After more than a decade serving as writer and producer on 20th Century Fox’s X-Men franchise, Simon Kinberg now finds himself behind the camera for the latest chapter of the main series, X-Men: Dark Phoenix.
Earlier in the week we saw some first look images from the movie – Fox’s second attempt at adapting The Dark Phoenix Saga after the disappointing X-Men: The Last Stand – and now Kinberg has been chatting to EW about the movie, stating that he intends on course correcting the series after mistakes made with the previous chapter, X-Men: Apocalypse.
“I think we took our eye off what has always been the bedrock of the franchise which is these characters,” said Kinberg. It became about global destruction and visual effects over emotion and character… One of the things I went into this film wanting to do is obviously focus on the characters and give them real emotions to play and come up with a theme that would make it feel relevant and necessary in today’s world.”
SEE ALSO: Simon Kinberg talks X-Men: Dark Phoenix and Jean Grey’s transformation
Meanwhile, Kinberg also went on to confirm the rumours from earlier in the summer that the mutant safe haven of Genosha will make its big screen debut in the movie, and that is where we will find Magneto at the start of the film.
“He’s set up this place for mutants that don’t have a home to go to and they can seek refuge there,” said Kinberg. “They have to work as a community but it’s a safe place for them and they’ll be accepted. It’s the mutant homeland.”
After the X-Men team is dispatched to space for a rescue mission, a solar flare hits the X-Jet and the surge of energy ignites a malevolent, power-hungry new force within Jean – the Phoenix.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix is set for release on November 2nd, 2018. Simon Kinberg is directing a cast that includes franchise veterans Michael Fassbender (Magneto), James McAvoy (Professor X), Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique), Nicholas Hoult (Beast), Alexandra Shipp (Storm), Sophie Turner (Jean Grey), Tye Sheridan (Cyclops), Kodi Smit-McPhee (Nightcrawler) and Evan Peters (Quicksilver) alongside new additions Jessica Chastain and Lamar Johnson.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix
Concept Art
Originally published December 11, 2017. Updated April 19, 2018.
