After The Dark Knight and Iron Man made for a pretty solid comic-book-movie summer, it’s sad to remember that the X-Men franchise is still in the hands of the studio who made The Happening, Babylon A.D., Meet Dave, X-Files 2, Mirrors, Space Chimps, Max Payne, Jumper, and The Rocker.  The latest news is that they’re developing something called X-Men: First Class with The OC/Gossip Girls creator Josh Schwartz (who was offered the directing job but declined).  And yes, the concept is basically Muppet Babies.

Fox has been leaning toward using the younger characters introduced in the previous pics in future installments — teenagers with powers taught at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.  [Of course they have, Fox is terrible.  Just be thankful they haven't figured out how to write the Jonas Brothers into this.  -Ed.]

Pic joins other “X-Men”-related projects already in the works at the studio. Fox is actively developing a standalone “Magneto” pic, as well as considering a “Deadpool” spinoff, based on a character played by Ryan Reynolds in “Wolverine.” Shuler Donner is producing “Magneto.”

Regular slate of “X-Men” pics would provide Fox with a reliable series of movies that perform at the B.O. and not repeat a dismal summer sesh like the studio experienced this year. [Variety]

Superheroes!  Teen drama!  Together!  How could it not work?  Oh I can already picture it.  Mutant High, first day of school:

OMG! Did you guys see the new kid?

Yeah, he’s like, hot.  I wonder his mutation is?

He’s from Chino.

^{Sorry, wrong Fox}

That’s the question Variety asked the studio that released The Happening, Babylon A.D., Meet Dave, X-Files 2, Mirrors, Space Chimps, and The Rocker.  Their top movie this summer?  What Happens in Vegas.  To any intelligent person, the answer to why Fox is failing is “horrible movies.”  But just for fun, here’s what Variety said:

The strategy of being cheap and eschewing top-tier filmmakers came back to bite the studio: Although Fox has been the envy of many for its remarkable box office consistency and profit margins, many producers, agents and managers have been less than charmed. Complaints about the studio’s tendency to lowball talent — particularly writers — and Rothman’s micro-managing of productions have become widespread. A broad spectrum of reps say they are reluctant to place clients on Fox projects, citing a talent-unfriendly atmosphere.

Yes, “talent-unfriendly” is certainly a good way to describe them, or pretty much anything that sucks.  But don’t worry!  They have a plan!

On the agenda, Fox will mull the possibility of more “X-Men” spinoffs, including a young-X-Men project as well as “Deadpool,” based on a character played by Ryan Reynolds in “Wolverine.” The studio is even considering reviving the “Daredevil” property.

Ooh, young X-Men.  Keep your schedule open, Jonas Bros.  Magneto can’t handle their powers of… abstinence!

And on paper, the year-end looks good with “Australia” and “Marley and Me,” and so does next summer, with the studio releasing no fewer than three tentpoles: “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” on May 1, “Night at the Museum 2: Escape From the Smithsonian” on Memorial Day weekend and “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” on the Fourth of July weekend.

To recap, they’re staking their box office hopes on a Baz Luhrmann epic and a dog movie with Jennifer Aniston in it.  And if that doesn’t work they’re going to redo Daredevil.  Really, I can’t see how this plan could possibly fail.

IGN has this latest publicity still (click thumbnail below for full size) from X-Men Origins: Wolverine – directed by Gavin Hood, opening May 2009.

The slight-yet-muscular build, the leather jacket-wifebeater combo, the stubble and chest hair, the vaguely sexual sounding name (Hugh Jackman!) – Jesus, he’s like a fruity caricature of a manly man.  He could’ve been the most famous gay porn star the world has ever known.  He’s less a man than a work of art – chiseled out of dicks by Truman Capote. 

Or maybe I’m just reading too much into it.  GRR, LESBIAN PORNO!

Empire magazine has latest nerd porn centerfold shots of Edward Norton as The Hulk and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. The Incredible Hulk (trailer coming any day now) will be out in June, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is due May 2009.  

Hey, didn’t Edward Norton used to be buff?  Like, circa American History X?  Now he kind of reminds me of my grandpa watching Deal or No Deal.

Check out the new Hi-Res shot of Wolverine here. 

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Variety today confirmed rumors that Ryan Reynolds will play Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.  Also joining the cast is Black Eyed Peas front man will.i.am (oh my god creative punctuation – you’re so clever!!).

Marvel has been eyeing the possibility of casting Reynolds as Deadpool, an assassin with self-healing powers, for some time with the idea of spinning off the character into his own film series should the character prove popular among moviegoers.

will.i.am will play Wraith, a mutant who has the power to teleport, and is another test subject of the Weapon X program that created Wolverine and other mercenaries. It would be his first film role.

I hate this guy.  He always shows up wearing stupid hipster clothes and that self-satisfied look on his face that only dumb people can truly master.  I’m afraid any second he’s going to launch into an interpretive dance or a def poem.  He’s like the pretentious friend who’s super average but wants desperately for people to think he’s smart, whom you encourage in his artistic endeavors by never making eye contact and always changing the subject to sports or food.  But to his credit, I think his buddy might be the guy from ‘The Scream‘.