If you are the kind of Marvel Studios cinephile such as myself, then you are probably still reeling from the overall spectacle that was “Avengers: Endgame” and if you haven’t seen it by now I am really wondering why you would even be visiting a site like ours since we live for the stuff over here. Anyway, I am veering off course a little here. Today is the opening of the 20th Century Fox film “Dark Phoenix” which continues the X-Men franchise that was under their control for so many a decade. I’ve posted a few features about this film already and they can all be perused HERE in case you missed anything. As you know by now, Disney purchased Fox and the deal was 100% sealed and the news shared HERE in the Business Section of “The Chronicles” of Piercing Ken. You should read that and then see if that side website has anything else you might enjoy. I’m happy to have you visiting but I digress once again, let’s review the theatrical poster, premise and casting once more for the “Dark Phoenix” film.
The Premise: After the events of X-Men: Apocalypse, the X-Men face their most formidable and powerful foe: one of their own, Jean Grey. During a rescue mission in space, Jean is nearly killed when she is hit by a mysterious cosmic force. Once she returns home, this force not only makes her infinitely more powerful, but far more unstable. Wrestling with this entity inside her, Jean unleashes her powers in ways she can neither comprehend nor contain. With Jean spiraling out of control, and hurting the ones she loves most, she begins to unravel the very fabric that holds the X-Men together. Now, with this family falling apart, they must find a way to unite – not only to save Jean’s soul, but to save our very planet from aliens who wish to weaponize this force and rule the galaxy.
The Cast/Characters:
James McAvoy as Charles Xavier
Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto
Jennifer Lawrence as Raven Darkhölme/Mystique
Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy/Beast
Sophie Turner as Jean Grey/Phoenix
Tye Sheridan as Scott Summers/Cyclops
Alexandra Shipp as Storm
Kodi Smit-McPhee as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler
Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff/Quicksilver
Jessica Chastain as a mysterious shapeshifter who manipulates the Phoenix
Olivia Munn as Psylocke
Daniel Cudmore—who previously portrayed Colossus in the franchise—and Lamar Johnson appear in undisclosed roles
PiercingMetal Thoughts: While I never trust the “advance screening” reports (because there aren’t really supposed to be any disclosures from the private ones), I have to admit that there was a LOT of negative scuttlebutt going around in advance of this film. Sure I have my own reservations about it since it bypasses the existence of Jean Grey as The Phoenix and goes right into the Dark Phoenix time in her career but I guess at the end of the day none of this is going to matter and all of these previous films and happenings will be like that of another universe because Marvel Studios will be rebooting all of it and delivering what I hope will be rock solid X-Men stories. I did enjoy “X-Men: First Class” and most of “X-Men: Apocalypse” along with the stellar “Logan” and “Deadpool” films so I am crossing my fingers that I enjoy this one as well. Given my schedule in the coming weeks I will probably try to catch a matinee of this one early but not sure about today on its opening day. Fans of the comics might want to try to hunt down these “True Believers” issues from 2017 that I discussed HERE as they are all “Phoenix” themed and worthy of adding to the collection. Closing up I wonder if you readers will be seeing this film on its open or soon after. Chime in down below because its always awesome to hear from you.
Official Film Wiki: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Phoenix_(film)