It’s hard to remember a time when comic book movies weren’t the end-all be-all to the industry. These days, every time a project in the Marvel Cinematic Universe comes out, it’s a major event, sending fans of the franchise to the theater in droves. However, in the early 2000s, the superhero landscape was very different, with studios like Sony and Fox opting for more grounded takes on comic book characters. Of course it worked in some instances, such as Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man Trilogy, which many still hold in high regard. Unfortunately, the approach also had its drawbacks, including putting the X-Men movies in a box they never really were able to escape from.
It all goes back to the first X-Men movie, which hit theaters 25 years ago in 2000. Sure, it brought one of Marvel’s biggest teams to the big screen for the first time, but it also tied all of the characters’ hands behind their backs, sending the franchise in the wrong direction before it even had a chance to get off the ground.
The first X-Men movie chooses to focus on a subject that a lot of early comics embrace: mutants’ place in the world. Unlike Captain America or Thor in the MCU, mutants are not embraced for their gifts; the world is afraid of them and wants to find a way to control them. This line of thinking forms a wedge between longtime friends Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr: while Charles believes he can get the humans to come around, Erik doesn’t want to give them the opportunity to strike first. So, both sides put together teams that eventually have to duke it out, and while that sounds like the makings of a great comic book movie, X-Men fails to embrace its campy roots.
One of the clear indicators that X-Men isn’t interested in the source material is the lack of real costumes. All the members of the titular team wear matching black leather outfits, and Cyclops even pokes fun at the idea of them donning spandex. Director Bryan Singer went as far as to ban comic books from the set of the movie, forcing future Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, a producer at the time, to act as a lifeline for actors like Hugh Jackman. And Feige’s passion for comics clearly paid off because he’s helping the X-Men be their true selves all these years later.
Following Disney’s acquisition of Fox, the rights to the X-Men returned to Marvel Studios. It took a few years for mutants to enter the fold, but now that they’re around, it’s clear how much potential was being wasted. The MCU’s first big X-Men project was a continuation of the popular ’90s cartoon; while expectations weren’t all that high for it, X-Men ’97 became a breakout critical darling, adapting some of the team’s most iconic moments and never apologizing for it. The show even took a shot at Fox’s first movie by making a rebuttal joke about the live-action team’s black leather outfits. However, as great as X-Men ’97 is, it’s a live-action movie that proves mutants are finally in the right hands.
2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine sees the return of Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine after seven years. It appeared as if his time with the claws was over, but Ryan Reynolds brought him back for a team-up with the Merc With a Mouth. The result wasn’t all that different from the first two Deadpool movies in terms of tone, but what it has over its predecessor is that it gives Logan his comic-accurate suit and makes him embrace being a member of the X-Men. Wolverine gets an arc within the film that feels like it’s making up for the mistakes of the original X-Men, with him finally embracing what it means to be a hero, silly costume and all.
Do you think the original X-Men movie still holds up all these years later? Are you glad that the characters are with Marvel Studios now? Let us know in the comments below!
It’s been 25 years since the first X-Men movie hit theaters, and it’s more obvious than ever that it didn’t embrace the comics. Read More