Matthew Vaughn Bails From X-Men: Days of Future Past

X-Men: First Class overcame many hurdles from losing its original director Bryan Singer (a coupe getting him to return) and his late-call replacement by Matthew Vaughn (himself Singer's original replacement on X-Men: The Last Stand before he too quit) to meeting its nut-crunching June 2011 release date (Filming started in Fall 2010) to it being good (A rarity in the sub-genre of prequels).

Then it under-performed and the prospects of future installments with James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence went dim. Probably due to their desire to keep the property on their turf, 20^th Century Fox set forth on a sequel, signed down Vaughn to return, a July 18, 2014 release date and the promise of adapting Days of Future Past, a not-subtle way of saying this was their plan to reboot.

Everything's a-OK now, right? Nope, here's a curve-ball thrown at the sequel, via "TOLDJA." Vaughn's bailed. No reason cited (He apparently will stick around with Fox) and since they have that July '14 release and a start of production geared for early next year, they need a replacement. And the rumor-mill says Singer (who served as producer on First Class and from what we’ve heard played a much bigger hand than let on) could step up to direct.

All due respect to Singer, who I continue to be a big fan/defender of, such a last minute move by Vaughn can't be good. Something's up.