Just one week ago, director Bryan Singer and producer Lauren Shuler Donner were talking to the L.A. Times about Singer’s affinity for the X-Men characters, which convinced him to direct X-Men: First Class. According to Deadline‘s Mike Fleming, Singer’s obligations to begin production on Jack the Giant Killer, his 3D version of the classic fairy tale for Warner Bros., will have to take precedence and Singer will now only be producing X-Men: First Class.
According to Fleming, Fox is already in talks with a few directors they’ve short-listed who may be able to start production on the proposed first movie in a new prequel trilogy as early as summer or fall for a 2011 release, while Singer is locked into making the other CG-heavy movie through his contract with Warner Bros. Some may remember that WB snagged Singer to direct Superman Returns, preventing him from directing X-Men: The Last Stand.
Source: Deadline New York