Future X-Men Films Will Move Beyond Prof X & Magneto

With Logan debuting this weekend, many are wondering what direction the X-men film universe will [...]

By Jenna Anderson - March 3, 2017 11:20 pm EST

With Logan debuting this weekend, many are wondering what direction the X-men film universe will take going forward.

And according to one of the franchise's longest-running crew members, fans can expect one pretty big narrative change in future X-Men films.

Lauren Shuler Donner, who has been a producer on every X-Men related film since 2000, recently revealed to Vanity Fair that future films within the franchise will not center around the dynamic between Charles Xavier/Professor X and Erik Lensherr/Magneto.

"We cannot, once again, explore the Erik/Charles dynamic." She explained.

Given the fact that essentially every X-Men film over the past seventeen years has revolved around this dynamic in some way - a trend that was only further exemplified with the creation of the prequel film timeline - this is absolutely a valid claim. And with both Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan - who originated the roles in 2000's X-Men, officially announcing that they are done with the franchise, it's an appropriate decision to make as well.

Even though James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, who play the younger interpretations of Charles and Erik, are "always essential" to future films, Shuler Donner says that she believes "there are other stories to tell."

While details about the next X-Men film, rumored to have the working title Supernova, are incredibly slim, many are expecting the film to follow the Dark Phoenix saga. Although this hasn't been confirmed, it does echo what Shuler Donner believes about the future of storytelling in the franchise.

"[Its] both liberating and makes me nervous." Shuler Donner says about the storytelling possibilities without Charles and Erik at the focus. "It's mostly liberating."

What did you think of X-Men: Apocalypse? Rank it below in our Movie Database and make your voice heard!