Wednesday, February 11, 2015

X-Men: Apocalypse: Turner Talks Jean Grey & Other X-Stuff

Here's the latest round-up of news about Bryan Singer's "X-Men: Apocalypse".

The younger actors introduced in "X-Men: First Class James McAvoyroProfessor X), Michael Fassbender (Magneto) Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique), Nicholas Hoult (Beast) and Lucas Till (Alex “Havok” Summers), etc. are contracted for three films and are locked in to return. Rose Byrne will reprise her role of Moira MacTaggert here.

This time the mutants will take on Apocalypse, aka. En Sabah Nur (Oscar Isaac). In the comics, En Sabah Nur is the world's first mutant who was born in Egypt around 3,000 BC and had access to advanced technology. The events of the film take place in the 80's

We were told that the studio originally wanted "Inception" and "The Dark Knight Rises" actor Tom Hardy to play the bad guy in the film. The character was teased in the post-credits scene of "X-Men: Days of Future Past" (Played by Brendan Pedder).

Alexandra Shipp will play the young Storm.Tye Sheridan will play Cyclops. and Sophie Turner will play Jean Grey.

Chloe Moretz, Hailee Steinfeld, Elle Fanning, Ben Hardy, Charlie Rowe Taron Egerton ("Kingsman: The Secret Service), Jamie Blackley ("If I Stay") Alexandra Shipp Zendaya Coleman, Saoirse Ronan and Timothee Chalamet were each the mix to play a young mutant before the final choices were made.

The adult incarnations of the characters were played by Halle Berry, Famke Janssen and James Marsden in various chapters of the film series.

It is likely that Channing Tatum will debut as the X-Men mutant Gambit here before getting a solo film

"X2: X-Men United" and "Superman Returns" screenwriters Mike Dougherty and Dan Harris as well as Simon Kinberg are writing the script for "Apocalypse" .

Production is slated to begin in the Spring. The film will hit theaters on May 27, 2016 opposite Alice in Wonderland 2.


On the stump for the disc release of Season 4 of Game of Thrones, Turner tells IGN that she thinks the darker turn of her character Sansa Stark in that season may have played a hand in the "X-Men" Singer deciding to cast her:

"I think maybe one of the reasons that they chose me for [Jean] is because they saw the dark side of Sansa. Maybe they're thinking, 'Oh, Phoenix, Jean Grey.' I definitely see a lot of parallels in there. [Jean] struggles with her power... and not being accepted in the human world. I think in terms of [Game of Thrones], that's kind of the way Sansa felt in that she really wanted to be a normal princess/queen and live a normal life -- and she doesn't, because of all this havoc happens. I think Jean, in a way, feels that."

Turner says she hasn't read the script yet and doesn't know what her costume looks like. She also says she is gonna try to emulate Janssen's portrayal in the previous films in some regard, but also wants to put her own stamp on the character:

"I think Famke played Jean incredibly well, but also, I'm playing a younger version of her. I want to emulate Famke in a sense, because she has to seem like the Jean in the first two movies, but I'm also going to put my own twist on her. I think I'm also going to take inspiration from the comics. I don't know, we'll see."


Meantime while the older Professor X actor Patrick Stewart nixed a return in "Apocalypse" last month--he spoke with Oregon Live recently and revealed surprising news. His is set to return to the "X-Men" film series. Seems that the as yet Untitled Wolverine Seque could well be essentially a 'buddy movie' with Logan and Prof. X:

"What I'm very excited about is that we have been talking about a Wolverine movie, which would team Hugh Jackman and myself together. Wolverine and Professor Xavier. That would be a very different sort of X-Men from the four movies that I've already done."

Since "Future Past" reset the "X-Men" movie timeline--the scenario could happen. 

In the same interview, Stewart revealed that Sir Ian McKellen will be back as an older Magneto in "Apocalypse":

"Yes, I understand that it seems to be very unlikely that I will be in the next X-Men movie, which is almost getting ready to start shooting in Montreal. But Magneto, Ian McKellen, is certainly going to be in it."

Fox has not confirmed these reports.

 Finally Singer posted a new photo from the set of 'Apocalypse' where prep is underway. The shot showcases Cerebro's doors but promises something new behind them:

A photo posted by Bryan Singer (@bryanjaysinger) on

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