The X-Men Movie That Almost Was
Matthew Vaughn, the mind behind the beloved prequel X-Men: First Class, was inches away from directing what became known as X-Men: The Last Stand. At New York Comic-Con, he finally spilled the beans about why he took a step back from helming this major blockbuster.
Studio Politics and Halle Berry: A Shady Business
Vaughn sat down for a revealing panel where Maggie Lovitt was in attendance. According to Vaughn, one thing that made him reassess his involvement was the murky industry politics he was getting a front-row seat to. What stunned him the most was the lack of respect a studio executive showed toward Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry, who portrayed the iconic character Storm in the franchise.
Vaughn vividly described an eye-opening moment. He walked into a meeting, saw an unfamiliar script on a desk, and inquired about it. “I went into one of the executive’s office and I saw an X3 script, and I immediately knew it was a lot fatter. I was like what the hell is this draft,” Vaughn recounted.
“I grabbed it literally — it was like a crazy moment — opened the first page, and it said, ‘Africa. Storm. Kids dying of no water. She creates a thunderstorm and saves all these children.’”
The Draft that Almost Lured an Oscar Winner
Vaughn was shocked when the executive mentioned that this emotionally potent draft was nothing more than a bait-and-switch tactic. It was designed to hook Berry into reprising her role as Storm by making her think the character would have a powerful and pivotal storyline, which was far from the truth.
When he heard the draft would be “thrown in the bin” as soon as Berry signed on, Vaughn made his decision. “‘Wow, you’re gonna do that to an Oscar-winning actress who plays Storm? I’m outta here.’ So I quit at that point,” said Vaughn. He was subsequently replaced by Brett Ratner, who has since been embroiled in accusations of sexual misconduct.
Future of the X-Men Franchise
While the X-Men saga as we knew it is undergoing a major overhaul, it’s stories like these that underline the significance of transparency and respect in Hollywood, even as the franchise prepares for its Marvel Cinematic Universe reboot. Deadpool 3 is said to be the jumping-off point into this new era, and many are excited to see what the future holds. But one can’t help but wonder how different things might have been if Vaughn had stayed onboard and if Berry’s Storm had gotten the story she truly deserved.
Let’s stay tuned for more updates on this ever-evolving cinematic universe. It remains to be seen how the franchise will tackle its past mistakes as it forges into new territories.
