20th Century Fox has a an uneven track record in the superhero movie business. They have hit great heights with successful adaptations such as X2, First Class, and The Wolverine and dismal lows, with the likes of X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Elektra. In the era of the “superhero team up” movie, Fox is trying to get their two primary Marvel properties in order, X-Men and the Fantastic Four. Fox recently announced to The Hollywood Reporter (via IGN) that they are moving ahead with sequels to The Wolverine and a sequel to the yet to be filmed reboot to the Fantastic Four coming next summer.
The sequel to The Wolverine will bring back director James Mangold and is set for a March 3rd, 2017 release. It is worth noting the chronology of the release dates. It will be coming after the third film in the new X-men trilogy, X-Men: Apocalypse expected to be in theaters May 27, 2016.
Fox is so confident, they are even pulling a “Marvel” by announcing a release date for an unnamed film. July 13, 2018 has been announced as a place-holder for another Fox-owned Marvel project. Fox only owns the rights to the two aforementioned properties. It is a safe bet that the film will either be the X-Force film in development being written and directed by Jeff Wadlow (Kick-Ass 2), or a potential team-up of the Fantastic Four and X-Men. The latter is the safer bet, especially when the age of both casts are considered along with the potential to be an “event” movie. If they are succesful, they will have started their very own “Marvel” universe.
This announcement deflects recent rumors that the Fantastic Four reboot may be floundering. This is a public vote of confidence in the production team led by Josh Trank. Trank’s controversial decisions to remake the franchise for the 21st century have come under question. The fact a sequel is already in the pipeline is an indication that audiences just might be in for a fun surprise.
So how do you feel about the future of the Fantastic Four and X-Men?
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter and IGN
-Braxter Timberlake-