With X-Men: Apocalypse behind us, there’s never been a better time for X-Men fans to look ahead. They’ve got TV offerings like Legion and Hellfire in development alongside big screen project’s like New Mutants, X-Force and Hugh Jackman‘s final Wolverine movie.
It’s also a great time to look back, and see how Apocalypse ranks against the series’ previous efforts.
X2 (2003)
The second entry to the franchise was a rollercoaster ride with every moment leaving you on the edge of your seat. Logan/Wolverine continues to uncover his past, meanwhile Professor X and several mutant students abducted are by William Stryker. The X-Men and Magneto’s Brotherhood of Mutants are forced to band together in a sequel that absolutely delivers.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
This film manage to pull off time travelling without making it cliche and eyes roll, and incorporating both original and prequel cast members well. A ruined future sees mutants hunted to extinction by the unstoppable robotic sentinels and Wolverine is sent back in time to change the past with help from a younger Professor X (James McAvoy) and Beast (Nicholas Hoult) before all is lost.
X-Men: First Class (2011)
After the disaster that was The Last Stand, Matthew Vaughn took the reins on X-Men with First Class. The film pushed back the clock on the series to explore the friendship between a young Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) and Charles Xavier (James McAvoy). Set in the 1960s, First Class sees the pair cross paths with CIA agent Moire McTaggert (Rose Bryne) and a nefarious secret society known as the Hellfire Club.
X-Men (2000)
The movie that started it all. This first film hasn’t aged fantastically but strong casting helps it along. It’s a bit hammy at times but there’s an enviable air of excitement as the film unfolds and sets up the franchise. Patrick Stewart‘s Professor X goes head to head against Ian McKellan‘s Magneto, with Hugh Jackman‘s Wolverine and Anna Paquin‘s Rogue caught in the crossfire.
Wolverine: Origins (2009)
The first origins movie takes us through the Wolverine’s early life of tangled up with something big, living a normal life – well tried, and his involvement in the Weapon X experiment, leaving him with claws, before he lost his memory. While not as amazing as the other X-Men films, Origins is worthy to watch.
The Wolverine (2013)
What started off as great, ended into a cringe fest. This second spin off follows years after The Last Stand and Logan/Wolverine is living in isolation, haunted by Jean Grey and just pain. He crosses paths with a dying Yashida, a ghost from his past, who asks to give him his longevity – using the past to pressure him. Wolverine refuses and leads him down a spiral of events including his healing powers being away. Not one of the best, but The Wolverine can be entertaining.
X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
The Last Stand follows in the footsteps of Spiderman and Blade by capping off the X-Men trilogy with disappointment. The final film, mashing together both the comic’s Dark Phoenix and a “Mutant Cure” plotlines, left a lot to be desired. It’s numerous production problems resulted in a film that failed to live up to the series legacy and one that sullies the X-Men name to this day.
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