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Pragmatic Adaptation / X-Men Film Series

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  • The X-Men Film Series, which focus on the human–mutant conflict, greatly simplify the Marvel universe, cutting out the magic powers, scheming alien empires, and the like. Several characters who aren't mutants are made into mutants for simplicity's sake, the Phoenix Force is a destructive aspect of Jean Grey's personality which was psychically repressed by Prof. Xavier, and almost none of the characters are referred to by their "superhero" names except in passing. (That explanation for Jean's Phoenix powers was in fact the original one, before later comics retconned them by creating the Phoenix Force as a godlike cosmic entity.) Rogue is unable to fly, has no fighting/combat abilities, and does not have super strength or invulnerability. This is because, unlike in the comic books, she has none of the abilities that she acquired from Ms. Marvel (Carol Danvers).
    • In the comics, Fred Dukes, A.K.A Blob, is a mutant whose specific abilities seem to revolve around being morbidly obese. In X-Men Origins: Wolverine, however, Dukes is physically fit until he develops an eating disorder; his super strength is what allows him to carry his own weight.
    • Given that in the comics, Sebastian Shaw's power is depicted by having him growing, and X-Men: First Class's producers thought it was too Hulk-like, the VFX artists instead portrayed it in a way that resembles full body Rapid-Fire Fisticuffs.
    • The Wolverine is a loose adaptation of the Japan arc in Chris Claremont's Wolverine (1982) series, with its own spins to the characters. Viper and Yukio, Badass Normals in the source material, are mutants here, a Poisonous Person and a precognitive respectively.
    • In X-Men: Days of Future Past, the ageless Wolverine gets sent back in time instead of Kitty Pryde, as film!Kitty wouldn't have been born in 1973. He also takes over the role of Rachel Summers from the comics, because in the continuity of the films, Rachel's parents Jean and Scott are dead without having conceived her.
  • Logan: One of the influences cited is Old Man Logan, which was even cited as Logan's "adaptation" for its entry in the Best Adapted Screenplay category at the Academy Awards. However, as the film rights for many of the characters are tied to Marvel Studios at that point, it means that a number of characters including the Red Skull, Hulk and Hawkeye are Adapted Out and the movie is made to fit within the existing X-Men film continuity. Hugh Jackman himself notes that the film draws much more influence from Kyle and Yost's X-23: Innocence Lost in the Making Of documentary accompanying the Blu-Ray release.

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