Chris Claremont On Seeing X-MEN: DOFP Adapted And Criticizes TASM 2 "Because He Can"

Chris Claremont On Seeing X-MEN: DOFP Adapted And Criticizes TASM 2 "Because He Can"

Chris Claremont, writer of 1981's X-Men: Days of Future Past story-arc that is now being adapted by FOX, shares his thoughts on the new film, and also discusses The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

By Abary - May 19, 2014 12:05 PM EST
Filed Under: Other
Source: ComicBook

With X-Men: Days Of Future past hitting theaters this week, and with really great reviews so far, hype has never been higher for FOX's latest X-flick. The writer of the 1981 comic that the film is based on talked at Motor City Comic Con about the film. “They got it right,” he said. “At least in the title. They got big robots in it. It’s very 70′s. I don’t know what the TARDIS is doing in the White House, but that’s a totally different story. My basic feeling is that is probably the richest, most talented, most ‘box-office-holy-cow-cast’ I have ever seen. You can take any two members of that cast and build an award-winning successful movie. And they have! I think it’s way cool and we’ll know in a week.” When he got asked if he had seen the film yet, he said that he has yet to see it, and was then asked if he was asked about it. “No. It’s Fox. What’s the point? The producer asked me if I would fly out to L.A. and participate in press conference with the actors. I said, ‘Hell Yes!’ She pitched it to the Fox high ups and they said ‘Oh no. We just need the actors. The original writer of the source material is not a smart move.’ I hate to say it, but my softest response is my only response: It’s not my 120 million bucks. It’s Fox’s and they get to call the shots. Yes I would love to be a part of it, but by the same token Marvel isn’t screening it either. So take that for whatever you will.” He also talked a bit about X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which many fans believe is the worst of Fox's X-Men movies. He seems to agree with what most of us believe, which is that the movie forced too much down our throats. “X-Men Origins was forced on the studios by Fox because it was thought that the general film going audience would not understand who he is or what he is or why he is. He needed an origin. My feeling was ‘Dude, it’s Hugh Jackman! Who cares?’ He walks out on-screen and we go, ‘That’s Wolverine!’ and the rest is irrelevant. But what do I know. Not only am I just a civilian when it comes to movies, I also live on the East Coast! Besides the fact that it’s one of the films that has 3-4 of the lines I wrote in it, which made me an impossibly annoying person to go to the movies with. My wife was hitting me in the kidneys because I wouldn’t shut up. But Hugh Jackman is saying ‘I’m the best at what I do.’ YES! Now you know why I’m paid by the word. Never say in a sentence what you can say in a volume. Or as George R.R. Martin does in five volumes!”

He was also asked to share his thoughts on Marc Webb's The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which opened earlier this month, rambling about the villains of the movie. “The problem with superhero movies is you hope you get The Avengers, but sometimes the reality is you get Spidey 2.2. I call it Spidey 2.2 because if you call it Spider-Man 2 people go, ‘Wait, do you mean the Spider-Man with Alfred Molina because that one was really good, you know?’ Yes, it was really good because it was directed by Sam Raimi who is really good. Sam foolishly had this attitude with Sony where he said ‘How about for the third movie we has LESS characters!’ and Sony was like ‘NOOOOO! WE WANT MORE CHARACTERS! 3 CHARACTERS IN THE THIRD, 4 IN THE FOURTH AND 5 IN THE FIFTH!’ Well, oddly enough, this is the fifth movie and what do we have? Sinster Six! Yes, six characters cause they can’t count. I’m making fun of Spidey because I can and because the X-Men movie hasn’t come out yet!” X-Men: Days Of Future Past opens this Friday (Thursday for some) and I will probably re-read Claremont's comic that the film is based on, and I encourage you all to do the same, since it is one of the most popular X-Men comics of the 80's and a really great comic by Chris Claremont. What do you think about his comments? Sound off below.
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KingQuicksilver
KingQuicksilver - 5/19/2014, 12:44 PM
MagicStingRay
MagicStingRay - 5/19/2014, 12:44 PM
LOL! I like this guy.
McNyagano
McNyagano - 5/19/2014, 12:47 PM
Answer me this Chris: How the [frick] did Singer manage to [frick] up Warpath and Bishop? What's their purpose in the film. If he was gonna add mutants like them, why not do something different and unique? Honestly I loved the film but these mutants keep getting wasted and sometimes characterization was off as well was some power displays. Colossus, Blink and Magneto's action scenes stood out the most. But the others it was all been there, done that. Well I shared my 2 cents. rest is up to you folks...

yossarian
yossarian - 5/19/2014, 12:47 PM
I have the biggest zit on my left ass cheek. [frick]ing thing won't pop and it hurts like hell. I am going to knife this bitch open when I get home.
KingQuicksilver
KingQuicksilver - 5/19/2014, 12:48 PM
TChalla
TChalla - 5/19/2014, 12:51 PM
Ooooh right at they neck! I enjoyed Spidey 2 tho. (Bare with me) lol The reason for that is because I think movies should be original and not really remind you of the comics too much where you'll go "oh I know what's about to happen I read this in a comic." There giving us heroes and villains and brand new stories and ME, personally enjoys that they're taking their time to make these films.
TChalla
TChalla - 5/19/2014, 12:52 PM
I just enjoy each CBM I watch basically.
Klone
Klone - 5/19/2014, 12:56 PM
Claremount is the greatest X-Men writer ever. He has not been surpassed.
cipher
cipher - 5/19/2014, 12:59 PM
Claremont is, and always will be, my favourite X-Men writer.
Klone
Klone - 5/19/2014, 1:01 PM
Claremont added so much though and whilst I have barely any knowledge of Stan Lee's work on the book, I have from multiple people it was regarded a pretty mediocre book before Claremont and very 2D characters.
cipher
cipher - 5/19/2014, 1:02 PM
It's cool, Nomi. That's understandable.
cipher
cipher - 5/19/2014, 1:04 PM
Klone
Klone - 5/19/2014, 1:04 PM
Pretty much all the iconic X-Men stories that completely defined this side of Marvel were written by Claremont as well.
cipher
cipher - 5/19/2014, 1:05 PM
The the thing with Claremont is- he really made the X-Men living, breathing characters, y'know? He wrote their fears, their ambitions, their insecurities..

He gave them a new life.
cipher
cipher - 5/19/2014, 1:30 PM
I'm actually going through Claremont's stuff again little by little. I read most of it already, but it's been a few years so I figured it was about time to reacquaint myself with those stories.

I just finished the one a few days ago where Magneto basically demands that the world's superpowers to disarm their nuclear weaponry or he'll f*ck their shit up. At one point in the story, he believes he's killed Kitty and that sorta, like.. shakes 'im out of his rage. He looks at himself, and he realises that he's done this to a child.. and he wonders if that makes him any better than the people he's fought against his entire life. There's this one point earlier in that story where Storm's ruminating on the fact that Magneto's heart is probably in the right place, and, in another life, she would probably consider him an ally.. but he's let his hatred drive him for so long that he's blinded. That's what I love about those stories- these guys were layered.
Klone
Klone - 5/19/2014, 1:33 PM
Claremont breathed a lot of personality, charm and complexity into all the characters. And Wolverine was still a mystery? [frick] Fox for thinking they're better than this guy.
cipher
cipher - 5/19/2014, 1:33 PM
I really wish Byrne stayed on, though. I mean, I don't have anything against Cockrum.. but, yeah, Byrne's better.
cipher
cipher - 5/19/2014, 1:34 PM
McNyagano
McNyagano - 5/19/2014, 1:43 PM
Singer could learn a thing or two from Chris about the X-men.
BlackPhillip
BlackPhillip - 5/19/2014, 1:50 PM
Loved how he bashed Sony. I'm glad that I have him as a friend on FB.
TheRationalNerd
TheRationalNerd - 5/19/2014, 1:59 PM
McNyagano
Singer could learn a thing or two from Chris about the X-men.


Agreed
MrFridayNights
MrFridayNights - 5/19/2014, 2:11 PM
Chris deserves more love for basically recreating the X-Men.
GeekyCheekyChic
GeekyCheekyChic - 5/19/2014, 2:15 PM
Chris Claremont for President of all Fox
Craven
Craven - 5/19/2014, 2:20 PM
I swear Marc Webb is trying to kill the Spidey franchise for Sony...The 1st was okay it just had a horrible version of the Lizard or should I say Goomba from the Mario Bros. movie...But this piece of shit should've never seen the light of day...It's worse than Batman and Robin...I was waiting to see an ad for a Spidey Visa lol...I'm actually quite surprised the Goblin didn't have nipples on his so-called costume...Rhyno was even more useless..."I'm just gonna put a a guy in a tank shaped like a Rhyno and it'll work out just fine"...Spidey can have a bad ass costume but yet no one else can? Hollywood...you do realize Spidey's villains are supposed to be more important and menacing than Parker right? lol...I also agree wholeheartedly with Chris about Jackman's Wolverine...
DemonHunter
DemonHunter - 5/19/2014, 2:30 PM


yay
Superpotts
Superpotts - 5/19/2014, 2:49 PM
As if Claremont just somehow made himself even more awesome! What a hero. I bet he frequents this site with an anti-FOX attitude like that!
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