Fox's X-Men franchise ended with the recently released Dark Phoenix, a film that was meant to be a second chance at righting the wrongs of X-Men: The Last Stand. Unfortunately, though, Dark Phoenix didn't connect with audiences and is projected to lose between $100 and $120 million. Director and writer Simon Kinberg is now reflecting on the film flopping.
In an interview with KCRW, Kinberg made clear that he accepts full responsibility for Dark Phoenix's failures. “I’m here, I’m saying when a movie doesn’t work, put it on me. I’m the writer-director, the movie didn’t connect with audiences, that’s on me.”
Kinberg also addressed speculation Dark Phoenix's many delays are responsible for its box office woes. “I mean honestly, there’s no way to know,” he said. “And that’s the thing that I think can drive people crazy and keep them up and be thinking about a movie’s failure years later. If the lesson you’ve learned is that you had the wrong date or you didn’t have good marketing--that’s not a lesson.”
He also revealed that he received a message from Deadpool director Tim Miller after the movie's disappointing debut. "He wrote me an email having empathy for a movie that doesn't work," Kinberg said. "[He wrote] people will come to see the movie differently, and out of the context of this particular moment, see things in it they will appreciate and that he appreciated as a fan."
Following the acquisition of key assets from 21st Century Fox, the rights to the X-Men and various other heroes belong to Disney. However, there's no indication at this time when those heroes might make their way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Directed and written by Simon Kinberg, Dark Phoenix stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Evan Peters and Jessica Chastain. The film is out in theaters now.
(via The Hollywood Reporter)