Days of Future Past Is there a "Machete Order" for the X-Men movies?

[smallville fan]

Having had Days of Futures Past happen which changed the franchise, is there a truncated viewing order for the movies? Just want to ask as I'm looking to purchase the good ones.

For those who don't know what the "Machete Order" is, for the Star Wars movies a fan created a truncated viewing order of the Star Wars films cutting out most of the pain that is the Prequel Trilogy.

Is there something similar for the X-Men films?

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

Honestly, if I understand the question, and you insist on watching all 7, I'd say the following order would be the best order:

1, 2, 3, FC, O:W, W, DoFP


I'd say this alleviates any back to back crap pain (separating 3 and O:W)
as much Hugh Jackman overload pain as possible (by throwing FC directly in the middle)
and it should alleviate plot hole pain (by separating Duke/Dinklage trask as well as giving breathing room between the three William Strykers and two Sabretooths)

You'll also retain any spoilers that might arise from chronological order (namely wolverine's origin or Jean Grey/Cyclops death). Just make sure you watch after credits sequences (Prof X revival and Prof X/Magneto/Wolvie at the airport)

And in the end you still get the sweet relief of the DoFP reboot. And that's all that really matters.



Edit: After looking up Machete order I'd offer this as an alternative

FC, 1, 2, 3, W, DoFP

Almost chronological. It still avoids any of the aforementioned spoilery stuff and alleviates Trask/Stryker grumbling even more so. But even better, it removes an entire film of crappy Wolverine-ness while maintaining the mystery of his backstory (because that's cooler anyway).

I still think 3 is tolerable (especially after the beauty of DoFP's ending. So enjoy that. You're welcome.



EDIT #2: I changed my mind again, another alternative would be the following

1, 2, FC, 3, W, DoFP

Once again cutting up the Jackman-overload. Intensifying the rebirth of Phoenix. Causing Xavier's death to hit much harder. And still being able to begin with Wolverine's initial acclimation to the school and the team.

 

[smallville fan]

EDIT #2: I changed my mind again, another alternative would be the following

1, 2, FC, 3, W, DoFP

Once again cutting up the Jackman-overload. Intensifying the rebirth of Phoenix. Causing Xavier's death to hit much harder. And still being able to begin with Wolverine's initial acclimation to the school and the team.

Wouldn't there be inconsistencies regarding Xavier's paralysis?

 

[Spider-Fan83]

OX:W, 2, FC, 3, W, DoFP

 

[marvelrobbins]

I am still debating how i want to select my own personal viewing of films

Option 1-FC,X-Men,X2,DOFP
Option 2-FC,DOFP

 

[ciscostudent561]

My Machete Order
1) fc
2) tw
3)dofp

 

[Duran Man]

I just watch the team movies (except FC).

 

[psylockolussus]

FC W1 X1 X2 X3 W2 X4

I watched them all last December!

 

[Tymminator]

In the order they came out in, just to avoid spoilers.

Kind of like if you rewatched all Star Trek movies, although there is a prequel/reset of sorts put later in the series, it's just better to flow with the order they were made.

 

[Spider-Fan83]

if you want to avoid spoilers, you should watch FC before the OT

the OT is full of spoilers for FC, especially if your talking about someone completely new to x-men

 

[smallville fan]

OX:W, 2, FC, 3, W, DoFP

EDIT #2: I changed my mind again, another alternative would be the following

1, 2, FC, 3, W, DoFP

Once again cutting up the Jackman-overload. Intensifying the rebirth of Phoenix. Causing Xavier's death to hit much harder. And still being able to begin with Wolverine's initial acclimation to the school and the team.

So I understand how in some way FC could lead to X3, in that the first scene of X3 is a scene which chronologically takes place after FC but I still wonder how would Xavier get his legs back while having no animosity to Magneto? Is it because of that serum in DoFP?

Also how is Phoenix's rebirth intensified?

I also tried thinking of my own Machete Order as well. How's this?:
X-Men
X-Men 2
X-Men 3
The Wolverine
X-Men: First Class
X-Men: Days of Futures Past

The first four are in chronological order with The Wolverine ending with Professor Xavier and Magneto meeting Wolverine letting him know bad stuff is going to go down. Then we flashback to First Class where we are introduced to the young cast and then start off plot arcs like Mystique, James McAvoy's Xavier etc then everything converges in Days of Futures Past and now we move forward with Apocalypse, Gambit, Deadpool, new Wolverine movie etc right?

For obvious reason, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is the only one cut.

 

[Spider-Fan83]

So I understand how in some way FC could lead to X3, in that the first scene of X3 is a scene which chronologically takes place after FC but I still wonder how would Xavier get his legs back while having no animosity to Magneto? Is it because of that serum in DoFP?

I could see how that would be confusing, an even take away from the impact of the final scenes of FC... unfortunately we never got a full explanation on that, even with DOFP we just simply got the "btw this never happened" alternate timeline...

...explanation

so, your left to either ignore it, or come up with your own theory...
given the direction of how we saw things going in the DOFP original timeline (before Wolverine intervened)... one could guess that Xavier would have continued to take the serum, an maybe even evenually seek other means of regaining his legs (since we still see him using his powers in addition to being able to walk) it may not be the serum (or given that its set nearly 10 years later) maybe he just prefected the serum so, he has uses of both

off screen explanation (out side of the movie contexts) there was mention in the virtual campaign (task inc., timeline)...

Spoiler

(only spoiler wrapped for size)

...that in the original timeline (where Task inc. continued) there was development of DNA_generated artificial limbs (in the mid-late 70's, between DOFP - and the opening scene of TLS)

we could still get an explanation in Apocalypse, since its set in the 80's (but, of course that a new timeline)

in terms of Machete Order, if keeping 3 in, just make a side note to start eh movie 30 second or whatever into the movie, after we see him walking from the car to the house lol

 

[smallville fan]

I could see how that would be confusing, an even take away from the impact of the final scenes of FC... unfortunately we never got a full explanation on that, even with DOFP we just simply got the "btw this never happened" alternate timeline...

...explanation

so, your left to either ignore it, or come up with your own theory...
given the direction of how we saw things going in the DOFP original timeline (before Wolverine intervened)... one could guess that Xavier would have continued to take the serum, an maybe even evenually seek other means of regaining his legs (since we still see him using his powers in addition to being able to walk) it may not be the serum (or given that its set nearly 10 years later) maybe he just prefected the serum so, he has uses of both

off screen explanation (out side of the movie contexts) there was mention in the virtual campaign (task inc., timeline)...

Spoiler

(only spoiler wrapped for size)

...that in the original timeline (where Task inc. continued) there was development of DNA_generated artificial limbs (in the mid-late 70's, between DOFP - and the opening scene of TLS)

we could still get an explanation in Apocalypse, since its set in the 80's (but, of course that a new timeline)

in terms of Machete Order, if keeping 3 in, just make a side note to start eh movie 30 second or whatever into the movie, after we see him walking from the car to the house lol

I don't see how Xavier could have used those? I mean he still had his legs albeit they were pretty useless.

I'm going to say that it would be a reasonable assumption that he would have perfected the serum and used it when he was going to visit a very young Jean Grey so his powers do not clash and interact with Jean's out of control over 9000 level abilities she was presenting in the opening of X3. As for why Xavier didn't assault and try to kill Magneto on the spot that day, it is because Jean is so Omega level they actually put aside their differences for this one significant moment like they do in the comics.

 

[Human Torch]

I don't cut any of them out.
The way I watch them:

FC
X-M: OW
XM
X2
X3 TLS
TW
DOFP

I believe that's the most chronologically correct way.

 

[Snikt]

I don't cut any of them out.
The way I watch them:

FC
X-M: OW
XM
X2
X3 TLS
TW
DOFP

I believe that's the most chronologically correct way.

This is my order as well. More or less, the most correct viewing order.

 

[Spider-Fan83]

So I understand how in some way FC could lead to X3, in that the first scene of X3 is a scene which chronologically takes place after FC but I still wonder how would Xavier get his legs back while having no animosity to Magneto? Is it because of that serum in DoFP?

to be honest, I wasn't thinking of FC leading into X3, in my "Machete Order" I was more leaving X3 in as a lead into TW... I was kinda breaking it up into continues stories, and had FC breaking them up


OX:W, x2- origins gives us the history of Logan and Stryker, where x2 bring us the conclusion to the story arch (with Logan confronting Stryker) but it also introducing us to some new characters like Xavier, Magneto and Mystique ...

FC- takes it back to give us the back story of those characters (and gives you a little break from Wolverine) other then his cameo

X3, W - the Wolverine makes a lot of references to the events of X3 (mainly in his dreams and flashbacks about Jean) and why he was in exile in the first place... without x3 alot of these scene don't make since

DoFP - you only really need to have seen enough of the other movies to know the characters from the two different periods (old Xavier, young Xavier, ...ect) other then that story wise, it works as a stand alone

 

[First Avenger]

Mine is:

FC
X1
X2
X3
TW
DOFP

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

Now (with more films having been released) I'd guess my 'machete order' would be...

First Class
X-Men
X-Men 2
X3: The Last Stand
The Wolverine
Days of Future Past
Apocalypse
Dark Phoenix
Logan

So Origins: Wolverine is omitted entirely (it doesn't add anything and is... bad) as is Deadpool (which as things currently stand has no direct connection to the events of the other movies), whilst FC (which is unaffected by the DoFP timeline re-set) takes its chronological place before X1.

Having said that, my actual viewing order has always been the release order.


Edit: No matter how you order them it still stands out a mile that there are zero references in the original trilogy to Raven/Mystique having previously been a close friend and ally during the prequels (obviously when they made the O/T they just hadn't thought that far ahead - but 'in-universe' it jars).

2nd Edit: Kinda connected with the first 'edit'... DoFP is awkward to place once you start to deviate from the release order. The 'past' scenes of DoFP follow FC, and give more backstory to Raven/Mystique's motivations in following a darker path (although by the movie's end it may be that she never becomes the villain that we saw in the O/T), but the 'future' sequences follow on from the credits sequence of TW and of necessity take place late in the canon.

3rd Edit: Putting FC at the beginning means that Jackman's and Rebecca Romijn's Wolverine and Mystique cameos won't mean as much to a first-time watcher - not a huge point, and to an existing fan who already knows the films it's not a problem.

4th Edit: Added Dark Phoenix. Decided to place it before Logan, which whether accepted as taking place in either the O/T or P/T timelines, or as being in its own (third) timeline, is still set way in the future and should be at the end.

 

[dax]

So I understand how in some way FC could lead to X3, in that the first scene of X3 is a scene which chronologically takes place after FC but I still wonder how would Xavier get his legs back while having no animosity to Magneto? Is it because of that serum in DoFP?

Also how is Phoenix's rebirth intensified?

I also tried thinking of my own Machete Order as well. How's this?:
X-Men
X-Men 2
X-Men 3
The Wolverine
X-Men: First Class
X-Men: Days of Futures Past

The first four are in chronological order with The Wolverine ending with Professor Xavier and Magneto meeting Wolverine letting him know bad stuff is going to go down. Then we flashback to First Class where we are introduced to the young cast and then start off plot arcs like Mystique, James McAvoy's Xavier etc then everything converges in Days of Futures Past and now we move forward with Apocalypse, Gambit, Deadpool, new Wolverine movie etc right?

For obvious reason, X-Men Origins: Wolverine is the only one cut.

I don't get why anyone thinks cutting out X-Men Origins: Wolverine is going to make the continuity any better? For starters, the original trilogy has made a dozen references to Origins (even before the film was even made) like:

-The obvious weapon X flashbacks.
-Rogue asking Wolverine if he has been in the army (a subtle reference to the war montage).
-Sabertooth's unspoken familiarity with Wolverine and Cyclops in X1.
-Stryker's service in the Vietnam war ("I was piloting black ops missions in the jungles of North Vietnam while you were sucking on your momma's tit at Woodstock, Kelly") and his involvement in the weapon X experiment.
-Cyclops's, Gambit's, and Quicksilver's names were on Stryker's computer files in X2.
And
-Charles Xavier walking at the beginning of X3.

Wolverine's cameo in First Class coincides with the Vietnam war scene in Origins because the war began in 1955 and the US government had started drafting the military in 1961.
The Wolverine referenced Origins as well by starting the film on the tailend of World War 2 (where Wolverine served) and it featured Kayla's voice which can be heard before Wolverine woke up in Viper's lair. Plus, both the Wolverine and Days of Future Past acknowledged that Wolverine had bone claws while the latter referenced the war montage, the "Jimmy" name, Wolverine's memory of Quicksilver, and it showed clips of Origins (some were added into the weapon X scenes).

Finally, even when DOFP had rebooted the timeline, we see in Apocalypse that Wolverine, Cyclops, and Quicksilver are reliving the same events as Origins.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

I don't get why anyone thinks cutting out X-Men Origins: Wolverine is going to make the continuity any better? For starters, the original trilogy has made a dozen references to Origins (even before the film was even made)...

Can't speak for anyone else but for me it's a quality issue. If O:W was better I might leave it in... I still don't think it adds anything to the story overall.

 

[Mr. Peanut]

I debated for a long time whether or not to leave Origins in. However, recently I rewatched the movies with my family and I decided to include Origins, and I'm glad I did. It honestly is a lot of fun to watch with non-comics fans who just want a fun action movie with Hugh Jackman (and it establishes in a clear way to non-comics fans that Wolverine's claws started out as bone, which avoids confusion in later movies where the bone claws sort of just come out of nowhere). And frankly I've warmed up to it, even though it still ticks me off that Wolverine's escape from Alkali Lake was so tame (however that is mitigated by the fact that we got a much better escape sequence in Apocalypse).

Also I think it's worth noting that Origins fits with the OT pretty well, despite all the flack it gets for causing inconsistencies. The only real inconsistency was in how Wolverine's adamantium bonding procedure differed from his memories in the original trilogy, but that's easily explained by the fact that Wolverine's memories were all screwed up.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

I can understand how Origins might appeal to "non-comics fans who just want a fun action movie with Hugh Jackman" but I love the X-Men film franchise and I felt that Origins crapped all over it. I felt that way as I left the cinema, and felt the same when I watched it on TV a few years later. I can't bring myself to watch it again. As far as anything I wanted to know about Wolverine goes I'm happy with what I got from the other movies in the series.