Believe it or not, back in the year 2000, superhero flicks were not cool. The only big names that had entered the game in the past decades were Burton’s brooding Batman and Marvel’s Blade, who was more obscure than a hipster’s favourite indie band. Enter Lauren Shuler-Donner, the visionary who saw gold where others saw old comic books. She had been itching to bring the X-Men to the silver screen, riding the wave of the animated series’ success on Fox Kids. And guess what? This is where Kevin Feige cut his teeth.
Fast forward, and by the 2020s he’s the Grandmaster of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, a realm of superheroes that would make even the most stoic accountant geek out. Without this first bold leap into the movie-verse, we wouldn’t have the superhero smorgasbord we feast on today!
The year 2000 brought us X-Men, directed by Bryan Singer, and with it, a new dawn for superhero flicks. It’s hailed for giving the genre a much-needed adrenaline shot, setting the stage for the super-powered cinematic onslaught that ensued.
The movie dives into the origin tales of its characters, a must-have ingredient in the superhero recipe book. Yet, juggling eight main heroes and a squad of supporting ones, the film juggles more balls than a circus clown, trying to give everyone their moment in the spotlight. Time, the ultimate supervillain, thwarts its noble efforts. Nevertheless, the precious minutes it does seize are devoted to weaving the central theme of X-Men into the narrative tapestry.
X-Men dives headfirst into the choppy waters of prejudice and acceptance, holding up a mirror to the real-world ugliness of discrimination. The clash of ideologies between Professor Xavier, the eternal optimist, and Magneto, the brooding pessimist with a Holocaust-haunted past, is nothing short of cinematic gold. This battle of wits and wills gives the narrative a richness that some critics feel is just a teaser for an even grander superhero saga.
On the cultural front, X-Men was nothing short of revolutionary, parading a who’s who of Marvel’s finest across the silver screen, all while keeping the story tighter than Wolverine’s spandex. It stayed true to its comic roots and proved that comic book movies could be more than just flashy costumes and explosions, paving the way for the caped crusaders who would follow in its box-office-busting footsteps.
In 1944, during the dark times of Nazi-occupied Poland, young Erik Lehnsherr was torn from his family as they entered Auschwitz. His attempt to reunite with them revealed his unique mutant power to manipulate metal, drawing the camp’s gates towards him before he was subdued by guards.
Fast forward to today, and the debate over mutant rights is heating up. U.S. Senator Robert Kelly is pushing for a Mutant Registration Act, demanding that mutants disclose their identities. Meanwhile, Charles Xavier, a telepathic mutant, spots Erik, now known as Magneto, and worries about his reaction to this controversial act. In the small town of Meridian, Mississippi, a 17-year-old named Marie inadvertently sends her boyfriend into a coma with a kiss, revealing her mutant power to absorb others’ life force. Taking on the moniker “Rogue,” she escapes to Alberta where she encounters Logan, or “Wolverine,” a mutant endowed with regenerative healing and retractable metal claws. They’re ambushed by Sabretooth, from Magneto’s Brotherhood of Mutants, but are rescued by Cyclops and Storm of the X-Men. They’re taken to Xavier’s haven for mutants in New York, where Wolverine is persuaded to stay as Xavier probes Magneto’s interest in him. Concurrently, Rogue joins the school, finding herself smitten with the ice-manipulating mutant, Bobby Drake.
In the latest twist of events, Brotherhood operatives Toad and Mystique kidnap Senator Kelly and take him to Genosha, a secret island. There, Magneto experiments on Kelly with a machine that can trigger mutations in humans. Kelly, however, uses his new abilities to flee. Meanwhile, Rogue has a close call with Wolverine, who, in a startled reaction to a nightmare, injures her. She heals herself using his powers. Under the guise of Drake, Mystique tricks Rogue into thinking she’s unwelcome at the school, prompting her to run away. Xavier tracks her down with Cerebro, but not before Mystique compromises the device. Wolverine catches up with Rogue on a train, but their reunion is cut short by Magneto, who incapacitates Wolverine and captures Rogue. Xavier tries to intervene using Sabretooth, but when Magneto endangers the surrounding police, Xavier is forced to back down, allowing the Brotherhood to escape with Rogue.
Upon arriving at the school, Kelly’s unexpected transformation shocks everyone, leading Xavier to probe his mind. They uncover Magneto’s harrowing plan to use Rogue as a conduit for his machine, risking her life in the process. Tragically, Kelly’s mutation proves fatal, and he disintegrates. With Cerebro sabotaged by Mystique, Xavier is rendered comatose trying to locate Rogue. Jean Grey steps up, repairs Cerebro, and discovers the Brotherhood’s plot to mutate global leaders on Liberty Island. The X-Men engage in an epic showdown atop the Statue of Liberty, thwarting the Brotherhood as Magneto begins the power transfer to Rogue. Wolverine’s timely intervention allows Cyclops to take down Magneto, and Wolverine sacrifices his own well-being to save Rogue, ending the threat.
Xavier and Wolverine awaken from their comas, while the team discovers Mystique’s escape and her impersonation of Kelly. Xavier provides Wolverine with clues to his past at a deserted Canadian military base. Meanwhile, Xavier confronts a plastic-imprisoned Magneto, who vows to break free and resume his crusade. Xavier assures him he’ll be there to thwart his plans.
(1) The inaugural film of the series may not have been lifted from a specific comic storyline, but it’s chock-full of the original flavour: the deep philosophical roots, the epic Xavier vs. Magneto face-off, and a roll call of the universe’s A-listers. It’s like the movie waved a magic wand over the comic world – voila! The X-Men ditched spandex for sleek black leather in New X-Men and Uncanny X-Men, and even the comic’s logo got a Hollywood makeover to twin with the movie’s marquee.
(2) Magneto’s tale begins in the grim setting of Auschwitz, where the loss of his family triggers his latent mutant abilities to manipulate magnetism. For a long time, Magneto was the quintessential villain in the comics, but it wasn’t until the 1981 issue of Uncanny X-Men #150 that hints of his Jewish background emerged. The chilling details of his past were finally unveiled in the 2009 book, Magneto: Testament.
(3) In the cinematic world, Rogue goes by Marie, but in the comic universe, she’s Anna Marie. This name reveal seems to be a nod to Anna Paquin, the actress who brought her to life on the big screen, who Rogue also reveals herself to be a fan of in X-Treme X-Men. Interestingly, the moniker Marie D’Ancanto was snagged by a different character in the same series.
(4) Senator Kelly’s suspicion and persecution of mutants were as much a part of him as his snazzy suits, at least until his untimely comic book demise. In a twist worthy of a daytime soap, the Dream’s End storyline saw him assassinated by a human protestor, ironically just after he’d had a change of heart and started championing mutant rights during his presidential campaign.
(5) The phrase ‘little girl from Chicago, Illinois who can walk through walls’ alludes to the one and only Kitty Pryde. She sneaks into the scene in Xavier’s office in this flick and later, she’s not just passing through walls but also through the movie sequels, making quite the impact. Kitty Pryde, also known as Shadowcat, is a mutant with the ability to phase through matter. She was a student at Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters and trained as a member of the X-Men alongside Colossus, Rogue, and Iceman.
(6) Just like in the comics, the friendship between Professor X and Magneto is a central plot point. Their paths cross in Israel following World War II, where they unite to help Holocaust survivors. As they reveal their dreams and abilities to one another, their bond deepens. However, even as friends, they evolve into fierce adversaries, each armed with a unique and compelling vision for the future of mutant kind.
(7) Hugh Jackman might be synonymous with Wolverine now, but he wasn’t the original pick for the clawed hero. Dougray Scott was slated for the role, but due to a scheduling clash with his villainous gig in Mission Impossible II, he had to pass on the mutant mantle. Enter Jackman, then a fresh face from Australian theatre. And here’s a fun fact: Wolverine was once animated with an Aussie accent in the 80s pilot Pryde of the X-Men, making Jackman’s casting a serendipitous twist!
(8) Jean’s remark about Logan being older than the Professor is indeed correct. When the movie was released, much of Wolverine’s history remained a mystery. However, it wasn’t long before an Origin story was unveiled, depicting a young James Howlett. Born into privilege yet extremely frail, he endured great loss, which led to his transformation into the youthful Logan, all set against the backdrop of the nineteenth century’s dawn.
(9) While the silver screen might have you believe Sabretooth and Wolverine are long-lost bros, the comic book pages tell a different tale. In the celluloid world of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Sabretooth claws his way into a major role as Logan’s sibling. But flip through the comics, and you’ll find these two are nothing more than frenemies with a serious case of sibling rivalry – minus the actual sibling part.
(10) In the cinematic world of mutants and mayhem, Toad and Mystique strutted onto the silver screen with makeovers so radical, they’d make a fashionista do a double-take. Meanwhile, in the comic universe, X-Men: Forever decided to play dress-up, giving our beloved ink-and-paper characters a taste of Hollywood glam – briefly, but long enough to cause a stir in the fandom.
(11) Tucked away beneath the Xavier School lies Cerebro, comfortably nestled in its grand, spherical chamber. Following its Hollywood debut, the comic book version of Cerebro got a swanky upgrade to match, moving into a room that’s a dead ringer for its cinematic counterpart. And just like that, it’s been the ‘brain’ of the operation ever since!
(12) Bobby and John, better known as Iceman and Pyro, make brief appearances now, but they’re set to heat up and cool down the big screen in more substantial roles in upcoming movies, especially Iceman. Watch out for their frosty-hot rivalry in X-Men: The Last Stand.
(13) Jubilation Lee’s cinematic journey is quite the saga. Portrayed by a trio of actresses across three films, her character has amassed a grand total of zero lines – if we’re only tallying the theatrical releases. Initially, she had a meatier role in X-Men: Apocalypse, but alas, her dialogue was relegated to the realm of deleted scenes on the Blu-ray edition. It seems Jubilee’s fireworks were too bright for the cutting room floor.
(14) The X-Men are known for their epic battles and saving the world, but when it comes to team bonding, they swap their superhero duties for baseball gloves. This tradition goes way back and is a staple of their downtime, showcasing their lighter side and team spirit. They’ve done basketball too, famously in X-Men #4.
(15) Henry Peter Gyrich may have had a minor part in the movie, but in the world of animated X-Men, he was a major pain in the spandex for our mutant heroes. From the classic ’90s series to the nostalgic trip of X-Men ’97, Gyrich was the government guy you loved to hate, making life for the X-Men as complicated as Wolverine’s love life.
(16) The eternal love triangle of Wolverine, Cyclops, and Jean Grey is a tale as old as time, or at least as old as Classic X-Men #1. They never seem to resolve their romantic entanglements. But then again, in the world of comics, anything is possible… Anything.
(17) Wolverine’s knack for setting off airport metal detectors has become a classic gag. It’s a recurring theme, popping up again in The Wolverine and even making a panel appearance in Kitty Pryde and Wolverine #2.
(18) In a twist that surprises absolutely no one, Xavier’s intel on the ‘deserted’ Alkali Lake military complex turns out to be as outdated as Wolverine’s fashion sense. Lo and behold, the Canadian Rockies hide more than just breath-taking views and the occasional moose; they’re also home to a not-so-secret secret base that’s buzzing with more activity than a beehive on a hot summer day. Wolverine’s mission? To slice and dice through the mystery, and maybe the facility’s security, to uncover the truths hidden within. And that’s the plot of X-Men 2 sorted.
(19) In the cinematic world of X-Men, the chessboard becomes a battleground of wits between Magneto and Xavier. This iconic scene is revisited in subsequent films, along with Xavier’s memorable line expressing sympathy for those who dare to stir up trouble at his school for the gifted. It’s a subtle nod to the ongoing strategic duel between the two, where every move is more than just a game piece shifting on the board – it’s a clash of ideals and intellects.
X-Men achieved more than anticipated: it propelled the characters into cinematic stardom, mirroring their success from the 1992 animated series. This resurgence sparked renewed interest in the comics, and now, in 2024, we eagerly anticipate the 14th instalment of the series in cinemas come May. In the words of Stan Lee, “Nuff Said.”
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