Tag Archives: x-men

X-Men Origins: Wolverine was meant to slash open a whole new avenue for the X-Men movie franchise. Yet, despite its commercial performance, the tepid reception ultimately led the series to take another approach: going back to basics with a fresh start on the whole mutant saga.

In hindsight, it might seem like 2011’s X-Men: First Class was always meant to be a prequel to the previous films. But director Matthew Vaughn described it as a reboot of the franchise. So which is it? And ultimately, does it even matter when the resulting superhero adventure is that much fun?

Kevin the Critic joins Franchise Detours as we head back to school for an in-depth chat about X-Men: First Class. We’ll discuss the chemistry between James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, how the story quietly retcons the series, and whether Vaughn deserves another crack at the Marvel mutants.

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Podcasts

Franchise Detours Episode 62: ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ (feat. Jose Lopez Jr.)

September 15, 2023 Robert Yaniz Jr.

Despite the less-than-enthusiastic response from fans and critics, 2006’s trilogy-ending X-Men: The Last Stand did at least offer fans something of a sense of closure (that final shot and post-credits scene notwithstanding). But it also outperformed its two predecessors at the box office. So it didn’t take long for Fox to begin exploring ways to extend the franchise.

On paper, a solo film exploring the dark backstory of Hugh Jackman’s fan-favorite character was the obvious way to continue. At the time, such a film was meant to start a whole subset of X-Men Origins movies featuring different beloved characters. But 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine didn’t exactly deliver the strong kickoff the studio or fans hoped for.

Jose Lopez Jr. joins the show to help us break down one of the most maligned entries in the X-Men franchise. We’ll discuss whether X-Men Origins: Wolverine does right by Jackman’s mysterious mutant, the behind-the-scenes drama, the addition of Liev Schreiber as Sabretooth, and — of course — Ryan Reynolds’ inauspicious debut as “Deadpool.”

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Podcasts

Franchise Detours Episode 60: ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ (feat. Jeremiah Stewart of Let’s Talk)

July 29, 2023 Robert Yaniz Jr.

Our X-Men mega-series continues, spanning 10 films and nearly 20 years. Following the success of X2: X-Men United, the franchise takes its first major shift. Director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour) steps in to helm 2006’s polarizing X-Men: The Last Stand. But is it a satisfying finale to the original trilogy of mutant adventures? Or is the film the X-Men series’ first wrong turn?

Jeremiah Stewart of Let’s Talk joins us to discuss this crucial chapter of the mutant chronicles. The discovery of a so-called mutant “cure” raises the stakes. And X-Men: The Last Stand does escalate tensions as the dynamic between mutants and humans grows more complicated. We explore the mutant struggle for acceptance and the moral dilemmas the film presents.

The X-Men franchise’s ensemble comes into focus again, especially with the much-anticipated return of Jean Grey as the Dark Phoenix. Of course, this is the first of two attempts this franchise will take to adapt the fan-favorite story. We’ll discuss how the movie balances two main plots and whether it deserves the less-than-beloved reputation it still has.

Subscribe and stay tuned for much more as we continue our epic X-Men mega-series. The legacy of the mutant franchise lives on through its influence on the superhero genre. Next time, the franchise gets even wilder. The X-Men officially enters the wild world of prequels, spin-offs, and time-hopping with 2009’s even more maligned X-Men Origins: Wolverine.