'X-Men: Days of Future Past' viral marketing begins, other film tidbits

As Hugh Jackman tears it up in theaters this year with his newest X-Men spinoff film “The Wolverine,” a key mid-credits scene in that film teases next year’s big superhero team movie to come—“X-Men: Days of Future Past.”

Based on the classic X-Men storyline of the same name by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, the film sees X-Men and X2 film director Bryan Singer return to the helm, and reunites most of the cast of the X-Men Movie franchise in one big epic adventure that will not only determine the fate of humans and mutants, but span different time periods as well. This is evident in the cast, which includes both young and older versions of Professor X, played Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy, as well as Magneto, shared by Ian McKellen and Michael Fassbender.

As a direct sequel to both the 2006 film “X-Men: The Last Stand” and the 2011 hit “X-Men First Class,” X-Men Days of Future Past is described by Singer as an “Inbetwequel,” both taking place ten years after the events of the two respective movies.

In an interview with Empire Magazine, the director reveals that the adventure goes all around the world, taking place not only in America, but in China and Russia as well.

“It’s got scope, but most of the scope is in the breadth of the story,” he said.

When getting into detail about the 1970’s period, Singer went on to say that we find James McAvoy’s version of Charles Xavier/ Professor X in “a very dark hole,” while Erik Lensherr/ Magneto “has been gathering his power.” How this plays out in the events of the film, as well as leading to the convergence between time periods and the past and future X-Men is still a mystery, but all will somehow be explained at the build up to the movie continues.

On a related note, viral marketing for Days of Future Past has officially begun with the release of a video highlighting “Trask Industries,” the company responsible for the creation of the fan favorite mutant hunting robot drones known to Marvel Comics readers as “The Sentinels.”

Promoting 50 years of ensuring a “safe and secure world” by serving as “The Protectors of Humanity,” Trask Industries is headed by one Bolivar Trask, who’s played by none other than “Game Of Thrones” star and Emmy/ Golden Globe winner Peter Dinklage. An official website was also released, and teases what could possibly appear in the film next year.

Still on the filming process and moving towards post-production, X-Men: Days Of Future Past arrives in theaters on May 23, 2014. Bryan Singer continues to update and tease fans with “Behind-The-Scenes” photos via his official Twitter page. — VC, GMA News