Imagine a world where Edgar Wright, the visionary behind Shaun of the Dead and Baby Driver, directed an X-Men movie. Sounds incredible, right? But it almost happened... multiple times! However, every single time, Wright said no.
It's no secret that Wright was once slated to direct Ant-Man for Marvel Studios, a project that ultimately went ahead without him due to those infamous 'creative differences.' While fans have long speculated about what Wright's Ant-Man might have looked like, a potentially even bigger 'What If?' scenario has emerged: Edgar Wright and the X-Men.
According to producer Simon Kinberg, known for his extensive work on the X-Men film franchise (he either wrote or produced every X-Men movie from 2006 to 2020, a.k.a. the bulk of the Fox years!), he repeatedly tried to bring Wright into the mutant world. Kinberg revealed this tidbit on the red carpet for The Running Man, his latest collaboration with Wright. He told the Movies X account, “I’ve been trying to make a movie with Edgar Wright for over 25 years. We met when we were young guys in Hollywood, just starting out together, and I’ve been such a huge fan of his. I’ve sent him things over the years, many, many [things], X-Men movies, all kinds of things, and he always said no.”
Think about the possibilities! Kinberg, who is also currently writing a Star Wars trilogy, had a hand in bringing in other talented directors to the X-Men universe, including Matthew Vaughn (X-Men: First Class), James Mangold (The Wolverine, Logan), Tim Miller (Deadpool), and David Leitch (Deadpool 2). Could Wright have brought a similar fresh perspective to the franchise? Imagine his signature visual style and comedic timing applied to X-Men: First Class or Deadpool! Or, dare we dream, a wildly inventive take on New Mutants? Okay, maybe not New Mutants.
But here's where it gets controversial... We don't know exactly which X-Men projects Kinberg offered Wright. Was it an established character? A new team? A solo outing? And more importantly: What was it about those projects which made Wright turn them down? Could his previous experience with Marvel on Ant-Man, which ended in a parting of ways, have been a factor? Or was it simply a matter of finding the right story and creative fit? And this is the part most people miss... Perhaps Wright simply had other projects he was more passionate about at the time. Directing a big-budget superhero movie is a huge commitment, and it's possible the timing just wasn't right.
Whatever the reason, the idea of an Edgar Wright X-Men movie remains one of the most intriguing 'what ifs' in comic book movie history.
Of course, Kinberg's persistence eventually paid off, and he finally collaborated with Wright on The Running Man.
Now, let's open up the floor for discussion. Which X-Men storyline do you think would have been the perfect fit for Edgar Wright's unique directorial style? Do you think his previous experience with Ant-Man would have influenced his decision to decline the X-Men offers? And, perhaps most importantly, are you happy with the X-Men movies we did get, or do you think Wright's involvement could have significantly improved the franchise? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
