New 'X-Men: First Class' details emerge

Matthew Vaughn's "X-Men: First Class" is just about to head into production, and Bryan Singer, producer on the film, gave AICN some hot new details. Here's a big one: the film will take place in the 1960s.

"John F Kennedy is the President of the United States. Martin Luther King and Malcolm X are on TV doing marches. There is a spirit of a hopeful future that was prevalent in that time," he told AICN.

Also, he mentioned that Xavier will not be in a wheelchair, although we will get to see what happened. And in terms of costumes, they "will be far more comic bookish than we've seen before."

ason Flemyng, Bill Milner, Morgan Lily, Zoe Kravitz, January Jones, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, Edi Gathegi, Nicholas Hoult and Jennifer Lawrence star in the film, which opens June 3, 2011.

Bryan Singer on longer directing 'First Class'

No, Bryan Singer won't direct 20th Century Fox's upcoming "X-Men: First Class." No, they didn't fire him or anything. They just decided it would be better for him to produce the new "X-Men" flick, which could open doors to a whole new franchise. Fox really seems to rush this thing, and Singer's departure as director will certainly piss off a bunch of people. I'm not exactly thrilled about it either, to be honest with you.

Anyway, Deadline New York broke the story about Singer taking on the job as a producer, and word is Fox may head into production on "First Class" this summer or fall. Singer will be a busy guy this year, because he's about to start work on "Jack the Giant Killer." Jamie Moss penned the script for "First Class" based on a treatment by Singer, and studio folks seem to like it. Yeah, it sure needs a strong script.

Bryan Singer to direct 'X-Men: First Class'

Just recently, Bryan Singer said he would love to do another "X-Men" film, and now, he's on board to helm "X-Men: First Class," the debut of a new series of flicks with a focus on younger mutants.

Singer also directed "X-Men" and "X2." Variety says Singer wrote a treatment Fox really enjoyed. Jamie Moss ("Street Kings") has been hired to write the script, and Lauren Shuler Donner is back to produce.

"This is the formative years of Xavier and Magneto, and the formation of the school and where there relationship took a wrong turn," Singer recently told Variety. He said there will also be new villains.

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Bryan Singer says he wants more 'X-Men'

Many people out there either want to see or make more "X-Men" movies, and one of the folks dying to do more is Bryan Singer, who directed the first "X-Men" and then followed up with "X2."

The Hollywood Reporter says Singer has expressed great interest in making another "X-Men" film and has already talked to 20th Century Fox about his intentions to return to the popular franchise.

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Daily news dose: Brittany Snow to star in 'Walks;' Tyler joins 'Romantics'

Here's your dose of film news for March 23, 2009:

• Brittany Snow, RZA, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jessica Szohr and Rumer Willis are set to star in Eric Amadio's upcoming drama "Walks." Written by Amadio, the plot follows a bunch of New Yorkers getting together for the homecoming of a convicted graffiti artist. Snow recently starred in "Prom Night." (Variety)

• Walt Disney announced it will release Jon Turteltaub's "The Sorcerer's Apprentice" July 16, 2010. Also, Warner Bros. has set a Nov. 25, 2009 release date for "Ninja Assassin," while "The Box" is now scheduled to open Oct. 30 the same year. Finally Disney also pushed back "The Proposal" to June 19. (Variety)

• Bryan Singer may direct New Regency's "Freedom Formula: Ghost of the Wasteland," based on a comicbook series. Variety says "the comicbook has a futuristic premise in which fighter jets have been replaced by pilots who battle in racing exo-suits." Michael Finch is on board to write the script.

• Liv Tyler has signed on to star in Galt Niederhoffer's upcoming comedy "The Romantics," based on her own novel. The story follows seven friends coming together for the wedding of two of their friends. Tyler plays the maid of honor, who's been sharing a rivarly with the bride over the groom. (Variety)

Review: "Valkyrie"

Seen on: December 28, 2008

The players: Director: Bryan Singer, Writers: Nathan Alexander, Christopher McQuarrie, Cast: Tom Cruise, Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Carice Van Houten, Thomas Kretschmann

Facts of interest: Singer also directed "The Usual Suspects," "X2" and "Superman Returns."

The plot: The film follows a group of Gernan officers plotting to assassinate Adolf Hitler on July 20, 1944.

Our thoughts: One of the more serious films opening on Christmas Day last week was Bryan Singer’s “Valkyrie,” a thoroughly entertaining and historically compelling WWII thriller that boasts excellent performances and awesome production values.

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'Valkyrie' web reviews

Tom Cruise returns to the big screen in Bryan Singer's "Valkyrie," a WWII drama about a group of soliders plotting to assassinate Hitler. Here's what some online critics have to say about it:

• Cinematical's Scott Weinberg: "I say it's worth seeing for its irresistible ensemble of character actors, a handful of really well-crafted sequences, and a truth-based story that simply deserves to be repeated."

• CinemaBlend's Katey Rich: "But what keeps Valkyrie so light on its feet is an appreciation for history, not slavish devotion, so that timelines can be condensed and characters excised with the basic, thrilling story intact at its center."

• Matt Goldberg at Collider: "But without characters or themes, it's just a soulless History Channel documentary with killer production values."

• Ron Henriques at LatinoReview: "A major flaw in the story is that although this group of anti-Hitler radicals seem dedicated in stopping evil, they are too clean cut."

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Trailer radar: ‘Valkyrie’

Here’s the new and final trailer for Bryan Singer’s upcoming WWII drama “Valkyrie,” in which Tom Cruise stars as Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, a loyal military man who ends up leading a secret operation to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Carice van Houten and Terence Stamp co-star. The film open in theaters Dec. 26, and you can check out the trailer right after the jump.

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New 'Valkyrie' trailer debuts on web

After a couple of release date changes, Bryan Singer's WWII drama "Valkyrie" is now set for Dec. 26, 2008. A new trailer for the Tom Cruise vehicle popped up online yesterday night, giving audiences a much better idea of what to expect. The story focuses on Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg, a military man who leads a secret operation to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

Kenneth Branagh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, Carice van Houten and Terence Stamp co-star. Enjoy the explosive trailer just above.