After the massive success of Deadpool and now the critical reaction to Logan I started to think about the X-Men Cinematic Universe. After a quick analysis of the franchise, I wondered if Fox should give up on making the classic and typical superhero movies. Don’t get me wrong, I love a lot of these films. I still believe that X2: X-Men United is one of the best comic book movies around. It helped to build what the genre has now become but it’s hard to ignore that Fox is finding a lot more success making these cheaper, grittier, and character-driven superhero movies.
ALSO READ: The New X-Men Movie Will Shoot This Summer, Working Titles Revealed
I just saw the news that Simon Kinberg is in talks to direct the next X-Men movie and I couldn’t help but wonder why? X-Men: Apocalypse wasn’t received as well as previous films and it didn’t do extremely well at the box-office, so why commit to another typical X-Men movie, especially when the studio is building a good reputation for making these smaller, character-driven projects.
Since Deadpool landed in theaters the online community has discussed the hope that Fox will hit refresh and have the Universe re-start with Deadpool. While I love this franchise and the majority of these films, the continuity has become extremely confusing. Most members of the audience can’t see how the Universe connects, so why not hit refresh on the franchise and restart with Deadpool.
We should also take into consideration the idea that not every superhero belongs in a shared universe. It’s possible that audiences and critics have responded so well to Deadpool and Logan because they barely connect to the larger universe. what if the smartest decision for Fox is to create superhero movies that don’t connect. With a less connected universe, we can simply sit down to watch a movie, without the need to watch an entire series of films beforehand. Not to mention, without the need to have so many connections, directors would have more control and would be able to tell a more personal and better-constructed story for the characters. Why lose focus on Deadpool 2 by setting up Deadpool 6.
Final Notes
I’m not saying stop making X-Men films. That will never happen they make too much money for the studio. But why not change the formula. Aren’t we tired of seeing the same movie with a different logo? If Fox decided to push the boundaries and make more films like Deadpool and Logan they would operate a niche in the genre and would build a unique brand. While the R-rated movies have been successful for the studio, not every X-Men film needs that rating. Fox can find writers and directors who know the material and are willing to focus on the characters rather than have a big CGI battle at the end of every movie. This is the studio’s chance to stop doing the same thing as every other company in Hollywood and to start creating something unique and enjoyable.
I think Fox as a studio and the X-Men as a franchise would benefit massively by taking a step back and changing the way that they do things. If the comic book genre wants to keep growing and maintain its position in the industry, it’s up to studios like Fox to stop creating the same film with different costumes and push creative movies that push the boundaries.
What do you guys think? Should Fox keep pushing out these X-Men movies? Or is now the right time for them to hit that refresh button and start telling unique stories? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below!
