Matthew Vaughn, the director of 2004′s Layer Cake, and recent comic based stand-out Kick-Ass, is now set to direct Twentieth Century Fox’s live action prequel X-Men: First Class. Vaughn is a bit of a master when it comes to sophisticated plot lines with numerous moving parts and multiple dynamic characters. He even produced Guy Ritchie’s 2000 crime flavored offering, Snatch, which is such a marvel due to its quirky ensemble cast of characters and tightly woven threads of story. Vaughn is also an exciting choice for the new X-Men venture simply because his films pretty much have one thing in common: They’re cool. It’s no wonder he’s been linked to a Bloodshot movie around the rumor mill.
Bryan Singer, director of the initial two X-men films, was a major creative source for the story that will unravel in X-Men: First Class and will sit on the production team for the new prequel alongside Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg. The First Class comic takes place at the beginning of X-men mythos, at a time with Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr (later to become Magneto) were best pals. Also many of the most famous mutants were just teenagers. Dr. Henry McCoy for instance, the scholarly Beast, was not yet furry nor blue in color at the time. The comic features cover art that is predominately crisp and simple, lending that classic feel to the series. It will be interesting to see what style the live action film will take, especially because some fans might want to see outlandish eighties hairstyles. X-Men, after-all, has a nostalgic quality for many of us, though my guess is the new movie will look both modern and again…cool.
Variety reported that “‘X-Men: First Class presents an exciting opportunity to further explore the history and relationships of these beloved characters. Matthew’s combination of talent, verve and vision is perfectly suited to the task.” It is slated for release June 3, 2011, so mark your calendars!
