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X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX (2018): Simon Kinberg Directing; Main Cast from X-MEN: APOCALYPSE Returns

Sophie Turner Simon Kinberg X-Men: Apocalypse

Simon Kinberg is Directing X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Main Cast from X-Men: Apocalypse Returns

It has been confirmed today that Simon Kinberg will be directing X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2018). This ends the speculation of whether or not Bryan Singer would return to direct his fifth X-Men film. X-Men: Dark Phoenix will be Simon Kinberg’s directing debut. Kinberg has been the writer and / or producer on numerous comic book film and TV show properties for 20th Century Fox: X-Men: The Last Stand, X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past, Fantastic Four, Deadpool, X-Men: Apocalypse, Logan, New Mutants, Deadpool 2, Legion, and The Gifted.

Along with directing X-Men: Dark Phoenix, Simon Kinberg will be writing and producing X-Men: Dark Phoenix as well. Co-producing the film with Finberg will be Hutch Parker and Lauren Shuler Donner.

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As we reported on earlier, Jessica Chastain is in talks to join X-Men: Dark Phoenix in a yet unspecified role in the film.

Returning from previous X-Men films for X-Men: Dark Phoenix will be: Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Nicholas Hoult, Alexandra Shipp, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, and Kodi Smit-McPhee.

I believe Simon Kinberg being chosen for the director’s chair of X-Men: Dark Phoenix was a bad decision on 20th Century Fox’s part. Very few writers also have the skill set to director. Quentin Tarantino and M. Knight Shyamalan are two of them. Kinberg’s past up till this point is in screenwriting and being a producer on film and TV projects. There is no directing in his past.

X-Men: Dark Phoenix will be a huge film and a huge responsibility. Why in the world did Fox give the reigns to a flag ship film to a directing rookie? Why not let Kinberg direct episodes of Legion or The Gifted to “cut his teeth,” then bump him up gradually, organically?

One of the reasons why Fox gave Kinberg the director’s chair is probably because they will be able to control the final product of the production more than would with a veteran film director. Kinberg can’t ask for Final Cut on X-Men: Dark Phoenix. David Fincher could and would. Kinberg can’t. He’s a rookie. Kinberg will also have little-to -o control on how the film is edited. Once again, the studio will be in control of that aspect of the film process.

Another reason Fox probably went with Kinberg was because of cost. Kinberg was probably a very low-cost get for the director’s chair of X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

On the positive side of things, Kinberg knows the X-Men franchise backwards and forwards. He will be able to fall back on that knowledge when directing X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

Leave your thoughts on Simon Kinberg directing X-Men: Dark Phoenix and the cast for the film so far below in the comments section. Readers seeking more box office news can visit our Movie News Page, our Movie News Twitter Page, our Movie News Facebook Page, and our Movie News Google+ Page. X-Men: Dark Phoenix will be released in U.S. theaters through 20th Century Fox on November 2, 2018. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Twitter, Tumblr, Google+, and Facebook.

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Rollo Tomasi

Rollo Tomasi is a Connecticut-based film critic, TV show critic, news, and editorial writer. He will have a MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University in 2025. Rollo has written over 700 film, TV show, short film, Blu-ray, and 4K-Ultra reviews. His reviews are published in IMDb's External Reviews and in Google News. Previously you could find his work at Empire Movies, Blogcritics, and AltFilmGuide. Now you can find his work at FilmBook.
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