Fox continues filling up the classroom for it’s latest installment in the X-Men saga, X-Men: First Class, as Heat Vision is reporting that Jennifer Lawrence has signed on to play the role of the shape-shifting mutant, Mystique. Originally played by Rebecca Romijn in the first three films, Mystique is able to take the forms of other people/mutants, though she cannot copy their powers.
Lawrence, who’s been garnering Oscar buzz already for her critically acclaimed role in Winter’s Bone, will join the likes of James McAvoy (Wanted), who’s playing Professor Charles Xavier, Michael Fassbinder (Inglourious Basterds), playing the part of Xavier’s future rival, Magneto, as well as Nicholas Hoult (About a Boy), as Beast, and Alice Eve (She‘s Out of My League), as Emma Frost.
It’s been a busy week for Fox, who have also just confirmed that Kevin Bacon will indeed play the villain in the new film, though specifics on just who that villain will be remains a secret. With shooting reportedly scheduled to begin late summer, one can see why Fox is pulling out all the stops to get their large cast signed up and ready to go.
The Pulse: How will this film play out compared to the first films that kick-started the comic craze? That’s not entirely clear yet, as a film franchise stemming from the teenage/young adult years of the X-Men may or may not be something audiences want to cling on to. Add on the fact that Wolverine, a massively popular piece of the X-Men puzzle, both in comics, and in the original films, won’t be appearing, and it leaves things up in the air all the more.
All that aside, the casting that Matthew Vaughn and the guys at Fox has done so far proves that they do have their heads on straight as far as signing people who can give the film the most credibility, as well as do it the most justice. Without strong actors in the roles, these films can easily fall flat, engaging story or not. Those they have chosen seem to fit their roles perfectly, and I’m especially excited about the confirmation of Kevin Bacon as the film’s villain. While it’s unknown who he will play, I see him as a Mister Sinister myself, and believe a villain like that could be just what this new franchise needs to get off the ground.
What do you think? Are all these recent casting choices getting you excited for this film, or are you still scorned by how they finished off the first trilogy, and wish to take a pass this time around? Do you think they should have done what some suggested and continued on with the adult cast, creating new story arcs to act as trilogies, or do you think a young, fresh start was what this franchise needed?
