Earlier this weekend, the L.A. Times' "Hero Coplex" blog composed a stirring hymn of praise to Bryan Singer and Lauren Shuler Donner, and their plans to return the X-MEN franchise to its former glory. The point of the panegyric seemed to be twofold: 1) Reassure the fans that Singer is securely back in the saddle, and 2) Drop some vague, but tantalizing hints about the forthcoming prequel X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, which Singer is set to direct. The timing was odd, but whatever. It was just nice to know someone who understands these characters is once again guiding the franchise.
Well, it turns out there might've been a third, much more important reason for this article to exist. According to HitFix's Drew McWeeny, Bryan Singer is fully committed to JACK AND THE GIANT KILLER at Warner Bros., and probably won't be free to direct X-MEN: FIRST CLASS until 2012. As a result, Fox is currently trying to entice "at least two other filmmakers" to take the reins on the next big-screen mutant saga.
Drew thinks Singer's so far along in preproduction on JACK AND THE GIANT KILLER that backing out now would be "actionable". But if there's one thing Fox lives for, it's fucking Warner Bros. (see: WATCHMEN) - so, by celebrating the triumphs of ten and seven years ago (and lamenting the more franchise's recent creative struggles), perhaps this is Singer and Shuler Donner trying to convince Fox that they daren't move forward on FIRST CLASS without Singer - The Fans' Choice! - behind the camera. As for how the studio could get Singer out of his JACK contract, I haven't a clue.
For those of you disappointed to hear that Singer's return to the X-MEN fold (as a director, at least) is no longer imminent, Drew seems to think you'll be quite pleased with the filmmakers currently being recruited by Fox. That's all well and good, but unless these folks possess James Cameron's fuck-you clout, they'll surely have to contend with Fox co-chair Tom Rothman's meddlesome ways - and no one can undermine a promising film more swiftly and decisively.
