Well, now that the movie I have been waiting for for YEARS is finally out, I think we should start planning for the sequel. I know that they drew quite loosely from the comic strip to fill out their characters and plot, but let?s face it. This genre is not for novices and they wanted to draw in big bucks. Besides, most movie adaptations take liberties on books to make them more advantageous on the big screen. So, let us dwell on possibilities for the sequel, whenever it may arrive.

There are many ways they could go. With the limitless quarry of villians and newcomers in the X-Men guff, it is almost imposssible to guess who they might want to bring on next. And let us not forget that two of the evil ones from the first movie survived. The two most popular, of course. And both are known for their regenerative abilities and their frequency for popping up in the most unlikely of places. Why, look at Mystique. She ended up in a Senate seat at the end of the movie. Of course, hard core followers will note the irony there. In the comic book, she was a Senator?s wife.

I have found a myriad of different subplots that could easily grow out of that first movie. And I think that was the point of the writers. Sequels are often the most successful if they have a solid connection with the original. Of course, expansion of the original theme is also a great thing. We could develop a romance between young Rogue and Bobby (Iceman). Or expand on the Mystique as Senator Kelly theme. Wolverine?s past is worth a look or two; they could even take a que from the comics and devote a series of movies to him. There is always that Dark Phoenix saga, one of the best in the X-Men?s history, if you ask me. And here is always the love interest for Xavier in the form of feather headed Lilandra.

Bobby Drake and Rogue had a fuzzy romance in the comic books, although it was short lived. To make things interesing, they could bring in Gambit, her one true romantic foil in every timeline. Of course, the Ragin? Cajun has to bring along his baggage; be it from the Marauders (enter Mr. Sinister and a smorgasborg of expendable villians, and create another sequel in Mikhail Rasputin and the surviving Morlocks), or be it from the Guilds of Theives and Assassins (enter Belladonna, Candra, his previous marriage, and his illustrious past).

If Mystique continues to unravel Senator Kelly?s work completely against mutants by continuing her subterfuge as Kelly (as she has a penchant to do), an expansion into another comic book is easily feasible. X-Factor was created by the government to aid in the mutant problem, even if it was not entirely sure if it was for their protection or humanities?. If you go the X-Factor route, I think that it is highly unlikely that the originators from the comic book would start it. Jean, Cyke, and Iceman are not even depicted the same age in the movie; and Angel and Beast were nowhere to be found. I think that they should begin with the best team of X-Factor, headed by my personal favorites Havok and Polaris. They would be more military and less lenient towards the plight of the mutants; insisting on doing everything by the book. Sub plots could easily be created by connecting Havok, aka Alex Summers, to Cyclops, aka Scott Summers. Polaris was thought to have been Magneto?s daughter for some time, and they do share the same form of magnetism. I would have to insist that they include either Warren Worhington or Hank McCoy in the X-Factor team. Warren is ridiculously wealthy and Hank is a top mind in the genetics field. A nod to the originators would appease the throngs of X-followers.

It should be noted that a secondary route here is feasible. Mystique could try to turn a ner leaf and start her Freedom Force, which is in reality a reincarnation of the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. She tries to carry on freeing mutants from human bigotry the only way she knows how; Magneto?s way. She might be able to ensnare Rogue and become her foster mother, like in the comics. Then Rogue can have that infamous run-in with Ms. Marvel and acquire her ability to fly and her super strength. This one could be cool, but my vote is still for the first incarnation of ?Senator Kelly?s? vision.

Logan?s past is wide and varied indeed. He had a stint in the CIA. He was the subject of an experiment, running adamantium throughout his entire body and erasing his memory. He used to work with Sabertooth as well as Maverick and the Silver Fox, as Weapon X agents for Department H. Logan could go feral and terrorize pretty much any metropolis he wants to. He was engaged to Lady Mariko, but had to leave her after a dual with her father. She then turned to evildoers to adamantize herself and become the vengeful force known as Lady Deathstrike. The possibilities here are too endless to explain here. But I think that one of these stories in some incarnation is definitely going to make its way onto the big screen. Wolvie is too popular to ignore; if not in the sequel, maybe in the forth.

The Dark Phoenix Saga is a complex theme, and it would take some very fancy footwork for the writers to explain it in under 2 ½ hours. But it could be done. The major players are, for the most part, here. Cyclops, Jean (who finally gets a code name!), Xavier. The new inductees would be the Shi?ar: Lilandra, D?Ken, the M?Kraan crystal, and the Phoenix entity. Interstellar action sequences would be boss, and the phychic link between Scott and Jean would be very romantic. But, this movie would be pretty much all action, with a little romance at the end when Jean ?dies.?

Maybe the writers will want to go the romantic route this time around. Xavier could pull a Picard and meet the great love of his life Lilandra. Maybe through the Starjammers, headed by Corsair. Corsair, it should be stated, turns out to be Scott?s Father. Yes, his genes stretch far and wide; almost as far as his progeny (ha ha). The Starjammers could be the action force behind the romantic theme. They always find trouble wherever they land.

Whatever happens, I cannot wait to start collecting the rumors. They read better than the comics and are as unpredictable as a good soap opera.

Here are some more pics from the movie. Click on a thumbnail to see a larger picture. I hope you like them. Feel free to download at your leisure.