Producers for the hit comic book movie, “X-Men: The Last Stand,” allegedly tricked Halle Berry into returning to the franchise and reviving her role as “Storm.”
Director Matthew Vaughn claims he opted to step away from the project after learning about the deception, saying he didn’t want to work for a studio that played those kinds of games.
Vaughn shared the news on Oct. 14 at the New York Comic Con, adding that Fox filmmakers knew the soft spot to get Berry on the project was to insert a storyline that dealt with Black children, Africa, and the Kenyan princess coming back to save them.
Trending Today:
- ‘You Grew Up In a Gated Community Your Whole Life’: Michael Irvin Blasts Rapper Son’s Fake ‘Thug Life’ Persona, Compares Him to Ja Morant
- ‘He’s Officially In the Sunken Place’: Brian McKnight Dragged for Mistreating His Eldest Children After Changing His Name to Match That of His Youngest Son with New Wife
- ‘Life Is Great Right Now’: Steph Curry’s Dad Dell Curry Reveals He’s Remarried Following Messy Divorce and Cheating Allegations
“One of the main reasons I quit ‘X-Men 3,’ and this is a true story, I went to an executive’s office and I saw an ‘X3’ script. It was a lot fatter,” Vaughn said, according to Screen Rant.
Adding, “I asked, ‘What is this draft?’ They were like, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ So I grabbed it, and opened the first page, and it said, ‘Africa. Kids dying from no water, and Storm creates a thunderstorm to save all these children.’”
Vaughn, who also directed “Superman Returns,” said he thought that the idea was “pretty cool.”
But when he further pressed about the alternative script, he was told, “This is the Halle Berry script because she hasn’t signed on yet. This is what she wants it to be. And once she signs on, we’ll throw it in the bin.”
Vaughn said immediately he decided to quit, saying, “I thought if you’re going to do that to an Oscar-winning actress who plays Storm, I quit. I thought, ‘I’m mincemeat.’”
Many online were just as outraged. Two said, “Hollywood Execs are grimy,” and “This messed up, for real.”
Another added, “Diabolical and borderline laughably racist. They tricked Halle Berry into doing X-Men: The Last Scene by sending her a script where the opening scene was: ‘Africa. Kids dying from no water, and Storm creates a thunderstorm to save all these children.’”
Diabolical and borderline laughably racist.
— mcbc 🇺🇸🗽 (@mcbc) October 16, 2023
They tricked Halle Berry into doing X-Men: The Last Scene by sending her a script where the opening scene was:
"Africa. Kids dying from no water, and Storm creates a thunderstorm to save all these children."
🔗 https://t.co/E4T6AGRLWt pic.twitter.com/SOAROKnUBn
A few suggested Berry sue the production company, including one who wrote, “She can actually sue them. They got her to do that role under FALSE PRETENSES.”
Berry did come back to the Marvel Comic Universe and the entire Africa part was cut out. The showrunners did offer something to the A-lister. She was placed as the headmaster of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters after the death of Charles Xavier’s death, a move that gave her a more prominent role in the film.
Fans tried to make light of the situation saying she did do some “saving” and there were “kids” involved. She saved the “mutant kids” at Xavier’s school.
