To start, over at AICN, they've got the poster, which is pretty attractive, if you ask me.
Then yesterday, Geoff Boucher (who gets all the good stories) from the LA Times, posted up all these new shots of the flick.
Here's the full cast, standing there, looking at… something. I think they're going to start some sort of soul band. I hope anyway.
Here's Charles (James McAvoy) and Erik (Michael Fassbender) playing chess, and one can assume that there's absolutely no subtext going on in this scene, and a game of chess is just a game of chess. I know. I've studied film and scripts.
Finally we're presented wtih the 2 actual reasons to see this movie. This is Kevin Bacon as Sebastian Shaw and January Jones as Emma Frost. Kevin Bacon is wearing an ascot, and January Jones is January Jones.
I've got to tell you, I would be almost entirely disinterested in this flick, having the feeling of "been there, done that," but the fact that it takes place in the 60's has me really jazzed to finally see something new brought to the superhero film genre. I like Matthew Vaughn's work plenty, and the cast looks promising.
Still, at the same time, the article itself is called "a report from the stressed out set." Vaughn starts off the piece by saying, "I’m at that stage where I feel like a boxer against the ropes,” the director said as his crew prepared for the next shot on a location set in Long Beach. “I’m just throwing punches and taking them as they come and making sure I don’t hit the canvas.” The film is set for a June release but is still shooting now. This one will go right to the wire. But then again, so did the Lord of the Rings movies, so who can say if that's a detriment.
Producer Bryan Singer, sort of the daddy of the modern superhero film says, "The biggest challenge is introducing an audience to these characters in a different time – characters the audience is familiar with but now see played by younger actors and in a story taking place in a different time. We have to establish this universe. We had the challenge with the first ‘X-Men’ film, which came at a time when there were no comic-book movies [of this sort] and no template to launch from and yet you’ve got to do that. You have to put your characters out there and introduce them to a quizzical public that sort of recognizes them. But that very thing is the exciting part of it.”
UPDATE:
About the leaked picture from earlier this week, Matthew Vaughn spoke to Slashfilm:
"I freaked out on them yesterday. I don’t know where the hell that came from. I don’t think it’s a Fox image. It’s not a pre-approved image. When I found out, I said, what the fuck is this shit, and Fox is running around trying to figure out what happened as well. I agree. It’s like a bad photoshop, which maybe it was by someone. It didn’t reflect the movie. I was shocked when I saw it. I was like ‘Jesus Christ’…"
And about the costumes, he said:
"The costumes are blue and yellow as well, because fuck it, lets take it back it the original. Also, by the way, those costumes are hardly in the movie. The main costumes are like these cool 60’s James Bond…"
Then he gave us two more pictures, one of Xavier, and one of Magneto, powerin' up.
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HAIR
I’m kind of interested in seeing a 60s-set super hero flick, and don’t forget – Vaughn’s last film was Kick-Ass.
Plus, January Jones looking like a film negative of Emma Peel = very nice eye candy. Plus she can kinda act, so there’s that, too.
I seemed like this was one of those movies that was on the back burner forever, and then BOOM! A bunch of stuff all at once. Now I have to wait till June. When you live in Minnesota, that’s a long ways away.
This movie does not really interest me. Not to be pessimistic, but Fox does shit work…I’m tired of Fox even having rights to make Marvel movies. They are getting completely out of hand with scripting and changing stories. I’ll get it on netflix.
Remember the bathroom scene in Wolverine? The one that looked like a first year animation studio was trying their hand at it? Those are the type of things that happen when Fox rushes movies. Why why why couldn’t they have chosen another rawr action wolverine type movie for their rush job instead of a truly compelling and unique (to the movie world) concept?!? So frustrating!!!
Still have my fingers crossed though and barring a complete fiasco I’ll probably still see it in theaters, because… I’m a nerd. ‘s what we do.
“Not to be pessimistic, but Fox does shit work”
Way to not be pessimistic.
Rush jobs are always a recipe for quality and creativity! F*** Fox.
I’m guessing this is a response to the reaction to the other image yesterday (or was that Tuesday?). These look much more interesting. I hope the movie is excellent.
@stuclach good point. Makes me grateful to that person if it made Fox get off their ass and get on a little promotion already.
January Jones looks nice as Emma Frost… but I doubt it will any good, no x-men movie was any good it is just one of those comics that can’t be taken into film
This looks fantastic. I imagine it having a lot of style. It’s Vaughn.
Still waiting on a trailer and a few continuity based answers, but for the most part, these images are a steak dinner compared to yesterdays half cooked hot pocket.
The fact that this is set in the sixties does spice it up a bit. Not much going on in these pics, but it’s nice to get a glimpse of costume design. I like the Xavier eyebrow McAvoy’s sporting in the outdoor shot. And Bacon looks like a total creeper. Which is awesome.
@drunkyoda: “it is just one of those comics that can’t be taken into film” Not true. The X-Men can be done in film. And it can be done right. Just maybe not this time. Or any of the times before. But it can be done. Someday I believe it will be.
@stuclach the film site slashfilm.com has some more photos and vaugh discusses the first leaked image for the other day if you are interested.
Not to be a negative nelly, but I gotta say that this: “I’m just throwing punches and taking them as they come and making sure I don’t hit the canvas.” does not fill me with optimism.
Im confused as to who some of the people in image 2 are compared to tuesday’s image.
Apparently the first pic released (of the characters all lined up) was not an approved leak.
These look better to me.
I like the idea of it being a period piece set in the 60s. Its i personally wish that more superhero movies would be set in more of an older setting to correspond to their origins than the modern settings they are always in. *cough*SUPERMAN*cough*
Not much to go on from these stills, but i do like the idea of using the seal as the poster.
I reserve judgment until I see the movie, but I will say this: James McAvoy has the Xavier eyebrows down cold in that first picture.
I think it will be a fun look at the beginning of the x-men. I liked the series so far even if others were not crazy about the last few (X3 & Wolverine).
These do look better than that 90s commerative drink cup photo. But there’s also not a lot to go on. And JJ looks gorgeous. I wonder if she hates being typecast into “Cold blonde woman from the 60s?”
Not to be pessimistic, but this movie will cause all of us to die in horrible and painful ways.
On a much more serious note, Kevin Bacon should get an Oscar right away for those mutton chops.
@WheelHands – I’ll will just say to keep waiting because to do it you first need to overcome all the interests production companies have.
These do look much better.
I’m still bummed that they’re trying to shoehorn this into the existing movie continuity.
Why does a telepath have to touch their head in a movie to use their powers?? Someone tell me why. It’s the verbal equivalent of a character that only provides exposition. Much like Professor X in the first 2 movies.
Since I try not to find out too much about movies before I see them, I had no idea this was set in the ’60s, nor that they were trying to tie it to the previous X-Men movies (at least that’s what I got from Singer’s comments). That could be interesting given that mutants have always been used as a surrogate for some oppressed group, I wonder if they’ll touch on the Civil Rights movement and Magneto’s Holocaust experience.
Also, I haven’t seen January Jones in anything but Mad Men and these stills. Is she the go-to-girl for ’60s period piece movies and shows now? Talk about typecasting.
I didn’t think I was going to like this movie but this photos lok awesome.
@ed209AF: Near as I can tell, only four of the seven in the first pic (Magneto, Moira, Xavier, and Havok) were in yesterday’s pic. One of them could be Mystique, maybe another is a pre-fuzz Beast?
@drunkyoda: I never said it would be easy. But I honestly think eventually we will have an X-Men film franchise we can all be proud of. It’ll take someone with the right vision and execution, and the studios will have to pull their heads out of their asses first, but it is possible to translate the X-Men onto the big screen. Ya gotta believe man.
Ok…verbal was the wrong word. I concede that. I’m typing too quick this morning.
My problem isn’t with Vaughn. It’s Fox. Fox buthchered Daredevil. Please. take a few hours to see the director’s cut. TOTALLY different film. I’m getting the same vibe here. I trust Vaughn. It’s Fox that is the problem.
Fox Pros:
Xmen
Xmen 2
Cons:
X3
Ghostrider
Daredeveil
FF1
FF2
(ADD Xmen First Class here)
Hope Vaughn isn’t trying to bend us over a table because of a failed publicity still, but for now, i believe him.
Well if it is photoshop, it seems pretty damn close to the look of the film so far. Maybe the shots were arranged and leaked by someone, but I’d bet that they’re all real promo photos of the various characters.
That Magneto pic is a little silly. I like the nod to his helmet from the comics, but it looks a bit wonky in that still. It also looks like he just tossed a frisbee.
@marshak The reason they do it is to give the actor or character some evidence of doing *something* rather than just staring intently or concentrating hard. The “touch the head” gimmick was as staple of Jean Grey and Prof. X in the comics that was translated into the 90s X-Men cartoon. Because so much of that cartoon was used as influence to X-Men 1 and X2, it carried over there.
Yes, I understand that, my fanboy street credit extends to growing up watching the 90’s cartoon, but the comic dispensed with that after a while because it didn’t need to do that. I just hate that there is so much exposition in comic book movies. It’s not necessarily because I have a “Comic book guy” elitist attitude or anything like that. It’s just more than anything the feeling that movies more and more cater to the lowest common denominator. When Star Wars came out, George Lucas didn’t give us a bunch of background on Chewbacca and the origin of the Wookie. We just went with it and had a good time.
The real test will be if he gets a nosebleed while using his powers.
@marshak To wit, Emma Frost still touches her head and the heads of others in various x-titles. I’m unclear on how Wookie background relates to an actor’s movement. Part of what sold Chewie to the audience is the gesturing and movement of the actor. (Which became the staple of how wookies act.) That’s exactly what the telepath touching their head is. A gesture to reinforce the invisible action of telepathy that cues the audience to the action. It’s no different than an actor cheating out to the audience in a play to give an aside, or effecting a woobly, echo-y voice to take on the persona of a ghost.
@WheelHands – Sorry man I stopped believing back when they made Batman & Robin… thanks to that and Penn and Teller I turned into Skeptic. But yeah a right approach might be what we need, a story that is not focused on Wolverine but in the team and it’s creation without magneto but with the sentinels and senator Kelly being the bad guy… Yeah the focus on the persecution and then bring in the bad mutants like Magneto and Mr. Sinister.
I’ll see it.
This looks awesome.
@conor – Why? history tells us this will suck badly… why should this be any different???
at first blush it’s a little disappointing for an X-Men movie set in the ’60s to not feature a person of color on the team. yes, none of the original members were minorities but if they’re going to ret-con, it just seems like a missed opportunity is all.
@drunkyoda I loved the first two X-MEN films, so…
I gotta say, that Magneto helmet looks so much better then the helmet from the previous films.
@drunkyoda And also because Matthew Vaughn is a superlative filmmaker.
@smasher doesn’t casting zoe kravitz as angel count?
@conor – The first two x-men were nice but were lacking a lot, they were the story of the x-men according to wolverine.
Kick ass was a totally different type of story than the x-men, mainly because the x-men must be an ensemble movie.
@drunkyoda He’s made more films than just KICK-ASS.
@ed209AF Well, directly between Magneto and Xavier would be Moira MacTaggart. Behind her is actress Jennifer Lawrence, so that’s Mystique. Havok is to the right of Xavier. The tall kid in the back with the glasses looks like Nicholas Hoult, so he’d be Beast (pre-furry, I guess?). And on the far left behind Magneto looks to be Banshee.
I definitely like the tone and feel of these stills. I like the fact that there won’t be much time “in costume.” I like the idea of a very formative group set in the past, just a collection of misfits coming together and then split by idealogy and external forces. I don’t need costumes, I’d like to see more drama than SFX spectacle, and I really don’t need to fit this into continuity — either film or comics. Will I get all that? No clue based on these stills. But I do like what I see. And I think the cast is decent. As is Vaughn. That doesn’t automatically mean this film will all come together, of course, but… here’s hoping.
This looks part aweseome – part shit storm.
That Magneto helmet looks like a kids halloween hat from Walgreens
And really? we can’t invent a new “sexy” character then take Emma frost out of continuity?
What’s the point if you dont know Emma it doesnt matter to you she’s in it if you do- You have to ask wtf.
I will say I like james mcavoy and the idea of some 60’s swank but if it’s not well done this will stink.
@conor You’re vaguery isn’t very convincing. He really doesn’t have much directing under his belt, he’s only done three films that we’ve seen. Stardust was lovely, Layer cake was okay… but done better in films like Snatch.
However, he’s attached to a lot of good films (including Snatch…) so I suppose what he lacks in experience he makes up in taste.
Unrelated note: James McAvoy+Fingerless gloves = Happy Becca
I thought Layer Cake was a much more successful and mature film than Snatch.
@itsbecca I’ve loved all of Matthew Vaughn’s movies. I’m not sure how vague that is, it’s a pretty definitive statement. I echo Josh’s comment about LAYER CAKE being a much better film than SNATCH.
@conor I liked Layer Cake, just not as much as other films and I’m quite okay with disagreeing on it. I just meant “He’s made more films than just KICK-ASS.” is a little misleading when “more” means only two.
@itsbecca It’s not misleading in any way. “He’s made more films than just KICK-ASS” is a true statement. There’s no minimum number of films that makes it any more true.
@conor of course it’s technically true. But objecting to Matthew Vaughn being judged by Kick-Ass becaues he’s done more films than that, implies that he has plenty of experience. He doesn’t really. Three released films. Total. His track record is good, but it’s short. And the director is not the only factor. He was originally slated to direct X3, would his presence have been the film’s saving grace? (I suppose I shouldn’t assume you didn’t like X3. Beacon of positivity as you are you may have loved it. I haven’t boned up on my Conor recently.)
Just like you can’t rightly judge a film negatively at this point, I don’t think there’s this great assurance of it’s awesomness just because you utter the magic two words of “Matthew Vaughn.” Still seems pretty wait and see to me.
@itsbecca I mentioned that Vaughn has directed other films because the original statement implied that this movie would be bad because it is an ensemble and Matthew Vaughn had directed KICK-ASS, which wasn’t really an ensemble (although I could debate that point, but that’s another discussion).
But the larger point is that there is no minimum number of films that makes it okay to know when a director is talented. Well, maybe two films. I suppose you could have a fluke. Terrence Malick is considered one of the greatest modern filmmakers alive today and he had only released four films. Four films, three films, ten films, twenty — it’s not about quantity, it’s about quality.
I’m not saying this movie WILL be good. I have never said that. All I have said is that Matthew Vaughn’s track record of directing quality films is such that I give him the benefit of the doubt. He hasn’t made a bad film yet so why would I assume he would now? (Just as I wouldn’t assume that a filmmaker who has only made bad films would make a good one.) Until he makes a bad film he gets leeway with me and I will continue to be excited for each new film he puts out.
X3 was a piece of shit.
I agree on the fact that quantity doesn’t necessetate a good director. Some make great films right out of the gate and already make me anticipate their next move (although, to be fair, a lot of great first time film directors have experience in directing commercials, music videos etc.)
I just think there’s no guarentee, up to this point he’s been working with some great concepts and scripts, whereas in this case… we have no guarentee on this point (well… I love the concept actually. Script is the unknown.) I have a fair amount of faith he’ll direct the hell of out it, I just don’t know if that will make it a good movie or not. Especially when he’s under this time pressure, that he admits is a new situation for him as he’s worked purely on independent films thus far.
I would give an opinion but that would make me a troll if I didn’t have anything nice to say.
Love Vaughn’s quote regarding that horrible photoshop job. Guess he sort of validated the nerd freak out over it (Note: SORT OF). haha. You knew something went wrong, seeing as how quick the studio was to release these stills.
The period piece look really helps differentiate this movie from the previous films. I know it’s still in continuity with them. But as Vaughn has said in the /Film interview, he’s trying to do that while also giving the film it’s own feel. He wants it to stand on it’s own as well, which is very nice to hear. Reading him say that the characters will mostly be out of costume also is also a good thing. If you read the interview that Josh linked, Vaughn goes on to say that he wants a darker, more realistic tone. That the day of the “shiny” F4 type superhero movies has passed. Yay.
Vaughn really helps in giving us reason to hope it can be good. But I do also agree with the people on here who say that Fox’s presence and track record gives reason for concern. I’ve heard rumors that as a studio, that they’re trying to be less meddlesome. Apparently there was a big brewhaha where a director who worked for them on a movie wrote a rather scathing letter that made the rounds through Hollywood. So maybe they won’t muck it up as bad as X-3 and Wolverine.
But they still have a terrible track record besides the two Bryan Singer X-films. Pretty much every single other superhero property they’ve had, they’ve butchered. They rushed this movie ridiculously simply so they could hold on to the X-Men rights (same reason they slapped “X-Men Origins” on the Wolverine title). They didn’t even cast until back in August. Less than a year before the movie was to come out. Even the best director can only do so much under “stressed out” conditions. Here’s hoping Vaughn is able to do his best Singer impression. At the very least, I think it’s safe to say that it won’t be a X-3/Wolverine Origins.
Not gonna lie, I really like the aesthetic of these stills. The “team” shot looks great. Love the costume designs for the civilian clothes. Really excited to see Fassbender and McAvoy play off of each other. I’m holding out hope and I trust Vaughan to put out a good film. Most excited for the inclusion of Nicholas Hoult as Beast. Would have never thought to cast him as it, but after rewatching the first season of Skins I think I can see it. If nothing else, I’m interested in this movie. It’s got the potential to be really good. Here’s hoping it delivers.
If I am allowed to say something, I think Fassbender wearing the helmet with a mix of that ugly costume really makes him look stupid.
But that’s just me.
Since they’re going with the artsy period piece look. They should let all the actors use their actual English accents, seeing as how 75% of the cast is British. Just embrace it. “X-Men & Sensibility”.
That’s what made casting January Jones as Emma Frost so puzzling. The film is nearly straight up a UK production. From Vaughn, the writers, and production staff on down. Yet they cast an American for the part of the one character with an English accent. They must have really been impressed with how cold and bitter she is as Betty Draper. ha.
Yes when movies come free to make we will get the X-Men will film we all want. Until then this looks pretty nice.
This all looks cool. Though I don’t think Emma is named in Wolverine other then her diamond powers so that I can get passed. Can’t wait to see this happen.
Though would this have been better set in the 70’s when the X-Men really had the fight with The Hellfire Club in the books?
So far everything and everybody attached sounds good to me, but still have the fox factor so I’m still a little worried.
My favorite still so far has to be Eric and Charles playing chess.
@kelly
you’re right. my bad. Edi Gathegi is in the movie as well.
opening mouth, inserting foot.
@j206 Emma’s from Boston. Why would she have a british accent.
@Anson17 – Then why have I always read her with a British accent? Hahaha. Really?! Hmm. I totally admit to not being huge on X-Mythology. So whoops. Must be the aristocratic way she talks. And I’m pretty sure she had a British-ish accent in some X-Men cartoons & video games that I’ve seen. My bad on that. Guess you learn something new every day.
AH-HA!!!
http://www.emmafrostfiles.com/misc/faq/does-emma-have-an-english-accent/
http://stormantic.wordpress.com/2010/07/28/white-queen-wednesday-english-accent/
Serves me right for erroneously admitting I was wrong. 😛
Lesson learned, kids. Always stick to your guns. No matter how unsure of yourself you are. Hahaha.
@j206 In the animated stuff she always seems to have one, but it never makes sense to me. As far as I know, she’s from Boston.
@Anson17 She’s from Boston but does speak in a British accent.
@conor Has there ever been an explanation for it? That’s so bizarre.
@conor Wait. I just read the explanation. That’s bonkers. Haha. Gotta love the x-men.
@Anson17 Check out the links that j206 provided above.
My favorite actor Kevin Bacon. My favorite movie that he’s in. A tie between all of them.
@Anson Yeah, Emma’s accent is all over the place. She was originally conceived to be English in her Hellfire Club appearances because she’s based (slightly) off of Honor Blackman and Diana Rigg’s characters in 60s Spy-Fi show The Avengers. The whole arc is based off an episode of the same show where Diana Rigg (a red head) infiltrates the Hellfire Club in England and she dons S&M garb. Her outfit was shown to Byrne to be the basis for Jean Grey’s Hellfire stuff. All that said, it’s never explicitly stated that she was from England. Her later appearances place her as a Boston teacher. The Emma Frost limited series posits that when she worked as a stripper she effected a British accent but was from the Boston uppercrust. It’s all very confusing.
Nicholas Hoult as The Beast has me sold on this.
I’m not happy about the major changes in continuity, with Emma and Havok being the same age as Xavier, since this will make important relationships in the comics impossible to portray in a future film. No love relationship between Emma and Scott. No sibling rivalry between Scott and Alex. Having said that, these pictures make this alternate reality look interesting. The pic of Emma and Sebastian Shaw is particularly intriguing. First of all, Emma’s hair is perfect — right out of the comic. Secondly, look at their body language. Emma seem to be on the defensive, leaning away from Shaw.
There aren’t any “changes in continuity” as the comic book continuity is completely irrelevant to the films. This has been true since the first movie when Storm was made an original member of the team, Iceman was made a junior member, Rogue’s origin was changed completely, etc.
@ohcaroline: You’re not wrong. Comic movies should always be viewed as having their own continuity.
What’s interesting in this particular case is that these movies have strayed from their own continuity. We can all agree to disagree whether or not Emma is called by name in Wolverine: Origins (I’m pretty sure Silver Fox calls her Emma in the escape scene). It’s obvious that they intended for her to be Emma Frost. The name (or possible lack thereof) is just a loophole. If that was supposed to be Emma, why were her and the others rescued by an Xavier in his 30’s?
The more glaring problem is that Ororo, Scott, and Jean, who were obviously the first class in the flashback from the first movie, are apparently nowhere to be found in this movie that’s called First Class. Maybe they’ll explain their absence somehow, but if not that’s a pretty huge hole. Can we overlook these mix-ups? Of course we can. Should we have to? Debatable. The bottom line is that while the X-Men movies were entertaining and paved the road for the age of superheroes in Hollywood, their own continuity is so mixed up that they would’ve probably benefited more from total overhaul than the Spiderman franchise.
Christ, I hate continuity.
I do wish they’d just call this a reboot. One of the things that killed ‘Wolverine Origins’ was trying to make it fit into the constraints of a movieverse continuity that (ironically, I have determined from many conversations about it) hardly anybody actually remembers/is familiar with.
Hopefully, it’ll be a good movie, and people who go to see it won’t care exactly how it fits. I don’t think folks will care too much if it’s actually a good movie. It’s usually before the movie that folks get so caught up in the frivolous details. Unless it’s a bad movie, and then the details are just more nails in the coffin.
I mean, I’m sure we could easily fill the gaps if we really wanted to. For example: Ororo, Scott and Jean could be part of Xavier’s first class, AFTER the Magneto split (where Magneto gets Mystique, Xavier gets Beast, and all others are, perhaps, screwed).
Actually, now that I think about it, that’s one thing I DO like about calling this a prequel — you get the sense that many of these students could very well meet horrible ends in this rising conflict. Actually gives it kind of a haunted feeling. Y’know, these poor lost souls…
People concerned with continuity. Don’t worry too much over it. You can bet on a re-boot in the not-to-distant future. It’s inevitable. Fox has to keep pumping these movies out every couple years to keep it’s license. At some point, they have no choice other than to reboot. Just look at Spider-Man.
@daccampo: Excellent point on Ororo, Scott, and Jean being part of Xavier’s second first class. I’m embarassed I hadn’t considered that before.
I’m not exactly wrapped up in continuity. To be honest at this point I couldn’t care less. I’ll see it. And I hope I’m entertained. Singer’s vision of the X-Men just doesn’t mesh with mine. Never has. At the end of the day I’m really just looking forward to a new approach.