Next X-Men Movie After Apocalypse Rumored To Be Dark Phoenix

Not content to let one adaptation of a classic storyline be the end of the conversation, X-Men producers are reportedly mulling The Dark Phoenix Saga as a potential follow-up to X-Men: Apocalypse.

The storyline, published in 1980, is generally considered to be one of the high water marks in X-Men history. The last time elements of it were adapted, in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand, it didn’t satisfy longtime fans of the franchise.

In the comics, the Dark Phoenix Saga was a space-heavy adventure that incorporated a number of rarely-used elements of X-Men mythology, including the Shi’Ar Empire. None of the space material was adapted in X-Men: The Last Stand, which closed out the original trilogy of X-films but wasn’t directed by Bryan Singer (who has directed four of the six team movies, including X-Men: Apocalypse).

Rumors have swirled that Dark Phoenix could be the next X-Men film, but now Heroic Hollywood is saying they’re hearing it from studio sources, rather than just internet chatter. Earlier this month, producers had indicated that they were at least interested in using elements of the story.

Jean Grey, whose character has never fully been the same since the events of the Dark Phoenix storyline, will be reintroduced in X-Men: Apocalypse, along with original movie X-Men Storm and Cyclops.

X-Men: Apocalypse is the ninth film in the X-Men franchise, and the fourth to be directed by Bryan Singer. The film features a screenplay by Simon Kinberg, and stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Nicholas Hoult, Rose Byrne, Olivia Munn, Evan Peters, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Lucas Till, Josh Helman, Lana Condor and Ben Hardy.

Check out when X-Men: Apocalypse and other movies are coming out in ComicBook.com’s Movie Release Schedule.