X-Men The Movie

advertise on the 'Nest
ADVERTISER LOGIN

	EUROPE'S MOST VISITED SF/F WEB SITE

X-Men The Movie - are you X-cited now?

Unless you haven't gone through a childhood since the 1970s (or had really strict parents who thought that comic-books were the work of the devil), then you know the X-Men are a team of way-cool mutant superheroes.

Loathed by an intolerant humanity, these hyper-evolved martyrs must save our ungrateful butts from the normal assortment of evil mutants, aliens, demons, Norse gods and products of the Marvel Comic doodle factory.

But now these paragons are taking on the biggest threat yet … Hollywood.

Yes, the X-men movie is nearly upon us. Marvel have an uncanny track record of producing trash when it comes to matters celluloid.

After all, can you say Captain America The Movie? Or Swamp Thing? Or Howard The Duck? At least while keeping a straight face.

DC Comics - rather oddly - has always stolen the big screen limelight with money hits like Batman and Superman.

But the industry is a-buzz with news and gossip behind the movie. For instance, Ian McKellen, who plays evil mutant leader Magneto, has now said he won't be involved with the film's promotional hype in July.

"While the rest of the X-Men do their stuff in Los Angeles ... I shall be involved with Lord of the Rings across the world. But I am planning to be in New York City for the official opening on 12 July. There I shall be free to do some national press interviews before a brief hiatus in London, where I live.

In the meantime I expect some lively media folk may discover and plunder Magneto's Lair and these X-Men E-posts. If so, remember you read it here first!" says the Big I, from his on-line lair.

We doubt the rumors that he's lost heart in the film are true (after some supposedly negative test screenings in front of audiences), as his web site seems brim-full of X-Men stuff, including this bit from the movie.

"Tucked away in the middle of the teaser trailer for X-Men is a splendid example of Magneto's mutant capabilities. With Toad and Sabretooth on either side, he stands, ready for action. A warning challenge rings out, and the master of magnetism responds with violence. As he raises his arms in front of him, the police vehicles [that] threaten him are lifted clear of the ground. As he lowers them, so they fall."

Besides which, the movie's director Bryan Singer, has already told Comics Continuum on-line that the movie's villain, Magneto, isn't a run-of-the-mill bad guy.

"Villains often have a one-dimensional agenda--economic gain, world domination, etc. In the case of Magneto, his intentions for mutant-kind are inherently good; however, they say the road to disaster can be paved with good intentions."

"In his case, he takes his agenda--his view of mutant-kind's place in the world--too selfishly. That's what makes him a villain. But he's not necessarily evil. His family was killed in the Holocaust, and he has a lot of resentment for mankind in general. He sees the coming of a future holocaust for his kind and does what he thinks is the right thing."

This sounds quite true to the more complex plotting that made Marvel such a hit in the early days of the Fantastic Four, Spiderman, and the young X-men (e.g. when they all wore banana yellow uniforms).

Anyway, enthused by this incursion into matters fantasy, McKellen is bolting over to The Lord of the Ring Movie set in New Zealand, where he has signed up with a three movie deal for the weighty role of Gandalf.

Browse for books and videos for The X-Men

FREE SF MAGAZINE
Sign up for the Crowsnest SF e-magazine - full of funny reports and gossip. Be the first to find out about hot sci-fi opportunities & news!