For better or worse we have a completed X-Men movie trilogy. You didn't think that was the end though, right? Wolverine fans can expect the character to debut in a self-titled movie due for release in 2009, with a Magneto prequel set to follow. It's only a matter of time before the X-Mansion is revisited and we get another outing with our favorite mutant team.

If they do make an "X-Men 4" perhaps it'll be time to change a few things within the franchise -- a new creative team perhaps, some new cast members, maybe *gasp* not have Wolverine as the lead character. Let's take a look at some possibilities for the future, eh?

Possible Storylines:

X-Men Vs. Apocalypse

Let's bring in a larger-than-life character to give our team a run for their money. The biggest issue with the past movies is that the villains never really posed that great a threat. The first two movies had Cerebro sabotaged, and the third movie's biggest threat were plastic cure guns. Also, the X-Men have faced villains besides Magneto, so perhaps its time to bring about Apocalypse, a character who is far older than Ian McKellen and far more dangerous than any of the movies' antagonists. This also leads to a nice exploit in the X-Men never stay dead clause that can have Cyclops and Phoenix appearing as two of Apocalypse's horsemen.
Alternate Futures!

Days of Future Past, Age of Apocalypse, House of M, the X-Men are no strangers to alternate time lines and wacky what-if scenarios. What better freedom can a filmmaker have than having full control over the characters? Plus, you can start introducing time travelers like Cable, Rachel Summers and Bishop. Everyone loves time traveling, right?

Young X-Men:

I'm not talking about X-Babies, although that would make an adorable DVD extra. I'm of course speaking of the recent storylines involving the students at Xavier's School for the Gifted. This would basically get rid of the need to have Halle Berry return to butcher the character of Storm and instead have the students under the watchful eye of a different teacher, Havok perhaps? Of course, if they went this direction you might as well call the movie "Mutant Slaughter School" because those kids have a relatively short shelf life in the comics.
There's no I in Creative Team....oh wait:

If we're sending mutants into space or back in time or against humans throwing wads of newspaper, the man you want writing and directing the action is Joss Whedon. Currently finishing up a stellar 24 issue run on "Astonishing X-Men," the Buffy creator has taken the team back to its core, imaginative stories, and the relationships between team members. Add to that the fact that the "cure" storyline from the third movie borrowed heavily from Whedon's storyline, even if it was not translated as well as it could have been. So he has the comic cred, he's worked with ensemble casts before (Serenity), and really isn't it about time that a true comic fan be involved in these adaptations?

Casting Call:

Depending on the storyline these character may or may not have a place in the film, but here are a few casting choices:

Jason Behr as Havok
Behr isn't an entirely well known actor, but he would fit perfectly as Cyclops' younger brother, leading his own team while trying to step out of his sibling's shadow.

Ian McShane as Apocalypse
You've got the voice and the menace that McShane can play so we're halfway there. Now let's hope he can act through a ton of makeup and prosthetics

Ron Perlman as Cable
Known for playing the tough guy, Perlman would fit in as the hardened soldier from the future.

Elizabeth Banks as Emma Frost
Emma Frost has to be as smart as she is sexy so picking a busty model would never work out. I say give Banks a chance to stretch her ruthless bone playing Frost as either a villain or hard-ass headmistress at the school.

Kate Mara as Rachel Summers
We're talking a girl who has acted among Hollywood's A-List stars. Have her step into the future Phoenix and give her a chance to have the attention on her for a change.

Ving Rhames as Bishop
Bishop is back to prevent his future from happening and that might mean going up against Cable. Rhames is one of the few actors who I think could physically go toe to toe with Perlman

Zac Efron as Hellion
A pretty boy who happens to have the skills to back up his arrogance, Efron would do well as Frost's star pupil.

Devon Aoki as Surge
Known for playing the silent assassin killer, Aoki should have a chance to portray a character with more going on than an affinity for swords. Surge's inability to control her electric powers may give Aoki the chance to play a more vulnerable role.
What Do You Think? Post Your Comment: