ScreenCrave.com » matthew vaughn

X-Men: First Class Gets a Sequel

Damon Houx — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 18:49:22 +0000

This summer, we saw a rare thing: 20th Century Fox making good genre pictures. The home of Star Wars, the last couple years have seen the studio releasing junk like The Day the Earth Stood Still and Wolverine. Films that were so worked over they satisfied few. This summer they made X-Men: First Class and Rise of the Planet of the Apes, both of which were good – and profitable. They seemed to have learned their lesson, as they’re bringing back Mathew Vaughn for another X-Men movie, according to Deadline.

Deadline also talks about their additional plans, which include rumors of Chronicle director Josh Trank helming the Fantastic Four reboot, and continuing to work with Rupert Wyatt, who resurrected the Apes franchise. But the most substantial thing is the First Class sequel, which is having a script prepared by Simon Kinberg (best known for the first Sherlock Holmes and Mr. and Mrs. Smith). It’s likely Vaughn and his writing partner Jane Goldman would also do a pass or two.

Vaughn may also be in the position Bryan Singer was with his sequel. In both cases their first passes at the X-Men universe were rushed into theaters, and could have done with a little more polish (both have noticeably unfinished effects work). And like X-Men 2, Vaughn here seems to have a greater opportunity to play. I can’t wait to see what they do with this world.

When is more Michael Fassbender a bad thing?

X-Men First Class: Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 00:30:49 +0000

The X-Men are back with their latest edition X-Men: First Class, a prequel to all of the other X-men films showing us the origins of the gang. Rest assured that walking into this film you can spit out the awful taste of Wolverine and be excited take everything First Class has to offer. The quite film obviously has a much stronger script, they managed to gather a stellar cast of real actors, and did a brilliant job of controlling the chaos that comes with so many story-lines and characters that make the X-Men films so great. Though I’m not quite as keen as some of my fellow critics on this film, there’s not doubt that this is a great summer film and quite possible the best action film you’ll see this year (though I’d love to be disproved). Let’s find out why…

The Players:

Director: Matthew Vaughn
Writers: Ashley Miller, Zack Stentz, Jane Goldman, Matthew Vaughn
Story: Sheldon Turner and Bryan Singer
Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, Jennifer Lawrence
Cast: Nicholas Hoult, January Jones, Rose Byrne, Zoë Kravitz, Laurence Belcher, Bill Milner, Edi Gathegi, Caleb Landry Jones, Jason Flemyng, Álex González, Oliver Platt, Morgan Lily, Beth Goddard
Music: Henry Jackman
Cinematographer: John Mathieson

The Good:

Fassbender: As my fellow ScreenCraver Damon Houx said, “Michael Fassbender is officially a movie star now.” He literally just chews up this role and fascinates and intrigues you in every shot he’s in. He looks great on screen, he’s immensely talented and he has the ability to completely captivate a room. Watch out Pitt, Fassbender has officially made it.
All the Acting: The same goes for James McAvoy who gives an equally strong performance – though he isn’t getting as much recognition because he doesn’t get to play the fun bad-y and it’s always harder to play the good guy in a film like this. And supporting the fine lead actors were numerous other grand actors Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult and numerous other faces you’ll recognize such as Ray Wise, James Remar and Michael Ironside.
Cameos: Don’t worry! I won’t spoil anything, but I will say that they have some well placed, well timed cameos for fan of the series to enjoy.
Tackling the Characters: There are a LOT of characters and emotional twists in this film, and it’s imperative to the film that you be invested in each individual. Luckily, they did a great job of giving every character their moment and balancing all of the different characters stories.

The So-So:

Kevin Bacon: Now I love me some Bacon as much as the next person, but for some reason he never transcended his own body and became the character. It may have been a better role for someone, who much like the rest of the cast you know, but isn’t quite as “known”.
January Jones: No one can pull off a diamond bikini better than her, but man oh man would it be nice to see her as something different than play the overly simplified, sexy blond. Someone get some dirt on her and make her cry goddammit!

The Bad:

The Camp: Now I love me a campy movie, but this film is not campy, it’s strong, powerful, dramatic, with some comedic moments. When they took the comedy over the edge and added those cliched campy moments it somewhat cheapened the rest of the film.

Overall:

This is most likely one of the better if not best action films you’ll see this summer (I will see Super 8 soon and see if I have to take this back). It’s not completely perfect and loses some steam (though I’m getting picky with that) in the last act, but it has a hell of a set up and ending, the acting in it would win awards if they were in an emotional drama and not a summer blockbuster, and there is plenty of razzle dazzle to keep everyone entertained. There’s plenty for both the boys and the girls of all ages in the film — it’s really an amazingly fun, accessible piece of cinema.

Rating: 8/10

‘X-Men: First Class’ Sequels To Cover Different Decades?

traviswoods — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:07:43 +0000

Anyone who isn’t living in a cave and hasn’t seen the X-Men: First Class trailer knows that the prequel film is set in 1962 during the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis—which is inarguably cool. And now, according to Dark Horizons, producer Bryan Singer is hinting that the film’s sequels might skip ahead to the ‘70s, and then the ‘80s (because if there’s one thing fans are clamoring for, it’s to see Wolverine rocking a Flock of Seagulls haircut).

Apparently, when asked about the sequels to First Class positioning themselves each in a new decade, Singer said, “That’s an idea that’s been discussed, how the characters go through time. But only to a point – they can’t age too fast!”

Which would be kind of cool—examining the different eras of the ever-changing comic book franchise as it evolved throughout the decades. However, Director Matthew Vaughn “sounds more keen on keeping to the 60′s”:

“1962 is far more grounded in the world of the ’50s. I think it takes about five years for a decade to really start getting its identity, so the fun thing about this for me would be doing [a sequel] in the latter part of the decade, where you’ve got The [Rolling] Stones, The Beatles, Flower Power…”

That’s an idea that could work, too—it’d be nice to see Professor X in his Maharishi phase, hosting bed-ins with storm to protest The War while Banshee runs an underground music ‘zine and Beast is selling tabs of acid in San Francisco.

Vaughn also mentions that he views First Class as his Batman Begins, and is already gunning for a much bigger sequel. “But with the second one you can just get on with it and have a rollicking good time. That’s the main difference between ‘Begins’ and ‘The Dark Knight.’”

What do you think of the X-Men: First Class sequel news?

Matthew Vaughn Interested in Directing The Golden Age

Krystal Clark — Wed, 16 Feb 2011 21:17:51 +0000

Matthew Vaughn just can’t stay away from the comic book genre. The director of both Kick-Ass and X-Men First Class is interested in taking on another adaptation: The Golden Age. According to Deadline, Vaughn is seeking the retired superhero team for his next feature and several elderly legendary actors are being courted to star. Think the cast of RED but older.

The Golden Age centers on a retirement home where superheroes end up. “It’s based on the yet-to-be-published comic book written by Brit TV chat show host Jonathan Ross, who’s a huge comics buff.” The title of the comic was inspired by the era in which Superman and Batman were created.

Vaughn currently has his hands full working on post-production for First Class in Los Angeles. With the success of The Expendables and RED, he believes audiences are interested in seeing older, more distinguished actors in action films.

“You have these great star names and they’re mainly playing supporting roles now. I want to give them the lead again and let them have some fun.”

“His wish list is Clint Eastwood, Jack Nicholson, and Warren Beatty to play the retired superheroes who help out their grandchildren when their middle-aged parent screw up the world.”

Someone please bring Warren Beatty into the fold! We need Clyde Barrow and Dick Tracy involved. This really could be like The Expendables but with good actors.

What do you think of the concept of The Golden Age? Who else should star?

Watch This: X-Men First Class Movie Trailer!!

Krystal Clark — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 22:56:09 +0000

After a long and tedious wait, 20th Century Fox has released the trailer for their comic adaptation, X-Men: First Class. The film is directed by Matthew Vaughn, who was previously hired to helm X-Men: The Last Stand but had to back out for personal reasons. Five years after that travesty, he’s making it up to us by tackling the X-Men prequel, which focuses on the origins of the superhero team and their school. Check out the trailer…

We like how the beginning of the trailer ties into the original X-Men trilogy by showing footage from Bryan Singer’s first film. Beyond that, we still have concerns regarding the inclusion of mutants such Mystique, Havok, and Azazel in the First Class story. Kevin Bacon looks surprisingly better than we suspected as Sebastian Shaw. He’s not a carbon copy of his comic book counterpart but he makes the role work for him.

It’s great to see the original Blackbird and the early blue and yellow X-Men costumes. It’s good that they left one thing untarnished.

Official Plot Synopsis:

X-Men: First Class charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga, and reveals a secret history of famous global events. Before mutants had revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Not archenemies, they were instead at first the closest of friends, working together with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop Armageddon. In the process, a grave rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Professor X’s X-Men.

The cast includes James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon, January Jones, Rose Byrne, Nicholas Hoult, Jennifer Lawrence, Caleb Landry Jones, Lucas Till and Jason Flemyng.

X-Men First Class will open in theaters nationwide on June 3, 2011.

What do you think of the first trailer for X-Men First Class?

Source: Official Facebook Page

Jane Goldman Says Kick-Ass 2 Not Matthew Vaughn’s Next Movie?

Krystal Clark — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 18:31:55 +0000

Matthew Vaughn currently has his hands full with the release of 20th Century Fox’s X-Men: First Class, but that hasn’t stopped fans from wanting to know what’s next on his agenda. How about Kick-Ass 2? That’s what a lot of people want to see, but according to screenwriter Jane Goldman, that’s not happening any time soon.

Several media outlets claimed that Kick-Ass 2 was ago, and that Goldman was busy writing the first draft of the screenplay. The scribe caught wind of these reports and went to Twitter to set the record straight.

“Saw a few erroneous reports today that I’m currently writing Kick Ass 2 script – sorry if anyone’s disappointed, but not true. Currently writing for 2 other projects, then on to lovely Matthew V’s next thing (right now, looks unlikely to be KA2) when X-Men post-prod’ ends.”

Sorry guys, Vaughn’s got more than one iron in the fire. We’re not sure what other films the director has on his plate. It would be interesting to know what takes priority over Kick-Ass. But then again, even though the movie has a solid cult fan base, it wasn’t a commercial success. He might just be going where the money is.

What do you think Vaughn’s next project will be? Do you think Kick-Ass 2 will ever get made?

Matthew Vaughn ‘Freaked Out’ Over Leaked First Class Photo, Debuts Two More

Krystal Clark — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 16:49:19 +0000

Earlier this week, the internet was buzzing over a photo from director Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men First Class. The image featured the main characters, including the villains, wearing vintage costumes from the comic. This would have been a badass image to present to the public if executed correctly. The photo was a victim of bad airbrushing and photoshop, and Vaughn had no intention of releasing it. He recently spoke to the folks over at /Film, about the incident because he wants fans to know that he was just as surprised as us.

To make it up to you, he released two more photos from the film, which include a psychic Xavier and a magnetic Magneto. Take a look…

Vaughn’s reaction to the photo:

“I freaked out on them yesterday. I don’t know where the hell that came from. I don’t think it’s a Fox image. It’s not a pre-approved image. When I found out, I said, what the fuck is this shit, and Fox is running around trying to figure out what happened as well. I agree. It’s like a bad photoshop, which maybe it was by someone. It didn’t reflect the movie. I was shocked when I saw it. I was like ‘Jesus Christ’…

He assured us that he doesn’t plan to destroy what’s left of the X-Men film series. Vaughn said, “I’m a fan of X-Men. We’re not bastardizing X-Men, I’m trying to get them back to being whole again.” He also went on to discuss the costumes that the characters wear in the movie. He claims that they’re not a prominent part of the story but they do make an appearance.

The costumes are blue and yellow as well, because fuck it, lets take it back it the original. Also, by the way, those costumes are hardly in the movie. The main costumes are like these cool 60’s James Bond…”

For those of you who are still into the X-Men movies this should ease some of your fears. We jumped ship a long time ago, but that doesn’t mean you should give up hope. Here’s another new photo for you to drool over.

X-Men First Class opens in theaters on June 3, 2011.

What do you think of the latest photos from the film? Are you convinced that First Class will be great?

Matthew Vaughn Says Superhero Movies Almost Dead

Krystal Clark — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 16:51:04 +0000

Now that Matthew Vaughn is fully on board with Fox’s superhero spin-off, X-Men: First Class, he has some wise words to share about comic book movies. According to a recent interview he did with The Los Angles Times, Hollywood has pushed the genre into the ground and he thinks that in a couple of years it will be time for a break — a huge, no capes allowed break.

In regards to the over saturation of heroes in the film market, Vaughn said,

“It’s been mined to death and in some cases the quality control is not what it’s supposed to be. People are just going to get bored of it. I’ve always wanted to do a big-budget superhero film and I think we’ve kind of crossed the Rubicon with superhero films. I think [the opportunity to do one], it’s only going to be there two or three more times. Then the genre is going to be dead for a while because the audience has just been pummeled too much.”

I wholeheartedly agree. Comics are awesome, superheroes are awesome, but Hollywood’s interpretation of them aren’t. It’s rare that you get a comic film that actually sticks to the source material or gives you the real history that you know and love from a character. For every Dark Knight there are 3 Ghost Riders, and unfortunately the bad often outweigh the good. The quality level isn’t there. The studios don’t know how to take their time and study material before pushing it into production.

Speaking of pushing into production, Vaughn was initially supposed to direct 2006′s X-Men: The Last Stand but opted out causing Fox to hire Brett Ratner instead. To say that the end result was terrifying would be an understatement. Here’s what Vaughn had to say about that.

“As it happens, I could have made something a hundred times better than the that was eventually made. It sounds arrogant, but I could have done something with far more emotion and heart.”

No, that’s not arrogance. That’s cold, hard fact. A lot of people could have done a better job than what we ended up seeing on the screen. Hopefully, First Class will be Vaughn’s way of saying sorry for leaving us with X3 as the last installment of the X-Men trilogy.

What do you think of Vaughn’s views on the genre? Do you think superhero movies are dying?

Source: The Daily Telegraph

X-Men First Class Drops Inception-Like Scenes

Krystal Clark — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:55:14 +0000

Inception is coming off of its third consecutive week as number one at the box office. This could be because a) it’s a good movie, b) the competition this summer is extremely weak, or c) both. Either way, you can’t deny the amazing mind bending effects or the crazy storyline that goes with them. Since the majority of the general population has seen the movie, X-Men First Class director Matthew Vaughn got worried that audiences might view scenes from his upcoming film as cheap knock-offs of Christopher Nolan’s work.

Vaughn recently spoke to The LA Times about some footage that had to be cut out of First Class for fear of Inception comparisons.

I saw Inception, which I loved…But my heart sank when I saw that a few of the ideas we had were up [on the screen]. So it’s either leave it in and look as if you’re copying or change things. We completely ripped out about 12 pages of the script and the storyboards.

So the worst thing in the world that could happen to First Class is a comparison to one of the best film’s of 2010? There are plenty of movies that have been released over the past 10-15 years that center on the subconscious and body swapping (Avatar, The Matrix trilogy) yet they make the premise and the technology work for them.

But according to Vaughn, here’s what had to go:

The jettisoned sequence was a sort of dream-space combat, according to Vaughn; that reminded me of “psi war” scenes like the one here on the right from “The Uncanny X-Men” No. 117 way back in 1979, but the filmmaker said for the film the fight involving Professor X (James McAvoy) and some other mutants was to going to be presented with spinning rooms and other physics-bending imagery — visions that he felt drifted too close to signature moments in Inception.

I can understand him wanting to stand out and not look like a copycat but these days almost everything has been done. There are plenty of homages present in the zero gravity sequence in Inception that doesn’t take away from it being a great film. Vaughn might be overdoing it here. Hopefully, his attention to detail will help and not hinder the film.

Do you think Vaughn should have kept the mind-bending scenes in First Class? Would the similarities have mattered to you?

X-Men: First Class Set For June 2011 Release

Krystal Clark — Wed, 05 May 2010 01:03:51 +0000

Last week we learned that Kick-Ass‘ Matthew Vaughn was up to direct the comic spin-off, X-Men: First Class. Initially 20th Century Fox and the director were said to be in “talks” but now his involvement has been confirmed and a release date has been set for the film. Vaughn and previous X-Men helmer Bryan Singer will join forces to bring some respectability back to the series.

In an official press release sent out by the studio, they confirmed that First Class will begin production this summer and the film will be released on June 3, 2011. That’s right, the movie has been fast tracked for next year! Films that move at this speed usually turn out to be steaming piles of crap and this franchise doesn’t need another one of those (Wolverine, X3: The Last Stand).

If the film sticks to the original premise, the story will center on the early years at the Xavier Institute as well as the former friendship of its founders Professor Xavier and Magneto. The First Class roster (from the comic) consists of Jean Grey (Marvel Girl), Scott Summers (Cyclops), Hank McCoy (Beast), Warren Worthington III (Angel), and Robert Drake (Iceman).

We can understand the studio wanting to shy away from the 2012 summer season because that’s when Batman 3, The Avengers, and the new Spider-Man are all set to debut but 2011 isn’t much better. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Mission Impossible 4, Kung Fu Panda 2, The Hangover 2, and The Green Lantern are all set to open around the same time as First Class.

If Vaughn and Singer can nail down a good cast and a GREAT script the film might deliver but we’re a bit skeptical.

Do you think First Class will revive the X-Men franchise?

Source: LA Times

Fox Offers Matthew Vaughn X-Men: First Class

Krystal Clark — Sat, 01 May 2010 00:16:52 +0000

Kick-Ass must have made quite an impression on the executives over at 20th Century Fox because they’ve just given the film’s director a huge job offer. According to EW, they want Matthew Vaughn to helm the upcoming live action adaptation of X-Men: First Class. This partnership has irony written all over it because Vaughn was originally set to direct X-Men 3: The Last Stand but bailed at the last minute and was replaced by Brett Ratner (shutter).

Close sources to the project claim that Fox is once again in talks with the director despite his past commitment issues. Last December it was announced that Bryan Singer, who directed X-Men and X2: X-Men United, was on board to helm the latest spin-off but it was later clarified that he would only produce. The script comes from Jamie Moss and is based on Singer’s treatment that covers the formative years of the Xavier Institute.

The First Class roster should be filled with the first 5 X-Men who included, Jean Grey (Marvel Girl), Scott Summers (Cyclops), Hank McCoy (Beast), Warren Worthington III (Angel), and Robert Drake (Iceman). We say “should” because we’re not sure if they’ll screw around with the ages or origins of certain characters by throwing in people from Generation X like Jubilee. You never know with these guys.

Do you think they should hire Matthew Vaughn to direct First Class? Who else could take on the job?

Kick-Ass: Movie Review

Mali Elfman — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 01:30:05 +0000

As I said right after seeing this film at ShoWest, this film does what it says it will, it kick’s ass. There are some things that I could pick at if I really wanted to but overall it’s a darkly comedic film about fake superheros fighting crime and it’s some of the most fun I’ve had in theaters all year. The tone, the dialogue and the comedic-violence are brilliantly well executed…I was sold as soon as I saw the adorable Chloe Moretz call a group of mobsters “cunts” and stab the living shit out of them…

The Players:

Director: Matthew Vaughn
Writers: Jane Goldman (Script) and Mark Millar (Comic-Book)
Actors: Aaron Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Chloe Moretz, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Clark Duke, Evan Peters, Mark Strong, Lyndsy Fonseca

The Plot:

Without giving too much away, the film is about a teenager who decides that he can’t take the violence in his neighborhood anymore so he does what comes naturally to him… puts on some cheap spandex and starts kicking some ass! He begins to gather a group of followers, some who are more professional, others who have more money… all with their own distinct personalities and reasons for joining. Let the ride begin!

The Good:

The Tone: What makes this movie so great is that for however fantastical it is still based on real people AND has a strong sense that it’s based in an insane reality. Yes it goes over the top and crazy, but always in a very organic, believable way (until we get to the end). From the colors on the screen, to the lighting, and the overall tone, they did a great job of never making it feel like an unattainable movie. It’s more like a real life story with extraordinary happenings.
The Acting: Across the board, great performances. Nicholas Cages gives one of his best performances in a LONG time by finally letting his inner nerd come out! There are few 10-year-olds that could be both as sweet and violent as Chloe Moretz who steals every scene she’s in with her amazing performance. Mark Strong, the token bad guy of the year delivers again. Christopher Mintz-Plasse will have you laughing as always. And Aaron Johnson proves that all the recent attention he’s been getting is much deserved.
The Violence: There are some graphic scenes when needed, but for the most part the violence is done with a sense of humor that allows you to have fun and let loose. Yes you may cringe, but odds are you’ll be laughing while you do it.
The Comedy: As I’ve said before, what makes this film so great is it’s ability to mock other films like it and even itself. It has fun and never takes itself too seriously.
The Directing: There were a lot of good choices made in this film, starting with Vaughn believing in the film when no one else did. The fact that no one would fund it so he raised $35 million on his own and made the movie anyway (and ended up selling it for more than he asked for). You can tell that this is a passion project and that he really put everything he had into the film and left no stone unturned.

The Bad:

Meh: Id’ have to get really picky, there were some structure issues towards the end which if I’m honest, really didn’t effect the movie for me at all. It’s a fun ride, this film isn’t about being perfect, it’s about kicking some fucking ass.

Overall:

Go see it now! Find a packed theater (it’s great to hear everyone’s response), buy some popcorn, and have a blast!

Rating: 9/10

Kick-Ass is coming to you in theaters April 16th!

ScreenCrave.com » matthew vaughn

X-Men: First Class Gets a Sequel

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X-Men First Class: Movie Review

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Overall:

Rating: 8/10

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Kick-Ass: Movie Review

The Players:

The Plot:

The Good:

The Bad:

Overall:

Rating: 9/10

Photo Gallery:

Trailer:

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