X-Men United represents a significant ramping up of story, characters, effects and battles over the previous film, X-Men, released in 2000. The first installment served to get the characters and situations introduced, so Singer is now free to burrow deep into the science-fiction saga from Marvel Comics. Fox has a presummer hit on its hands that should rack up substantial boxoffice numbers and might even give Warner Bros.

Subscribe to the Hollywood Reporter and see the entertainment industry from its best angle: the inside looking out. Complete access to real-time news and exclusive analysis that goes behind the scenes from film to television, home video to digital media.

   Subscribe now.