Fox Still Hopes To Have Bryan Singer Direct X-Men: Apocalypse

Recent reports that 20th Century Fox may be looking to distance the X-Men franchise from X-Men: Days of Future Past director Bryan Singer ahead of any trial for a sex-abuse suit brought against him seem to be exaggerated, if Fox's President of Production Emma Wats is to be believed.

X-Men: Days of Future Past has outgrossed all the other installments in the franchise by leaps and bounds, and Watts wasn't shy about giving a lot of the credit for that to Singer.

"It was the management of the franchise. And a big part of it was getting Bryan [Singer] back [as director]," Watts said of the fim's success. "The debate about originality versus familiar titles is interesting. You can have original movies that feel derivative in their execution, and you can have franchise titles that feel solely original and aspirational in terms of the talent attached, the story, et cetera. So I think the reason for Days of Future Past's success is, it doesn't underestimate what the audience is wanting or capable of enjoying."

Asked directly whether, since he was such a big factor in the success of Days of Future Past, he will be back to direct X-Men: Apocalypse, Watts didn't commit firmly to an answer, but she did seem like she was trying to dispel the rumors of a schism between the director and the studio.

"Right now we are totally at the outlining phase," she said, "but nothing would make me happier than if it all worked out. It's always been the intention for him to do it."