X3 Director selected

[ah schucks]

Hey Guys great news for fans of the X-men franchise:

Out promoting "Layer Cake" in the US, Director Matthew Vaughn spoke with About.Com about his next gig - the third "X-Men" which is currently slated for an August 1st start of shooting in Canada.

At present "We're trying to see if we can get it off the ground at the moment. There's just a hell of a lot. We're meant to be filming in August. We're working on it at the moment. As far as I know, Halle's doing the film. In the script, she's got a lot to do. I've got a lot of experience in dealing with a lot of character in a film, so multi-character movies don't intimidate me at all. I think I know how to get that balance" said Vaughn.

In terms of his plans for the film - "I have plans to put my stamp on it. I thought when I pitched them [Fox] the way I wanted to make the movie, they'd run a mile. But I think they understand. I think the X-Men are pretty much movies of the '90s and I think it's time for them to toughen up a bit. X-Men was pretty good because you saw the flaws and the conflict that they're going through, but I think that conflict needs to be expanded on. I wanted the villains to be less [cartoony]. At the moment, I think a lot of moustache twirling happened in the last films. I want to get rid of that and make the villains really scary and more realistic." He cites "Buffy" creator Joss Whedon's work as an inspiration.

Amongst his is plans to use as little CGI as possible - "I hate CGI. I'm trying to do everything in camera. Listen, there are times you have to use CGI, but I want to do as much in camera as possible". His only real concern is the time factor with the pressure to get it done by next May. He's also only signed on for this film, no further.

[Captain Zissou]

good news, but when sequels have different directors, the sequels seem just a little off. i guess just because of the different style and stuff. im probably playing wolverine in this movie. my mom said it was ok.

[ah schucks]

good news, but when sequels have different directors, the sequels seem just a little off. i guess just because of the different style and stuff. im probably playing wolverine in this movie. my mom said it was ok.

Nah Hugh's the perfect Wolverine! Besides he signed a two film deal to return to X3 despite the loss of Singer and to do a spin off film designed to become a Wolverine franchise. You can have Cyclops-aka James Marsden's role as he has left to work with Singer in Australia on Superman.

David Anders, best known as the duplicitous British rogue killer Julian Sark on ABC's "Alias", indicated to Development Hell recently he just auditioned for Angel a few days ago, and "totally nailed it". The young actor apparently has a meeting with Matthew Vaughn about the role soon, and that things look highly promising.

[Bornieo Goes Bananas]

"I have plans to put my stamp on it. I thought when I pitched them [Fox] the way I wanted to make the movie, they'd run a mile. But I think they understand. I think the X-Men are pretty much movies of the '90s and I think it's time for them to toughen up a bit.

That's got me worried. Hopefully it won't suck like the last 2.

[IndyJn511]

*hopes for gambit*

[Captain Zissou]

don't quote me but AICN i think said that gambit and juggernaut have been confirmed. bannanas: the last 2 were awesome! IMO at least. x-men and spidey really did the comics justice, just thank god they werent like hulk, fantastic 4, batman forever, daredevil, punisher, elektra and so on. comic books have basically become the action genre.

[Tui]

don't quote me

Oh I just did!!! :O

just thank god they werent like hulk, fantastic 4, batman forever, daredevil, punisher, elektra and so on. comic books have basically become the action genre.

Hulk was horrible! I cannot believe they made that unbelievable piece of crap!
Fantastic Four hasn't been released has it?
Daredevil was ok, watchable and it had Jennifer Garner in it.
And Batman and Robin was far worse than batman forever, and I figured the studio noticed this and decided they had to start from scratch, thus Batman begins. The franchise turned to absolute rubbish once Tim Burton stopped directing, Batman Returns is my absolute favorite of the batman movies.

[Xharryb]

don't quote me but AICN i think said that gambit and juggernaut have been confirmed.

I generally check out multiple sites and believe somewhat of a combination of their various reports. Acoording to everything I've been reading, Juggernaut is pretty much confirmed and to be played by a guy named Vinnie Jones. They only other bit that's even close to a confirmation was the guy who was previously mentioned as auditioning for Angel. Other than that all other possible mutant character additions I continue to consider the wishful thinking of fans desperate to see their favorites (you know, like how every time they make one of these there are nonstop rumors of Beast & Gambit). Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see these characters also, but they aren't confirmed yet.

[ah schucks]

This was posted on darkhorizons this morning

Meanwhile, footballer turned actor Vinnie Jones told Leeds United "My football connections are well over now, I'm cracking on with filming and have just landed a few roles. I have X-Men 3 to film and that will take six months or so, so I think I might be a bit busy." This gels with the actor's official site which says Jones "is going to film X Men 3 in America in August, and 4 & 5 if they make them. He plays the character Juggernaut."

IMDB does not list Jones as cast yet. However they list the following cast and crew as signed with production to begin late this summer.

Directed by
Matthew Vaughn

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Simon Kinberg written by
Zak Penn screenplay

Cast (in alphabetical order)
Alan Cumming .... Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler
Hugh Jackman .... Logan/Wolverine
Famke Janssen .... Jean Grey/Phoenix
Ian McKellen .... Eric Lensherr/Magneto
Patrick Stewart .... Charles Xavier/Prof. X

[ah schucks]

Variety reported this yesterday, this is huge:

Twentieth Century Fox and Marvel Entertainment have enlisted "Frasier" himself Kelsey Grammer for "X3" reports Variety. Grammer is set to play Beast, the oversized blue-furred creature who has not yet appeared in an "X-Men" film.

The Matthew Vaughn-directed sequel is scheduled to bow Memorial Day weekend next year. Studio is also setting Vinnie Jones for the bad-guy role of Juggernaut ("Snatch," "Gone in 60 Seconds," "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels"). Juggernaut, a 6-foot-10, 900-pound metal-clad battering ram, is the half-brother of Professor X and will anchor Magneto's villainous band.

Fox has begun negotiations with "Lost's" Maggie Grace to play the role of Kitty Pryde, a beauty who can walk through walls. Studio is also searching for an actor to play Angel, a handsome winged mutant who is ashamed of his feathery appendages.

[Xharryb]

you beat me to it shucks! i was just coming here to post that. lol!

[Captain Zissou]

I was outraged for a second there, but then I found out he was playing Beast. To be honest I think he might be ok in that role. STAR WARS TONIGHT!

[PeaJay18]

I think Kelsey will be Hank McCoy (even though the character was briefly in X2) and then provide the voice for Beast - I can't imagine him spending hours in makeup as they apply the fur and big feet...

Plus, does anyone else think this is blue overload?
If NightCrawler and Mystique return,then that's 3 blue mutants in one film!

[ah schucks]

I think Kelsey will be Hank McCoy (even though the character was briefly in X2) and then provide the voice for Beast - I can't imagine him spending hours in makeup as they apply the fur and big feet...

Plus, does anyone else think this is blue overload?
If NightCrawler and Mystique return,then that's 3 blue mutants in one film!

I kind of hope they do some sort of hybred costume or look for him, avoiding the full look from the comics. I am not thrilled that every other film we get a new actor to fill one we have seen cameoed. Stick to your guns people! We saw Kitty Pyrde in the first one in the first encounter between Logan and Charles Xavier and in the second film we see Hank McCoy on the television. I understand franchises go through changes but thus far Spiderman has been consistant, LOTR was, Star Wars was and even Blade was consistant. Harry Potter and X-men are not being well produced in that regard. That said I like the casting choices given I can't fly back against time and fix these errors like Superman.