Dark Phoenix (also marketed and later released on home media as X-Men: Dark Phoenix) is a 2019 American superhero film based on the Marvel Comics X-Men characters. It is a sequel to 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse, the seventh mainline installment in the X-Men film series and the twelfth entry in the franchise overall. The film is written and directed by Simon Kinberg (in his feature directorial debut) and stars an ensemble cast featuring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, and Jessica Chastain. In Dark Phoenix, the X-Men are forced to face the full power of the Phoenix after a mission in space goes wrong.
Plot[]
In 1975, eight-year-old Jean Grey inadvertently uses her telekinesis to cause a car accident that kills her mother and, apparently, her father. Shortly afterwards, Professor Charles Xavier takes her to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, where he mentally blocks the accident from her memories and helps her hone her psychic abilities.
In 1992, nine years after the worldwide devastation caused by En Sabah Nur, the X-Men are seen as heroes by the public. The President summons them for assistance during a crisis and respond to a distress signal from the space shuttle Endeavour, which is critically damaged by a solar flare-like energy. While the X-Men save all of the astronauts, Jean is stranded and is struck by the energy which she absorbs into her body to save the X-Men's aircraft from destruction. Jean survives the event and her psychic powers are greatly amplified as a result. At the same time, the mental block placed by Xavier is destroyed and she accidentally unleashes her power on the mutants celebrating at Xavier's school. She then travels to her childhood hometown after discovering that her father is still alive. The X-Men attempt to take Jean home but she injures Peter Maximoff and accidentally kills Raven Darkhölme before flying away.
Jean travels to the mutant refugee island of Genosha to seek assistance from Erik Lehnsherr in controlling her powers, but is turned away by Erik after she engages in combat with U.S. military forces tasked with her arrest. Jean meets Vuk, the leader of a shape-shifting alien race known as the D'Bari, who explains to her that she has been possessed by a force of cosmic power which wiped out the D'Bari home planet years ago. The power had consumed all those it came across until it was drawn to Jean. Meanwhile, Hank McCoy, angered by Raven's death, allies with Erik and the mutant refugees in an attempt to kill Jean in New York City.
Upon learning of Erik's plan to kill Jean, the X-Men try to stop him and his faction. As they battle, Erik manages to enter the building and confront Jean but his power is neutralized by her amplified abilities, and he is then knocked out by her attack. Xavier then enters the building with Nightcrawler. Jean attacks them until Xavier convinces her to read his memories – allowing her personality to resurface. Feeling remorseful, Jean offers to let Vuk take the force from her; however, it is revealed that doing so would kill Jean. Xavier and Scott are able to prevent Vuk from fully absorbing the force from Jean, though Jean loses consciousness from the ordeal. Troops sent by the U.S. government, who use stun weapons and power-disabling collars, attack and subdue both mutant factions, who are placed on a train headed towards a containment facility.
On the train, a remorseful Xavier admits to a resentful Hank that the latter was right in his earlier accusations of violating Jean's mind and lying to her. The train is attacked by Vuk and her D'Bari forces. When the soldiers are overpowered by the shape-shifters, the mutants are freed from their restraints to combat the threat. The mutants deal with most of the D'Bari attackers, but Vuk arrives and heads for Jean, defeating each mutant who attempts to stop her. Xavier confers with Jean within his mind, allowing Jean's personality to gain control of the force within her. After forgiving Xavier, Jean saves the mutants from Vuk's attacks and the ensuing train wreck before proceeding to easily disintegrate the remaining D'Bari when they attack her. Vuk once again attempts to drain Jean of the force, but Jean takes Vuk into outer space, retakes the power that Vuk had received earlier, and then kills her. Jean then disappears in a burst of energy in the form of a phoenix.
In the aftermath of the incident, the Xavier's school is renamed the "Jean Grey School for Gifted Youngsters", and Hank becomes their new dean with Xavier having retired after decades of fighting for mutant rights. While settling himself in Paris, Xavier is reunited with Erik and reluctantly agrees to play a game of chess with him. As they start playing, a flaming phoenix appears in the sky.
Cast[]
- James McAvoy as Charles Xavier / Professor X:
A mutant pacifist, he founded Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters.[6] Many of the characters in the film turn against Xavier as some of his decisions regarding Jean Grey's abilities are revealed. Director Simon Kinberg felt that the character always acts out of concern for the "greater good," though he may make some "misguided" choices at times. Kinberg hoped that each character would come across as having "a valid point of view" in the film.[7] - Michael Fassbender as Erik Lehnsherr / Magneto:
A powerful mutant who can control magnetic fields and manipulate metal, he is Xavier's former best friend and often rival.[6] Magneto has formed a community of mutant refugees on the island of Genosha,[8] which Kinberg compared to Israel in it being a homeland where mutants can be safe.[9] - Jennifer Lawrence as Raven Darkhölme / Mystique:
A shape-shifting mutant and Xavier's adopted sister.[6] Lawrence described her role in the film as more maternal than before, as she leads the younger X-Men.[10] The film continues growing the schism between Mystique and Xavier, with Mystique not approving of some of Xavier's methods, though Kinberg hoped that this would be more subtle in Dark Phoenix than in previous X-Men films. The film also sees the character change between appearing as Raven and Mystique more than previously, with each change having a specific meaning to the character and story. She continues to have feelings for Beast.[9] - Nicholas Hoult as Hank McCoy / Beast:
A mutant with a beastly appearance and superhuman physical abilities. He is a teacher at Xavier's School and helps lead the younger X-Men. He continues to have feelings for Mystique.[6] - Sophie Turner as Jean Grey / Phoenix:
An extremely powerful mutant with telepathic and telekinetic powers who is one of Xavier's most prized students.[6] The Phoenix entity is unleashed in the film, leading to a fight between the two personalities for control. Turner studied dissociative identity disorder and schizophrenia for the role, particularly for scenes where she has to change from the vulnerable Jean to the confident Phoenix.[11] Kinberg said Turner has the lead role in the film, a first for the actress.[12] Summer Fontana portrays a young Jean Grey. - Tye Sheridan as Scott Summers / Cyclops:
A mutant who fires concussive optic beams.[6] The film develops his relationship with Jean Grey, which director Simon Kinberg called "a huge part of the emotional core of the movie." This forces the character to become a leader in the film,[13] as he is the most prominent character who holds on to hope as Jean grows more unstable.[9] - Alexandra Shipp as Ororo Munroe / Storm:
An African mutant who can control the weather.[6] - Kodi Smit-McPhee as Kurt Wagner / Nightcrawler:
A German mutant who can teleport.[6] - Evan Peters as Peter Maximoff / Quicksilver:
Magneto's mutant son who can move at superhuman speed.[14] Peters described the character as more mature and subdued in the film, being focused on using his abilities for good as a member of the X-Men.[15] - Jessica Chastain as Vuk:[16]
The leader of a shape-shifting alien race known as the D'Bari who manipulates the Phoenix.[17][7] Kinberg described her as "the devil on Jean's shoulder,"[9] while Chastain called her character "clinical."[17] Chastain also plays Margaret Smith, the woman Vuk impersonates.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
| X-Men |
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| X-Men (2000), X2 (2003), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), X-Men: First Class (2011), The Wolverine (2013), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), Deadpool (2016), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), Logan (2017), Deadpool 2 (2018), X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019), The New Mutants (2019), Deadpool 3 (2024) |