2013 might not seem like that long ago, but in terms of the film industry, and specifically the ‘X-Men’ film franchise, seven years might as well be four lifetimes. But all that time ago, director Jeff Wadlow was brought on to write and direct a new superhero franchise, “X-Force,” based on the Marvel comics of the same name. However, over the years, plans changed and Wadlow’s vision was pushed to the side. Recently, the filmmaker revealed what his superhero film would have been like, as well as why he’s still amped on the idea of working with Marvel someday.
Speaking to CBM, Wadlow was asked about his original idea for “X-Force.” Keep in mind, we are talking about an idea for a film that actually predates “Deadpool,” so there would have been some big changes after that film became a monster success. But still, “X-Force,” as a franchise idea endured up until Disney purchased Fox last year.
“What I can share about my take on the property (as it’s not really relevant anymore since ‘Deadpool 2’ introduced Cable, and I wrote ‘X-Force’ before ‘Deadpool 1’ even came out), is that it asked if X-Men was about mutants who get to go to private school with Wolverine and Professor X, and have the Blackbird swooping down to pick them up, what about the mutants that have to go to public school?” said the filmmaker. “What about the ones who don’t have the benefactor looking out for them, and what about the kids who have to figure it out on their own? We then would have introduced that darker, more militant mentor in the form of Cable.”
He went on to discuss the actual story arc that he planned on telling over the course of a three-film series.
“I plotted out this three-movie arc that took X-Force from what it was in the 90s with Rob Liefeld with a band of kids fighting for what they believe in, and then by the third film, the group would have grown and changed and lost and picked up some new members, and basically turned into Rick Remender’s version of the X-Force in the early 2000s. That was a much darker hit squad and black ops team who had lost their way over the course of the three films,” Wadlow explained.
Of course, Wadlow eventually was replaced by Drew Goddard in 2016, who was the closest to making “X-Force” actually happen. But then Disney came along and now the entire ‘X-Men’ franchise is seemingly in limbo as Marvel Studios plans how to reintroduce the mutants into the MCU.
For Wadlow, the idea of “X-Force” and the ‘X-Men’ franchise, in general, is still something he’s really excited about and would love to work on. Obviously, if Marvel Studios will have him.
“Kevin Feige, if you’re reading this, I will do anything at all to work on your version of the X-Men and X-Force. I’m a filmmaker because of 90s comics, so I obviously love them dearly, and it was actually a dream come true for me to write X-Force and meet Rob Liefeld. I loved doing it and would, of course, do anything to be part of whatever new iteration they have planned.”
Recently, Wadlow released his most recent directorial project, Blumhouse’s horror film, “Fantasy Island,” which is in theaters now.