Simon Kinberg, whose screenwriting credits include X-Men: The Last Stand and Fantastic Four, will direct the next X-Men film, titled X-Men: Dark Phoenix, for 20th Century Fox.
Dark Phoenix will stand as Kinberg's directorial debut after producing heavy-hitting films the likes of Deadpool and Logan. Kinberg's forthcoming film will bring back much of the cast from X-Men: Apocalypse, a stellar lineup that includes Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, and more.
Entertainment Weekly reports that Bryan Singer, director of past X-Men entries, in addition to Hutch Parker and Lauren Shuler Donner, will produce X-Men: Dark Phoenix, one of the series's most iconic sagas, which focuses on Jean Grey and the Phoenix Force. The Dark Phoenix Saga, published throughout 1980, is perhaps one of the most well-known and heavily referenced stories in popular American superhero comics, chronicling Grey's rise to power, corruption, and eventual downfall.
Who Will Play The Villain?
Besides the film officially landing a director, reports suggest Oscar-nominated actress Jessica Chastain could potentially play the villain, reportedly named Empress Lilandra, from the alien empire called the Shi'ar.
Lilandra also commands a team called the Imperial Guard, although at present, no source has claimed if this super-team will make it into Kinberg's film. Empress Lilandra and Professor X were quite the item for many years in the comics, it's worth noting, so it would be interesting how Kinberg plans to deal with this in his adaptation — if he intends to, that is.
Turner, meanwhile, will reprise her role as Grey, also known as Phoenix, whose tragic descent into soul-consuming power could make for a potentially top-rank cinematic experience. Still, ensuring that X-Men: Dark Phoenix will live up to its predecessors now rests on the shoulders of Kinberg, who'll most likely do an excellent job — hopefully.
Will 'X-Men' Get The Dark Phoenix Saga Right This Time?
X-Men: The Last Stand, which premiered in 2006, in some part tackled the Dark Phoenix Saga but failed to please fans of the comic books. Well, those same fans are in for a treat: Sources say that Kinberg's adaptation will hover closer to the source material by Chris Claremont and John Byrne than the 2006 entry did, which spells potential for the forthcoming film to finally give ample justice to the beloved and widely recognized series this time around.
What's The Present Status Of 'X-Men: Dark Phoenix'?
With a director intact, X-Men: Dark Phoenix has begun preparing for principal photography in Montreal, so you can say the whole crew has barely even begun. But it's still nice to hear that they're already making progress.
All told, details about the film remain slim, although some reports suggest the story will be set in the early 1990s.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix premieres Nov. 2, 2018.
Thoughts about the X-Men: Dark Phoenix film? Have you read the original issues Kinberg plans to adapt? What storylines or elements do you want to see on the film? As always, feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below!
