# X-Men 3: Is Storm going to upstage Jean Gray? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 13, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890 "2004-05-13T00:53:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/1 "2004-05-13T00:53:07Z")
Like everyone else who’s seen the last few seconds of _X2: X-Men United_, and is familiar with past events in Marvel’s _X-Men_ comics, I was certainly looking forward to being treated to the Dark Phoenix saga in the next _X-Men_ movie. Then I read this blurb at [http://us.imdb.com/news/wenn/#celeb5:](http://us.imdb.com/news/wenn/#celeb5:) > [@](#): > > Halle Berry only agreed to star in the second _X-Men_ sequel after studio bosses agreed to give her a bigger role in the forthcoming movie. The Oscar-winner was reluctant to reprise her role as Storm in _X-Men 3_ - but producer Lauren Shuler convinced her by boosting her character’s involvement. Oh, great. Does this mean we’re going to have Jean Gray come back to life as Halle Berry instead, just to satisfy a supermodel diva’s career? ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/2 "2004-05-13T00:55:47Z")
It could simply mean she has more scenes and lines. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/3 "2004-05-13T00:56:09Z")
“What happens to a cool movie when it’s struck by an oversized ego? The same thing that happens to everything else.” It sucks. ---
**Author:** ![Darkhold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Darkhold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkhold)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/4 "2004-05-13T01:18:09Z")
Considering how lame Storm has been so far I can’t blame her for wanting a bigger piece of the pie. X-Men needs to lose a few characters they can’t even juggle the ones they have and they keep introducing more all the time. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/5 "2004-05-13T01:18:10Z")
Harry Connick Jr. needs to play Gambit in X3. Then all will be well. ---
**Author:** ![shy\_guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a6a055/32.png) [@shy\_guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shy_guy)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/6 "2004-05-13T01:39:08Z")
It might not be so bad. They could lead up to a big Storm/Phoenix fight scene, which would be more than she’s done in the last two movies. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/7 "2004-05-13T01:46:55Z")
> [@Big Bad Voodoo Lou](#): > > Harry Connick Jr. needs to play Gambit in X3. Then all will be well. He played Oklahoma City last Monday and was pretty damn good! ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/8 "2004-05-13T02:13:28Z")
If they do this like they should, there’ll be no Jean to upstage. They SHOULD leave her dead for a movie, then bring in Phoenix in the fourth. Not that they will, but they should. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/9 "2004-05-13T02:15:05Z")
Harry Connick Jr? I could see that… of course - it would set me up for a lifetime of complaining by the husband. “He sucked as Gambit.” “He should never have been Gambit” “Stupidest casting EVER” and on, and on, and on. Just so long as they don’t intoduce Jubilee. I may have to boycott if that happens. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/10 "2004-05-13T02:24:01Z")
Naked Rogue would be nice. Yeah, I’m a perv. ;j ---
**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/11 "2004-05-13T02:31:56Z")
> [@the Lady](#): > > Just so long as they don’t intoduce Jubilee. I may have to boycott if that happens. Er…they introduced Jubilee in X-Men, and again (with a different actress) in X-Men 2. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/12 "2004-05-13T02:33:25Z")
The first two movies were pretty much centered all around Wolverine. So, as there’s a fair chance that a specific Wolverine-only movie is going to be made, they can certainly afford to shift focus to another character - and Storm/Jean Grey might be a good combination this time around. Maybe. Speaking as someone who doesn’t know the comics, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![the\_Lady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@the\_Lady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_Lady)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/13 "2004-05-13T02:39:36Z")
Yes - but she wasn’t a main character. I can handle the drive-bys. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/14 "2004-05-13T02:43:26Z")
Storm is leader of the X-Men, and is played by an Oscar award-winning actress. Yet she gets the fewest lines. Even Halle knows that this is all wrong. ---
**Author:** ![JDeMobray](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@JDeMobray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDeMobray)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/15 "2004-05-13T02:47:23Z")
They should totally introduce the Morlocks and Storm’s 80’s mohawk look in the next movie. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/16 "2004-05-13T02:54:56Z")
> [@the Lady](#): > > Yes - but she wasn’t a main character. > I can handle the drive-bys. Why shouldn’t she be there? (I’m only vaguely familiar with the TV cartoon and not with the comics at all) ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/17 "2004-05-13T03:00:27Z")
I thought Scotty was the leader? ---
**Author:** ![xvxdarkknightxvx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/34f0e0/32.png) [@xvxdarkknightxvx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xvxdarkknightxvx)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/18 "2004-05-13T03:29:46Z")
If I remember correctly, both lead at one point or another and also lead different teams at the same time. ---
**Author:** ![Loopydude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e56c9b/32.png) [@Loopydude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loopydude)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/19 "2004-05-13T03:42:19Z")
Cyclops is the leader. When he left, Storm took the reins. But the movies follow the story arc circa 1980ish (loosely, obviously), so I’m all screwed up. I stopped reading X-Men religiously when I was 13 or so, and I haven’t a clue what’s gone on since. If I remember correctly, Storm’s role at this stage in the X-Men’s development was as something of a bit player; all the characters have always been fairly overshadowed by Wolverine, who is simply more interesting than the rest of them put together. The only other character who rivals Wolverine’s appeal is Magneto. I figure, at this point, Halle ought to just step aside. All she seems to do is bitch about how she doesn’t get to, you know, _act_ enough, and I keep thinking, well, step off then, and let someone who would appreciate having the part take a crack at it. I mean, was Rogue doing much of anything but whining through the whole first two installments. Look, dress another high-yellow beauty up in black leather tights and a white wig, and I’m not sure we’d notice much of a difference after 15 minutes; the part doesn’t require Oscar chops, simple as that. It needs a pretty, curvy body, the aforementioned wig, and the ability to utter some rather preposterous lines with a straight face while wire-flying over a giant fan. So long as Cyclops and Wolvie are in the team, Storm won’t get to do much else, I’m afraid. I’ve heard talk of a Storm-centric spinoff, but give me a break. Nobody will go see it. The character just isn’t compelling enough. I’m not sure even a Wolverine spinoff would be a box-office winner. Hugh Jackman looks like a badass next to the rest of the cast of boyscouts (could Marsden be more square?), but left on his own to carry a flick, I dunno. Lacking such contrast, he might not be as formidable a presence. ---
**Author:** ![JDeMobray](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@JDeMobray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JDeMobray)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890/20 "2004-05-13T03:58:33Z")
> [@Loopydude](#): > > Cyclops is the leader. When he left, Storm took the reins. I’m not sure even a Wolverine spinoff would be a box-office winner. Hugh Jackman looks like a badass next to the rest of the cast of boyscouts (could Marsden be more square?), but left on his own to carry a flick, I dunno. Lacking such contrast, he might not be as formidable a presence. _Van Helsing_ agrees with your hypothesis. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/x-men-3-is-storm-going-to-upstage-jean-gray/244890.md?page=2)