Bryan Singer Signs Deal To Direct X-Men: Apocalypse With “Young Cyclops, Storm, Jean” Reportedly Returning

Both Bryan Singer and Simon Kinberg have talked, in their own respective ways, about the possibility of “original” X-Men characters appearing in X-Men: Apocalypse.

Singer plainly and openly said that it was his intention to bring younger versions of characters from his first X-Men fim into the mix. Meanwhile, Kinberg talked about the same idea in fudgier, foggier terms. He’s been standing very close to JJ Abrams a lot recently and I think something may have rubbed off.

Kinberg recently talked about recasting core X-Men for youth: Are we going to have to recast? If some of those characters were in the movie we would, but we’ll see.

“If.” Well, they are. That was just one Kinberg’s typical no-confirmation confirmations, like the one he gave me personally about the X-Men films and Fantastic Four having some kind of crossover. He made vague excuses about why it would be hard and then talked about how clever they would have to be to actually do it “if” they were doing it.

Which they are.

Anyway, in Deadline’s story about Bryan Singer making a deal to come back and direct Apocalypse – which is great news, right? – they just stated, matter of factly that the new film will feature:

Young Cyclops, Storm, Jean and others.

Now it’s our job to speculate wildly about who “others” are.

Well, Gambit’s going to be in there, and he’s going to look like Channing Tatum. That much is all but certain. And a young Nightcrawler? I’ll take the bet.

Casting on this film will surely be getting underway almost immediately. Expect a lot more news in the coming weeks, and know you better get a hurry on with your fancasting.

I feel like I sort of hurried over the Bryan Singer portion of this story a touch quickly, so let’s go out on that. Singer’s back! Hurrah!