. I just can not wait. Now all I need to know is what’s going to happen for the Amazing Spider-Man sequel & I am set for 2014! lol : )

  2. Very glad that they’re making it loosely based on Days Of Future Past and not making it a shot for shot remake of the storyline. It’s a lot more of an ambitious endeavor, and the story will be a surprise to both newcomers and fans.

  3. Well, time to load up my 40 Years of X-Men DVD and read the original.

  4. I need to go read this again. I do love me some John Byrne!

  5. Dear Movie Gods,

    Please get Ian McKellen to play old future Magneto one more time.

  6. kitty’s name is sprite on that cover, how about a sprite year one mini series?

  7. No. Please God no. No more Fox X-Men movies!!!! No more Hugh Jackman! No more ruining my favorite stories and characters! Somebody needs to stop this now.

    • You are aware that nobody forces you to watch those movies, right? I, for one, really loved them, aside from Wolverine Origins.

      And come on, Hugh Jackman IS Wolverine! ;p

    • Yes. Please God yes. Please make more X-Men movies!!!! More Hugh Jackman! Keep making great stories based on my favorite stories and characters! Somebody needs to make more of these now.

      Seriously, though, 2 bad X-Men movies doesn’t mean they’re all ostensibly terrible. Fox’s batting average is quite good.

    • I didn’t dig Singer’s movies myself, or X3 though Juggernaut was funny in it. First Class was the best yet for me, I dig it.

      As for this idea, adapting the popular story, could be a cool flick, I’m on board. Though I would’ve rather seen a 70s or 80s set X-men film.

  8. This isn’t good news, this is horrible news.

    First Class was OK… the only reason its gets praised as well as it does is because everyone’s expectations were abysmally low after X3 and Wolverine (and mind you all, I actually LIKE X3 and Wolverine).

    First Class completely pissed on any ‘canon’ setup in X3 and Wolverine, so now you’ve got annoying continuity issues.

    And now we’re going to ‘loosely base’ the sequel to the prequel on one of the best Xmen stories ever told? Why is this good news? I don’t get it.

    “Singer says the film will touch on aspects of that original story, but also extend into new territory for the X-Men film universe, a world the producer describes as being just as big as the Marvel Universe”
    In other words, a corner of the Marvel Universe that falls under the mutant/Xmen category and thus allowing Fox to claim rights to. Starjammers? Morlocks? Longshot and his homeworld?

    And why am I the only person on the planet that remembers that X3 ended on a CLIFFHANGER? Charlie X’s mind is another man’s body, Cylcops disappeared thanks to Jean Grey, and Jean Grey herself is dead. A setup with no follow-through.

    This is a franchise that is in DIRE need of a REAL reboot.

    I used to think Bryan Singer was a brilliant filmmaker… 10 year ago. Someone please pull his superhero card already.

    • “And why am I the only person on the planet that remembers that X3 ended on a CLIFFHANGER? Charlie X’s mind is another man’s body, Cylcops disappeared thanks to Jean Grey, and Jean Grey herself is dead. A setup with no follow-through.”

      I think that most people choose to forget that movie existed at all.

    • Maybe it had no follow through because X3 was crap.

    • The entire trilogy wasn’t really good in my humble opinion, and X3 was for me at least more entertaining than the first one. First Class rocked though.

    • I loved First Class! Don’t care what you say, I’m still gonna love it. It’s not horrible news to me at all.

  9. I wonder how Singer would feel if Marvel did a comic book version of the Usual Suspects but with super villains.

  10. Please indulge the following fanboy rant:
    I know it’s pointless to wish and kinda like polishing a turd, but this is how I think they should fix and salvage the X-men since Fox won’t give up the rights.
    1.) Some villain from current X-men continuity present time travels to X-men First Class past Continuity to kill a senator, which changes the present X-men time line to a post apocalyptic setting but also results in resurrecting ProffesorX, Cyclops and Jean Grey in the process. Then after learning of this change, some present X-men follow the time traveler to the past to stop the assassination.
    2.) After the assignation is avoided in the past and X-men return to the present. Somehow Havok, Emma Frost and Beast get accidently pulled along to the present with them and get stuck. (Fixing the incorrect ages problem). And the returning X-men find that history has changed back to normal, but with slight changes. (Changes that are closer to actual X-men comic book history.)
    3.) Then for X-men 4, Bring in Taylor Kitsch as Gambit and match him with Anna Paquin as Rouge (With strength and flight now). Make young Emma from Wolverine Origins one of the Cuckoos clones of the real Emma.
    Recast Colossus and Angel as Joe Maganiello and Alex Pettyfer (respectively).
    Write Cyclops as Joss Whedon did in his X-men comics run.
    Bring in Apocalypse, Mister Sinister and Cable.
    After Wolverine is made into a horseman of Apocalypse, he wears the Wolverine mask and decides to keep it after he’s eventually cured. And maybe a more accurate Deadpool cameo.
    Yes, I need a life.

    • You have successfully created something as complicated as anything in the X-Men’s comic continuity.

      WELL DONE SIR!

    • It sounds like you might be better off just sticking with comics!

      I’m totally cool with X-Men movies being nothing like the comics. I’ve read the comics — show me some familiar characters in a whole new light!

  11. I will never understand “continuity issues.” At this point after Wolverine and First class, sure things don’t match up. I don’t care. These aren’t the comics, just give me an entertaining movie. Is it fun if stuff lines up? Sure. But I don’t need a movie released in 2013 to stand toe to toe with a movie from 2000, 2004 and so on. Just go, do you’re own thing. Be fun, and be enjoyable.

  12. Ok, I’ll say it. I know they weren’t in the original, but since they’re from a similar dystopia, oh please no Bishop or Cable. I just…I just don’t want to explain them when non comics fans ask me. And they do ask me, and usually I’m happy to explain, and often with too much profanity. But please, not Cable. He’s just too much. Bishop, I just dislike.

  13. I meant to say similar dystopias plural.

  14. I didn’t care for the first ‘First Class’ movie and this doesn’t really make me any more excited. Can’t wait to see a mediocre film director adapt a classic comic story.

  15. I trust Bryan Singer. Does Magneto and Prof. X have to be in it? I would be happy with just a ragtag bunch of X-men vs.Sentinels, trying to save a future world.

  16. I wonder if the same level of writer credit controversy will follow this one….Jamie Moss and Singer took it to the WGA board and lost to get Moss credit for the last one.

  17. I would like to see Kitty Pryde be in this film even though I have no idea how it would work.

  18. Bet you my No-Prize that the movie begins with Azazel infiltrating the White House.