Bryan Singer Reveals 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea Will Be Anchored In Post-Civil War Setting

X-Men: Apocalypse may be the Bryan Singer film on everyone’s radar for now, but there’s another project bubbling up from the depths that will soon become top priority for the director – 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Surfacing from a prolonged period spent languishing in development – during which time David Fincher was attached to the adaptation – Jules Verne’s classic adventure tale is finally on course for the big screen, and it would appear Singer is keen to retain the period setting of Verne’s novel.

Word comes by way of Empire, where the director touched base on his decision to remain loyal to the source material, chronicling the journey of Captain Nemo, Ned Land and Professor Aronnax as they plundered the depths of the deep blue sea circa 1866. Referencing the ’80s setting of X-Men: Apocalypse, Singer revealed that: “It’s the same reason I’m setting 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea right after the Civil War. Everything wasn’t suddenly hunky-dory between the North and the South – there was still hostility and tension. The same thing exists here.”

While we fully expect 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea to stay true to its roots, Singer previously hinted that the final feature will include “some new and original characters and sci-fi plot twists, culminating in a timeless adventure for all ages.”

Before 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea finally makes shore, look for Bryan Singer’s X-Men: Apocalypse to rain down biblical destruction across the globe – with a potential Wolverine role included for good measure.