Brett Ratner to direct X-Men 3 (announced 6/6/05)

[Kai Lord]

For those who care and don't already know:

http://www.comingsoon.net/news.php?id=9892

20th Century Fox and Marvel Entertainment set Brett Ratner on Friday night to replace Matthew Vaughn as the director of X-Men 3, reports Variety. Shooting will start in August for a Memorial Day weekend 2006 opening date.

A comic book enthusiast, Ratner was among the helmers considered to direct the first X-Men. The job went to Bryan Singer instead. Ratner then spent a full year developing Superman Returns, the film that ultimately prompted Singer to drop out of directing "X3."

The trade adds that the "X3" budget is locked, and Fox and Marvel brass consider the script by Zak Penn and Simon Kinberg to be at least as strong as that of the first two installments. The original returning stars have been signed, and the cast is bolstered by Kelsey Grammer as Beast, Vinnie Jones as Juggernaut and Lost star Maggie Grace as Kitty Pryde (aka Shadowcat).

Fox's hiring of Ratner also means that Rush Hour 3 will most certainly miss New Line's projected fall start and summer 2006 release dates. Ratner directed the first two films in that series and seemed certain to make the third, but Chris Tucker's unwillingness to sign his $20 million deal in timely fashion scotched those plans.

 

[Rodrigo Istalindir]

What was at best marginal interest in X3 has now dropped to almost zero. I renew my call for a superhero movie moratorium for the next three years.

 

[Desdichado]

What was at best marginal interest in X3 has now dropped to almost zero. I renew my call for a superhero movie moratorium for the next three years.

It's easy enough for you to put a moratorium on seeing them. I'm excited for more superhero movies, personally.

 

[Kai Lord]

I'm not that concerned about the director, Jonathan Mostow was a pretty "by the numbers" filmmaker who turned Terminator 3 into a pleasant surprise. Maybe Ratner will do the same. But how the heck did they choose Zak Penn and Simon Kinberg as the screenwriters?

Their writing credits include Inspector Gadget, Behind Enemy Lines, Elektra, and XXX: State of the Union. Ugh. Why'd they even bother with Ratner with those two penning the story, Uwe Bowell wasn't available?

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

Like JD I'm rather excited by this, I think each superhero movie is a good thing, but I really like comics and well... They could surely use the exposure.

Maggie Grace? It that the brunette in Lost? I only watched half of the season so I can't remember her character’s name… :\

 

[Taren Seeker]

Wel, Zak Pen was a writer on X2 as well, and Simon Kinberg wrote Mr. and Mrs. Smith, which I'm looking forward to.

So all may not be lost, but let's say I am far less hopeful than I was, say, a year ago. I still think the previous director bailing and what happened with Singer smells VERY fishy. Rats and a sinking ship come to mind...or Batman-itis.

I think I've mixed enough metaphors now.

BTW doesn't Maggie seem a bit...old for Kitty? Strange how they make most of the cast younger in the movies then age the youngest X-man. Maybe they didn't want any competition for Anna Paquin. You just have to wonder what was wrong with the original Kitty and Colossus actors. They both at least looked the part.

Vinnie Jones as Jugs...I like him but seems a bit of an odd fit to me. I'm curious to see how they portray him.

 

[TwistedBishop]

Maggie Grace? It that the brunette in Lost? I only watched half of the season so I can't remember her character’s name… :\

The brunette is Kate (Evangeline Lilly). Maggie Grace plays Shannon, the sister of Boone.

 

[TwistedBishop]

I've never been a huge X-Men fan, since I tend to dislike superhero teams in general. However, the first two movies entertained me.

I can't see Ratner as anything but a huge blow to the series. His work had seemed typically forgettable, then I saw "After the Sunset" recently, a film which, to be kind, made me wish the process from Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was real so that I could erase that experience from my past.

I think it's really unfair to compare Mostow to Ratner at all. Mostow wrote and directed a fantastic movie ("Breakdown") and his other big hit "U-571" easily destroys any Ratner film. T3 was a movie pretty much no one wanted to see happen, and Mostow somehow managed to save it from what could have been a mockery.

 

[Brother Shatterstone]

The brunette is Kate (Evangeline Lilly). Maggie Grace plays Shannon, the sister of Boone.

Oh... I hope they dye her blonde tresses... :\ (No real issues beyond that… She seemed to be a decent actress on Lost. Though I agree with Taren Seeker on her age and why couldn't they have used the actress that's already played her? Maybe Lucas can show them how to edit the first movie to fix this. )

 

[Klaus]

For those who care and don't already know:

http://www.comingsoon.net/news.php?id=9892

Oy.