Matthew Vaughn, director of the upcoming spy thriller Argyle, has revealed why he quit directing X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006.
Vaughn, who was slated to close out the first wave of the live-action X-Men film series, made the decision to leave the project after discovering that a fake script had been created to deceive Academy Award-winning actress Halle Berry into joining the cast.
The fake script depicted Berry’s character Storm saving African children, but Vaughn soon learned that this scene had only been included to lure Berry back to the franchise. Marvel/FOX planned to cut the scene once the actress had signed on to the film.
According to Vaughn, known for his creative approach to filmmaking, was uncomfortable with the deceptive tactics employed to secure Berry’s involvement. Consequently, he made the difficult decision to withdraw from the project, unwilling to compromise his integrity as a director.
“I was like, ‘Wow, you’re gonna do that to an Oscar-winning actress who plays Storm? I’m outta here.’ So I quit at that point,” Vaughn said.
Despite this setback, Vaughn went on to direct the critically acclaimed X-Men: First Class in 2011 and also served as a producer for X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Berry, who decided to accept the role of Storm in The Last Stand unaware of the behind-the-scenes machinations that had taken place, later reprised her role as Storm in X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Before the actor’s strike, Berry posted a photo to her Instagram of her sporting a hairstyle shockingly similar to that of her version of Storm. This led many to suspect that she is going to return to her role in the upcoming Deadpool 3.
She, along with several actors from the FOX era of the X-Men, such as James Marsden and Famke Janssen, are all heavily rumored to at least have cameos in the upcoming Marvel superhero flick.
Gossip Angle:
Vaughn’s revelation about the deceptive tactics used to lure Berry back to the X-Men franchise is sure to stir up controversy. It raises questions about the ethics of Hollywood and the treatment of actors, especially women.
Berry is a talented actress with a long and successful career. She is also one of the few Black women to have won an Academy Award for Best Actress. It is disappointing to hear that she was misled into accepting a role in a film.
It is also worth noting that Vaughn is not the first director to have left a project due to creative differences. However, his story is particularly noteworthy because it highlights the challenges that women and people of color face in Hollywood.
It remains to be seen whether Berry will reprise her role as Storm in Deadpool 3. However, if she does, it will be interesting to see how her character is developed.