X-Men: Apocalypse is poised to be on of 2016's most biggest movies, and it is expected to raise the film series to new heights with Roland Emmerich-style action. Yet it will also be important for bridging the gap with the previous movies and laying the groundwork for new stories.
As many fans are aware, Apocalypse acts as a prequel to the events of the original X-Men films, which have been changed as a result of the events in X-Men: Days of Future Past. Set in the 1980s, the movie is going to bring key characters back into the mix, such as Ooro Monroe/Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Cyclops/Scott Summers (Tye Sheridan) and Jean Grey (Sophie Turner). Specifically, audiences will get to witness how these individuals became students of Professor Charles Xavier (James McAvoy). This was previously hinted in Days of Future Past, during which a time-travelling Wolverine asked Xavier to find those mutants and bring them into the fold.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, director Bryan Singer revealed Jean and Scott will be significantly different from their original portrayals by Famke Janssen and James Marsden, respectively. He explained how they share things in common, such as being outsiders and struggling with their own abilities:
In the beginning, she’s the last thing he’s interested in. When he first comes to the mansion, Scott’s blind so he can’t see her. Suddenly he gets some glasses and now he can see her and he’s like ‘Oh! That’s Jean Grey.’ Both of them are misfits in a way. Other mutants have settled in with their powers. This is all new to Scott Summers and he doesn’t like it and he doesn’t like school. And Jean, she not only has her telekinesis and her telepathy, but she also knows inherently that something darker and more powerful is growing inside her and she doesn’t quite know what it is.
Singer's comments acknowledge Jean's Dark Phoenix abilities, which were the focus of the famous comic storyline "The Dark Phoenix Saga." Having alluded to it at the end of X2: X-Men United, he originally planned to adapt this story for the third film but left after failing to come to a deal with 20th Century Fox. Directed by Brett Ratner, X-Men: The Last Stand was a loose adaptation of the "Dark Phoenix" story, but it was regarded as a disappointing effort.
Since the dawn of civilization, he was worshipped as a god. Apocalypse, the first and most powerful mutant from Marvel’s X-Men universe, amassed the powers of many other mutants, becoming immortal and invincible. Upon awakening after thousands of years, he is disillusioned with the world as he finds it and recruits a team of powerful mutants, including a disheartened Magneto (Michael Fassbender), to cleanse mankind and create a new world order, over which he will reign. As the fate of the Earth hangs in the balance, Raven (Jennifer Lawrence) with the help of Professor X (James McAvoy) must lead a team of young X-Men to stop their greatest nemesis and save mankind from complete destruction.
X-Men: Apocalypse is set to open in theaters on May 27, 2016.