X2: X-Men United (2003)
Coming Out at 25 April 2003 in theaters.
Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller
X2: X-Men United is superhero film directed by Bryan Singer and written by Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris and David Hayter, from a story by Singer, Hayter and Zak Penn. The film is based on the X-Men superhero team appearing in Marvel Comics. It is the sequel to X-Men (2000), as well as the second installment in the X-Men film series, and features an ensemble cast including Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Bruce Davison, and Anna Paquin. Its plot, inspired by the graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills, concerns the genocidal Colonel William Stryker leading an assault on Professor Xavier’s school to build his own version of Xavier’s mutant-tracking computer Cerebro, in order to destroy every mutant on Earth and to “save” the human race from them, forcing the X-Men to team up with the Brotherhood of Mutants, their former enemies, to stop Stryker and save the mutant race.
Development on the sequel began shortly after the first film was released in 2000. David Hayter and Zak Penn wrote separate scripts, combining what they felt to be the best elements of both scripts into one screenplay. Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris were eventually hired to rewrite the work, and changed the characterizations of Beast, Angel, and Lady Deathstrike. Sentinels and the Danger Room were set to appear before being deleted because of budget concerns. The film’s premise was influenced by the Marvel Comics storylines Return to Weapon X and God Loves, Man Kills. Filming began in June 2002 and ended that November, mostly taking place at Vancouver Film Studios, the largest North American production facility outside of Los Angeles. Production designer Guy Hendrix Dyas adapted similar designs by John Myhre from the previous film.
At the White House, brainwashed teleporting mutant Nightcrawler attempts to assassinate the President of the United States but before he can do so, is shot and retreats. Meanwhile, Wolverine explores an abandoned military installation at Alkali Lake in Alberta for clues to his past, but finds nothing. Jean has been having premonitions and struggles to concentrate as her powers become increasingly difficult to control. Later, Wolverine returns to Professor Xavier’s school for mutants, and Xavier tracks Nightcrawler using Cerebro. Xavier and Cyclops go to question the imprisoned Magneto about the attack, while X-Men Storm and Jean Grey retrieve Nightcrawler. Military scientist Colonel William Stryker approaches the president and receives approval to investigate Xavier’s mansion for their ties to mutants in the wake of the recent attack. Stryker’s forces invade the school and abduct some of the students. Colossus leads the remaining students to safety while Wolverine, Rogue, Iceman, and Pyro escape, and Stryker’s assistant Yuriko Oyama captures Cyclops and Xavier. During the attack Wolverine confronts Stryker, who addresses him by name and seems to know about his past.
Director: Bryan Singer
Writers: Zak Penn, David Hayter, Bryan Singer, Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris
Stars: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn
Cast:
Patrick Stewart | … | Professor Charles Xavier |
Hugh Jackman | … | Logan / Wolverine |
Ian McKellen | … | Eric Lehnsherr / Magneto |
Halle Berry | … | Ororo Munroe / Storm |
Famke Janssen | … | Jean Grey |
James Marsden | … | Scott Summers / Cyclops |
Anna Paquin | … | Rogue |
Rebecca Romijn | … | Raven Darkholme / Mystique / Grace |
Brian Cox | … | William Stryker |
Alan Cumming | … | Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler |
Bruce Davison | … | Senator Kelly |
Aaron Stanford | … | John Allerdyce / Pyro |
Shawn Ashmore | … | Bobby Drake / Ice Man |
Kelly Hu | … | Yuriko Oyama / Lady Deathstrike |
Katie Stuart | … | Shadowcat |
Kea Wong | … | Jubilation Lee / Jubilee |
Cotter Smith | … | President McKenna |
Chiara Zanni | … | White House Tour Guide |
Jackie A. Greenbank | … | President’s Secretary |
Michael Soltis | … | White House Checkpoint Agent |
Michael David Simms | … | White House Agent (Lead Agent) |
David Fabrizio | … | Oval Office Agent Fabrizio |
Roger Cross | … | Oval Office Agent Cartwright |
Richard Bradshaw | … | Special Ops Agent |
Bryce Hodgson | … | Artie |
Glen Curtis | … | Museum Teenager #1 |
Greg Rikaart | … | Museum Teenager #2 |
Shauna Kain | … | Theresa Rourke / Siryn |
Ty Olsson | … | Mitchell Laurio |
Alfonso Quijada | … | Federal Bldg. Cleaning Twin #1 |
Rene Quijada | … | Federal Bldg. Cleaning Twin #2 |
Brad Loree | … | Stryker at age 40 |
Sheri G. Feldman | … | Augmentation Room Doctor |
Connor Widdows | … | Jones |
Daniel Cudmore | … | Piotr Rasputin / Colossus |
Peter Wingfield | … | Stryker Soldier Lyman |
Charles Siegel | … | Dr. Shaw |
Steve Bacic | … | Dr. Hank McCoy |
Michael Reid MacKay | … | Jason 143 |
James Kirk | … | Ronny Drake |
Jill Teed | … | Madeline Drake |
Alf Humphreys | … | William Drake |
Michasha Armstrong | … | Plastic Prison Guard |
Robert Hayley | … | Cop |
Mark Lukyn | … | Cop #1 (Lead Cop) |
Kendall Cross | … | Cop #2 |
Keely Purvis | … | Little Girl 143 |
Dylan Kussman | … | Stryker Soldier Wilkins |
Jason Whitmer | … | Stryker Soldier Smith |
Aaron Pearl | … | Stryker Soldier |
Aaron Douglas | … | Stryker Soldier |
Colin Lawrence | … | Stryker Soldier |
Richard C. Burton | … | Stryker Soldier |
Michael Joycelyn | … | Stryker Soldier |
Nolan Gerard Funk | … | X-Kid (captured) |
Devin Douglas Drewitz | … | X-Kid (captured) |
Jermaine Lopez | … | X-Kid (captured) |
Sideah Alladice | … | X-Kid (captured) |
Kurt Max Runte | … | Chief of Staff Abrahams |
Benjamin Glenday | … | Cameraman |
Lori Stewart | … | F-16 Fighter Pilot |
Ted Friend | … | News Reporter |
Mi-Jung Lee | … | News Reporter |
Marrett Green | … | News Reporter |
Jill Krop | … | News Reporter |
Brian Peck | … | News Reporter |
Layke Anderson | … | Blond X-Kid Dressed in Blue |
Aaron Atkins | … | Mutant |
Mike Dopud | … | Plastic Prison Guard |
Emily Hirst | … | Ice Cream Girl |
David Kaye | … | TV Host |
Blake Mawson | … | X Kid #5 |
Darren McGuire | … | Stryker Soldier Logan Stabs in Foot |
Mike Mitchell | … | Guard |
Jade Ramsey | … | Twin X-Kid |
Nikita Ramsey | … | Twin X-Kid |
Newton Thomas Sigel | … | Cop |
Bryan Singer | … | Prison Security Officer |
Valerie Tian | … | X-Kid at Museum |
Shaina Tianne Unger | … | Xavier’s Student |
Sources: imdb & wikipedia