Bryan Singer is returning to the director’s chair to helm X-Men: Days of Future Past, the sequel to last year’s X-Men: First Class. Singer previously directed both X-Men and X2: X-Men United before handing off the franchise to Brett Ratner with X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006.
First Class helmer Matthew Vaughn was originally set to return, but departed the project last week and at the same time Singer was rumored to be filling in.
Vaughn has remained on board as producer along with screenwriter Simon Kinberg and Lauren Shuler Donner with plans still to begin filming early 2013 for a July 18, 2014 release. Should pre-production go smoothly it sounds like it will all be feasible considering the screenplay sounds as if it is already locked and ready for production.
Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy and Jennifer Lawrence are expected to return for the film.
If I was ever going to be able to muster any kind of excitement for this franchise, which has merely become decent ever since X2, which remains the best of the franchise so far, I guess Singer returning is a bright spot. However, Singer’s work since X2 is hardly confidence inspiring considering both Valkyrie Superman Returns were both subpar features and Warner’s delaying of Jack the Giant Slayer from June of this year all the way to March 1, 2013 isn’t exactly the best of news. [Deadline]
