Between DEADPOOL and LOGAN (and forgetting about X-MEN: APOCALYPSE), Fox seems to be on a bit of a high streak by offering two critically acclaimed, unique superhero films that have also managed to rake in some serious coinage. It seems they’ve found their stride, and all they need to do it keep it going to ensure the success of future comic book movies – a future producer Simon Kinberg has had a lot of conversations about.
He recently sat down with Deadline to talk about the LOGAN and Fox’s upcoming slate of comic book projects, a big one being the upcoming X-FORCE movie (which is filming after DEADPOOL 2), a team that Kinberg considers to be like a shadow unit of the X-Men…especially in the sense they can say “f@ck”:
Deadpool 2 is going into production this year. Then X Force which is a combination of Deadpool, and Cable –they’re like the Black ops of the X-Men. They’re much darker and have an R-rated decibel.
Kinberg went on to say that though other X-Men pop in and out of the X-Force the two groups couldn’t be more different. However, that doesn’t mean Kinberg and the gang haven’t talked about combining other characters into other movies (like the MCU), but will only do it when it “organically makes sense.” As for the future of the actual X-Men, there was a rumor floating around Kinberg may direct, and though he didn't confirm or deny he did say if he were to direct he would for sure write the script:
I’ve read those reports. If I were to direct, I would certainly write. As someone who started his career as a writer then transitioned into being a writer-producer, when I make that transition into directing, I would definitely want to be the writer as well. It’s because I can’t imagine directing something that I didn’t create myself. Having made many great movies, the ones I feel the most emotionally connected to are the ones I wrote.
But now that Hugh Jackman is officially done with the character of Wolverine, and even bigger issue for X-Men fans is the recasting of the character, which according to Kinberg is an issue we need not worry ourselves over, considering the folks at Fox sure aren’t:
We heaven’t even thought of the next iteration of Wolverine. For all of us, we were keeping our fingers crossed that the audiences would respond to Logan the way they have. I can’t visualize in my head another Wolverine but if that day ever comes, we would talk to Hugh about it.
I’d say between the arrival of Deadpool on the scene and the departure of Wolverine in LOGAN Fox sure has a lot of room to explore. They have NEW MUTANTS coming, GAMBIT in development, and more DEADPOOL on the horizon. The studio has blossomed out of having to rely on traditional X-MEN movies, and now can venture to unseen territory. It’s in that notion where Kinberg and team seem to be putting a lot of their focus instead of trying to recast Wolverine and keep that train running. And on that note I have to say I’m itching to see how they progress with their slate. Notice how there was no mention of more FANTASTIC FOUR? Let’s keep it that way.
LOGAN is in theaters now.