Brace yourself, guys; this one is coming in hot.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix was present during Fox’s recent CinemaCon showcase – ditto for The Predator and Deadpool 2 – and one eagle-eyed fan (h/t ComicBook.com) managed to capture the sequel’s fiery logo before it was pulled off screen.
It’s admittedly a little blurry (the photo, not the logo) and looks to have been taken on a smartphone in dire need of an upgrade. Be that as it may, the title card itself features a red-hot flame rising nearing the ‘P’ of Phoenix, while the letter ‘X’ doubles as the famous X-Men insignia. It also reaffirms that Valentine’s Day release date for X-Men: Dark Phoenix, after it swooped in to claim the mid-February corridor once occupied by Channing Tatum’s long-delayed Gambit movie.
That tells us one of two things: either Remy LeBeau’s standalone adventure has been placed on ice until late 2019, or Dark Phoenix is on course to become Fox’s final X-Men movie before the likes of Wolverine, Deadpool and the Fantastic Four uproot for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
All of this is hinges on Disney’s impending acquisition of 20th Century Fox, which is now said to be in the final stages. Perhaps it’ll be signed, sealed and delivered in time for Phase 4 of the MCU? We’ll find out soon.
Circling back to X-Men: Dark Phoenix and we know Game of Thrones actress Sophie Turner will anchor the prequel-sequel as the haunted Jean Grey, who winds up feeling the full effect of a stray solar flare before transforming into the titular, cosmic entity. Such a radical evolution draws unwanted attention from Jessica Chastain’s antagonist, though the jury’s still out on exactly who Chastain is playing. More on this 2019 tentpole as it develops.