Edgar Wright‘s Near Misses with the X-Men: A Quarter-Century Pursuit
For over 25 years, one filmmaker has consistently been on the radar of a major Hollywood producer: Edgar Wright. Simon Kinberg, a prolific name behind the modern X-Men franchise and currently developing a Star Wars trilogy, reveals a long-held desire to collaborate with the director of Shaun of the Dead and Baby Driver. However, despite numerous offers, Wright repeatedly declined to helm a superhero project – until now, with The Running Man.
Kinberg’s involvement with the X-Men universe spanned from 2006 to 2020, essentially encompassing the entirety of the Fox era. He either wrote or produced every installment during that period, successfully attracting acclaimed directors like Matthew Vaughn, James Mangold, Tim Miller, and David leitch. But imagine Wright’s distinctive style applied to films like X-Men: First Class or Deadpool? The possibilities are intriguing.
The specific X-Men projects offered to Wright remain undisclosed. Kinberg emphasized that it wasn’t a single attempt, but rather a series of proposals over many years. While the reasons for Wright’s previous refusals are unknown,his well-documented past experiences with Marvel Studios may have played a role.
Here’s a rapid look at kinberg’s X-Men production history:
* X-Men: The Last Stand (2006) – Writer
* X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009) – Writer
* X-Men: First Class (2011) – Producer
* The Wolverine (2013) – Producer
* X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) - Writer & Producer
* X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) - Writer & Producer
* Logan (2017) – producer
* X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019) – Writer & producer
* The New Mutants (2020) – Producer
Ultimately, the collaboration materialized with The Running Man, currently in theaters. This marks a meaningful moment, as Wright finally agreed to bring his vision to a project pitched by Kinberg. You can read more about their partnership and Wright’s perspective on the film in a recent interview.
In the ever-expanding landscape of comic book adaptations, an Edgar Wright-directed X-Men film remains a interesting “what if.” It highlights the delicate balance between a director’s artistic vision and the demands of a large-scale franchise. Fortunately, you can now see the result of their long-awaited partnership with the Running Man.
For further information on upcoming releases, consider these links:
* Marvel release dates
* Star Wars movies and TV shows
* Star Trek release dates
* DC Universe film and TV updates
* Doctor Who release information.
