"X-Men: dark phoenix" is adding to its ranks. Several tidbits came out about the film on Wednesday, but the most significant one involved a potential casting decision. The superhero universe may be receiving a new villain courtesy of jessica chastain, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter. The casting of such a big star would be a major coup for a franchise in need of an injection of buzz for the next film.
Jessica Chastain to the rescue
Negotiations have commenced to bring Chastain to the movie roster. Should she sign a contract, her role would be as the primary villain in "Dark Phoenix." Lilandra, an alien empress, is tasked with executing Dark Phoenix, putting her in direct conflict with the team of mutants tasked with saving the world.
The character first appeared in 1976 but has never been portrayed in film before.
Chastain is arguably best known for her role in "Zero Dark Thirty." She has also gone down the sci-fi route, playing prominent roles in "Interstellar" and "The Martian." She has never really been down the superhero road, however. She is reportedly set to play Painkiller Jane in a new movie, but no release date or production schedule has been set on that, making her "X-Men: Dark Phoenix" appearance her likely superhero debut, should she sign on for the role.
"X-Men: Dark Phoenix" looks to redeem
While Chastain would be playing a character new to the big screen, the story material for "X-Men: Dark Phoenix" should look familiar - it's largely taken from the 2006 critical failure, "X-Men: The Last Stand." The production team behind the film is hoping that the new spin on the story will be more faithful to the comic book lore, which stems from the early 1980s.
The production team will surely have some help in redeeming the decade-old property. Simon Kinberg is writing the script and making his directorial debut, but he has been with the franchise for some time. Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy and Nicholas Hoult are all set to revive their characters once more.
Sophie Turner, Alexandra Shipp, Tye Sheridan and Kodi Smit-McPhee are all returning for "X-Men: Dark Phoenix" as well. The shoot is expected to begin soon in Montreal, with a tentative release date of November 2, 2018. If there's one thing for certain, it's that Chastain won't be joining a bunch of rookies in trying to make a good superhero movie for a loyal group of superhero fans.
