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[retro_eidas]

Snagging this from a_caged_heart, but apparently...

Variety (subscription only) is reporting that Brett Ratner and Maggie Grace are both go for X3.

If you're a fan of Lost / Shannon and have been watching each horrific dark turn into abysmal mediocrity the current X3 has been taking... this is nothing short of a disaster as far as I'm concerned.

UNLESS Maggie somehow found a way to juggle her "Lost" schedule with X3.... rumor was Shannon was going to get killed off early in the second season if she accepted the X3 role. Unfortunately, with good reason. X3 is scheduled to start filming in August. "Lost's" second season IIRC is scheduled to start July/August.

Frankly, I could give a rat's ass about X3 anymore. I've written it off as a lost cause and hope for better things in the future (someone resurrecting the franchise in a few years from the doldrums Ratner is likely to bury it in). But Maggie Grace as Kitty Pryde just cuts. I *really* hope this isn't true and Variety was mistaken. Just the idea of Maggie and her people pulling a David Caruso for the likes of X3 (as it stands) is nothing but career suicide as far as I'm concerned. I'm afraid they've been lulled either by the hefty paycheck or the notion of Maggie starring in a big summer popcorn movie possibly boosting her star chances. Standing by and witnessing as X3 rapidly spirals into vapid popcorn movie hell.... I have little hope this decision, if true, benefiting the actress at all. I can already see people scratching their heads wondering what the hell she was thinking (leaving an astonishingly successful tv series for a grossly hurried, low-grade popcorn summer shlockfest). She's FAR better off sticking with Lost. Again, I really hope Variety was mistaken.

Not to mention, I'd just *miss* Shannon. Not a very popular opinion, I realize, but I really grew to like her as I was plowing through season one. I love the transition her character has made. It would be a damn shame to lose her now, so early in the series. There are so many places her character could still go. Just as it was a shame to lose Boone WAY too early.

Comments

[a-caged-heart.livejournal.com]

Here is the article.....

Ratner new Fox 'X' man
New master for mutants
By Michael Fleming, Claude Brodesser
Twentieth Century Fox and Marvel Entertainment set Brett Ratner on Friday night to replace Matthew Vaughn as the director of "X3," the third installment of the "X-Men" franchise.
Hiring keeps the film on track for an August start date and a Memorial Day weekend 2006 opening date.
Vaughn dropped out less than a week ago. Official reason was that the "Layer Cake" director didn't want to uproot his family, but it appears the exit followed his growing apprehension about taking on such a large assignment in his second outing.
A comicbook enthusiast, Ratner was among the helmers considered to direct the first "X-Men"; the job went to Bryan Singer.
Ratner then spent a full year developing "Superman Returns," the film that ultimately prompted Singer to drop out of directing "X3."
Fox had also hoped to put Ratner to work on "Josiah's Canon," a heist movie that was all but ready to shoot when star Sean Connery announced he was dropping out.
Fox's hiring of Ratner also means that "Rush Hour 3" will most certainly miss New Line's projected fall start and summer 2006 release dates. Ratner directed the first two pics in that series and seemed certain to make the third, but Chris Tucker's unwillingness to sign his $20 million deal in timely fashion scotched those plans.
New Line refused to spend any real money until Tucker signed a deal that waived script approval. To get a sluggish project on track, the studio had gotten Tucker, Ratner and Jackie Chan to agree to waive script approval after hearing a pitch by "Rush Hour 2" scribe Jeff Nathanson. All three liked Nathanson's pitch and Ratner and Chan signed immediately. Tucker vacillated, then declined.As that process dragged out, New Line briefly contemplated replacing Tucker with a short list of actors that included Martin Lawrence.The "X3" budget is locked, and Fox and Marvel brass consider the script by Zak Penn and Simon Kinberg to be at least as strong as that of the first two installments. The original returning stars have been signed, and the cast is bolstered by Kelsey Grammer, Vinnie Jones and Maggie Grace ("Lost"), who just came aboard as new mutant characters."

* Note that Maggie Grace is confirmed in this article...

[eido.livejournal.com]

I actually went ahead and subscribed (antsy as I was)... and my heart sunk reading that last sentence. I so want them to be wrong... that this was old news and Maggie has since pulled out. But my gut is telling me she's signed on. Oh Shannon, how little we knew ye.

Her people are making a huge mistake. Huge huge HUGE. There are no words.

[devildoll.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I had a feeling this was going to be exactly what would happen back when they announced the release date for X3 just a few days after X2 came out. I knew right then and there the movie was fucked, because from that point on they weren't making a movie--they were making a release date.

What little hope I held out for this movie was crushed by the Kelsey Grammer announcement, so from here on out I'm officially indifferent to the whole thing.

[eido.livejournal.com]

*sighs* I didn't really start worrying (understandably, I'm sure) until Bryan pulled out. Fox just reaks of desperation, it's not like they're even trying to hide it. Ratner just drives the nails in the coffin. They were bound and determined to not only make this a gratuitous money project not to lose their contracts, but one laughably trying to compete the same summer against Superman Returns. Seriously, if Singer isn't rolling around dying of mirth... he's a better person than me.

Although, for me, this wouldn't hurt as bad (like you, my hope has long since been drained from the new XMM) IF it weren't so drastically effecting another of my fandoms and the newest at that. It's like the horror of X3 is contagious. What the hell is the actress thinking? She's leaving LOST! Whether you watch that show or not... Jesus. WHAT is she thinking? Maybe the whole script reads better than the tidbits we have or somehow the tidbits are out of context... but I seriously haven't the foggiest clue how that script can come off as anything other than shite. Or, less, worthy enough to even consider leaving a top-rated tv series... even if the pay seems better for a summer popcorn movie. The tidbits alone are mediocre almost beyond the humane.

[devildoll.livejournal.com]

Although, for me, this wouldn't hurt as bad (like you, my hope has long since been drained from the new XMM) IF it weren't so drastically effecting another of my fandoms and the newest at that. It's like the horror of X3 is contagious.

Yeah, that's just like salt in the wound, isn't it? There's been no official word yet on whether or not she'll have to leave Lost, so there's still hope. Unlike poor Beast, who has none. *sigh*

[eido.livejournal.com]

There's been no official word yet on whether or not she'll have to leave Lost, so there's still hope.

::crosses fingers:: What I'm hoping for is the death, if it happens, is left ambiguous. The characters believe whoever is dead, but the audience is given reason to question it. Although that seems grossly wishful thinking with how trigger-happy these "Lost" writers seem to be. I think someone needs to tell them the Hamlet-ending is usually best saved for THE END (at least of the frickin' season)! Of course, a character getting killed off for business rather than creative reasons usually just makes me pissy in general.

What I'm more afraid of is if the writers were planning to kill off Shannon regardless of MG offered X3. This could explain why the actress felt safe to accept the X3 role... she knew she wouldn't have a job soon anyway.

Unlike poor Beast, who has none. *sigh*

I did have a straggling hope Frasier was just voicing Beast (a la David Hyde Pierce / Abe Sapien). Unfortunately I just came from SHH that mentioned a "body scan". ::vomits::

[devildoll.livejournal.com]

What I'm more afraid of is if the writers were planning to kill off Shannon regardless of MG offered X3. This could explain why the actress felt safe to accept the X3 role... she knew she wouldn't have a job soon anyway.

That's what I was thinking, but was afraid to mention it to you, because you seemed so upset. I didn't want to make it worse. *g*

[needia.livejournal.com]

I feel sorry for all the actors who signed on for 1 and 2 thinking they were safe with Singer and not going to be involved in some Batman and Robin type disaster. If I were Anna, James, Famke, Aaron, Alan or Shawn, I'd be really, really worried about what this would do to my career. I'd be especially pissed if I was one of the ones that were lured back by Vaughn only to find themselves in a fucking Brett Ratner movie.
Ditto on what DD said on the release date. The 'Studios are idiots that have no idea how to makes films' rant delivered by Hellboy dude now seems terribly, terribly prophetic.

[eido.livejournal.com]

'Studios are idiots that have no idea how to makes films'

*sighs* There's nothing more that needs to be said beyond that, is there?

[arquiloren.livejournal.com]

Okay, first off, I still can't get over the fact that they're hiring Maggie for 17 year old Kitty Pryde. On second thought, if they're keeping all the other "teens" the same age (twenty-something olds Anna and Shawn), then it won't be so weird.

Second, I totally agree with all above. I have no feelings whatsoever for either director, but the way they're rushing everything just to abide by the dates they set three years ago, does not make me happy or anxious to see the kind of movie they come up with.

And of course, there's the thing of killing off Shannon's character (and the very short-lived Shannon/Sayid storyline) on Lost for... this. Not happy at all.

[eido.livejournal.com]

Okay, first off, I still can't get over the fact that they're hiring Maggie for 17 year old Kitty Pryde. On second thought, if they're keeping all the other "teens" the same age (twenty-something olds Anna and Shawn), then it won't be so weird.

I suppose they thought Kitty's X3 age didn't matter since her age was jumping around in the previous movies anyway. Eh.

And of course, there's the thing of killing off Shannon's character (and the very short-lived Shannon/Sayid storyline) on Lost for... this. Not happy at all.

I mentioned this in an earlier entry, but the speculations are still rampant that Sayid/NA is going too. Even Yahoo mentions it (http://tv.yahoo.com/news/eo/20050606/111808614000.html). ::grumbles::

If MG is indeed cast in X3 (thus Shannon likely will be killed off as previously rumored (http://www.comicbookresources.com/news/newsitem.cgi?id=5283)) and NA was the disgruntled actor JJA mentioned in that recent KROQ interview (http://forums.televisionwithoutpity.com/index.php?showtopic=3118603&view=findpost&p=3053241).... then my guess is that Shannon and Sayid will probably be axed in the same episode (I'd guess, second episode of the season). Possibly together or Sayid dies, thus pushing Shannon over the edge and she kills herself.

And here's something incredibly shallow, but I hope in the least the writers will give us some Shayid sex before their probable demises.