Renowned director Matthew Vaughn has recently disclosed the real reason behind his shocking exit from the helm of X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006, just weeks before shooting commenced. His decision was fueled not by creative differences or scheduling conflict, but by a deceptive plot involving an alternate script written for Halle Berry, the award-winning actress who portrayed the powerfully enigmatic superhero, Storm.
Vaughn's revelation unfolded while he participated in a panel at the New York Comic Con. He spoke about an event that shook his trust in the production team and led to his unprecedented exit. The director spotted a thicker script titled 'X3' in a studio executive's office. Despite being brushed off with a terse "Don't worry about it," Vaughn's curiosity overpowered him, and he peeked inside the screenplay.
The script revealed a compelling story based in Africa, showing children suffering due to a dearth of water. Here, Storm's character emerged as a beacon of hope, invoking a life-saving thunderstorm. Vaughn, moved by the premise, inquired about the unusual script. He faced an even more surprised response, revealing that this was a tailor-made script to woo Halle Berry in rejoining the X-Men ensemble. The trick was to lure the Academy Award-winning actress with a powerful narrative and then discard the script once they had her signature on the contract.
Realizing the blatant deception that was bound to unfold at the Oscar-winning actress' expense, Vaughn decided to part ways with the project. Despite his departure, Halle Berry returned to the X-Men franchise, portraying Storm in X-Men: The Last Stand. The movie gave her a more extensive role, with Storm assuming charge of Charles Xavier's mutant school after the latter's death. However, the adventurous African subplot was conspicuously absent in the final cut, helmed by Brett Ratner.
Even after leaving X-Men: The Last Stand in troubled waters, Vaughn did not sever ties with the franchise. He later directed X-Men: First Class and also received a story credit on X-Men: Days of Future Past. His professional journey continued to thrive post-X-Men; he is now gearing up with a brand new project. Argylle, an upcoming thriller, is scheduled to hit the screens on February 2, 2024. It promises an intriguing blend of mystery and adventure, with Bryce Dallas Howard as a spy author caught in a feline-tinged catastrophe and the characters from her novels.
This unexpected revelation makes us revisit some behind-the-scenes incidents in Hollywood that remains unknown to the common movie watcher. For fans of the X-Men franchise, who have followed the series chronologically or based on release dates, the circumstances surrounding Matthew Vaughn's abrupt exit from X-Men: The Last Stand that we now know, adds a greater level of depth and intrigue to the franchise's history.
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