Michael Fassbender must choose between SPIDER-MAN 3D and X-MEN: FIRST CLASS

Michael Fassbender must choose between SPIDER-MAN 3D and X-MEN: FIRST CLASS

Jun 09

I guess Michael Fassbender made a splash in last year’s Inglourious Basterds, because his name keeps popping up everywhere I look. He’s appearing in the upcoming Jonah Hex, which looks awful, and now he’s been forced to choose between appearing in the horrible-sounding 3D Spider-Man reboot and the promising-sounding X-Men: First Class prequel. Where Spidey is being helmed by (500) Days Of Summer‘s Marc Webber, with rumours of Billy Elliot’s Jamie Bell in the lead role, First Class is under the direction of Kick-Ass’ Matthew Vaughn (with James McAvoy tapped to play a young Professor Xavier).

If Fassbender picks X-Men, he’ll play a young Magneto oppostie McAvoy. If he chooses Spider-Man, he’ll play an as-yet undetermined villain. Maybe he could be that angry hunter guy, or that annoying electric fellow, or even that lizard-ish bloke, at a stretch. It’s a pretty harsh choice to be forced to make, as each film could potentially spawn new franchises (and, therefore, big paycheques for recurring characters); both films have fresh new directors at the helm; and both films are guaranteed to be big geek hits.

I’d advise the X-Men project, because Magneto would play a role in potential sequels. Any villain that goes toe-to-toe against Peter Parker tends to end up worse for wear (i.e., not starring in the sequel).

X-Men: First Class is due on 3 June 2011; Spider-Man is due on 3 July 2012. Michael Fassbender has also appeared in 2007′s 300.