X-MEN: 5 Things 20th Century Fox Got Right With The Franchise (And 5 Things They Got Badly Wrong)

X-MEN: 5 Things 20th Century Fox Got Right With The Franchise (And 5 Things They Got Badly Wrong)

20th Century Fox's X-Men franchise has always been divisive, and while an MCU reboot beckons, we're taking a look back at what the studio did and didn't get right with these beloved characters on screen.

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - Apr 19, 2023 01:04 PM EST
Filed Under: X-Men

Next year, we'll return to the X-Men Universe in Marvel Studios' Deadpool 3. What that will look like remains to be seen, but for many fans, the prospect of returning to this world isn't an exciting one. 

Still, we have all the faith in the world in the MCU getting these characters right and it's going to be interesting to see how they're handled ahead of an eventual reboot. In fairness to 20th Century Fox, they didn't completely drop the ball on these mutant heroes and villains, and there were some bright spots among creative decisions that frustrate and confuse us in equal measure to this day. 

With that in mind, we're now looking back at the top 5 things Fox got right with the X-Men franchise and 5 things that, simply put, we still can't quite forgive them for. 

We know these movies are always a big talking point, so once you've read this feature, be sure to head to the comments section below to weigh in with your thoughts on what you love and loathe about this series!
 

RIGHT: Hank McCoy's Transformation Into Beast

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While the finished version of Beast didn’t look all that great in X-Men: First Class (likely because production was rushed for the movie to meet its release date), the scene in which we saw Nicholas Hoult’s Hank McCoy transform into this blue-haired beast was shot perfectly by Matthew Vaughn.

It’s a pivotal moment for the character in the comic books, and the filmmaker did it justice in live-action. Hank’s panic as he begins to change comes across effortlessly thanks to some amazing work from Nicholas Hoult, while the special effects were extremely effective in showing how his feet, hands, and entire body are forever altered as a result of the serum.

There’s a werewolf/Jekyll & Hyde quality about the scene which, while not exactly subtle, does stick with you, making it all the more effective. It's just a shame he was able to transform back and forth as soon as Bryan Singer returned to the franchise, a disastrous, idiotic decision by the director.
 

WRONG: Magneto's "Brotherhood Of Evil Mutants"

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Unfortunately, each version of this team that we saw in the original trilogy of movies was made up of either C-List characters that no one cared about or very poor interpretations of those that fans did. Ultimately, everything seemed to boil down to Magneto and Mystique (which is perhaps why their relationship became such an integral part of X-Men: First Class).

However, the way that the likes of Sabretooth and Toad were handled was disappointing from the start, so perhaps that was just a sign of things to come. Either way, the prequels did little to make this right and just watered down the Brotherhood fans hoped to see from the comic books.

The biggest shame is that the movies never decided to explore the relationship between Magneto and his children – and Brotherhood members – Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. That remains this franchise's biggest missed opportunity.
 

RIGHT: Nightcrawler's White House Attack

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What a way to open a movie! Nightcrawler is a fan-favourite character, and this sequence did him justice. Beautifully constructed, it saw the teleporter "BAMF!" his way through The White House, taking down everyone in his path with very little effort thanks to his unique power set.

This also went a long way in setting the tone for the sequel, making it clear that it would be bigger and better than the movie before it. In some respects, this sequence is a big part of why X2: X-Men United is still considered to be one of the better comic book adaptations from this period, and it's a shame the hero's return in the "prequels" wasn't quite so memorable or inspired. 

From a purely technological standpoint, it also stands out as being a huge win for Fox, particularly at a time when this genre was still relatively new. 
 

WRONG: The First Class

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2011's X-Men: First Class served as a reboot of sorts for the X-Men franchise, and Matthew Vaughn’s take on these characters would prove to be one of the best yet. However, as it was also a prequel to the original trilogy set in the 1960s, the director was restricted as to who he could use as members of the "First Class" of mutants.

As a result, we were left with mostly B-List characters like Banshee and Angel instead of the classic line-up fans had spent years hoping to see on screen (Cyclops, Jean Grey, Angel, Beast and Iceman).

On the plus side, exploring the relationship between Professor X and Magneto was so fascinating that it is relatively easy to forgive this, but the timeline became more and more convoluted from movie to movie, especially when we started jumping through the decades. We should have just stayed in the 1960s...
 

RIGHT: The Tragedy Of Professor X

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This was perhaps the most powerful moment in the entire X-Men franchise and one which also answered a question that many fans had long wondered; how exactly did Charles Xavier lose the use of his legs? As it turns out, it was Magneto’s fault and both James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender played this scene perfectly as their friendship and bond dissolved in front of our eyes.

This set both men on separate paths, and the formation of both the X-Men and Brotherhood of Evil Mutants follows. The moment in which Charles realises he can’t feel his legs is also heartbreaking, and Vaughn handled this entire thing perfectly. 

What followed wasn't quite as good, but this remains a perfect moment in a movie that helped establish a new status quo for these characters...until Bryan Singer returned, of course. After that, it was very much more of the same, even if Days of Future Past offered plenty of memorable moments.  

WRONG: Cyclops' Portrayal

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Cyclops' laughable death scene in X-Men: The Last Stand came as almost a relief after the previous movies so badly dropped the ball on the character. The leader of the X-Men was turned into the possessive and unlikeable boyfriend of Jean Grey, and his sole obsession with not letting Wolverine get his claws on her ultimately made him a bore to watch. 

James Marsden was perfectly fine in the role, but the brave leader of the X-Men being turned into a jealous and petty whiner didn't do him justice and resulted in many fans resenting these movies. 

Tye Sheridan was another good fit for the role, but X-Men: Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix didn't exactly make up for past mistakes. The portrayal of the character was better, but not much, and he still wasn't exactly the fearless hero from the source material fans wanted to see on screen.
 

RIGHT: Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool

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Somewhere along the line, Ryan Reynolds became a fan favourite choice for the role of Wade Wilson/Deadpool, with even his comic book counterpart pointing out that the actor should play him in a movie. Fox made this a reality in the dreadful X-Men Origins: Wolverine, though the character was completely botched and the way things ended for him was...well, unbelievable.

Weapon XI aside, though, and the actor would later get the opportunity to play a comic-accurate take on the Merc with the Mouth in two solo Deadpool movies. Those broke box office records and the franchise remains one of the best things Fox ever did with the rights to these iconic characters. It's just crazy that it took someone leaking the footage to finally make the movie a reality.

Thankfully, Reynolds' tenure as the Merc with the Mouth is far from over as he's about to join the MCU!
 

WRONG: The Dark Phoenix Saga

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It goes without saying that "The Dark Phoenix Saga" is a classic comic book arc, and while it was always unlikely that it would be faithfully adapted to the big screen (part of the story did take place on the moon), what we got in X-Men: The Last Stand was ultimately a major disappointment.

The likes of Professor X and Cyclops were killed off with little to no thought or significance, and Jean Grey’s return from the dead as the Dark Phoenix only ended up boiling down to her being manipulated by Magneto and intensely staring at people! Writer Simon Kinberg spent years talking about regretting his decision...and then f***ed it up all over again with Dark Phoenix.

That also screwed the story up, and it's no great surprise Fox's final X-Men movie was both a critical and commercial flop.
 

RIGHT: Wolverine Gets A Costume (In A Deleted Scene)

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This ended up being only a deleted scene on The Wolverine Blu-ray, and what a shame that it was neither included in the final cut of that movie nor used in some way in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Regardless, it was still an incredibly cool moment which left fans massively excited. 

The X-Men movies have always been lacking in costumes which resemble what these mutant heroes and villains wear in the comic books, but it’s the absence of Wolverine’s iconic suit which has always been the biggest disappointment. Many have said it just wouldn’t work in live-action, but what you see above is a near-perfect take on it which would have looked mind-blowing on Hugh Jackman. 

Sadly, the actor never did "suit up," so our hopes now lie with Marvel Studios' Deadpool 3 next year.
 

WRONG: Old Man Logan

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Logan was a terrific film, but it wasn't the "Old Man Logan" adaptation many fans were hoping for. When Hugh Jackman uttered those words at Comic-Con, it was clear Fox couldn't adapt it faithfully (given how many Marvel Studios characters were in the comic books), but the movie just ended up being a story featuring an older version of Wolverine! 

This is easy to forgive in many ways, as James Mangold's Logan was great. However, it was undeniably disappointing that when Wolverine did draw his final breath, it was at the hands of a clone.

That's arguably a role that Sabretooth should have had, but just like Joker didn't adhere to the source material, that was also the case with Logan. As a result, it is what it is, and while this was a great ending for Jackman's tenure as the character, we'd argue that it wasn't the perfect one. 
 

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BobGarlen
BobGarlen - 4/19/2023, 1:50 PM
Got Right: Confusing and nonsensical timeline/continuity. Just like the comics on that one.
PatientXero
PatientXero - 4/19/2023, 1:56 PM
@BobGarlen - too true!
SummersEssex
SummersEssex - 4/19/2023, 10:56 PM
@BobGarlen - X-Men timeline was fine until like the mid-2000s, even with the Siege Perilous thing. Continuity is always a hot mess in comic books.
kider2
kider2 - 4/19/2023, 1:50 PM
How is Old Man Logan wrong?
It was inspired by at best. If that's the case marvel studios got Infinity War, Age of Ultron, Civil War, The Winter Soldier, The Iron Man extremis story and tons of other things wrong.
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 4/19/2023, 2:13 PM
@kider2 - Yeah this article is definitely a hot take lol

Adaptations don't need to be that accurate. Most biopics aren't even accurate and they are based on real people.
ThorArms
ThorArms - 4/19/2023, 4:02 PM
@kider2 - Yeah exactly
Tasmaniac
Tasmaniac - 4/19/2023, 9:10 PM
@kider2 - That’s the clickbait one thrown in at the end to generate comments.
SummersEssex
SummersEssex - 4/19/2023, 10:54 PM
@kider2 - Because Logan doesn't follow the Old Man Logan storyline, and it would have made a better better movie if it had.
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 4/19/2023, 1:52 PM
Meh. I felt First Class was pretty good. It was nice to have an X-Men film that gave Logan a break and put more focus on Xavier and Magneto.
TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 4/19/2023, 2:04 PM
@ModHaterSLADE - exactly, look, I hate to say it, I don’t care what anybody says, though, I hate to say it because I’m a fan, but the way I see it the best X-Men group is was and always will be the one on the cartoon. I don’t care about the founding five. I don’t. But I used to, so that’s why I hate to say it. But I can tell you straight up, that cartoon is my favorite X-Men adaptation.
TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 4/19/2023, 2:05 PM
@TheWalkingCuban - so I say that both in defense of first class, and in dismissal of the true first class. I can dismiss both of them and stick to the cartoon ha ha. I like that movie tho
Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 4/19/2023, 2:11 PM
@ModHaterSLADE - It was really the only one that actually tried to be an X-Men movie and not a Wolverine And His Amazing Scene Dressing Cameos movie.

But it also killed Darwin which was dumb on several levels.
Fogs
Fogs - 4/19/2023, 2:12 PM
@TheWalkingCuban - In both cartoon (through flashback) and X-Men 1 (at least when Charles is presenting Jean and Scott and says that) the original team was the same as the comics.

I'd love them to show that and then move to the all-new X-Men, with Ororo, Banshee, Wolvie, Proudstar, Nightcrawler and so on. Their dynamic was so good. Damn, I miss the Claremont era.
TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 4/19/2023, 2:17 PM
@Fogs - that was a fun era
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 4/19/2023, 2:25 PM
@Reeds2Much - Yeah, it was refreshing not having Jackman be front and center.
TheWalkingCuban
TheWalkingCuban - 4/19/2023, 1:55 PM
Things this article got wrong more like
PatientXero
PatientXero - 4/19/2023, 1:57 PM
Old Man Logan is a bad? You sure are trolling again, hard.
TyrantBossMedia
TyrantBossMedia - 4/19/2023, 2:03 PM
They were doing fine with First Class, the young team, not all of the fully established X-Men, and the 60s setting worked well.

What didn’t work was having Hugh Jackman cameo in First Class and it already screwed up the new timeline.
Then they went further with Days of Future Past and connected this new cast to the old cast so the future is set.

Reeds2Much
Reeds2Much - 4/19/2023, 2:07 PM
Why is there both an "Exclusives" and a "Lists & Features" when they both lead to the exact same articles?
Fogs
Fogs - 4/19/2023, 2:07 PM
@JoshWilding - Just a heads-up, for some reason we see the "Back/Next" buttons between the list items, according to Nate in another thread, in the new layout there's something you should do differently when composing the article to avoid that.
marvel72
marvel72 - 4/19/2023, 2:18 PM
Here is a thought for you. What with all the race/gender swapping that Disney Marvel love doing.

The Fox movies could be more comic book accurate.

I use to rip on them all the time for the liberties they took with the source material,now Disney Marvel are just as bad if not worse.

KNIGHT3OOO
KNIGHT3OOO - 4/19/2023, 2:52 PM
More than anything else, they messed up ROGUE
RolandD
RolandD - 4/19/2023, 3:09 PM
@KNIGHT3OOO - She had the right power set and they even gave her the white streak in her hair but her characterization was about a 180 from her characterization in the comics.
MaxPaint
MaxPaint - 4/19/2023, 2:54 PM
FoX-Men movies are a just poor representation of the X-men, hope Marvel does them right. With Cyclops being front and centre of the team.
CAPTAINPINKEYE
CAPTAINPINKEYE - 4/19/2023, 3:00 PM
Right
Quicksilver using his powers.

Wrong
Apocalypse

Right
Nothing else

Wrong
How much time do you have?
Order66
Order66 - 4/19/2023, 3:18 PM
Cyclops is suppose to be the Captain America of the X-Men. The way Chris Evans portrayed Cap is the way they should portray Cyclops in the MCU.
SummersEssex
SummersEssex - 4/19/2023, 10:55 PM
@Order66 - I think they will get this right.
Origame
Origame - 4/19/2023, 3:18 PM
Ah yes. Let's bash a long dead franchise randomly when there isn't even any news of the new rebooted version that we won't see for who knows how long.

Also, they may have f@#$ed up sabretooth, but toad was awesome in the first movie. He was played by darth maul himself and took out most of the x men singlehandedly. He only lost because storm remembered she was op (which is a problem the comics have too).
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