Following Empire's release of 25 different "X-Men: Days of Future Past" character covers into the world, the UK movie magazine Thursday offered some early details on the next X-Men movie, 2016's "X-Men: Apocalypse," straight from Bryan Singer.

In the article, Singer clarified that "Apocalypse" is "more of a 'First Class' sequel" rather than a direct follow-up to "Days of Future Past." The film will include the "First Class" cast -- Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and James McAvoy are specifically named -- but not the original "X-Men" from the first three films.

The director also dismissed rumors that Apocalypse will first appear in a post-credits "Days of Future Past" scene as an alien taking possession of Magneto. "People were concerned we were making Apocalypse an alien. It's odd," he told the magazine. "I don't know where that came from."

Based on Singer's statements to Empire, it appears that movie Apocalypse will keep fairly close to his comic book origins as a thousands-year-old mutant.

"One thing that interests me is the notion of ancient mutants," Singer said. "What would people thousands of years ago, without the benefit of science, think mutants were? And more importantly, what would mutants thousands of years ago think they were? Gods? Titans? Angels? Demons? And if such mutants did exist thousands of years ago, what became of them? Did one survive?"

It's not yet known if Singer -- who directed the first two "X-Men" films in 2000 and 2003, and this year's "Days of Future Past" -- will be at the helm of "X-Men: Apocalypse," but he's been quoted as saying that he's negotiating to do so, and hopes it happens. Singer is currently on board as a producer and co-writer on the story.

"X-Men: Days of Future Past," combining both the "First Class" and original "X-Men" movie casts, opens May 23, 2014. "X-Men: Apocalypse" is scheduled for release on May 27, 2016.