X2 star Famke Janssen told the Australian Today TV show that she'll be shooting the third X-Men movie, and that the "Dark Phoenix" storyline involving her character, Jean Grey, will figure prominently.

I'm just glad she's coming back. I couldn't see an X-film without Famke Janssen, Patrick Stewart, Sir Ian McKellen, or Hugh Jackman. This film should be great.

Some people have come out saying that Halle Berry had a right to say she DESERVED more money and her own storyline. Now I understand why she wanted her own storyline but saying she deserved more money after the stinker named Catwoman? Nope, not gonna happen! Not only that, but Halle Berry was told time and time again that the next X-film, X3, would be about Dark Phoenix and they didn't have room to give her her own storyline. She had a massive fit and they told her "Sorry, but that's always been the plan" which it has. She's being very immature and I don't appreciate her attitude about how they should rework the film to revolve around her. The films so far have been about Wolverine, Professor Xavier, and Magneto. Storm has been a minor character and I think Halle is kinda put off by that. Still, I don't hear anyone else like Anna Paquin complaining.

Penn Writing X-Men 3

Zak Penn, who got a story credit on the second X-Men movie, X2, told SCI FI Wire that he has been hired to draft the script for a third X-Men, which he added presents the same challenges as the second one. "It's not just about including everyone," Penn (Elektra) said in an interview while promoting the DVD release of his latest project, Incident at Loch Ness. "It's really more about how you give everyone more and better screen time."
Penn added: "The answer is that you can't, and you have to make really difficult choices. That's actually the most difficult thing about writing an X-Men movie. I think on X-Men 2, I counted 14 main characters, and I haven't even begun to count how many there are now. It's actually very difficult. It might not seem it, but it's a very difficult writing assignment in a lot of ways, because it's so complicated juggling all these different storylines. The movie is still coming together, but I believe that all the major players are back."
Bryan Singer, who directed the first two X-Men films, will not return for the third film. That fact, Penn said, presents yet another series of challenges, as well as opportunities. "We don't know who the director is yet, which is fantastic," Penn joked. "I love our director right now. He's no one. Here's the thing. I actually got along pretty well with Bryan. He's got very strong opinions, but fundamentally, because he did such a good job on the movies, it was hard not to. ... There are people involved, I guess, who didn't get along with Bryan, but he clearly did an excellent job with the first two films. So it's going to be difficult to follow in his footsteps. That said, there's no question that because he's got strong opinions it's a little bit easier for me as a writer, because ... whatever ... it's one less argument you need to have.
"But given that he was right about a lot of things ... . I had a bunch of arguments with Bryan that he turned out to be right about," Penn said. "That doesn't happen very often with me, in my opinion. I've worked with a number of directors who've done things that I just strongly disagreed with, and when the movie came out I felt fairly vindicated by my opinions. Bryan was one of the few people where, when I saw the final movie, I was like, 'Wow, he really was right. That's a great scene. He did a fantastic job on it.' So there are definitely some mixed feelings there. But X-Men is a universe larger than any one person involved with it. So either way it's exciting to work on, because I really do love the franchise."

Langella Joins Superman

Frank Langella will play newspaper editor Perry White in Superman Returns, replacing British actor Hugh Laurie, who had said in January that he had all but clinched the part. Variety reported that Langella will play the Daily Planet editor in Bryan Singer's film, which is set to shoot in Australia for Warner Brothers.
Langella joins a cast that includes Brandon Routh as the Man of Steel, Kevin Spacey as Lex Luthor and Kate Bosworth as Lois Lane. Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris penned the script.
The Hollywood Reporter said that Laurie was originally cast in the role, but bowed out because of a scheduling conflict with his Fox medical series, House, which Singer executive produces.


Janssen Rises For X-Men 3

Famke Janssen will return for a third X-Men movie, which will reportedly deal in part with the transformation of her character, Jean Grey, into the evil Dark Phoenix. Variety reported that Janssen has signed a deal to return for Fox and Marvel Entertainment's X-Men 3, to be directed by Matthew Vaughn. Janssen's character, a psychic mutant, appeared to perish at the end of the second installment in the franchise, X2, but fans of the Marvel Comics series know that that merely sets the stage for the new storyline.
Hugh Jackman has already made a deal to return as Wolverine, and Halle Berry, Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart are expected to reprise their roles in the film, which is slated to shoot this summer, the trade paper reported. A release date of May 26, 2006, is planned.


Speaking at the British Independent Film Awards in London last night, Ian McKellen confirmed he'll return as Magneto if filmmakers make another X-Men sequel, Contact Music reported.

X-Men 3 Rumors Reported

Ain't It Cool News reported several rumors about the upcoming third X-Men movie, including the addition of three new mutants. The three new X-Men will be the blue-haired Beast, the Cajun Gambit and the winged mutant Angel, the site reported.
The site added that Angel will be female, unlike the character in the Marvel Comics series.
Beast will "serve the same role in these films that Morpheus did in The Matrix," the site reported.

Ain't It Cool News reported a rumor that Matthew Vaughn, director of Layer Cake, will helm Fox's third X-Men movie, from a script by Zak Penn.

Writer Talks X-Men 3

Simon Kinberg, who is writing the script for the upcoming third film in the X-Men franchise, confirmed to Now Playing that the story will deal with the Dark Phoenix storyline, which originally appeared in the comic book and was alluded to at the end of X2. "[Director] Bryan Singer left the groundwork in place to pursue the Dark Phoenix saga," Kinberg told the site. "And Famke Janssen will be back in the movie."
Kinberg, who also has a writing credit on the upcoming Fantastic Four film, said that there will be appearances by some characters familiar to fans of the comic book, but did not confirm who they will be. "You will see new characters and beloved X-Men characters in the third film, and they will play major roles-at least one of them will play a major role," he said. "The truth is, the biggest challenge of writing the movies is fitting all the characters [in]. I have so much love for these characters, I don't want to introduce one that I love as a cameo. I want to really get into it and let them get into the depth and the layers of the character."
Kinberg also hinted that certain other mutant characters may return, but as the stars of their own films rather than in another X-Men installment. "[Fox is] developing a Wolverine spinoff movie and a Magneto spinoff, and I would say they are more predisposed to making those spinoff films before they mount a fourth X-Men film," he said. "This is the crown jewel for Fox, their only and biggest homegrown franchise. ... This is their baby, and they treat it very seriously, very religiously, and they are very careful about all the decisions they make."

X-Men 3 Scripter Talks
Written by Scott Collura

Tuesday, 12 April 2005

Now that Fox's X-Men 3 has finally freed itself of the quagmire that resulted from director Bryan Singer's leaving the franchise for Superman Returns, news of developments on the project have surely but slowly begun to creep out. Most recently, Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake) was hired to replace Singer as helmer on the film, even as word came that two writers (Zak Penn and Simon Kinberg) are working simultaneously on the script.

Now Playing got the chance to talk to Kinberg recently about the screenplay, and while he was not so surprisingly tightlipped about the project, the scribe did let loose with a few interesting tidbits. For one, he acknowledged that his work on this summer's Fantastic Four facilitated his getting the job on X-Men.

“I am still working on X-Men 3 [and] that will probably continue for at least a few more months. My work on Fantastic Four got me the job with X-Men 3, and it made it easier because I already had a working relationship with the producers, the studio, so we developed this certain dynamic, almost shorthand, and it helps cut through a lot of the BS and greases the gears a little bit,” says Kinberg, before comparing the two ensemble pieces. “Working on a movie about four characters is much easier than working on a movie with 10 or 12 or 15 or however many characters there are in an X-Men movie. The X-Men movies I think are actually the great challenge of the Marvel Universe, because there are so many characters [and] the tone is so specific and it is political and philosophical. You also have to make them really fun - a lot of moving parts happening at the same time.”

Reports have already surfaced that the Beast, Gambit, and Angel will all be leaping from the comics page into the new movie, but Kinberg can't confirm or deny this talk.

“I can't tell you, but I am really tempted to tell you! You will see new characters and beloved X-Men characters in the third film, and they will play major roles - at least one of them will play a major role,” he says. “The truth is the biggest challenge of writing the movies is fitting all the characters [in]. I have so much love for these characters, I don't want to introduce one that I love as a cameo - I want to really get into it and let them get into the depth and the layers of the character.”

And as for the legacy of Bryan Singer, who is generally seen as the man responsible for the success of the franchise, Kinberg confirms - ever so cagily - that elements from the filmmaker's first two films will be followed through in part three.

“Bryan Singer left the groundwork in place to pursue the Dark Phoenix saga, and Famke Janssen will be back in the movie,” Kinberg acknowledges of the much-discussed plot thread that was hinted at in the close of X2. He also says he doesn't know if Halle Berry will return as Storm, but he does see a future for these characters in standalone films. “They are developing a Wolverine spin-off movie and a Magneto spin-off, and I would say they are more predisposed to making those spin-off films before they mount a fourth X-Men film. This is the crown jewel for Fox, their only and biggest homegrown franchise… This is their baby and they treat it very seriously, very religiously, and they are very careful about all the decisions they make.”

X-Men 3's Juggernaut Cast?

The British tabloid The Sun reported a rumor that tough-guy actor Vinnie Jones is set to play the villainous Juggernaut in the upcoming third X-Men movie. Jones will wear a 56-pound latex suit to create the look of his muscular character; Juggernaut is 7 feet tall and weighs 910 pounds, the newspaper reported.
Jones would join a cast that includes Ian McKellen, Rebecca Romijn, Halle Berry and Hugh Jackman. Filming starts later this year.
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Vaughn Talks X-Men 3

Matthew Vaughn, the British director who will helm the third X-Men movie, told ComingSoon.net that he'll make a more complicated film than previous director Bryan Singer. "I think Singer probably treats it in a more simplistic manner then I'm going to," Vaughn (Layer Cake) told the site. "It's going to expand on things. There's three or four scenes I know people will just be shocked and close to tears."
Vaughn added that he's not concerned about the pressure to follow in Singer's footsteps. "I'm all for fans being wary of me; they've got the right to be," he said. "I'm just going to make the film as good as I can, and hopefully, they'll like it. I know that there's going to be elements I'm going to be bringing to it that will worry the fans in the sense that I want to make a movie that stands up in 20, 30 years' time, basically. The film I'm doing is more in the tone of [the Clint Eastwood western] Unforgiven."
Vaughn confirmed rumors that he wants his longtime friend Vinnie Jones to appear in X-Men 3, likely as the villainous Juggernaut, but added that he hasn't signed anything yet. "What's interesting about Juggernaut is that he's the brother of Professor X [Patrick Stewart], and that's why I thought it would be interesting having an English thug opposite Patrick Stewart," Vaughn said.
As for the expectation that X-Men 3 will pick up the Dark Phoenix storyline, Vaughn said that he thought "bits of it are great, but other bits are a mess."


Dark Horizons reported that Hugh Jackman may be talking with his onetime X-Men director Bryan Singer about appearing in Singer's currently shooting Superman Returns, possibly in a flashback sequence as Jonathan Kent.

FRASER IS BEAST!!!!!


'X-Men 3' Casting News: Soccer Star, Sure ... But Frasier Crane?
Kelsey Grammer set to play blue furry Beast in third 'X-Men' film.
by Gil Kaufman
We get a lumbering former soccer player stepping into the hulking body of Juggernaut, a 900-pound metallic battering ram. But Frasier as a blue furry mutant?
According to Variety, former "Frasier" star Kelsey Grammer has signed on to
play Beast in the upcoming third installment of the "X-Men" franchise.
It will be the first appearance in the series for Beast, a powerful 350-pound mutant with oversized hands and feet and blue fur. Beast doesn't have any special powers, but he is highly intelligent and very strong.
Former British soccer player Vinnie Jones ("Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels") will play bad guy Juggernaut, the virtually unstoppable 6-foot-10 leader of Magneto's bad-boy posse - and half brother of Professor X.
Grammer, known for playing the egg-headed psychiatrist Frasier Crane on "Cheers" and "Frasier" for 20 years, was actually a natural to play Beast, according to "X-Men" producer Avi Arad.
"Kelsey was born to play the role," Arad told Variety, pointing to the creature's intelligence and his origin as a pacifist genetic researcher named Hank McCoy. "This is a big role in the new movie, and when we met with him, you can see that Kelsey has that you'd-better-have-a-dictionary-handy intelligence."
The movie is being directed by Matthew Vaughn ("Layer Cake") and is expected to open on Memorial Day 2006. To date, Patrick Stewart (Professor Charles Xavier), Shawn Ashmore (Iceman), Daniel Cudmore (Colossus), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) and Famke Janssen (Dr. Jean Grey) are expected to appear in the film. It has not yet been announced if Hugh Jackman will return as Wolverine or if Halle Berry will reprise her role as Storm (see "Holy Franchises, Batman! Superhero Sequels Galore On The Way").
Variety also reported that producers have begun negotiations

Grammer Is Beast In X-Men 3

Marvel entertainment chief Avi Arad told SCI FI Wire that Kelsey Grammer will plays Dr. Henry "Hank" McCoy/Beast in the upcoming third X-Men film and also confirmed earlier reports that Vinnie Jones has signed to play the villainous Juggernaut. Grammer, best known to audiences as TV's Frasier Crane, will play the blue-furred biochemist, whose strength and agility are matched by his genius intellect. Beast will play a prominent role in the third X-Men film, whose story is being kept under wraps.
Arad added that casting will be announced in a matter of days for two new mutant characters: the winged Angel and Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat, who can phase through solid matter. Both roles will be played by North American actors, Arad said in an interview. Variety reported that Maggie Grace (ABC's Lost) was in talks to play Kitty Pryde.
Arad said that director Matthew Vaughn and the filmmakers were seeking to avoid a British actor to play Beast when Grammer read for the part. "We've been looking around for actors that are American," he said. "We didn't want to resort to ... if someone is intelligent, [he] has to sound like a Brit. ... [Grammer] has this delivery and the voice. You close your eyes, and you hear Hank McCoy. And there is this innate intelligence, the warmth, the strength there. He read-here is this big star-and he just knocked it out of the park. And the rule in our movies is, you go with the actor. It's not about lookalikes. ... It's about someone who brings a special tone, a special feeling, to the character."
As for Jones' role, Arad said: "Juggernaut is an interesting guy. He's like, once he's in motion, he cannot be stopped, like a bullet. And he [has] an interesting affiliation: He's actually Xavier's [Professor X, played by Patrick Stewart,] half-brother. And, again, I cannot obviously get into the plot, but he's going to be [a] very interesting villain."
About the other new characters, Arad said: "Angel is a very emotional thing. We're very close. We'll have someone in the next few days. He'll have a big role in the movie. And Kitty Pryde has a big role."
Arad said the X-Men 3 is gearing up to begin shooting in Vancouver, B.C., in July, with an eye to a release on Memorial Day 2006. The film will bring back the main cast from the previous two films, including Halle Berry, James Marsden, Famke Janssen, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen, Arad said. "Everybody's coming back," he said, adding: "And Matthew Vaughn [Layer Cake] brings a lot of fresh air to the table. Very, very smart filmmaker. He's working on the script with the screenwriters, with Zak [Penn] and Simon [Kinberg], and all of us are very involved in it. This is, I'm telling you, ... huge. ... It's better than one and two combined. That's a big statement. ... The main concept, the theme of the movie, it's just scary, brilliant and thought-provoking."
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'X-Men 3' Looking For Director #3
Matthew Vaughn, Bryan Singer both bailed on the film.
by Gil Kaufman

Matthew Vaughn (file) (Getty Images)

Perhaps the third time will be a charm for "X-Men 3."
With the exit of Matthew Vaughn ("Layer Cake"), the superhero sequel has lost its second director, this time just months before production was to begin, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Citing personal reasons, Vaughn has split from his first major studio gig, with Fox denying that the departure had anything to do with creative differences or the pressure of overseeing the big-budget actioner.
The director, who had arranged to commute between the Vancouver set and his home in London during the movie's year-long cycle, said he realized that he didn't want to move his family to Los Angeles and Vancouver for that long a period.
Vaughn produced the Guy Ritchie crime capers "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" and "Snatch" and recently debuted as a director with the $7 million gangster drama "Layer Cake." It has grossed just under $730,000 in the U.S. in two-and-a-half weeks of limited release.
"We understand Matthew's reasons for leaving, as nothing is more important than family," Fox president Hutch Parker said. "Luckily, we have a fantastic script, the original cast is returning, and there will be some great new characters. We will decide shortly among several directors who are keenly interested in the project and are fully committed to remaining right on schedule."
Bryan Singer, who directed the first two "X-Men" movies, was expected to return for the third outing, but dropped out to work on "Superman Returns."
The cast of "X3" is slated to include new cast members Kelsey Grammer ("Frasier") as Beast and former British soccer player Vinnie Jones ("Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels") as Juggernaut (see " 'X-Men 3' Casting News: Soccer Star, Sure ... But Frasier Crane?"). The movie is scheduled to begin production on August 2 for a Memorial Day (May 26) 2006 release.
To date, Patrick Stewart (Professor Charles Xavier), Shawn Ashmore (Iceman), Daniel Cudmore (Colossus), Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler) and Famke Janssen (Dr. Jean Grey) are expected to appear in the film. The Hollywood Reporter story also has Hugh Jackman returning as Wolverine and Halle Berry reprising her role as Storm.

Stewart Has Health Scare

Patrick Stewart (Star Trek: The Next Generation, X-Men) was rushed to the hospital on May 30 after experiencing chest pains on the set of his new television miniseries in Manchester, England, British news services reported. A crew member of the SF miniseries Eleventh Hour took Stewart to the Manchester Royal Infirmary, where he was pronounced healthy after undergoing an electrocardiogram. He returned to the set after three hours.
A spokeswoman for Granada TV, which is producing Eleventh Hour, told news services that Stewart was now "absolutely fine" and back on set working. Stewart has been monitoring his health carefully after undergoing a pre-emptive angioplasty procedure last year to fix a blood-flow problem detected during a routine physical.


Vaughn Quits X-Men 3

Shortly before location scouting was to have begun on the third X-Men movie, director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake) has quit abruptly, citing family reasons, 20th Century Fox told Variety. In a statement, the studio said the London-based Vaughn had planned to travel between his home and the film's Vancouver, B.C., locations, but "as the shooting schedule evolved, he realized he would have to move to Los Angeles and Vancouver for at least a year. Not wishing to uproot his family for an extended period, Vaughn opted to depart the production."
The studio remains committed to remaining on schedule for a release on May 26, 2006, the trade paper reported.

'Rush Hour' Director Ratner To Helm 'X3'
Ratner is the third director attached to project.
by Gil Kaufman

Brett Ratner (file) (Mark Mainz/Getty Images)

In Hollywood, what comes around, goes around.
More than five years after he was on the short list to direct the original "X-Men" movie, "Rush Hour" director Brett Ratner has been tapped to fill the sudden vacancy atop "X3."
Ratner is
the third director attached to the third film in the "X-Men" franchise, and he'll replace "Layer Cake" director Matthew Vaughn, who dropped out last week citing "family issues," according to Variety magazine.
The hiring of Ratner keeps the movie on target for beginning production in August and opening Memorial Day, 2006.
Ratner, an avowed comic fan, was considered for the original film in the series, which came out in 2000, but was passed over in favor of Bryan Singer ("The Usual Suspects"). Ratner then spent a year developing "Superman Returns" before leaving the project - and being replaced by Singer, who then dropped out of "X3."
When Vaughn left the film last week, the director said it was due to his unwillingness to uproot his family from England for the year of production in Los Angles and Canada that the sci-fi flick would require. But Variety reported that the anxiety over jumping to such a big-budget picture after just one directing gig (the low-budget heist flick "Cake") might have contributed to his change of heart.
The good news for "X" fans might be bad news for Chris Tucker enthusiasts. It appears that Ratner's new gig will push back the start date of "Rush Hour 3," which was supposed to start shooting in the fall and hit screens next summer. Ratner directed the first two installments of the Tucker/ Jackie Chan buddy comedy.
In addition to Ratner, the "X3" mutant pool has also gotten a new member: Maggie Grace of TV's "Lost" will join the cast as a mutant. She joins fellow newbies Kelsey Grammer ("Frasier") as Beast and former British soccer player Vinnie Jones as Juggernaut.

Brett Ratner Shrugs Off Critics, Promises More Humor In 'X3'
Director insists he'll deliver movie on time - with Berry and Jackman.
by Larry Carroll

Brett Ratner (file) (Mark Mainz/Getty Images)

LOS ANGELES - Director Brett Ratner got his start in Hollywood by persuading Steven Spielberg to help finance his student film; when conventional wisdom seemed to be against it, he made "Red Dragon," a third movie starring Anthony
Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter. Why, then, is this seemingly fearless man suddenly feeling some pressure?
"It's not going to be easy," Ratner said of his newest gig, taking over the seemingly cursed reins of "X-Men 3" with marching orders to deliver the effects-heavy film to theaters by next Memorial Day weekend (see " 'Rush Hour' Director Ratner To Helm 'X3' "). "But we're definitely going to hit it."
Like any great comic-book story, you need to understand the origin if you hope to fully enjoy the tale: Bryan Singer, who wrote and directed the first two installments of the Marvel Comics mutant-superhero series, declined a third volume to instead bring back DC Comics character Superman via "Superman Returns," which is currently being filmed (see "At Last! Man Of Steel Photos Surface").
"Layer Cake" director Matthew Vaughn then stepped in with ambitious plans that included the casting of Kelsey Grammar as well-mannered monster Beast and Vinnie Jones as one-man wrecking crew Juggernaut (see " 'X-Men 3' Casting News: Soccer Star, Sure ... But Frasier Crane?"). Weeks later, Vaughn stepped down for reasons that remain unclear (see " 'X-Men 3' Looking For Director #3").
"They called me and they said, 'We're interested in you for "X3," ' " Ratner recalled. "I said, 'Yeah, great, I wanted to do the first one originally.' "
The 36-year-old Ratner, who proudly declares that he has "read comic books my whole life," had indeed been a candidate to initiate the "X-Men" franchise at the beginning of the decade. This is where things get real confusing: Singer instead took on the task of bringing Wolverine and friends to the screen, while Ratner came tantalizingly close to directing an earlier version of the Superman movie - yes, the same one that Singer is now overseeing.
"I think we bring stuff onto ourselves," Ratner said of the musical-chairs game with Singer. "He had dreams of doing 'Superman,' that was his fantasy, and I had a dream of it too, and it didn't work out, but 'X-Men' is a part of that dream as well.
"Bryan Singer and Brett Ratner are in that age range who grew up on comics," Ratner said, referring to himself in the third person. "Well, I don't know if he grew up on comic books, but in that generation where comic heroes are part of our society and part of our pop culture.

"Bryan Singer left ['X-Men 3'] because he didn't like the material," Ratner insisted. "But I don't think this movie is tainted; I think it is fantastic and the script is amazing.
"Jackie Chan says Brett Ratner is the luckiest guy in the world," the director said of his "Rush Hour" star's opinion of him taking over the comic-book franchise, "and I feel like I am."
Not everyone, however, considers Ratner quite so blessed. "[They think] I'm the antichrist!" he laughed when asked about what many diehard fans are posting on popular movie-discussion Web sites. "I don't think about it."
Ratner does realize that his résumé, which includes Chris Tucker vehicles and clunkers like "After the Sunset" and "The Family Man," doesn't exactly endear him to geeks looking for a Sam Raimi-like genre veteran harboring a unique vision. He also acknowledges that comic-movie heroes including Superman and Batman both went horribly wrong after new directors took over the franchise for the third installment.
"I'm not Joel Schumacher," he said of the fan-despised director behind "Batman Forever" and the even more poorly received "Batman & Robin," "and I'm not ... um ... who did the third Superman?"
That would be Richard Lester. "I'm Brett," Ratner said, "and all I know is what I know, what I can do and what I have to work with."
As far as the growing myth that the third film always kills a superhero franchise, Ratner responded: "Well, there's also the fact that all the Supermans die a tragic death," he said, referring to the sad fates befallen by the likes of Christopher Reeve and George Reeves. "Do you think the new guy [Brandon Routh] is going to die also?"
Ratner insists that the "X-Men 3" script is up to snuff, that production will commence in Vancouver, British Columbia, in eight weeks, and that series stars Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, James Marsden and Rebecca Romijn will return. As for what he'll add to the successful Singer recipe, the director said, "I want to stay true to the franchise and true to the characters, but I think it's elevated ... I don't want to be pompous and say I'm going to take it to the next level. I think the script that Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn wrote gives me a tremendous amount of confidence."
He also said you can expect his X-Men to have an enhanced sense of humor. "Not jokes for the sake of jokes," Ratner added, "jokes that come from character humor, that come from characters and that come from the situations."
Will Brett Ratner have the last laugh, or will the latest "X-Men" director discover that the third time is anything but the charm? It's a question that would likely stump even Professor X himself.

X-Men 3's Ratner Speaks

Director Brett Ratner, who takes over the helm of the third X-Men movie, shrugged off criticism from fans who fear he'll wreck the franchise in comments to MTV.com. "It's not going to be easy," Ratner (Rush Hour) told the site. "But we're definitely going to hit it."
Bryan Singer, who wrote and directed the first two installments of the Marvel Comics mutant-superhero series, declined to direct the third one. Layer Cake director Matthew Vaughn then stepped in with ambitious plans that included the casting of Kelsey Grammar as well-mannered monster Beast and Vinnie Jones as one-man wrecking crew Juggernaut. Weeks later, Vaughn stepped down, citing family reasons, the site reported.
"Bryan Singer left [X-Men 3] because he didn't like the material," Ratner said. "But I don't think this movie is tainted; I think it is fantastic, and the script is amazing."
As for the fans, Ratner said with a laugh: "[They think] I'm the Antichrist!" But, he added, "I don't think about it."
"I'm not Joel Schumacher," he said of the fan-despised director behind the last Batman sequels. "I'm Brett, and all I know is what I know, what I can do and what I have to work with." X-Men 3 begins production in Vancouver, B.C., this summer.



Ratner Replaces X-Men's Vaughn

Twentieth Century Fox and Marvel Entertainment hired Brett Ratner on June 3 to replace Matthew Vaughn as the director of the third X-Men movie, Variety reported. The hiring keeps the film on track for an August start date and a Memorial Day weekend 2006 opening date, the trade paper reported.
Vaughn (Layer Cake) dropped out less than a week ago, with the official reason being that the director didn't want to uproot his family. But the trade paper reported that it appears the exit followed his growing apprehension about taking on such a large assignment in his second outing.
Ratner (Rush Hour), a comic-book enthusiast, was among the helmers considered to direct the first X-Men before the job went to Bryan Singer. Ratner spent a full year developing Superman Returns, the film that ultimately prompted Singer to drop out of directing X-Men 3.
The X-Men 3 budget is locked, and Fox and Marvel consider the script by Zak Penn and Simon Kinberg to be at least as strong as that of the first two installments, Variety reported. The original returning stars have been signed, and the cast is bolstered by Kelsey Grammer, Vinnie Jones and Maggie Grace (Lost), who just came aboard as new mutant characters.

Jackman To Produce Wolverine

Hugh Jackman's recently formed Seed Productions has signed a first-look deal with 20th Century Fox, which includes a spinoff film centering on his X-Men character, Wolverine, Variety reported. Jackman and his producing partner, John Palermo, are awaiting a final draft of the script from screenwriter David Benioff (Troy). Lauren Shuler Donner and Marvel Comics' Avi Arad will co-executive-produce.
Production on Wolverine won't begin until after the completion of the upcoming third film in the X-Men franchise, the trade paper reported. Of the recent replacement of Matthew Vaughn with Brett Ratner at the helm of X3, Jackman said, "It got to be a roller-coaster ride there, but I wasn't worried because the script is so strong. ... Brett has come in with a lot of enthusiasm and full understanding of the franchise." X3 is still scheduled for release in May of 2006.

Alan Cumming Not Returning For 'X3'
Actor makes surprise announcement via his Web site.
by Larry Carroll
Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler in "X2" (20th Century Fox)
For his latest adventure, blue-skinned superhero Nightcrawler has once again vanished into nothingness - however, this time he won't be reappearing.
Actor Alan Cumming has announced via his Web site that he will not be participating in the third "X-Men" movie, a decision that would seem to signal at least the temporary shelving of arguably the most popular character in 2003's "X2."
Referring to Cumming as an "Ex X Man!!," the stage-trained actor's site says, "Alan will NOT be appearing in 'X3.' Fox has not picked up his option to play Nightcrawler for a second movie."
A publicist for Cumming confirmed the announcement's validity, as well as the news that Cumming will not be traveling to Vancouver, British Columbia, this summer to film "X-Men 3" alongside such returning stars as Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry and Patrick Stewart. The posting under the actor's "Up and Cumming" movie page comes as a shock after the star's insistence that he would be in "X3" as recently as February's press tour for "Son of the Mask"; it may come as a similar surprise to new "X3" director Brett Ratner, who told MTV News just two weeks ago that "everybody" would be returning (see "Brett Ratner Shrugs Off Critics, Promises More Humor In 'X3' ").
Originally introduced in 1974 as part of a Marvel Comics effort to form a team of international superheroes, Nightcrawler is the alias for Kurt Wagner, a German mutant with the ability to transport himself instantaneously. Although long considered to be one of the more popular members of the "X-Men" clan, the three-fingered creature was left out of the first film, creating a fan desire eventually satiated by Cumming's casting in the sequel.

According to other reports on the actor's site, the eccentric star will be filling his newly emptied schedule by guest-starring on six episodes of the TV show "The L Word" and promoting his new cologne Cumming: The Fragrance. The fans of the "X-Men" movies, meanwhile, might want to purchase a few bottles to help hide the stench of a third movie without Cumming's charismatic teleporter.

X-Men's Big Court Showdown

By Josh Grossberg
Wed Jun 22, 4:19 PM ET


The X-Men are facing their greatest threat yet.
Or so goes a new lawsuit filed by 20th Century Fox and comic book publisher Marvel Enterprises, who are accusing Sony Pictures and Revolution Studios of swiping key elements Fox's blockbuster X-Men franchise for an upcoming Tim Allen superhero comedy called Zoom.

The copyright-infringement lawsuit, filed Monday in a federal court in Los Angeles, not only claims that Sony and Revolution are ripping off the mutant superhero theme, but are also engaging in unfair competition by pushing up the release date of Zoom from August 2006 to May 12 to get a two-week jump on X3.

"Zoom's release in May 2006 immediately before the release of X3 (or any release in proximity to the release of X3) is an unfair attempt by Sony and Revolution to manipulate the market and trade off the time, energy, resources and effort Marvel have invested in X-Men," court papers state.

The complaint seeks monetary damages as well as an injunction forcing Sony to postpone Zoom's opening. Fox and Marvel are also asking for a court order requiring Sony to strip Zoom's screenplay of any X-Men-like material.

Sony, Revolution and their attorney, Bert Fields, declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

Zoom, which hasn't begun shooting, is based on a graphic novel by Jason Lethcoe and stars theHome Improvement thesp as Jack, aka Captain Zoom, a former superhero called out of retirement to train a group of teen wannabes with mutant powers at a private academy to battle bad guys. The only problem is he's lost his own powers. The film costars Courteney Cox as a scientist with the secret agency in charge of the superhero school and Chevy Chase as the head of the agency.

In Fox and Marvel's view, Zoom's storyline is way too similar to the premise of its X-Men series, which stars Patrick Stewart as Professor Charles Xavier who teaches a group of mutants at a private academy how to utilize their special powers to defeat an evil mutant terrorist organization.

Fox and Marvel say that while Lethcoe's graphic novel does not bear any resemblance to the X-Men movies or comic books, the latest version of the Zoom script contains parts strikingly similar to 2000's X-Men and its 2003 follow-up, X2: X-Men United, which have grossed a combined $700 million in worldwide ticket sales.

"Although Revolution [initially] changed some parts of the Zoom script [at Fox's request]...those few cosmetic changes cannot cover up the fact that Zoom continues to copy key elements, concepts, themes, characters and story lines from X-Men," states the suit.

According to court documents, Marvel and Fox recently warned Revolution in writing that it was infringing on mutant territory, but neither Sony nor Revolution replied.

The lawsuit also cites a letter from Revolution stating that any legal action Fox and Marvel decide to take is really an attempt "to monopolize...broad general concepts that have been widely and repeatedly used by others."



Since Hollywood is no stranger to turf wars, it's possible the plaintiffs could be placated if Sony simply moved Zoom's release date.



In any case, production is ramping up on X3 now that Fox has signed Rush Hour director Brett Ratner to take over from Matthew Vaughn, who dropped out of the project earlier this month. The third installment, which will reunite the original cast along with some new additions, most notably Vinnie Jones as the evil metal-clad Juggernaut and Kelsey Grammer as super intelligent blue behemoth hero known as Beast, is due to start shooting in August

o X2 star Alan Cumming announced on his official Web site that 20th Century Fox has not picked up his option to reprise his role as Nightcrawler in the upcoming sequel film X-Men 3.
http://www.alancumming.com/whatsnew.htm


Zoom Sparks Legal Battle

Marvel Enterprises and 20th Century Fox have filed suit against Sony Pictures Entertainment and Revolution Studios for copyright infringement and unfair competition, claiming the upcoming superhero comedy Zoom uses key elements from the X-Men franchise, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The screenplay for Zoom, starring Tim Allen, includes a school for teenage superheroes which doubles as a training facility and a sinister government agency, signature elements of the X-Men universe.
Zoom hasn't begun filming yet, but Sony's decision to release the film on May 12, two weeks before the third X-Men film is due to come out, led Marvel and Fox to take legal action. The lawsuit, seeking injunctive relief and monetary damages, makes the release date a key part of the complaint, the trade paper reported.

The DPFilms blog posted rumors that Lost star Maggie Grace is out as Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat in the upcoming third X-Men movie and that filmmakers are relying on Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men Marvel comics for their script.
http://dpfilms.blogspot.com//




X-Men 3
Maggie Grace (Lost) is out as Kitty Pryde. The production team has just issued a casting notice for the role. Ratner and Co. are a smart bunch because they're using the script to The Astonishing X-Men comic-book as sides. Wanna know the irony? The comic-book is written by Joss Whedon, who every fanboy dreamed of having writing and directing X-Men 3.




Zak Penn, who with Simon Kinberg wrote the upcoming third X-Men movie, has signed a two-year, first-look deal with Fox to write, produce and direct movies, Variety reported.

Ben Foster has joined the cast of Brett Ratner's X-Men 3, playing the mutant Archangel (occasionally known as the Avenging Angel, Angel II and Dark Angel), Variety reported.

Ellen Page (Hard Candy) has been cast in the role of Kitty Pryde in the upcoming sequel film X-Men 3, IGN Filmforce reported. Variety previously stated that Lost star Maggie Grace had landed the role, but the actress told SCI FI Wire on July 16 that the report was erroneous.

Jackman Says Dr. No To 007
The Australian newspaper The Age reported that Hugh Jackman has rejected the role of James Bond after months of negotiations with the producers. He would have been the first Aussie to play the role, 36 years after countryman George Lazenby starred in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. He would have replaced Pierce Brosnan.
But Jackman found himself unswayed by the job's selective cult status, the newspaper reported. He was first offered the role some months ago, but has turned it down after talking with his wife, actress Deborrah-Lee Furness.
The report said Jackman, 37, rejected the deal because he had a sufficiently high global profile and did not feel the need to throw himself into the strange world of Bond.

X-Men 3 Casting Rumored
IGN FilmForce reported rumors that Olivia Williams, Bill Duke and Michael Murphy have joined the cast of the third X-Men movie.
Williams (The Sixth Sense) will reportedly play Dr. Moira MacTaggert, the Nobel Prize-winning scientist and former lover of Professor Xavier, who ran a mutant research center on Muir Island in her native Scotland. In the Marvel Comics mythology, MacTaggert was the mother of the mutant Proteus and died after discovering a cure for a new strain of the Legacy virus, the site reported.
Duke (Predator) will portray a politician in the president's cabinet, the site reported.
Murphy will play Warren Worthington Sr., father of Angel (Ben Foster).

IGN FilmForce reported that Iranian actress Shohreh Aghdashloo (TV's 24) will play Dr. Kavita Rao in the third X-Men movie, based on a character introduced in Joss Whedon's recent run on Astonishing X-Men as a geneticist who created a serum called Hope to try to rid mutants of their mutations.

Mystique To Marry Quinn Mallory
Six months after X-Men star Rebecca Romijn's divorce from John Stamos, she became engaged to Sliders star Jerry O'Connell over the weekend in New York, Zap2It reported.
"We couldn't be happier and are looking forward to the next chapter of our lives," the couple said in a joint statement.
Romijn, 32, first married Stamos (Full House) in 1998, then split amicably with him in April 2004. Their divorce became final in March of this year.
O'Connell, 31, is best known to SF TV fans for the series Sliders. His big screen credits include Mission to Mars.

New Trailer Reveals X3 Secrets
Fox announced that the teaser trailer for its upcoming third X-Men movie, nicknamed X3, will go live on the Internet at Apple.com on Dec. 5, a week before originally planned, and that the trailer will hit theaters on Dec. 14, attached to prints of King Kong. SCI FI Wire, meanwhile, was among journalists on the film's Vancouver, Canada, set on Dec. 1 who got a glimpse of the trailer in the company of star Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), and the trailer reveals several key spoilers about the upcoming movie.
After shooting a scene with Ian McKellen (Magneto), Jackman, dressed in his full Wolverine regalia, invited reporters back to the "dailies" trailer to watch a rough cut of the preview clip with him.
One of the highlights of the trailer is the appearance for the first time of two new characters: Angel (Ben Foster), unfolding his large, feathered wings in a laboratory setting, and the furred, blue-skinned Beast (Kelsey Grammer) at what appears to be a memorial service.
The trailer also confirms speculation that the third film would deal with the Dark Phoenix storyline from the Marvel Comics series: A laboratory sequence appears to show the resurrection of Jean Grey (Famke Janssen), who died at the end of X2, as Phoenix.
The trailer hints that X3 will feature even more action and effects than the first two X-Men films. Storm (Halle Berry) is seen taking flight. There is a Danger Room combat sequence (planned for, but cut out of, the second X-Men movie) and a concluding shot that shows the Golden Gate bridge being torn apart, presumably by Magneto.
The trailer begins with a voice-over narration by Dr. Xavier (Patrick Stewart) warning that mankind is at a pivotal moment in history, that there will be a struggle and that great sacrifices will be made. The visuals open with shots of familiar characters, including Wolverine, Storm and Dr. Xavier.
The action quickly ramps up, with Magneto throwing cars around. Magneto also hints at one of the movie's major themes in one of the trailer's only lines of dialogue: "They want to cure us!" he shouts to a group of mutants assembled in a forest. "I say we are the cure!"
In keeping with Xavier's warning of great sacrifice, there is a gathering of heroes at what appears to be a memorial service, though the trailer doesn't make clear whose.
Several characters from previous films make appearances, including Cyclops (James Marsden), Mystique (Rebecca Romijn) and Colossus (Daniel Cudmore).
X3 continues to shoot in Vancouver under the direction of Brett Ratner; the movie opens May 26, 2006.

Singer Considers Trek Movie
Bryan Singer, an avowed Star Trek fan, told SCI FI Wire that he's thought about directing a Trek movie. "I'm a huge fan," Singer said in an interview at the Nov. 30 premiere of the SCI FI Channel's upcoming original miniseries The Triangle.
Singer added: "We're huge Trekkies. And we've always talked about what we would do, and what would I do, if I were to make a film in that universe."
It's unclear when or if Paramount will mount another Trek film, since its last effort, Star Trek: Nemesis, did poorly at the box office and the last Trek series, Star Trek: Enterprise, was canceled after drawing low ratings.
Singer has kept a strong link with the Trek universe. He made a cameo appearance in Nemesis. He also worked on the last two X-Men films with The Next Generation's Patrick Stewart (Jean-Luc Picard). Singer is currently finishing Superman Returns and is working on his next project, an update of the SF movie Logan's Run.
"Again, you know, it's the same thing: X-Men, Superman, Logan's Run, all these things: There are these incredible universes, really," Singer said, adding: "You kind of wish you could play in them all. I mean, I got to do a cameo in the last Star Trek film; that was a thrill. I got to be on the Enterprise when it was under attack."
As for what he would do in his version of a Star Trek movie? "[That's] a longer story," he said. "It would involve ... it would be big. It would be very big."
The Triangle, which Singer executive-produced with Dean Devlin, premieres at 9 p.m. ET/PT Dec. 5.

Marsden Gets Enchanted
James Marsden (X-Men) will co-star with Amy Adams in Disney's upcoming fantasy film Enchanted, Variety reported.
Marsden has signed on to play the prince opposite Adams' princess in the Kevin Lima-directed romantic fable, which mixes live action and classic animation.
The story centers on a princess-in-waiting who is banished by an evil queen from the animation world of Andalasia to present-day New York. Once there, the movie turns to live action, and Adams' character attempts to navigate the city, finding true love in the process. Marsden will play the prince who falls in love with Adams' character and follows her into the real world.
Barry Sonnenfeld and Barry Josephson are producing, from a script currently penned by Bill Kelly.

USA Today has posted the first images from Brett Ratner's upcoming third X-Men movie, including the first looks at Kelsey Grammer's Beast and Ben Foster's Angel.
http://www.usatoday.com/life/gallery/2005/x3/flash.htm

The new teaser trailer for the upcoming third X-Men movie has been linked through SCI FI Wire's Trailers page.
http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire2005/index.php?category=8

X-Men 3 Introduces Psylocke
Mei Melancon has joined the cast of the upcoming third X-Men film in the role of the villainous mutant Psylocke, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Melancon previously appeared in Rush Hour 2, which was directed by X-Men 3 helmer Brett Ratner.
Psylocke has had several incarnations in the Marvel comic-book series on which the films are based; she is best known for her fighting and telepathic skills, as well as an ability to transport herself and others through shadows. In the film, she will fight against the X-Men as a member of Magneto's (Ian McKellen) Brotherhood of Mutants.
X-Men 3, from a script by Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn, is set to premiere on May 26, 2006, Memorial Day weekend.

Will Psylocke Join Magneto in X-Men 3?
The Hollywood Reporter ...erm...reports... that Psylocke, the sultry telepathic ninja assassin, will join Magneto and his brotherhood of mutants to face off against Wolverine, Storm and the other X-Men in the eagerly anticipated X-Men 3, storming theaters this May. The Reporter states that Director Brett Ratner has cast Mei Melancon in the role of Psylocke, having worked with her before on Rush Hour 2. Keep a look out here for more X-citing details on úX-Men 3 and other great Marvel movies!
With a library of over 5,000 proprietary characters, Marvel Entertainment, Inc. is one of the world's most prominent character-based entertainment companies. Marvel's operations are focused in three areas: entertainment (Marvel Studios) and licensing, comic book publishing and toys (Toy Biz). Marvel facilitates the creation of entertainment projects, including feature films, DVD/home video, video games and television based on its characters and also licenses its characters for use in a wide range of consumer products and services including apparel, collectibles, snack foods and promotions. Marvel's characters and plot lines are created by its publishing segment that continues to expand its leadership position in the U.S. and worldwide while also serving as an invaluable source of intellectual property.

Romijn Praises X3's Ratner
Rebecca Romijn, who reprises the role of the blue mutant Mystique in the upcoming third X-Men film, told SCI FI Wire that director Brett Ratner had a completely different directing style from the franchise's previous director, Bryan Singer. "[They had] different energy levels," Romijn said in an interview at the Television Critics Association winter press tour in Pasadena, Calif., where she was promoting her new WB series, Pepper Dennis. "Bryan sort of quietly orchestrates how the scenes work, and Brett is very exuberant and over-the-top. A lot of energy."
X3 wrapped filming last month in Vancouver, Canada, and Romijn said that she hasn't yet seen any of the finished footage. But she added that she is looking forward to seeing how Ratner's vision will translate to the big screen. "These movies are so interesting, because when you read computer graphics and special effects or fight scenes on the page, you never have any idea what it's going to look like," she said. "So I'm going to be just as curious as everyone else to see the result."
Romijn said that her character, a shape-shifting mutant who serves the villainous Magneto (Ian McKellen), will have about the same amount of screen time and action scenes in the third film as she had in the first and second. "With the costume, there's only so much I can do in any of these movies," she said. "There are always 15 or 16 principal cast members, and so when you break it down, I never had that much to do. And I'd say I have about the same as I've always [had]." X3 is scheduled to open on May 26.

X3: Reunion Patch Available
Enlight Interactive announced that that a patch for its X3: Reunion PC video game is now available for download. The patch will improve the game's performance in key areas of game balance and adds new and revamped features.
The version 1.3 patch also improves the overall look, quality and feel of the game, the publisher said. Destroyed stations now leave behind wreckage, missiles have a new look, a new ship has been added, and several missing ships have now been activated.
http://www.egosoft.com/download/x3/patches_en.php

IESB.com has reported that the upcoming third X-Men movie will have the subtitle The Last Stand, according to Fox studio head Tom Rothman.
http://iesb.net/fox2006/012606.php

X3 Video Game: http://www.marvel.com/publishing/stories/showstory.htm?id=71

Speculation that May's revisiting of the X-Men franchise may be the final installment in the movie series will no doubt receive a Colossus-size boost with the revelation that "X-Men: The Last Stand" is the official title. Featuring returning stars Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry, it will be the first (and possibly last?) "X-Men" flick from director Brett Ratner. ...

The FreezeDriedMovies.com Web site has posted an image of the villainous mutant Juggernaut from the upcoming third X-Men movie, subtitled The Last Stand.
http://www.freezedriedmovies.com/news/inde...ull&NewsID=4401

'X3' Director Says Movie Will Really Be 'The Last Stand'
HOLLYWOOD — Leaked images from the set of "X3" have been swirling around the Internet with the intensity of one of Storm's tornados, building a torrent of discontent from die-hard "X" fans repelled by the less-than-impressive appearance of beloved characters like Beast, Juggernaut and Colossus.
And while the man responsible, director Brett Ratner, is quick to defend his vision, all the noise being made is also furthering his desire to really go out with a bang.
"Well, it seems to be the last of the series," Ratner said of the eyebrow-raising title for the third film, "X-Men: The Last Stand," due May 26. "We wanted to make sure the audiences knew that this was a trilogy. Even though they weren't made together like 'Lord of the Rings,' this is really closure for the X-Men series. ... This is the last stand for sure."
A spokesperson for "X-Men" studio 20th Century Fox confirmed that "X3" will be the final film for the mutant team, a revelation that is likely to only increase the level of fan frustration over "The Last Stand."
It's no secret that the "Rush Hour" helmer has been under fire ever since he slipped into the director's chair vacated by Bryan Singer (see " 'Rush Hour' Director Ratner To Helm 'X3' "), who powered the first two films to financial success and an outpouring of geek glee. Web sites devoted to the series have been tearing down Ratner ever since, painting him as the man who will undoubtedly bring the franchise down, making the icy reception of the leaked photos a surprise to no one.