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Is It Time to End the X-Men Films?

Recently Fox announced release dates for three upcoming X-Men films in 2018 which are New Mutants, Deadpool 2, and Dark Phoenix. However with the exception of Deadpool 2 I have found my interest in X-Men movies decreasing lately. While I will still plan on seeing these new films my enthusiasm has waned and I do not feel the thrill and excitement I have felt in the past for the franchise.

My feelings can be contributed to one primary thing, the masterpiece that is LoganLogan was a fascinating movie unlike anything done in a superhero movie. We saw the older, beat down Wolverine have to deal with his morality and rediscover who he is in what is surprisingly a mature and adult comic book movie. There was also a feeling of finality and inevitability that hung over the whole affair. It is that feeling of ending that has led to my feelings towards the franchise as a whole.

logan

Logan works as not just a fantastic good-bye to Wolverine but, in my opinion, to the series as a whole. While it is true the X-Men themselves do not appear in the film, the way it is handed to me feels like the right way to end their story. The idea of mutants being on the edge of extinction and the X-Men having been killed inadvertently by Professor X sometime before the events of the film is an emotional idea that shows how dire and bleak everything has become. The eventual redemption Wolverine finds with X-23 and the kid mutants shows how there is always hope in the future and allows Wolverine to die doing something heroic and know what it is like to have a family bond with someone. We see a new generation that is inspired by the X-Men while saying goodbye to the last of them.

This emotional ending is the primary reason why my interest in the X-Men movies has diminished so greatly. After seeing this last desperate act how can I go back to the series and see before this moment. Knowing that this is all moving towards this heartbreaking ending it’ll be hard to invest and wonder what is the point. We know that the X-Men will be wiped out by Professor X and Wolverine will die sacrificing himself to save the next generation so what is the point of seeing the past. Also this ending was so perfect and beautiful why mess with it and add anything more to the story. It feels like the series should be put to rest with Wolverine.

Deadpool2

Now as I said there is one exception to my waning interest and that is Deadpool 2. While my excitement for the other X-Men films has lessened I am still enthusiastic for Deadpool 2 and it is one of my most anticipated movies next year. So why am I still eagerly anticipating Deadpool 2 while being less enthused for the rest of the X-Men franchise? Deadpool is such its own film despite taking place in the same universe that it feels entirely separate and completely detached from the rest of the franchise. It is a very different film from the rest and feels like its own series, similar to Guardians of the Galaxy in the MCU although that is changing since they are going to be in Avengers: Infinity War and its sequel. Also we’ve only had one film with Deadpool so far (Origins doesn’t count) where we have seen most of the X-Men characters more than three times at this point so I feel there is more that can be done with Deadpool.

As I stated at the beginning I don’t actively hate X-Men movies now and I plan on seeing the future films. I just think after how amazing Logan was and created such a definitive ending for Wolverine and this world that it might be time to take a break from the X-Men and let it rest. It was an amazing run of films with some great, some good, and some bad films but the good vastly outweighed the bad and when it was great it was some of the best comic book movies ever.  Whatever the future holds I will be there as a huge X-Men fan but also wondering if it is time to end this franchise.

What do you make of the future of the X-Men? Let us know in the comments section below or send us a Tweet!

About the author

Kevin Harkins