IF you’re planning on seeing Dark Phoenix in cinemas this week, there are a few films you’ll need to watch from the X-Men series to fully understand the narrative.
But there’ve been so many films in the franchise – so which ones are vital to see before catching a screening of the superhero flick? Find out below…
Which films are critical to watch before seeing Dark Phoenix?
Despite there being a number of films in the X-Men series, the only ones related to Dark Phoenix are X-Men: First Class, X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse.
Dark Phoenix is the fourth and final motion picture in the X-Men prequel film series, so fans won’t struggle in making sense as to why Jean is alive given that she died in 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand.
Jean Grey (Phoenix) was killed by Wolverine as her growing powers made her become a threat to everybody around her.
Meanwhile, Days of Future Past is probably just as important to watch beforehand, explaining the altered reality created by Wolverine that set him in the year 2023.
The altered world meant that X-Men characters who had previously died were now back, consequently (and thankfully) reversing their fate.
This would explain by Dark Phoenix is primarily set in 1992. It’s completely forgetting the storyline of 2006’s The Last Stand and simultaneously opening up the doors for other X-Men characters to make a return later on.
Simon Kingberg – the director of the new movie – revealed during an interview with Screen Rant that there’s definitely a connection between DOFP and Dark Phoenix.
He revealed: “I have some sense of it, yes, because I always feel as though I’m sort of responsible for the architecture of this and making sure that it all lines up.
“So I do have some sense of it, but I really did imagine this movie, in truth, as the culmination of this cycle of X-Men films and so I wasn’t really thinking past this film other than wanting to make sure that the logic was all sound.
“I actually would say that the Dark Phoenix idea was set up at the end of Days of Future Past”.
When is Dark Phoenix in cinemas?
The film entered cinemas on Wednesday, June 5.
Interestingly enough, Dark Phoenix – helmed by Sophie Turner – runs for an impressive 1hr 53 minutes, making it one of the longest installments in the entire franchise.
Michael Fassbender, Evan Peters, Nicholas Hoult, Jennifer Lawrence and James McAvoy also star in the superhero flick.