Michael Fassbender talks Magneto in X-Men: First Class 2
Today, Michael Fassbender spoke with IFC about his return to the character of Magneto, and how he'd like to see the role progress and mature in the future.
"I get where [Magneto] is coming from, that's for sure - having read the source material, the comic books. From what we know with human beings, history has told us that we're a pretty destructive race, so you can see where he's coming from. It's always interesting for me to have the villains doing positive things as well as negative or destructive things. I just think it's more realistic.
It's like the actions will define the character . . . but it's more about making sure that it's intelligently written and there's a real driving force, there's real drama there, relationships are interesting, and that it's not lazy in anyway. A lot of the times I think with action films, the plot can be pretty weak because it's taking a back seat to the action sequences and the special effects. What we wanted to do with X-Men: First Class was definitely the reverse of that. We wanted to really focus on the characters and the plot and then have the action sequence there to sort of enhance the story."
It's like the actions will define the character . . . but it's more about making sure that it's intelligently written and there's a real driving force, there's real drama there, relationships are interesting, and that it's not lazy in anyway. A lot of the times I think with action films, the plot can be pretty weak because it's taking a back seat to the action sequences and the special effects. What we wanted to do with X-Men: First Class was definitely the reverse of that. We wanted to really focus on the characters and the plot and then have the action sequence there to sort of enhance the story."
He continued, saying that his co-star James McAvoy, who plays Magneto's best friend and mortal enemy Charles Xavier, feels the same way about continuing on in the X-Men: First Class Sequel.
"Hopefully we'll get to do another one; that's what we want to carry that vein through for sure. Personally, I do and I know James McAvoy feels the same. You know what's interesting about Magneto and Professor X from the comic books as well, is there's such a complexity to their relationship. It's not just like clear-cut enemies; they're best friends as well. In the comic books, even after they've had this sort of rift, Professor X asks Magneto to come back and look after the students at certain points. I think there's always that complexity in their relationship. And we want to keep that alive as possible, because that's I think a really interesting thing - the conflict there."
X-Men: First Class Sequel comes to theaters in 2013 and stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Rose Byrne, January Jones, Jennifer Lawrence.
X-Men: First Class was released June 3rd, 2011 and stars James McAvoy, Laurence Belcher, Michael Fassbender, Bill Milner, Kevin Bacon, Rose Byrne, Jennifer Lawrence, Beth Goddard. The film is directed by Matthew Vaughn.
Comments (18)
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RyanMoranMita
do it the first class was awesome
4 months agoby @RyanMoranMitaFlag
Josh
I like what he says about their relationship, and having Magneto and Charles be on more or less good terms at various points through the years. That sort of makes sense in fitting with the beginning of The Last Stand, which shows them at some point after the events of First Class, where they're still together as a pair in discovering Jean Grey.
4 months agoby @shuabertFlag
The Narrator: The Better Man
@dan1, my comment tagging on people profiles isn't working, so I'll respond here. The name is from First Class, funny enough. The scene in which Charles and Erik discuss having it in them to be (or already being) the better man. Lol.
Also, I think for the most part, the production value was great, but the cinematography made it feel cheap and small, along with the rushed visual effects. OVerall, these problems and a few cheesy moment only made me detract half a star upon my second and third viewing, and I still really enjoyed the film immensely. I'm just hoping that they improve on some of those required areas next time around, while still managing to hold on to what made it so fantastic in the first place.
@felipe-11, I actually want a different Mystique. Sorry, and no offense to Lawrence, but she really felt awkward for the role, come to think of it.
4 months agoby @narratorFlag
felipe-11
@dan1 lol that was a bit cheesy but it was Ok. The Beast was horribly designed to start with and just looked beyond fake. I hope they just redesign him from scratch next time.
Mystique's makeup was good, up until the hair! Her forehead freaking HUGE! It looked like she was going bald. I guess the problem was the the Mystique in the first trilogy was always in mutant form, so they just dyed her hair red and it looked normal. Here she had to switch a lot between human and mutant so they just used a wig, but it looked completely un-natural. Hopefully in the sequel she'll be 'mutant and proud' and stay in mutant form all the time, so they might do it right next time.
And props to them for keeping the uniforms true to the comics, but they did feel a bit on the cheap side to me, especially the scene where Havoc's suit gets destroyed, it just looked like plastic foam coming out of it.
@narrator Agreed.
4 months agoby @felipe-11Flag
Punishment 2012
i want to kiss this man for saying such beautiful things.
4 months agoby @dizoyleFlag
Dan
@narrator @felipe-11 And I thought Mystique was fine with her make up, but Beast could have used some work...
4 months agoby @dan1Flag
Dan
@narrator @felipe-11 For as rushed as the production supposedly was, it was a pretty good final product, but I see your points. I'm sure you both thought about that scene where the kids are experimenting and the Scooby Doo moment with them peeking their heads out to watch Havoc.
4 months agoby @dan1Flag
The Narrator: The Better Man
@felipe-11, exactly.
I mean they could still maintain the important backdrop of the sixties (or in the sequel, likely the seventies), because it is a factor that should be shown. They aren't in modern times and therefore, the world and humanity are going through a different stage of thinking, which in-turn affects mutants. But overall, they can tone down the campiness a bit as well. A lot of it, I blame on the cinematographer. I wasn't impressed with the bland lighting and angles in the film, and I felt that it did poor justice to some of the locations they shot at. Hopefully that can change and improve, so we can actually see and appreciate all of the money they put on the screen. And hopefully they'll have a more sturdy effects company behind them this time (even though they did have WETA, Digital Domain, and others), or at least a time frame that'll allow them to really do their best on the project.
4 months agoby @narratorFlag
Justice Kowaleski
is Matthew Vaughn not coming back to direct the sequel? thats very saddening i felt like the first class series would be his not just who ever they can get.
4 months agoby @justice-kowaleskiFlag
felipe-11
@narrator 'Underfed' is exactly the right word my friend. I REALLY enjoyed this one too, but there was just something that didn't fully cut it for me and I can't put my finger on what it was. I think it might have been just a few campy set designs and extremely poor makeup/CGI on Mystique and Beast.
Other than that I'm 100% onboard for a sequel, specially if we get to to see some more of that amazing chemistry between Fassbender and McAvoy.
4 months agoby @felipe-11Flag
The Narrator: The Better Man
@dan1, yupp. I'll have to admit though, that I am excited to see what another director could do with this new direction. At times First Class still felt a bit under-fed (can't explain it any other way) to me, no matter how great it was. I feel a more serious (when necessary) and less campy tone would definitely go a ways to synch the experience for me.
4 months agoby @narratorFlag
Avian
Considering they save the series with First Class, I am willing to see a sequel.
4 months agoby @avian005Flag
Mutant
I finally got to see the first, just awesome. I'm willing to see a second
4 months agoby @zenderFlag
ROFLitschristian
Can't wait. They went in the right direction with First Class. Bring on another!
4 months agoby @ROFLitschristianFlag
Bawnian©-Dexeus
Aww yeah!!!
4 months agoby @bawnian-dexeusFlag
Dan
@narrator Of course. That would tie in nicely with what Fassbender was talking about with the relationships.
4 months agoby @dan1Flag
SherlockHolmes2009
@the Narrator Id love to see that too
4 months agoby @SherlockHolmes2009Flag
The Narrator: The Better Man
I'd love to see a scene set a few years after First Class, where Erik meets Charles for the first time since Cuba, and how he reacts to seeing his friend/enemy in a wheelchair. Just a thought.
4 months agoby @narratorFlag