Nine MSN talked with Wolverine and Magneto producer Avi Arad about upcoming Marvel films that he hopes to film in Australia. Could Hugh Jackman’s spin-off be on that list? Not sure, but I’m betting Hugh and family would love that! Click here for the full article.

Thanks to ‘Advanced Dark’

Are you behind on what’s happening in the X-Men franchise? Read below for current updates on all future X-Men films!

Wolverine: A script is finished, though it may go through additional re-writes once Fox signs the director for the project. Len Wiseman seems to be a front-runner for the film, though there are other names being thrown around. An official announcement should be given this Summer. Tentative release year is 2008, though it could be pushed back to mid 2009 depending on the production requirements.

Magneto: Director, David Goyer is currently working on the script previously written by Sheldon Turner. No official date has been set for filming, and casting has not yet begun on the film, though canidate names are being thrown around for ‘Young Magneto’. The studio and producers very much want Sir Ian McKellen involved in some shape or form. The tentative release year is 2009.

X-Kids: Zak Penn will write and direct the film featuring a group of mutants (rumored to be young adults). Not much activity has developed regarding this spin-off, since Penn is busy with other projects for Marvel Entertainment. The film setting was changed entirely a couple months ago, though nothing has been greenlighted yet. There is no tentative release year, but don’t expect this film until 2010 or later.

Emma Frost: Not much activity is going on, although Fox was working with director David O Russell (Three Kings) on developing the project some time ago. At the moment, it’s in the very early stages, and not a sure-deal.

X-Men 4: No activity has taken place, regarding continuing the story from X-Men: The Last Stand. The biggest problems? The ever-increasing budget and casting. Fox is looking to continue the franchise through spin-off’s for the time being. In our opinion, Fox may opt to focus on a new team of mutants (featuring old and new characters) and move the story in a new direction. This may become Zak Penn’s spin-off idea?

The X-Verse contacted 20th Century Fox chairman Tom Rothman in regards to the X-Men 4 letter writing campaign that was suggested by the franchise star, Halle Berry.

“…we have received many letters from other fans, also expressing their desire to see an X-Men 4 movie – so many, in fact, that it is impossible to respond to all of them individually.” said Rothman. “We would, however, like to take this opportunity to respond to you and all the fans and say: “We hear you!”

Rothman states that Fox “fully intends to continue to make more X-Men films, with both old and new muties.”

Variety reports that David Goyer (The Invisible, Blade: Trinity) has signed on to direct X-Men spin-off Magneto for 20th Century Fox and Marvel Entertainment! Goyer will develop a script that was written by Sheldon Turner.

The film does not have a release date yet, but should move along quicker than expected, now that the project has a director! Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine spin-off (which will come first) is expected to have a director soon.

For more information on Goyer, click here! What do the fans think? Comment below!

From Wizard Magazine:

I had been talking with [Marvel Studios] about X3, but the dates didn’t line up. So I took on “Wonder Woman,” and that worked out great! Oh, no wait, I remember now, not so much.

Yeah, I haven’t heard anything about X4. You know, the problem with the big superhero movies is there are so many hands [involved], but I really respect [Marvel Studios President of Production] Kevin Feige if they make something like that. You know they’re actually going to make it as opposed to something that’s in limbo. And you know I do love the characters. I wouldn’t say never.

But right now, I’m interested in doing “Goners,” which is my own thing, as opposed to somebody else’s. I find that doing someone else’s thing is not working out so well for me—anywhere but in the word of actual comics.

Joss Whedon is the creator of tv’s Buffy: The Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, and writes Marvel Comics‘ Astonishing X-Men.

Source: Wizard Magazine

Update: Our friends at IESB recently posted a response to this article (below) involving Marvel and 20th Century Fox, which you can read here. Our source at Marvel never stated that 20th Century Fox was loosing rights to the X-Men, but that Marvel wants to seek greater involvement, re: the future of the X-Men films.

To add to the question of film rights, straight from Marvel: “Fox does not own the film rights forever. The X-Men are trademarks of Marvel Entertainment Inc.  And we [Marvel] in the end will have final say on what happens with our own characters.”

There may be some conflicting ideas on what to do next in the franchise (besides the solo films), but eventually they’ll come to a compromise. It doesn’t mean they’ll split. Why on earth would they? Marvel and Fox go together well, and they know this.

Our source at Marvel Entertainment gave us the latest update on the ongoings of the X-MEN franchise, and what the future may hold for our favorite mutants:

Recently at the company’s web-site, we posted the latest on what was going on with all our movie projects during our last web-cast, which is available for downloading at Marvel.com.  At one point during the conference, It was brought up that the future of both the X-Men and Spider-Man movie franchises will depend on how talks between Marvel, The Sony Company, and Fox will go next.

Since then some talks have taken place, and I must say that at the moment, It tends to favor Spider-Man more.  Sony is so confident that Spider-Man 3 will be a hit that both the studio and Marvel are in active talks about doing more movies with the current cast and film crew.  Talks between Marvel and Fox have not gone so smoothly.

I am not saying that it is hopeless, but there tends to be more disagreement on what to do next with The Children of the Atom.  There is really no firm deal on the table as to what to do next.  At the time of X3’s release, it was widely reported “well this is the last movie” despite the last scenes that were shown.  Then the Box Office results kind of made Fox change their minds, at least all of a sudden they became more open to the idea of doing an X-Men 4.

But Marvel has an alternate plan for the future of these movies.  One that Fox is reluctant to take seriously.  However, they may have little choice in the matter because ultimately the X-Men are Marvel’s characters and with Marvel making even bigger steps to control and have more say in the production of their movies, the news on the future of the X-Men movies (which will be revealed in good time) I’m sure will come as a pleasent surprise to both the long time X-Men readers and those who have just recently got interested in them because of the movies.