1/11/2011

X-men: First Class character details revealed

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who thinks X-men: First Class is going to be any good. Maybe I am, but I trust Matthew Vaughn's judgement. Nestled in a little story about the early UK release for the film(they'll be getting it a day earlier than us on June 2nd 2011), are a couple of  character details regarding the evil Sebastian Shaw and Professor Xavier's friend/lover Moira MacTaggert.

The UK website RWD notes that Shaw, portrayed by Kevin Bacon, will also be referred to as "Dr. Schmidt". I don't remember that ever happening in the comics, but it looks like he'll be taking on an assumed identity at some point. Shaw is basically a power broker, a behind the scenes guy who moves pieces around to manipulate major events. It doesn't really make sense to me that he'd need an alias, especially not as a doctor.

Also, the cast list refers to Rose Byrne's Moira MacTaggert as a CIA agent, which also doesn't make much sense. Now if it were Mystique, who's shapeshifting ability retards her aging and has worked for the government on numerous occasions, that would make sense.

I've already received a few messages from some of my more...adamant friends lamenting the many changes being made to fit all these characters(there's like 30 of them!) into the film. I continue to think that X-men: First Class will surprise some folks, and just might be the best superhero flick we see this summer.