Last week X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner revealed that she hopes X-Men: First Class becomes a new franchise, and that it will focus on younger version of characters we have already seen, such as Jean, Cyclops and Beast. Now she has spoken a bit more about it to Scifi Wire, and she also gave us an update on Magneto which may get some attention now X-Men Origins: Wolverine is almost out of the way.
What’s the latest on Magneto?
Shuler Donner: I don’t know. We have a great script. Honestly, we have all been just so focused on getting Wolverine out that we didn’t take the time to sit down and explore “What are the movies we’re going to do next within the genre?” We will do that. We will do that. We all want to. Magneto is a fantastic script, and hopefully we’ll make it. I don’t know.
How much will the reaction to Wolverine affect Magneto?
Shuler Donner: I think this is partly to do with it, yes. And then we have First Class, which is based on the X-Men comics’ first class and is very literal to the title. It’s the first class in Xavier’s school. But that’s just being written. I haven’t even seen a first draft. And I’m producing that with Simon Kinberg.
What interests you about First Class as a potential franchise?
Shuler Donner: 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.
I’m not sure I like the idea of the X-Men becoming more light with added humor, but then again Iron Man was ‘light’ compared to other comic book movies and had a few laughs. As long as it light as well as serious i’ll be happy.
However with X-Men Origins: Magneto…I want it dark, and with a script involving Nazi concentration camps and genocide I don’t see how it won’t be. I know 20th Century Fox like to make the most commerical movies possible, but I can’t see that with Magneto. They might aswell just make a dark, faithful movie rather than making it lighter in order to sell toys.
