'X-Men' series reboot news details and updates: FOX eyes a reset after Hugh Jackman's exit
The "X-Men" series is one of the first and long-running superhero movie franchises known in modern cinema, and with the release of "Logan" next year, that makes it the tenth installment of FOX's lucrative franchise.
Following the underwhelming praise for this year's "X-Men: Apocalypse" and the impending departure of Hugh Jackman ("Wolverine") after "Logan," FOX is eyeing a new course for the movie franchise, and the most feasible option for them as of now is to reboot the entire series.
In addition to Jackman's retirement from the series, newly cast stars for the franchise Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Nicholas Hoult also needed their contracts renewed, and according to a source, the stars' renewal won't come cheap for FOX.
"You're gauged by the success of the franchise," says box-office analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "This one [X-Men: Apocalypse] didn't engender the love of previous movies. It's time to go back to the drawing board."
Other sources already confirm that the "X-Men" series will have Simon Kinberg as a writer-producer of the rebooted franchise. Bryan Singer, on the other hand, who directed four movies from the "X-Men" franchise, is not returning for the reboot.
Additionally, the newly written scripts are still being made with Lawrence and Fassbender in mind.
"Logan" is slated for a March 3, 2017 release date. Other FOX superhero-related films are also experiencing uncertain futures as "Gambit," the one with Channing Tatum, still has no news about production and release as it kept losing directors and kept getting delayed over the past two years or so.
"Deadpool 2" on the other hand is also experiencing troubles as director Tim Miller decided to quit the film after creative differences with main actor, Ryan Reynolds.
Josh Boone's "The New Mutants" a spin-off of the "X-Men" series, which features superpowered teens, is facing a better chance of release as filming might already start by spring in 2017.