X3 Update: Spinoffs and Layoffs

Hey guys, it's Donnie...New developments in the world of X3. First off, unconfirmed reports say that Maggie Grace of Lost fame is apparantly no longer playing Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat and is off the project for good. Rumor has it that the casting agents have already started posted the role and are actively looking for a replacement. I'm not familiar with Lost, but I've heard good things and good things about Maggie Grace in particular, so that's unfortunate. In an amusing sidenote, apparantly Ratner and friends are using The Astonishing X-Men comic book as an audition script instead of the actual screenplay. What makes it particularly amusing is that The Astonishing X-Men was written by Joss Whedon, who probably would have made a much better X3.

On another front, Zak Penn, who co-wrote the X3 script with Simon Kinberg has just negotiated a new deal with 20th Century Fox, a deal which includes Penn directing a film for the studio somewhere down the line. That film could possibly be an X-Men spinoff movie. No, not the Wolverine spinoff with Hugh Jackman, and no, not the Magneto spinoff with Ian McKellan and a younger Magneto to be named later, but a THIRD SPINOFF MOVIE. I can't help but feel that if Fox is really intent on bringing 2-3 spinoff movies to the screen in the next few years, then they really must not be interested in continuing the original X-Men franchise, which is just sad. I'd much rather see more X-Men movies then a bevvy of character spinoffs. I'm getting more and more convinced that X3 is going to be the franchise's swan song, and if that's the case, so be it. I just hope they can end the series with a little grace and class.