X-Men is a beloved Marvel Comics property that has spawned many great stories and many great characters. In 2000 the X-Men were brought to life for the first time, on the big screen, with director Bryan Singer at the helm and a talented cast in front of the camera. After 14 years of X-Men films, we've had our stinkers, and the ones that blow us away. The most recent, falling in to the category of harsh wind to most of the fans; while being in the category of trash dump to others. I personally loved DoFP and I hope that Apocalypse is as good, if not better. I can say the same about the entire FOX-Men universe. There are certain paths to making it great and I believe this is one of them. So without further ado, I give you the X-Men Cinematic Universe...in my eyes.
"My next goal is how did the X-Men come together? That story hasn't been told yet, so [Days of Future Past] is the inbetweenquel. It's in between the birth of that relationship with Charles and Erik and the formation of the X-Men." - Bryan Singer
I remember the day this film was announced. Not only did we get our first live action Wonder Woman, but 6 months before X-Men: Days of Future Past we get the announcement for it's sequel. Most people know this villain from the famed storyline Age of Apocalypse, and this is the story most of us believe the film will follow. Why? It's a great story that would be awesome to see on screen.
I personally have not yet read the arc in it's entirety, but have researched it and now about it. One BIG thing in the arc, which was teased in the Post Credits Scene, were the Four Horsemen. Death, Famine, Pestilence, and War. There have been many people in these four roles (here's a full list), but I have a feeling that none of the lineups will be adapted, person for person, in this film. Who do I think should feature in the line-up?
Death: Warren Worthington - Archangel
Famine: Raven Darkhlome - Mystique
Pestilence: (Highlight) Erik Leshnerr - Magneto
War: James "Logan" Howlett - Wolverine
This roster is different from most and I can see why you might not agree with it, but I'd love to see this on the big screen. To me Mystique could've fit in to any of these Horsemen fine. I specifically chose Mystique as Famine for one reason only...the color is black. Each Horseman has a specific color and are known to flaunt that color during their time under Apocalypse's rule. Wouldn't it be awesome to see J. Law in the normal Mystique makeup, but black instead of blue? That'd be EPIC!!! One thing that will transcend all of the Horsemen is that they were recruited for personal reasons to join Apocalypse's...movement if you will. Mystique joins because she feels that Nathaniel Essex (the mutant that recruits them all) connects with her and that he understands her. He recruits Raven, telling her that En Sabah Nur will bring peace between Humans and Mutants. She doesn't know that this peace will be acquired by making their no humans to be at war with.
Angel was a no brainer for me. He's one of the best Horsemen to be in the comics and I'd love to have him in the movie SO much. He definitely wasn't this age at this time in X-Men: Last Stand, but for some reason he was born earlier in the new timeline. Warren would be persuaded to join because he's hated by his family and friends for being a mutant and wants to join group of people that will love him for his differences. He's told that En Sabah Nur will bring him to a place where mutants live together in harmony. He's not told that this place is earth, after all of the humans are gone.
Magneto would be the perfect pestilence in my opinion. Magneto always wants his vengeance on the human race and with these powers he could get it. Bringing suffering and disease to us homo-sapiens would be his cup of tea. Magneto would be told that En Sabah Nur would finally give the Mutants the power that they deserve. This is true, there'd be no human race to strip the power away from them.
Finally Wolverine as War. This was a no brainer to me as well. Yes Logan has been seen as Death in the past, but War would seem so natural to him IMHO. I mean, Logan has been in about every American conflict since the Civil War and possibly even in Vietnam. This man knows war and would be perfect contender for this position. He's dragged in to this by William Stryker (Mystique) his boss at Weapon X. He (she) tells him that they're going on a mission when really she's taking him to En Sabah Nur where (unbeknownst to her) they will be brainwashed and given their powers.
At this point you might be wondering "Where's Gambit?" That's an understandable question. He's been talked about for a while, he was once the Horseman Death, Channing Tatum is most likely our new Remy Lebeau and Lauren Schuler Donner sure is excited about him. That's why he's a part of another roster. The X-Men!!! I chose Gambit for this because if we were ever to have a Gambit spin-off movie, I'd want the audience to know who Gambit really is. As a Horseman the GA might dislike the character or not care to see more of him. If not that they'd have the wrong perception of his powers and attitude, which are both really awesome!
"I'm considering a Gambit and potentially a young Nightcrawler for Apocalypse," - Bryan Singer
Of course we couldn't have the X-Men without Professor X leading them all. Next we'd have Beast coming back to aid his beloved professor. Mostly there would be new recruits as most of the past X-Men have been killed or have disbanded. Remy Lebeau would be a Cajun mutant that comes up to New York and runs in to the X-Men. He'd end up helping them take down Apocalypse, but wouldn't be a student of Xavier. Kurt Wagner would be a timid student of Xavier who escaped ridicule, hatred, and discrimination in Germany. He came to the school for help with his abilities and help with self-consciousness. By the time we meet him in Apocalypse he's a light hearted, nice guy.
We also have the three friends Scott Summers, Jean Grey, and Ororo Monroe. They're all 16 (Maybe 17 depending on what acting talent they get) and are like the 3 musketeers. Each has unique powers and were the first three students Charles Xavier took in after the events of Days of Future Past. Despite their young ages, Charles has had the most time to personally help them harness their abilities and trusts them in the field, with proper guidance from Hank. Last, but not least, we'd have Peter Maximoff come in towards the end to help out the X-Men.
"I even had a line, which I cut, where Quicksilver's mother says to the little girl, 'Go up and bug your sister,' and the little girl says, 'She bugs me!' You never see the older sister, but it was to imply that there is an older sister for comic book fans. I ended up cutting it." - Bryan Singer
You're probably wondering why I crossed out that quote. It's because I don't want it to be true. You remember in DoFP when Quicksilver sat down in front of his TV with his little sister on his lap. When a still from this short scene was released we all assumed this was Scarlet Witch. Fans were up in arms about Pietro (Peter) and Wanda Maximoff not being twin brother and sister. Bryan Singer then came out with the above quote stating that the little girl wasn't Wanda Maximoff, and that Wanda was actually mentioned in a cut scene. I would love for the little girl to be Wanda Maximoff. Why? She's a teenager by now...
During their teenaged years everyone makes bad decisions. We're rebellious, our hormones are going crazy, and for girls (not to be sexist or demeaning or whatever negative way you might take this) it's multiplied by 10. I think Apocalypse could use this to his advantage by taking a vulnerable, young mutant that is INCREDIBLY powerful. This young mutant is Wanda Maximoff. Imagine a crazy Wanda Maximoff manipulated in to doing Apocalypse's work and whipping out humans easily with her uncontrollable powers. I'd imagine that at this stage the powers of a mutant are starting to show or go out of control. Apocalypse doesn't try to control her, but plants ideas in her head and lets her loose on humanity. That would not only be awesome, but would differentiate itself from the MCU Wanda Maximoff.
In the end Apocalypse is defeated. All of Apocalypse's Horsemen are restored. Warren goes with Xavier and the X-Men. Raven goes on the run by herself. Logan goes to Japan to "find himself" (which is explained in the Mid-Credits Scene) and Erik takes Wanda and Pietro and it's hinted that he starts the Brotherhood.
On the X-Men's side of things, Remy leaves the X-Men on good terms with them. Kurt leaves in search of his mother (during the movie Kurt fights Raven. After Kurt's defeated she says to him "You're father would be proud." and leaves. This is after we se her nonchalantly observing him throughout the film).
Post Credits Scene: We jump in to the future. It's 2043. A grey haired, Old Man Logan-esque, Wolverine stands in an outfit similar to this one in. They stand on a cliff that looks out over a valley of nothingness. The sky is grey, and has the same vibe the X-Men: Days of Future Past future did, but this time darker. Cable and Psylocke walk up next to him. In short dialogue they reveal to the audience that Apocalypse had restored his essence in to a baby after he was "defeated" in 1983, 60 years prior. Wolverine says to them that they have to go back in time and kill Apocalypse as child so that this doesn't happen again. The screen fades to black and says:
"TO BE CONTINUED IN X-FORCE"
WOLVERINE: REVELATIONS (2017)
"Fox has scheduled an untitled solo Wolverine film for March 3, 2017. This will James Mangold's follow up to The Wolverine which he tweeted, "I'm shooting the next Wolverine after X-Men: Apocalypse (May 27, 2016)." Hugh Jackman is expected to reprise his role." - nailbiter111
The sequel to last year's The Wolverine and the third Wolverine solo film is set to be released in 2017. Fans have expressed that they want to see Old Man Logan adapted to the big screen. I absolutely agree, but feel like that cannot and will not happen until the X-Men characters are back at Marvel Studios. The story involves so many Marvel characters and only one (if I remember correctly) of the main players in the story is owned by FOX.
Hugh Jackman has stated that he's only 0.1% away from being 100% certain that the third Wolverine film will be his last. At this point it'll be 17 years of his career as this character and it'd be a good place to say goodbye.
Something I feel the Wolverine had going for it was the darker tone that it seemed like it was going to have. I was disappointed to find that this tone was barely seen passed the bar fight where Wolverine kicks some ass in one of the roughest ways we've seen before. Berserker rage Wolverine is still inside of him and I want to see him unleashed.
The story would take a few pages from from Arrow and the original Chris Claremont stories of Wolvie in Japan. The film would have two stories going on at once, one more prominent and focused on than the other. The more central storyline would follow Wolverine as he sets out for Japan, trying to find the source of his nightmares (which feature a young man with a Mohawk and and older man with long white hair who are in Japan), and seeing if he's even been there in the new timeline. The second story would be told in flash backs that Wolverine receives as he stumbles upon places where big events happened when he first came to Japan. This would take place right after the events of Apocalypse.
"Of course we’re looking at Old Man Logan, because that may be the only option left at this point! [laughs] We are looking at a lot of different storylines. No one has jumped out. You can tell from my answer that we’re still working it out." - Hugh Jackman
Despite what I said earlier, aspects of Old Man Logan would still be appreciated in some way or form. I think visibly they should try to go for an Old Man Logan type look for Logan. His hardened attitude and even more rough nature should be added as well. Another thing from OML that would crossover is the buddy cop/road trip feel. How?
After getting to Japan he searches for the Clan Yashida's mansion. He finds it empty. After having a flashback to the battle he had with Lord Shingen, after being poisoned, he's attacked by a cloaked figure with a katana. He wins, but the cloaked figure escapes. He follows the figures trail to a little hut in the mountains. He enters and there is an old woman. She introduces herself as Yukio. Logan is shocked to see that this is Yukio's age in the new timeline. He doesn't tell her of the alternate timeline, but acts as if he doesn't remember (which he doesn't). She tells of him of the first time they met, after he was thrown on the streets, by the Yashida, and she saved him from thieves. They talk about Mariko's brutal murder, how Yukio searched for who did it for years (but never found anything), and who the cloaked figure was. She laughs at the idea that the figure was her. She says it was someone he should definitely know, and if he doesn't he needs to go find her ASAP. He's lost her trail so she gives him something with her scent. Wolverine thanks Yukio dearly and follows the new trail.
He finally tracks the figure and it turns out to be a woman. He finds her in the abandoned Clan Yashida mansion. She's tied up to a pole and surrounded by, bow and arrow clad, ninjas. Before they can fire he jumps down and attacks them. After defeating them all he lets her loose. She hugs him and begins to cry. Despite Wolverine not knowing who she is, he embraces her. Then she steps back from the hug and slaps him. He asks why she did that and says because he abandoned her. He tells her that it's a long story, but he doesn't remember anything about Japan. She introduces herself as Amiko, he knew her as Akiko though. After running away with Mariko to a village where she grew up, there was a fire and Logan saved Amiko from the fire, but couldn't get her parents out. He promised them before they died that he would raise Amiko well. She says that after he confronted Mariko's brother, Harada Keniuchio, of killing her he didn't come back. Yukio told her that he wasn't dead, but had to leave. She saw it as only loving Mariko and after she was gone he had no reason to love her. As she says this memories come floating back to him. He tells her that he left because she would be in danger. if the Clan Yashida found him they'd find her. He wanted her to be safe and trusted her with Yukio. She asks why he is here. He says that he had been having dreams of Japan that haunted him and he had to come here to see what happened to him there. She asks if he remembers anything. He tells her that he remembers the fight with Shingen, Yukio and his first encounter, saving her, and leaving Japan. He asks to help her find Mariko's killers. She agrees and they go on a journey together.
They begin their quest. After a couple encounters with Yakuza and ninja they stumble upon a group of ninjas that were more trained and skilled than the others. They have a vigorous fight, but lose and are knocked unconscious. They wake up in separate cells. They both easily escape their cells and try to find an exit to the building. They both find it very weird that it's so easy. They find an exit, but expect an ambush there. They prepare to fight and when they get outside, no one is there. The two cautiously run away as far as they can. They run in to a clearing in the woods. Suddenly a man who looks like he's in his 20's jumps out from behind them. He's about 5'9 and is very muscular. He has a Mohawk and a large tattoo on his left side. Two sharp bones (similar to Wolverine's before Weapon X) slowly come out of his hands. Wolverine suddenly has small flashes to intercourse with Mariko. The man charges for the two. Amiko yells at him, telling him to unsheathe his claws, but he's frozen. Wolverine continues to have these flashes until the man pounces and he has his first lasts longer than a split second. In this Mariko stands in front of him and says "Logan...I am pregnant!". He snaps back to the present when the man tackles him to the ground. The two fight. Logan tells Amiko to run, she doesn't disobey. After Logan realizes that the man has a healing factor too, he goes all out and the two have a ruthless fight. In the end the man stands over a defeated Wolverine. "Who are you...?" Wolverine asks. He responds "Your next nightmare!" The man knocks Wolvie out cold.
Logan wakes up in the field. He's alone. He stands up and walks into the woods, following the scent of Amiko. He stumbles upon a huge rock. On top stands a large muscular man with white hair. Shadows cover his facial features and most of his body. He has someone in a choke hold. It's Amiko. Wolverine unsheathes his claws and scales the rock, but it seems to get taller as he gets higher. The large man begins to speak. He says that he has taken Amiko and that he has to get her before he decides to kill her. Suddenly Wolverine falls off the rock and hits the ground. The man with the Mohawk from earlier walks up to Logan and stands above him. He laughs. "I told you......father" Logan jumps up. He looks down at his hands. His claws are out and bloody. He's still in the clearing. Amiko sits by his side. She tells him that the man got away and she wanted to stay with him before going after the man. Logan thanks her and says that they're going after him. Before they leave Amiko mentions one thing. She says that the ninja attacking her the other day were from the Hand, and they want her dead.
That was just a taste of the plot, as I have not fully decided how I want it to play out, but you see what I mean. Wolverine and Amiko would hunt down Daken while running from the Hand. They encounter him with a group of Hand ninjas. While Amiko deals with the ninjas Wolverine fights Daken. Wolverine beats him, but Daken escapes. Wolverine doesn't bother go after him because his next target is the large man from his dreams...Romulus. The two would find Romulus and we'd finally have the Wolverine fight we've all wanted. The movie would end with Amiko dead, by the hands (or claws) of Daken who she fought while Wolverine was with Romulus. Wolverine feels guilty and says that he'll avenger her death by enacting his vengeance on Daken. The movie ends with Logan returning Amiko's body to Yukio and mourning with her. He leaves and returns to the abandoned Clan Yashida mansion. He searches around and finally finds a room showcasing the many different helmets of the Yashida samurai. He now remembers all of his time in Japan and remembers that Mariko had one installed that was once his. It's yellow and black, and resembles Wolverine's classic mask, but with a samurai flair.This helmet was the only one left in the move form one mansion to the next. It sits on a buff of Logan which sits on a pedestal labeled "野蛮なウルヴァリンのヘルメット" or in English, The helmet of the savage Wolverine....
Post Credits Scene: Wolverine is taking a cab to the Xavier School for gifted Youngsters when he sees an explosion in the distance. He jumps out of the cab and runs to the school. He jumps the gate and sees the school on fire. Students are in a frenzy. Some are fighting something, some are running away; some carrying other students. Some smoke clears and he sees a large man with grey skin. The man turn around and it's....Apocalypse. The screen fades to black and says:
"TO BE CONTINUED IN X-FORCE"
That's it for now. This took me a while to write (despite how long or short it might seem to you), and I really wanted to get this part out now. This will be continued in another article which will include X-Force, Gambit, All New X-Men, and maybe even more. Tell me what you think of my ideas in the comment section below and on the big red superhero glove. No matter if you liked it or not please let me know how you think the X-Men should be handled over at FOX and where you think the X-Men franchise should go from here (here being Wolverine: Revelations). Thanks for reading and as always.....