X-MEN: FIRST CLASS plot points revealed!

I've read this and I will say there aren't that many spoilers. If any, they are mild.

From ComingSoon.net:

"Several details from next summer's X-Men: First Class have been revealed thanks to an informal phone interview AICN conducted with the film's producer (and director of the first two X-Men films) Bryan Singer.

First Class is said to take place in the 1960's and will heavily play with the style of the day. Audiences will see John F. Kennedy as President and the parallel storyline of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X will play in the background. Overall, the look is said to emulate the original X-Men costumes far more than previous films have, though the film's chronology pre-dates the First Class story in the comics, meaning that many of the expected characters (Cyclops and Marvel Girl are listed by name) will not appear.

The villain of the film is, as rumored, Sebastian Shaw (played by Kevin Bacon). January Jones's Emma Frost will appear as the Hellfire Club's White Queen as well.

The central focus of the film is the friendship between Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and Eric Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) and how it falls apart. Xavier will not be depicted as bald or in a wheelchair for the majority of the film, though we will learn what cripples him.

AICN's article makes frequent James Bond comparisons, nothing that that film will heavily play up the 60's style, but with retro future technology with a setting that spans the globe. Russia, specifically, is mentioned.

X-Men: First Class is slated to hit theaters on June 3, 2011."

James McAvoy is wanted for X-MEN: FIRST CLASS

From ComingSoon.net:

"Twentieth Century Fox has closed a deal with James McAvoy (Wanted, The Last King of Scotland) to star as Charles Xavier in X-Men: First Class, to be directed by Matthew Vaughn.

X-Men: First Class begins production this summer for a June 3, 2011 release. Bryan Singer, who conceived the story for First Class and directed the original X-Men and its sequel X2, is producing along with Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg.

Additional casting is underway and will be announced shortly.

X-Men: First Class, following the classic Marvel mythology, charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga. Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men."

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS gets first class promotion!

From Slashfilm:

"20th Century Fox has officially announced that director Matthew Vaughn will helm the X-Men series prequel/reboot X-Men: First Class. When it was reported that they were fast-tracking this project into production, they weren’t kidding. The film is set to go into production this Summer, and the studio has set a June 3rd 2011 release date. We also have a look at the tenative plot synopsis:

X-Men: First Class, following the classic Marvel mythology, charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga. Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known."

Here's what original director Bryan Singer had to say,

"'I’ve been a fan of Matthew’s since Layer Cake,' said Singer. “He has a deft hand with multiple characters and storylines, and a great love of the X-Men universe. I feel the combination of this story and his vision will make for an exciting and original X-Men film.'"

Interestingly, Vaughn was one of the front-runners to direct X3: The Last Stand before Brett Ratner was hired. Then he tried to get onboard Thor and lost to Kenneth Branagh. But now, he's a part of a more violent superhero saga (one involving green-and-yellow-tights and a swearing little girl).

Bryan Singer leaves X-MEN franchise... sort of

From ComingSoon.net:

"According to Deadline's Mike Fleming, [Bryan] Singer's obligations to begin production on Jack the Giant Killer, his 3D version of the classic fairy tale for Warner Bros., will have to take precedence and Singer will now only be producing X-Men: First Class.

According to Fleming, Fox is already in talks with a few directors they've short-listed who may be able to start production on the proposed first movie in a new prequel trilogy as early as summer or fall for a 2011 release, while Singer is locked into making the other CG-heavy movie through his contract with Warner Bros. Some may remember that WB snagged Singer to direct Superman Returns, preventing him from directing X-Men: The Last Stand."

Bryan Singer updates on X-MEN franchise

From ComingSoon.net:

"In an interview with Bryan Singer and producer Lauren Shuler Donner at the Los Angeles Times about the first two X-Men movies, the discussion veered to Singer directing X-Men: First Class and possibly even X-Men 4.

Talking about why he thinks the X-Men movies are suited for him, Singer said:

'I genuinely like the people, and my personality meshes more with this universe than it does with other universes, I think; I see that now at this point... I feel a connection to the X-Men characters and also the ensemble nature of the films. If you look at Usual Suspects or my last film, Valkyrie, I feel especially comfortable with ensemble juggling. In the space between all the characters you can disguise a central thought that's hidden in all the discourse. I missed that with the singular relationship story of Superman. And, well, it always gives you something to cut to...'

According to the article, Singer says X-Men: First Class will find its axis in the relationship between Professor X and Magneto and the point where their friendship soured. It will also detail the beginning of the school for mutants and have younger incarnations of some characters with new actors (He shrugged when asked if Hugh Jackman might appear as Wolverine).

Just doing younger mutants is not enough. The story needs to be more than that. I love the relationship between Magneto and Xavier, these two men who have diametrically opposite points of view but still manage to be friends -- to a point. They are the ultimate frenemies.'

Shuler Donner also has pitched Singer on doing a fourth installment of the previously established X-Men franchise and Jackman had lunch with Singer to coax him into a project as well, which may or may not be Wolverine 2. Jackman has said the sequel will be set in Japan and released in 2011.

In the interview, Singer turned to Shuler Donner and said of X-Men 4: 'Hold that one off for just a little, I'm fixated on the other one right now.' She nodded and answered, 'I will, I will ... I'm holding it open with high hopes. It's totally different [from First Class] and it will be so interesting for you.'"

Bryan Singer IS returning to X-MEN

From ComingSoon.net:

"One of the people [at the Los Angeles premiere of Avatar] was director Bryan Singer, who directed X-Men and X2: X-Men United for Avatar distributor 20th Century Fox at the start of the decade. In recent interviews, Singer has been asked about possibly directing the planned prequel X-Men: First Class, and he always seemed interested, but earlier this evening he let slip that he has in fact just signed the deal with Fox to direct the next 'Origins' film, which will reportedly look at the early days of Cyclops, Jean Grey and others at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.

He told the interviewers without any hesitation and complete seriousness: 'I'm ramping up to do a movie called Jack the Giant Killer at Warner Bros, and I just yesterday signed a deal to do an X-Men: First Class [Origins] picture, which is kind of cool. I'm very excited.'"

Lauren Shuler Donner talks X-MEN franchise!

From ComingSoon.net:

"Empire magazine recently got a chance to talk to X-Men franchise producer Lauren Shuler Donner, who shared some great bits about Wolverine 2, X-Men: First Class, Deadpool and X-Men Origins: Magneto.

Wolverine 2

'That's the furthest along of all the X-Men projects on the boil. It's actually the story we wanted to use for the first 'Wolverine' film, but [Fox head honcho] Tom Rothman preferred to set the character up with an origin story first. This movie will really focus on the relationship between Wolverine and Mariko, the daughter of a Japanese crime lord, and what happens to him in Japan. We're very fortunate to have a story mostly outlined for us [from the comic book arc co-written by Chris Claremont and Frank Miller]. And we wanted an A+ writer, so we want to Chris McQuarrie (Valkyrie, The Usual Suspects). He came in and has tightened the story and got really immersed in the whole thing - he's in Japan in his head! We want to make it authentic so I think it's very likely we'll be shooting in Japan. Also, by the way, we are looking to have the Japanese Fox executives involved in helping and counselling us, because it's a different culture and we don't want to portray the way they speak, dress and act in an inaccurate way. I think it's likely the characters will speak English rather than Japanese with subtitles. What's cool about this part of the saga is that Wolverine will be fighting in a different style to what we've seen before. Mariko's father has this stick-like weapon, so Wolverine will have to fight against that. There'll be samurai, ninja, katana blades, different forms of martial arts - mano-a-mano, extreme fighting. We're going to come up with a new style of fighting. It's going to be awesome.'

X-Men: First Class

''Harry Potter' is a bit of a role model for us, absolutely. But we want it to be like the recent, darker Potters. It should not be a kiddie movie - we're in the X-Men world so you can't suddenly change the tone. The First Class comics are really fun - they're funnier than any other comics I've read. Basically in each one the kids are fighting strange villains, sometimes it's aliens, sometimes it's monsters. I want to get a flavour of that world. Occasionally the kids will be in class, but more often they'll be off on adventures. Which Professor X isn't too happy about! There's nothing more interesting than a bad kid, and this is full of naughty children. Cyclops, for example - he's a tough kid that bobbed from foster home to foster home, until he ends up at the school and becomes the leader. There's also still an element of friction between the mutants and the outside world. Remember that this will be set way back before anyone knew mutants existed. Right now the script is not done -we're not where we want to be yet. We have to be careful that we don't tread on familiar territory, that people don't say, 'Oh, I've seen that, been there.' But (screenwriter) Josh Schwartz has a great young pulse and he's doing an amazing job bringing the characters to life. We want to make this a franchise, following these kids at the school, so the casting of the child actors will be all-important.'

Deadpool

'I want to ignore the version of Deadpool that we saw in Wolverine and just start over again. Reboot it. Because this guy talks, obviously, and to muzzle him would be insane. I don't see it as a problem that Ryan [Reynolds] is also playing Green Lantern. I mean, look at Harrison Ford - he was in Star Wars and Indiana Jones at the same time and everyone was fine with that. Green Lantern could not be more different to Wade Wilson. Green Lantern is a guy who finds a ring and is thrust into this world, much like Spider-Man. Wade Wilson is a guy who unfortunately gets cancer, and volunteers for a test that will give him healing powers. He is a bad ass, a wise-cracking mercenary, who will go out and kill anyone for money. But the thing about him is that, underneath it all, and he wouldn't want you to know this, sometimes he's not such a bad ass after all. Sometimes he does the right thing. It's going to be a dark, snarky, very funny movie. It's the hardest story to tell, I think. There's no clear cut villain - though you do have great baddies from the comic-books like Black Tom, Slayback, Blind Al and the Weasel. Blind Al is this blind woman in his house, who he abuses and mocks… it's terrible. But you find out that she was a convict who did something terrible and he saved her from execution. So he lets her live in his house and she looks after him, but they both torture each other. Anyway, there are good stories and we're figuring out which ones to incorporate. We're right in the thick of talking to writers right now, and hopefully by November we'll have decided who's going to do it. We need someone really imaginative because we want to do some really innovative, ambitious stuff. Ryan's mentioned this in an interview already but there are parts where he's going to break the fourth wall and talk directly to the audience in the cinema. We have to work out how to do that. I don't know that Fox will agree with all our decisions, but we'll see!'

X-Men Origins: Magneto

'David Goyer has written a brilliant script. It starts in the concentration camps and has Magneto coming out of there. But you know, I'm not sure that film is going to be made. The studio has a wealth of potential stories, and they have to stand back and decide which ones to make. And Magneto, I think, is at the back of the queue. Maybe it'll get made in five years - who knows? I can tell you that Ian McKellen won't be playing the character the whole way through. We used Lola technology in X-Men 3 to de-age Ian and Patrick for one scene, but it's very expensive. To do that for a two-hour movie would be prohibitive financially. And to find a younger actor to fill Ian's shoes, that's pretty daunting. It's not easy.'"

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS begins 2010?

From SuperHeroHype.com:

"Tim Pocock, who played the young Scott Summers/Cyclops in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, has revealed that he will reprise the role in 20th Century Fox's X-Men: First Class.

'Currently Australian TV series till February 2010...then X-Men: First Class," he said on his Twitter account. Wolverine producer Lauren Shuler Donner recently hinted that a new X-Men movie would start production in 2010.

Written by Josh Schwartz, the film will likely draw from elements of the Marvel Comic of the same name, launched in 2006."

Always good to hear from Lauren Shuler Donner, wife of Richard Donner (the father of the superhero genre in the film industry)!

UPDATE:

Apparently, Tim Pocock was the victim of a cruel, cruel prank.

From Twitter:

"Victim of cruel prank. Last tweet = NOT me. AM filming Aussie show till 2010. no official word on XM:FC but am interested. please post retraction."

X-MEN: FIRST CLASS - School of Superheroes?

From /film:

"We’ve been hearing a lot about X-Men: First Class lately. Last week we learned that the film was not actually a spin-off, but a prequel which features 'young Scott, young Jean, young Beast' attending the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. But more telling is the answer she gave SciFi Wire when they asked Producer Lauren Shuler Donner about the franchise potential of the series.

'I like kids. I did produce Pretty in Pink and St. Elmo’s Fire. I do like those kind of teenage movies; I really do. Part of it takes me to my roots. It’s action. There seems, to me, to be more humor, or more potential for humor. I really like that idea. The relationship … I don’t want to get into what the script is about, but it provides a bit of a lighter touch to the franchise.'"

My first immersion into X-Men was actually the cartoon, X-Men Evolution. This could work.

Besides we all can trust the wife of the father of superhero movies, can't we? (For those of who don't know, which would be most of you, it's director Richard Donner. Yes, that's right, The Goonies, the William Shatner Twilight Zone and Danger Island from "The Banana Splits")