Talking to Hero Complex while promoting the DVD and blu-ray release of the movie, Lauren Shuler Donner has revealed a little more about the development of X-Men: First Class, seemingly confirming that both Cyclops and Jean Grey were both included when talks of the prequel began. She also comments on its critical success and the chances of any of the newly introduced characters getting their own spin off's in the near future. The answer? Probably not...
On How The Idea For X-Men: First Class Developed:
It sort of happened during “X2.” During a lunch break, I said, ‘You know, wouldn’t it be funny if we could see young X-Men. Like a young Cyclops and a young Jean Grey, as they first visited the mansion. We all thought it was dynamite, but then you get consumed with the movie that you’re doing. Years went by, and Simon Kinsberg went into this executive’s office and said ‘Hey, there’s this comic book — ‘First Class’ — that would make a really good X-men movie.’ Then the executive e-mailed me and said ‘Hey, I figured out how to do young X-men.’ And that’s how it happened.
On Filming Hugh Jackman's Cameo:
That was a fun day! But that’s Hugh. He came at the end of the shoot at a time when everybody was tired and worn out and just making this huge effort to finish the movie — and he just comes in there with his sunny disposition and all of his energy. I mean, I don’t want to sound like a Pollyanna, but he was just a breath of fresh air.
On Whether We'll See Any Of The First Class Characters In Their Own Movie:
Well, you never know. At one point we were going to do the Magneto movie, but it was always Magneto and Charles. They’re two sides of each other, although they were raised very differently. Could any others spinoff? I really don’t know. I think this particular strain, this franchise, is going to work as a team.
On The Critical Success Of The Movie:
It was a couple of factors. First, we grounded it with a real historical event, and didn’t skirt around the fact that this story would’ve taken place in the early sixties. By basing it around the Cuban Missile Crisis, it gave it some credibility and took itself very seriously. Second of all, I think we reinvented the franchise, making it feel a little bit more James Bond and a little bit less comic book. And then lastly, we just cast it well. All of our actors were incredible and gave those characters a reality that I think the critics really appreciated.