The superhero genre is one of the most profitable in the industry, yet the latest X-Men film Dark Phoenix has been a disastrous failure. After earning unanimously poor marks from critics (currently holds a 24% rating on Rotten Tomatoes), the film earned a franchise-low 33 million dollars in its opening weekend, ending Fox’s 19-year-old franchise with a whimper.
With the film’s notable failure, it’s not a shock that some are coming out to discuss their involvement, or lack thereof, in the comic book film. Producer Lauren Shuler Donner has been credited for producing every X-Men film, came out in a now-deleted tweet to confirm that she was not involved in the making of Dark Phoenix and some other recent X-Men films.
“Save your condolences. I had zero, nothing to do with Dark Phoenix. Or Apocalypse, or New Mutants.”
Donner’s reveal makes the failings of the recent X-Men films make a lot more sense. After the success of Days of Future Past in 2014, the series quickly began to fade with Apocalypse, a film that possesses some entertainment value but failed to push the characters and story forward. The lack of progression made it tough on Dark Phoenix, a film that felt rushed and paper-thin as it tried to cover so much ground. The New Mutants, on the other hand, is a movie that continues to be stuck in post-production hell as delays continue to mount.
It’s a shame that Fox’s run with the X-Men franchise has ended on such a bad note because they were able to accomplish a lot with the brand. Films like Logan and X2: X-Men United are still some of the finest works in the superhero genre, and we can’t forget the creation of Deadpool on the big screen.
What did you think of Dark Phoenix? Let us know in the comments below!