comic book movies

X-Men Movies: 7 Best Of The Franchise

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What is the best X-Men movie? Right now, there are 13 films in the franchise before any future reboots come out. It began with X-Men in 2000 and “ended” briefly with The New Mutants in 2020. In between those two, the quality certainly waffled back and forth. There are a few incredible X-Men movies out there, but there are also duds like X-Men: Dark Phoenix or X-3: The Last Stand. Here are the seven best X-Men movies to date.

7. Deadpool 2 (2018)

Deadpool 2 is not as good as its predecessor, but it still makes for a pretty good X-Men movie. Ryan Reynolds continues to show why he was literally born to play Wade Wilson. His jokes land effortlessly and the fourth-wall-breaking bit never gets old. It’s not as revolutionary as the first one for the genre, but it does help to show that it’s not so much a flash in the pan as a reliable storytelling medium.

6. Deadpool (2016)

Ryan Reynolds often plays himself, but it works to absolute perfection with Deadpool. Before rated R comic book movies were so prominent, Deadpool took a big swing. They decided to take what was previously a family-friendly genre and turn it into an F-word-filled, raunchy take. That certainly alienated some of the audience, but the movie was a smash hit. Without it, others like Joker or Logan might not have been made.

5. X-Men (2000)

A lot of credit is given to the original Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy for helping pave the way for comic book movies to be relevant. However, some of that credit is misplaced. The original X-Men movies, starting with the first in 2000, helped show audiences that these movies could be good. Even today, X-Men stands up. It’s an excellent first look into Marvel’s most iconic team. When the Marvel Cinematic Universe embarks on bringing their version of the team to life, they will have a hard bar to clear. From the casting to the direction and plot lines explored, 2000’s X-Men is one of the best movies to date.

4. X-Men: First Class (2011)

The timeline for the X-Men movie franchise is a bit muddied, and the 2011 film X-Men: First Class is somewhat responsible for that. It resulted in a different timeline than the one the original trilogy had laid out. It’s why First Class‘ sequel had to attempt to clean up the confusing timeline. Nevertheless, it’s an excellent origin story. There are some creative decisions that don’t make a lot of sense, but seeing how Charles, Erik, and the other main characters came together is incredible. Watching Erik turn into Magneto is harrowing and sets up their relationship perfectly.

3. X-2 (2003)

Sequels to early 2000s comic book movies were really good. Spider-Man 2 is still heralded as an all-time comic book movie, and X-2 improved on X-Men’s impressive start to the franchise. Exploring Wolverine’s origin story was an excellent choice. Some scenes in X-2 are still some of the best in any comic movie over two decades later. The combination of the first two X-Men films made for an impressive duo. It’s a shame the third was so bad, or else this could have been one of the best comic book trilogies out there.

2. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)

X-Men: Days of Future Past had the daunting task of uniting the timelines and providing some semblance of continuity for the Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart-led originals and Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy’s “reboot.” Fortunately, it did that perfectly. The plot is as convoluted as it gets, and yet everything fits perfectly. Despite most of this taking place in the past, the stakes have never been higher. It gets the added bonus of including both iterations of the popular characters, which helps fans of both love this movie. Patrick Stewart’s Charles giving James McAvoy’s character advice is still a beloved scene to this day. If not for number one, this would be the best X-Men movie.

1. Logan (2017)

Not only is Logan the best X-Men movie, it is easily one of the best comic book movies of all time. Even with hundreds of films out there, there are very few that even come close to the final send-off for Wolverine. It also helped pave the way for rated R comic book movies in the future by showing that a brutal character can be brutal on-screen and still work.

Logan did what The Dark Knight accomplished all the way back in 2008. It brought prestige to what was previously considered a nerdy theme park genre. There are valid complaints about comic book movies, but they really do not apply here. Hugh Jackman’s send-off (as well as one for Patrick Stewart’s Professor X) is as perfect as can be. It’s the best X-Men movie by far as a result.

Comic Book Characters That Deserve Their Own Movies

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Comic book movies are all the rage now. While some superhero fatigue may be setting in, that hasn’t stopped studios from going all in on the genre. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is more significant than any franchise, and the DC Extended Universe is rebooting and already has an eight to 10-year plan for the franchise. Even beyond that, comic-based movies are here to stay.

As such, many comic book characters have been adapted to the big screen (or the small screen in a few cases). Even ones that no one would expect, such as M.O.D.O.K. or Steppenwolf, have been brought to life in various ways. Nevertheless, with the growing interest in continuing to develop comic-centered features, there are plenty of movies to be made. Which characters should be adapted for these comic book movies? Read through our choices below and let us know your picks.

Comic Book Movies: Nova Project Coming Soon?

Nova is one major character that Marvel Studios has yet to touch. They introduced the Nova Corps in Guardians of the Galaxy, but Richard Rider’s nor Sam Alexander’s Nova has shown up. That being said, a Nova project is allegedly in the works. However, some Marvel projects have gotten scrapped. It’s unclear what the future of Nova is, but he deserves a movie of his own.

A Good Green Lantern Film

The Ryan Reynolds-led Green Lantern film is pretty bad. It barely qualifies as a movie for Green Lantern because of its reputation among comic book lovers. Perhaps it’s not Hal Jordan’s Green Lantern that gets a movie this time. There are plenty of interesting Green Lanterns out there- including Jon Stewart. Making a good Green Lantern movie led by Jon Stewart should be a significant priority for Gunn’s DCEU.

Could The Lobo Rumors Be True?

Lobo has been rumored to be coming to the big screen for a while now, but nothing concrete. Jason Momoa is a popular fancast for the role despite already being Aquaman. Nevertheless, one of DC’s most brutal characters needs his time in the limelight. After Deadpool, Logan, and Joker proved that studios could make ultra-violent superhero movies, Lobo should have been next in line. Perhaps he will eventually get a movie because he absolutely deserves it.

Silver Surfer Comic Book Movies Would Be Excellent

Silver Surfer is one of the most interesting comic book characters out there. Despite that, he’s only been featured in one of the countless Marvel movies to date. He’s often seen only as Galactus’ Herald, but there’s much more to him. He has an exciting backstory, extraordinary powers, and much to bring to the table. Comic book movies exploring his life and his origin story would probably be outstanding.

The Bat Family Needs More Focus

There have been precious few sightings of the Bat Family on-screen. A few members have been seen in movies like Batman & Robin, but that’s not enough attention to some of the most iconic DC characters. Whether as a team movie or several individual comic book movies, the various Robins (Tim Drake, Damian Wayne, Jason Todd, Dick Grayson) and their other superhero names (Nightwing, Red Hood, etc.) need to be on-screen.

Additionally, so does Batgirl. The canceled Batgirl film, which DC called “unreleasable,” was almost finished but will never see the light of day. That should be released, or a new one should be made. Batgirl shouldn’t waste away in the archives of DC Studios.

Why Isn’t Gambit In Any Comic Book Movies?

Gambit was almost a film. It reportedly starred Channing Tatum before being canceled. Tatum has been outspoken about how heartbreaking that cancelation was. Despite their already being a vast X-Men universe, Gambit has never even shown up.

There have been numerous X-Men films about different characters, and Gambit hasn’t even been mentioned by anyone. The MCU is adapting X-Men into their universe at some point (Ms. Marvel is confirmed to be a mutant in that universe already, and a variant Professor X showed up), so they need to bring Gambit to life. Tatum may have missed his chance. Nevertheless, someone should play him in live-action.

If Blue Beetle Is Coming, Why Not Booster Gold?

Blue Beetle is coming out in theaters this August. With that happening, there’s no reason a Booster Gold movie can’t come out next. Booster Gold and Blue Beetle have formed one of the most hilarious and iconic duos in DC Comics, so it would be an absolute shame not to adapt that to the big screen. James Gunn’s propensity for comedy and absurdity in his films means that not using Booster Gold would waste his skills. He would fit right in with a Gunn film, so there’s no reason it shouldn’t be considered.

Martian Manhunter Needs To Come To A Real Film

Whether or not anyone likes Zack Snyder‘s original vision for the DC Universe, no one can deny that he had a lot of ideas. He planted seeds in many of his films, some of which came to fruition in his non-canon Justice League from 2021. One such seed was the appearance of the Martian Manhunter. He was a character in Man of Steel but didn’t appear as his alien self until ZSJL.

One of the most powerful and exciting characters in DC needs to have a movie sooner or later. If Gunn wants to lead up to a Justice League team-up movie, then he needs to include Martian Manhunter. He’s an integral part of any Justice League team. He is also a character many DC fans have been dying to see.

There have been plenty of comic book movies over the years, and they all feature quite a few comic book characters. Still, there are vast universes out there that haven’t been explored and tons of excellent characters just dying to be put in their own major project. These characters would be a perfect place to start.

Willem Dafoe’s Green Goblin Could Make A Return One Day, “That’s A Great Role,” Actor Says

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No one loves the Green Goblin more than Willem Dafoe. In an interview with Inverse, he went on record stating that he would be down to star as the beloved villain for a third time. The actor was mostly speaking with the outlet to promote the new thriller film he is starring in. Titled Inside, his newest project centers around an art thief who becomes trapped inside a penthouse. Of course, the topic eventually landed on his time on the Spider-Man set.

2002 is the first time that Dafoe brought the character to life for superhero movie lovers. Apart from showing his acting chops, the role sparked an ongoing meme trend that is still relevant (and hilarious) to this day. Almost 20 years later, the 67-year-old revised his role as the green menace in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Although less meme material was involved, fans were still thrilled to see their favorite bad guy back in action. Still, few were more thrilled than the performer himself.

Willem Dafoe Lives For The Complexity Of The Green Goblin

According to Dafoe, the Green Goblin – or Norman Osborne’s complexity is why he enjoys taking on the complicated character so much. There is a famous Jekyll-and-Hyde approach to the role that sparked the interest of fans and actors alike. When asked if he would be willing to reprise the role, the Wisconsin native answered, “If everything was right, sure. I mean that’s a great role. I like the fact that it’s a double role, both times.” While the possibility of a third on-screen appearance is unlikely, it’s not impossible. As fans know, the Marvel Universe leaves a lot of room for new stories and developments to brew.

Since his first rendition of the famous villain, Willem Dafoe has expanded his portfolio significantly. The films he’s starred in have varied in genre and tone, however, it’s apparent he has a knack for portraying evil and bizarre characters. Aside from the Green Goblin, one of his best-known performances takes place in The Lighthouse. His latest project, Inside, came out on March 17th, and audiences are already raving about his work. Stay tuned for more pop culture and movie news updates.

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