If you were to take a look at Simon Kinberg‘s writing credits before seeing X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, you might be a little on edge. The man has written some movies that aren’t exactly fan favorites (JUMPER, THIS MEANS WAR) and more importantly, is partially responsible for what’s considered a disappointing end to the initial X-trilogy (X-MEN: THE LAST STAND). Everyone’s deserving of a second chance though, and I’m glad Kinberg got that chance with X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, as it’s one of the best of the series.
Here’s what he had to say, regarding the 70s vibe of the film:
When I first started working on the script, Matthew Vaughn was going to direct the movie who did X-Men: First Class, and one of the things he really wanted to do was explore different time periods, because he felt he’d already done the ‘60s with First Class. We didn’t want the events to take place right after, but see what had happened to these characters ten years down the road; see the real repercussions of the events of First Class. And 1973 appealed to me because I was born that year, but more because it was a flashpoint for a lot of different things—the end of the Vietnam War and the beginning of Watergate. Then, I started looking at the events of ’73 and I saw the Paris Peace Accords, and thought that would be a great backdrop because the film is really about war and peace, so it felt thematically rich and potentially visually rich.
Utilizing Quicksilver, knowing that the upcoming AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON would do the same:
It was pretty clear-cut what the parameters were, and they weren’t particularly tough on our side. The only thing we couldn’t talk about was The Avengers, but I probably wouldn’t have talked about them because when we meet Quicksilver, he’s a kid living at home in 1973. They have different restrictions because of the way the deal works, although that’s way above my pay grade. We decided we were going to use Quicksilver way before they decided they were going to use him in The Avengers, so we just made the decision independently. Early in the script phase, that character was going to be a young Juggernaut, but Bryan felt we’d exhausted Juggernaut’s powers in X-Men: The Last Stand, and he wanted to see a mutant we hadn’t put on film before who had an interesting visual power.
In retrospect I can see how Quicksilver might have been a gamble, but now that the film’s out, he’s obviously a fan favorite. It’s a good thing he’s set to return for the sequel! Kinberg also had a bit more to say about the cast in regards to X-MEN: APOCALYPSE. There were a few key scenes at the end of DAYS OF FUTURE PAST that hinted at where the story could go (with either the “old” or “new” cast). Looks like Kinberg has a pretty good idea of where that is, and who we might find there.
In regards on which members of the cast X-MEN: APOCALYPSE will focus on:
It will focus primarily on the First Class cast, but it will certainly have some of the original cast involved, too.
Spoilers for X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST below!
Given that the change in the timeline altered what has happened with the “original trilogy”, as evidenced by Wolverine running into Jean Grey and Cyclops, is it possible that any of these characters might pop up in Apocalypse? Hard to see how, unless time travel still plays an aspect in the upcoming film. Obviously Wolverine is a shoe-in, given the actor’s willingness to return and his lack of aging allowing him to, but who else might appear, and how?
X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST is out in theaters now!
Who would’ve thought that this guy steals the show?