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1[[folder: Pre-release theories]]
2[[WMG: Scott's parents seen in ''Apocalypse'' are foster parents]]
3Scott's birth parents seemingly died when he was young (or rather, were kidnapped by the Shi'Ar and forced into slavery), thus explaining his anti-social behavior early in the film. Because, if they're going to be going into the space opera aspects of the X-Men as they apparently are, it'd make sense not to waste the opportunity to introduce Scott's dad Corsair and the Starjammers, given how similar they are to the (very well received) ''Film/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2014''.
4
5[[WMG: The Source of Apocalypse's Technology]]
6With reports that the next core X-Men film will be venturing into space, a connection will be made between the technology Apocalypse used and one of the space-faring races Fox holds the rights to (Shi'ar, Badoon, etc.). One of these species will assume the role in the X-Men Cinematic Universe that the Celestials filled in the books as the ones who engineered the appearance of mutants on Earth.
7* Jossed. The only cosmic elements in the film are the Phoenix Force and the D'Bari.
8
9[[WMG: ''Dark Phoenix'' will take place in or around 1993]]
10First Class took place in 1962, Days of Future Past in 1973, and Apocalypse in 1983, so if the next movie takes place in the 20th century, it may follow the pattern of each new X-Men film taking place at least 10 years after the previous one.
11** Confirmed. The film is set in 1992.
12
13[[WMG: Hatred against mutants is going to get way, way worse in ''Dark Phoenix''.]]
14In ''Apocalypse'', a single ambitious mutant wipes away a city of millions (people presumably included) pretty much just because. That's terrible enough, but it pales in comparison to do the damage done by Magneto, who wreaked death and devastation on a truly global scale. ''Everywhere'' was affected by his powers. Not only are chances decent that his death toll exceeds Apocalypse's, but the spread out nature of the damage he causes means that a massive portion of the global population is going to have had a loved one killed or injured because a ''single'' mutant had an emotional breakdown. Even those that didn't will see the traces of his destruction for years to come. And the punishment for that mutant? Nothing. After an event like that, feeling safe while mutants exist is going to be a very hard sell. The Friends of Humanity will form as a result.
15* Jossed. Mutants are largely liked, at least until Jean goes rogue and the government starts to take action against them.
16
17[[WMG: ''Dark Phoenix'' will be set in 1992 and be heavily influenced by the [[WesternAnimation/XMenTheAnimatedSeries '90s cartoon]].]]
18Going by the mutants cast so far in this movie, it does seem very likely that ''Apocalypse'' will end with a team very similar to the line-up of the 90s animated series being formed.
19* Cyclops, Jean, Storm, Beast and Jubilee are confirmed to be part of this movie and will definitely be X-Men by the end of it.
20* Even if he doesn't appear in ''Apocalypse'', Gambit is getting a solo film, so its very likely he will be in the next X-men movie.
21* Wolverine may or may not appear in ''Apocalypse'' (and Hugh Jackman is believed to be retiring from the role after the next Wolverine solo film), but there's no reason why the character (whether played by Jackman, or recast) can't appear in the next X-men film.
22** Actually, there is a reason Jackman wouldn't reprise the roll in this film; ''Logan'' came out first. So there's a chance this will be an X-Men film without the character, unless Fox demands he be recast in time for Dark Phoenix. Between the seven of these (and Professor X of course) we basically have the entire cast of the animated series, except for Rogue.
23* Confirmed with the 1992 setting.
24* The Friends of Humanity will appear.
25
26[[WMG: Havok is alive.]]
27If it's a Starjammers story, he had better be here. Also, DeathIsCheap.
28* Jossed. It's not a Starjammers movie and he's not back.
29
30[[WMG: ''X-Men: Dark Phoenix'' will have something along these lines for a plot.]]
31In the 1990s the ''[[CoolStarship Starjammer]]'' lands in Westchester. Christopher Summers, aka Corsair, introduces himself as Cyclops' biological father and recruits Cyclops, Jean Grey, Storm, Nightcrawler, and one character from the ''First Class'' lineup (Beast? Professor X? [[DeathIsCheap Havok?]]) to help him overthrow the tyrannical leader of the Shi'ar Empire (D'Ken? Deathbird? Vulcan? The source material gives the movie a lot of tyrannical Shi'ar leaders to choose from.) The X-Men head to space and fight alongside the Starjammers. Between (and during) battles, Jean Grey struggles with the fact that the Phoenix Force is attempting to overtake her personality, and she keeps this a secret from Cyclops, who she is very much in love with. Around the halfway mark the villain is defeated and non-tyrannical Shi'ar leader Lilandra becomes Empress. The X-Men are getting ready to head home when Jean goes full Phoenix and attempts to kill them. She flees to another star system to consume a star, killing the alien inhabitants of the planets that orbit that star. Lilandra is outraged and commands the X-Men to bring Jean to justice. The X-Men chase her to Earth's moon where after failing to free her from the Phoenix Force's control, they throw everything they have at her. Ultimately, Jean...
32* a) [[ForegoneConclusion dies tragically at Cyclops' hand]] [[PragmaticAdaptation (since Wolverine is not in this movie).]] If the film takes this option then it will include some provision for Jean to be resurrected (since she's alive in the final scene of ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'').
33* b) [[MythologyGag is defeated, survives and is imprisoned somewhere.]]
34* c) [[NotHisSled lives and is completely redeemed,]] [[EasilyForgiven even getting welcomed back to the X-Men.]]
35
36Feel free to expand this theory with more possible details.
37* Mystique will suffer ChuckCunninghamSyndrome, since Jennifer Lawrence doesn't want to play her again.
38** Jossed.
39* Magneto and Quicksilver will not be involved (maybe they'll get their own team-up movie).
40** Jossed.
41* The Imperial Guard will appear, possibly setting up a spinoff movie where some of them go to another planet to fight the Brood.
42** Jossed.
43* The Inner Circle of the Hellfire Club will appear briefly, possibly in a post credits scene. They will learn of Jean's connection to the Phoenix Force and be set up as the villains of the next film following the main X-Men team.
44** Jossed.
45* The film will open with the X-Men rescuing some helpless mutants from the [[FantasticRacism Friends of Humanity]], who are lead by Graydon Creed (which will result in many [[ContinuitySnarl continuity snarls]] galore down the line).
46** Jossed.
47
48[[WMG: ''Dark Phoenix'' will be the GrandFinale for mainline X-Men movies.]]
49Fox seems to be retooling their X-Men property to focus on two things: R-rated cash cows (Deadpool movies, X-Force movies, Gambit movies) and New Mutants movies. The early 80s Claremont-esque character lineup of the Original and First Class trilogies will be phased out in favour of these characters. Redoing the Dark Phoenix saga could the last hurrah for the kind of movie that used to define the X-Men Film series. Also, if Disney gains ownership of Fox they could reboot the X-Men into the MCU.
50* Confirmed; they said as much in the lead up.
51
52[[WMG: Angel will [[HeelFaceTurn join the X-Men]]]]
53Am I the only one who didn't think he was dead? War Machine survived a fall like that in ''Civil War'' and he didn't even have a HealingFactor.
54* MCU =[=/=]= X Men film series.
55* Jossed. He doesn't even appear in the film.
56
57[[WMG: The 90s X-Men theme will be in this movie]]
58This does take place in the decade the series ran.
59* Perhaps the theme will play during a Quicksilver BulletTime sequence.
60** Sadly as awesome as it would've been, jossed.
61
62[[WMG: Who is Jessica Chastain's character?]]
63Now that we know she isn't Lilandra, we might as well list off some possibilities:
64* Deathbird
65* A manifestation of the Phoenix Force.
66* Selene, the Black Queen of the Hellfire Club.
67** Jossed. She's played by Kota Eberhardt.
68* Spiral
69* Oracle (Imperial Guard member)
70* She ''is'' playing Lilandra, and is just trolling or misdirecting.
71* Lifeforce
72* Candra
73* Amelia Voght
74* A gender flipped Mister Sinister, to pay off the stinger from the last movie.
75* Cassandra Nova
76** All are Jossed. She's playing an alien named Vuk.
77
78[[WMG: New Hellfire Club]]
79Possibly with Mastermind at the helm, and including Selene. I doubt they'd do Shaw's son. And I hope they're not gonna try Emma Frost a third time. I'm honestly a little doubtful due to the need to keep the narrative more streamlined but it's still pretty possible.
80* Maybe they'll have William Stryker and Senator Kelly as guests, and Stryker's son can play the part of Mastermind.
81** Jossed, the Hellfire Club doesn't even appear in the movie.
82
83[[WMG: The Phoenix first manifests itself when Jean has to draw on her deepest reservoir of power, while the X-Men are averting the Challenger space shuttle crash]]
84I don't yet know what year the movie's supposed to take place, so this assumes 1986 is feasible. If I recall correctly the thing that kickstarted Jean's power-up in the comics was a solar flare after the X-Men went on a space mission, and the rebooted timeline likes connecting to historical events. This would satisfy both conditions.
85* Think it's pretty firmly established as about ten years after ''Apocalypse'', so too late for Challenger. But suppose the shuttle that crashes is part of a fictional space mission called [[ShoutOut Starjammer]]
86
87[[WMG: Quicksilver will have another long slo-mo scene while listening to...]]
88* Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"
89** One of the movie's working titles is ''X-Men: Teen Spirit'' after all...
90* Will Smith's "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It"
91* Vanilla Ice
92* Jesus Jones's "International Bright Young Thing"
93* Or maybe no music at all! This will be a Darker and Edgier X-Men movie after all. This could also work given Evan Peters describing Quicksilver as more mature in this film.
94** Alternatively, maybe it'll be a metal song to reflect the tone - quite a few notable metal albums were released that year (''[[Music/DreamTheater Images and Words]]'', ''[[Music/{{Pantera}} Vulgar Display of Power]]'', and ''[[Music/{{Megadeth}} Countdown to Destruction]]'', just to name a few).
95** Jossed for the music. Quicksilver does have a slow-mo scene (when he helps rescue the astronauts in the shuttle), but it's much shorter than both scenes from ''Days of Future Past'' and ''Apocalypse'' and it's not set to a song of the era, it has the lyricless Hans Zimmer soundtrack instead.
96
97[[WMG: The "Mutation. The Key to Our Evolution" opening speech will be played over images of the Phoenix manifesting throughout history and across space]]
98Jossed.
99
100[[WMG: Another time traveler will be involved in the plot]]
101And the ending will reveal they were sent back by Rachel Summers.
102
103[[WMG: A point will be made that in this timeline Charles made the decision not to impose restrictions on Jean's powers, which leads directly to the Shi'ar detecting her and coming after her]]
104Leading to much angst on Charles' part, although we in the audience will know the whole thing was destined for disaster either way.
105* This is dependent upon what point in the new timestream Charles acquires his memories of the old timestream. If he gets them before the 1990s, he should already know how his original plans went. So has this information been revealed?
106
107[[WMG: Young Iceman will appear]]
108And his ice form will resemble the snowman from the early comics
109
110[[WMG: A younger Shadowcat will appear]]
111
112[[WMG: A younger Senator Kelly will appear]]
113And as [[MythologyGag Mythology Gags]], he'll be [[WesternAnimation/XMenEvolution a high school principal]] who [[WesternAnimation/IronManArmoredAdventures appears on television decrying mutants as]] [[InsaneTrollLogic "Unnatural products of nature!"]]
114
115[[WMG: Polaris will have a cameo in Genosha.]]
116Perhaps as a young green-haired extra or similar.
117
118[[WMG: The President will deploy Sentinels as a countermeasure against Phoenix]]
119Possibly with Steven Lang as the guy who's been improving and maintaining them after Bolivar Trask's disappearance. They will be woefully ineffectual.
120* So...UsefulNotes/BillClinton? He doesn't exactly seem like the kind of guy who'd do something even Nixon regretted, but maybe.
121** The usual approach is to substitute a fictional president if the appropriate real life one is still living. That said, I think faced with a world-ending threat like the Phoenix even Bill might take a chance on giant robots if you twisted his arm.
122* I hope you don't mean the Swiss footballer. Yes, I'm kidding.
123* Actually, UsefulNotes/GeorgeHWBush was still President in 1992, so it would be him if they don't invoke OurPresidentsAreDifferent here.
124** Alternatively, it'll be a point in a Presidential Debate - 92 ''was'' an election year, after all.
125* Jossed. Though that would have been kind of cool.
126
127[[WMG:Jessica Chastain saying she's not playing Lilandra is a case of LyingCreator]]
128[[spoiler:[[Film/TheDarkKnightRises Miranda Tate isn't Talia, Robin won't appear in the Dark Knight Trilogy]], [[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamKnight the Arkham Knight is a new character]], [[WesternAnimation/Ben10AlienForce Max Tennyson is dead]].]] How true did those end up being again?
129* But all of those things were large twists, while Chastain supposedly being Lilandra was something everyone assumed from the very beginning. Why would Chastain lie just to set up her role as being TheUntwist? If anything, everyone assuming she was Lilandra [[GodNeverSaidThat despite Fox never announcing it]] utterly ruins any supposed revelation or need to try to hide it.
130** Regarding one of the examples it was also initially speculated that [[spoiler:Creator/MarionCotillard was playing Talia, she denied it, and ultimately the people who thought she was playing Talia were right and likewise, most people already figured out that Jason Todd was the Arkham Knight before playing the game and Rocksteady kept likewise saying otherwise. Just because it'd be TheUntwist doesn't mean it's not possible.]]
131*** But Chastain being Lilandra isn't a fan theory; it's just something everyone just assumed after it was said she was the villain.
132* [[SarcasmMode Ah yes, because some creators lying about prevalent fan theories means some completely separate creators will lie about something that was more or less people jumping to conclusions.]]
133** Doesn't change the fact that it is possible and that it's not supposed to be a twist.
134*** It's also possible that she's telling the truth.
135*** How is it a "fact" that it's not supposed to be a twist? Why lie at all if it isn't a twist?
136* Jossed. She was telling the truth.
137
138[[WMG: Deathbird is the BigBad played by Jessica Chastain]]
139I'm honestly surprised no one has brought this up by now ([[SelfDeprecation which includes myself, to be honest]]). Who's the more traditionally villainous leader of the Shi'ar? Deathbird, who is Lilandra's evil sister who constantly fights her for the throne to the empire. Deathbird will want to kill Jean and all that stand in her way to destroy the Phoenix Force, all to gain standing with her potential subjects. Lilandra will be ALighterShadeOfBlack by having her intentions be purely out of a desire to save lives, even if it means possibly killing Jean. Chastain would fit well in the part while not having it be too convoluted for Lilandra to appear as well.
140* Jossed.
141
142[[WMG:Death predictions for the film.]]
143A [[https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2017/11/rumour-x-men-dark-phoenix-feature-major-death/ rumor]] has been going around, saying that Jean Grey could accidentally impale someone with her Phoenix powers. Candidates include:
144* Mystique. Creator/JenniferLawrence's comments about her role in the film, such as reprising "for the fans", don't seem to present her enthusiasm on coming back for this film. Therefore, killing her off could allow her to have less screentime, yet have an appearance that subverts ChuckCunninghamSyndrome. She's also present for the beginning of the second trailer, then conspicuously absent for the majority of its remainder. It'd also explain why Hank, who'd had an on and off relationship with her, explicitly tells Xavier "this is your fault," despite having previously coddled him even at his lowest point.
145** [[spoiler: Confirmed.]].
146* Magneto.
147* Beast. He could die, but one must also take into consideration the fact that Beast appears alive and well in ''Film/XMenDaysOfFuturePast'''s good future. This film is set before that. So, it's open for a resurrection to happen.
148* There is a photo that shows Professor X, Cyclops, Storm and Nightcrawler attending a funeral. The three above are absent.
149* To add fuel to the fire, as Beast is in the good future listed above in his entry, Magneto and Mystique aren't seen or mentioned during that scene.
150* Jean. Or at least it could seem that way do to what might happen with the Phoenix Force.
151* Quicksilver. His death will drive Magneto to just give up at happiness for good.
152
153[[WMG:Someone will have a mullet]]
154Following the trend of Storm's '80s Mohawk in the last movie. Maybe Longshot or Bishop will appear.
155
156[[WMG: This film will connect itself with The New Mutants]]
157There has been talk going about that The New Mutants is set in the 90's.
158
159[[WMG: Deadpool will appear, somehow.]]
160* Likely in a post-credits, or dropping the only-once PG-13 F-Bomb in a cameo. Also he will reference the [[Film/CaptainMarvel2019 other movie involving Marvel characters, with Skrulls as the main villains, SET IN 1992, RELEASING WITHIN THE SAME MONTH!]] And then start calling everyone "Talos" like how Carol mistook Monica's neighbor for being him.
161* Jossed.
162
163
164[[WMG: Colossus will be offhandedly mentioned in this film, but won't make an actual appearance.]]
165* It's doubtful that Deadpool!Colossus would have any reason to be heavily involved in this film, and it's incredibly unlikely that Daniel Cudmore's Colossus will be returning anytime soon. That being said, it would be nice to acknowledge Piotr's existence in this film in some way, even if it's something minor. The joke will be "he's babysitting a heavily armed child" i.e. Deadpool.
166* Jossed. He doesn't appear at all.
167
168[[WMG:If Jean does die, Scott might say this comic-accurate line in his eulogy at her funeral.]]
169''"Jean Grey could have lived to become a God. But it was more important to her that she die... a human."''
170* Jossed.
171
172[[WMG: Jessica Chastain is playing a personification of the Phoenix Force, only visible to Jean, as a figment of her imagination.]]
173
174[[WMG: Mystique doesn't actually die]]
175At least, not in the way we think she does. At the beginning of the second trailer, we don't actually see her fully die, just a shot of her being thrown away by Jean. Not to mention none of the X-Men explicitly say that Mystique has died.
176* Already {{Jossed}} by WordOfGod, which confirms that the trailer is ''not'' just playing with perception.
177** Yeah, I know, but I mean that Mystique won't die where we THINK she will die.
178* Jossed in that she does ''actually'' die, but somewhat confirmed in how she dies - impaled on broken wood, having been thrown into it by Jean.
179
180[[WMG: Jessica Chastain's character ''is'' the Phoenix Force]]
181So in the international trailer, she talks about how ''her'' power destroyed everything it touched...except Jean. Now the Phoenix Force, in the comics, has never actually 'belonged' to anyone. Its a primal force of nature. So Jessica Chastain's character is literally the Phoenix Force taking on a human form that Jean might be comfortable with, trying to get her host to embrace it fully. This would also tie in well with claims that her character is a 'shape-shifter' and an 'alien'...without having to literally feature the kind of HumanAliens that this franchise has thus far avoided.
182* Jossed.
183
184[[WMG: The film will have a post-credits scene...]]
185Since its very likely that this will be the last film in the Fox-X-men franchise, the post-credits scene will "close the loop" on the franchise, most likely by tying into the very first film somehow. Some ideas for how this could happen-
186* Its the year 2000 (or maybe just "the not too distant future"). Charles emerges from the Cerebro room and tells Scott and Ororo that he's detected a couple of new mutants in Alberta. Cut to some archival footage of Rogue and Logan from the first film.
187* Senator Kelly announces the Mutant Registration Act. Magneto watches it on TV and shuts it, monologing that its time for humans to share the fate of mutants. In the background, we see him developing the mutation machine from the first film.
188* Assuming Jean survives this film...basically a remake of the Senate scene from early in the first film, with Sophie Turner, James [=McAvoy=] and Michael Fassbender replacing the original actors. We see Jean giving her speech against Mutant Registration, and Charles following Eric down the corridor where they have their debate about hope.
189Or, alternatively...
190
191[[WMG: The post-credit scene will tie the X-Men into the MCU]]
192* Jossed on both fronts. There is no post-credits scene, and there are no ties to the MCU whatsoever.
193
194[[WMG: TheStinger]]
195* Dazzler discovers that she has mutant powers while making a song dedicated to the X-Men.
196* William Striker is in a hospital and comes across ''Film/TheNewMutants''.
197* The remaining X-Men (who could be played by different actors here) are suddenly in a field. They come across a destroyed building, kind of like a headquarters of sorts. [[WhamShot The camera will then pan down to a broken]] [[Film/AvengersEndgame Avengers symbol]].
198* [[SugarWiki/HeartwarmingMoments]] The cast and crew of all of the X-Men films and TV shows thanking the viewer for joining them on this incredible journey.
199
200[[WMG: Jessica Chastain's character only appears to Jean Grey and no one else can see her.]]
201* Based on some of the teasers, it seems Jessica Chastain's character appears out of no where to talk with Jean. Also based on one teaser she, Jean and Charles appear to be in the same scene but Charles only acknowledges Jean.
202* This might mean that she is more of a mental representation of something, such as Jean's Dark Side psyche talking to her, a SpiritAdvisor form of the Phoenix Force itself, or a grown-up manifestation of Jean using the Phoenix powers.
203* Either way, she only appears to Jean and no one else can see her.
204** This seems to be {{Jossed}} in the second full trailer: During the shot from the train scene Chastain (recognizable by her clothing) can be seen walking towards Magneto, while Eric is using appropriated machine guns to fire on her.
205** I was wrong also regarding Jean, Charles, and Chastain in a scene together; it was Magneto seemingly confronting Jean, with Chastain in the background. Still, looks like he was only talking to Jean.
206* Jossed. Everyone can see her.
207[[/folder]]
208[[folder: Post-release theories]]
209[[WMG: Events since Days of Futures Past led to an alternate timeline and the epilogue isn't canon]]
210
211[[WMG: Deadpool is the reason this movie doesn't match the new timeline created at the end of Days of Future Past]]
212Deadpool made more changes to the timestream than what was shown at the end of his second movie.
213
214[[WMG: Kitty Pryde was in the last scene set in the X-Mansion]]
215As we see the school getting back to normal in the epilogue I was fairly sure I saw a girl phase through a door. If it was Kitty it could qualify as a sort of BookEnds or call back to the first 2 films, as she had blink and you'll miss it cameos in those films, just as she (possibly) did here.
216
217[[WMG: Jean actually ''wasn't'' responsible for the accident that killed her mother.]]
218All throughout the movie, seemingly apart from the opening, when someone tells someone to "Stop it." they respond with "It's not me." In the opening however, Jean seemingly ''is'' the one doing it. As evidenced by her hearing voices, and the radio seemingly turning on its own. But think about it, her parents obviously already know about her powers and so does she. Hence why when the radio starts turning her mother asks her to stop. But why would Jean say it wasn't her if it was? Yeah it's possible she wasn't doing it intentionally, but my theory is something ELSE was causing it, and Jean was blamed because she was the only logical explanation. As for what actually caused it, I have no idea. Apocalypse wasn't awake yet, and we never learn exactly how long ago the Phoenix Force destroyed the D'bari homeworld. Maybe it ''was'' the Phoenix Force, but it was calling out to her, or destroying another planet to give live to a different one? That's what it does in the comics and, as terrible as it sounds, as pointed out in ComicBook/AvengersVsXmen that's its ''job''.

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