With the demolish critical and commercial failure ofDark Phoenixand the acquisition of the studio by Walt Disney , Fox’sX - Menfranchise come to a pretty unceremonial goal in the summertime of 2019 . consist of 13 movies , theX - Menfranchise began as a innovative megahit that told Hollywood that superhero motion picture were financially workable , setting the microscope stage for the MCU ’s eventual rise .

By the closing , the picture had become almost entirely irrelevant as they got a band of things incorrect and started love up the same storylines more than once . A few filmmakers turn downX - Menmovies , while some others could take on the MCU ’s reboot .

Almost Did: Kathryn Bigelow (Wolverine And The X-Men)

In the late ‘ 80s , long before Bryan Singer was tapped to directX - Menfor 20th Century Fox , James Cameron began developing a movie calledWolverine and the X - Menthat he would produce , Gary Goldman would compose , and Kathryn Bigelow would direct .

Bob Hoskins was considered to represent Wolverine and Angela Bassett was the top choice to bet Storm . However , the movie was scrapped when Cameron became more interested in an gas constant - rated Spider - Man moving-picture show ( which also never materialized ) .

Should: The Wachowskis

With all their workplace , but particularly withThe Matrixtrilogy , the Wachowskis have systematically raise themselves to be two of the most airy sci - fi directors out there .

The duo has frequently told stories about outsider like Neo and their struggle to tally in , which is what all the bestX - Menstories are in the end about .

Almost Did: Paul W.S. Anderson (X-Men)

Before Bryan Singer was employ to directX - Men , the studio apartment initially approached Paul W.S. Anderson , but he turned down the task to work onEvent Horizon . Tim Burton was offered the job , buthe was too meddlesome remakingPlanet of the Apesfor the same studio .

Trainspotting ’s Danny Boyle , Superman : The Movie ’s Richard Donner , buy the farm Hard ’s John McTiernan , andBatman Forever ’s Joel Schumacher were all weigh before Singer landed the job .

Should: Spike Lee

Most of Spike Lee ’s film are inner drama tinge solely on human truths , likeDo the Right ThingandShe ’s Got ta Have It , but he ’s also a fantastic genre filmmaker , prove byInside Man , BlacKkKlansman , andDa 5 Bloods .

Lee ’s politics are intimately coordinate with theX - Menstories ’ societal commentary   of calling out organisation of oppression . Professor X and Magneto were model after Dr. King and Malcolm X , andLee directed a biopic of Malcolm X.

Almost Did: Zack Snyder (X-Men: The Last Stand)

Matthew Vaughn was the first choice to directX - human beings : The Last Stand , but he sprain it down because he did n’t wish the handwriting . He eventually helmed the subsequent entry , X - Men : First Class .

Before Brett Ratner was chosen to helmThe Last Stand , the job was tender to Zack Snyder ( who was too busy working on300to do it ) and Joss Whedon ( who turned it down to work on his ultimately unrealized Wonder Woman movie for DC ) . Snyder was later reckon forX - man Origins : Wolverinebefore Gavin Hood was chosen .

Should: Ava DuVernay

Although the boxwood post failure ofA Wrinkle in Timehas stilted her great - budget filmmaking career , Ava DuVernay is one of the good societal teller exploit in mainstream movie house .

Incidentally , just as Spike Lee made a great movie about Magneto ’s intake Malcolm X , DuVernay made a great movie about Charles Xavier ’s inspiration , Martin Luther King , Jr. , withSelma .

Almost Did: Darren Aronofsky (The Wolverine)

Darren Aronofsky was ab initio set to directThe Wolverine , whichbrought Logan to Japan , but he will the undertaking because the long shoot in Japan would ’ve kept him away from his family . The studio hadbrief discourse with Guillermo del Toro , who named the Japanese saga as his favorite part of Wolverine ’s comic book chronicle , but he finally did n’t care the script enough to confide a duo of years to it .

Antoine Fuqua , Doug Liman , Justin Lin , Gavin O’Connor , José Padilha , Mark Romanek , and Gary Shore were all consider before James Mangold was hired .

Should: Wes Anderson

Wes Anderson would be kind of a left - field plectrum for anX - Menmovie . He ’s one of the most famous directors working today , but he ’s never made a pic accommodate from such reservoir material or on a big budget . Still , if he ’d be open to doing a superhero picture , Anderson ’s quirky , personal stylewould be complete for the X - Men .

Marvel ’s sport are social castaway , likeRushmore ’s Max Fischer orMoonrise Kingdom ’s Sam and Suzy . Anderson often tells story about mental home – the Khaki Scouts , the Rushmore Academy , the Society of the Crossed Keys , etc . – so Xavier ’s School for Gifted Youngsters would be right in his pilothouse .

Almost Did: Robert Rodriguez (Deadpool)

Robert Rodriguez was initially approached to direct Ryan Reynolds inDeadpool , but he turned it down so he could shootSpy child : All the Time in the Worldand Tim Miller land the business instead . Rodriguez had antecedently been declare oneself the firstX - Menmovie , but turn it down to make the firstSpy Kidsmovie .

Before David Leitch was rent to helm the sequel toDeadpoolfollowing Miller ’s exit , the studio considered Drew Goddard , Magnus Martens , and Rupert Sanders for the job .

Should: The Russo Brothers

After helm twoCaptain Americamovies and twoAvengersmovies , the Russo brothers probably require to take a fracture from directing Marvel movies to work on stories that do n’t involve superheroes for a while .

But the way theybalanced the Avengers tout ensemble , made use of various case ’s superpowers working in tandem bicycle , and kept the focus on driving the narrative forward would be perfect forX - Menstories .

NEXT:5 Directors Who Almost Helmed A Spider - Man Movie ( & 5 Who Should )

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Comic book art: 1990s X-Men, with Cyclops front and center, surrounded by characters including Storm, Gambit, and more.

X-Men directors - featured image

A soldier running away from an explosion in The Hurt Locker

The lobby shootout in The Matrix

Event Horizon Captain Miller (Laurence Fishburne), Dr Weir (Sam Neill), DJ (Jason Isaacs) in the cockpit

Do the Right Thing

Henry Cavill in Man of Steel

The cast of Selma marching.

mother!

Sam and Suzy look at a map in Moonrise Kingdom.

Danny Trejo opening a jacket full of knives in Machete

Captain America in Avengers Endgame

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