Bryan Singer apparently has a knack for bringing people together. According to a recent report from THR, Singer is calling upon original cast members from X-Men and X2 to reprise their roles for his upcoming film, X-Men: Days of Future Past.
So far, both Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen have already agreed to reprise their roles as Professor X and Magneto, respectively. Hugh Jackman, who played the unmistakable Wolverine, is also currently in negotiations. The latest rumor is that Halle Berry and James Marsden are also being contacted, but no sort of confirmation has been produced (we’re still crossing our fingers for Anna Paquin and Famke Janssen).
If these rumors are true, then X-Men: Days of Future Past is set to be quite the superhero movie. Stars from the comic’s reboot, X-Men: First Class, such as James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult are already set to return. To be quite frank, the film seems to have almost as much star power as George Clooney’s The Monuments Men.
The returning actors – from the original trilogy, that is – are rumored to appear in scenes that depict an alternate dystopic future. Because their roles are somewhat fleeting, pay and time commitments are not very substantial. In fact, the report claims that many of the actors are willing to return simply due to Bryan Singer’s involvement. And people say celebrities have no heart!
X-Men: Days of Future Past will still maintain the storyline mapped out in the reboot, which takes place primarily in the 1960s. The original trilogy, which takes place presently, depicts an era where mutants are a hunted minority. The new film will attempt to bridge these two arcs together. In short, Bryan Singer has a lot on his plate. The willingness of the returning actors is in no doubt refreshing.
Bryan Singer still has plenty of time to sort through the complications. The production is planning to start in April, while the film’s release is planned in July 2014. That also leaves plenty of time for Jackman to star in his second stand-alone Wolverine film. Hopefully, a few more returning actors will come to Bryan Singer’s aid, and X-Men: Days of Future Past will be the uniting movie every comic fan dreams of.
