X-Men: First Class Sequel Begins Filming in January

20th Century Fox will get the ball rolling on the X-Men: First Class sequel this January. Initially the much-anticipated sequel to the 2010 reboot/prequel of Fox's biggest superhero franchise was to shoot later this year but a conflict recently over young star Jennifer Lawrence's (Mystique) scheduling has pushed back production a few months. Both Fox and Lionsgate wanted Lawrence in their films this fall, the latter aggressively moving forward on the next chapter in the stunningly successful Hunger Games franchise with Catching Fire, a sequel that already has a November 22nd, 2013 release date set. Whilst Fox could have initiated a sequel clause in their reportedly stronger contract with Lawrence to secure her availability for X-Men over Catching Fire and in doing so putting Lionsgate's 2013 plans in a tailspin, The Hollywood Reporter says the studio have instead allowed Lionsgate the luxury of having Lawrence for their August/September start, with the Oscar nominated actress then moving over to X-Men: First Class 2 early next year. With shooting the best part of a year away, don't expect too much detail on X-Men: First Class 2 just yet and I'm sure screenwriter Simon Kinberg (X-Men 3) is pleased to have been granted a little more time to put together the screenplay. Hopefully too the already signed on and returning director Matthew Vaughn is given the same luxury from a shoot-to-release date spin as they nearly killed him with the pressure on the last movie of delivering a film in less than twelve months. We figure X-Men: First Class 2 will hit summer 2014 so unless more delays occur he should get a little longer on this one, but if nothing else when he and his writing partner Jane Goldman (X-Men: First Class, Kick-Ass, Stardust) will most certainly have more time than the last movie to mold the script the way they want it. All X-Men: First Class's major players have deals to return including James McAvoy (Professor X), Michael Fassbender (Magneto), Rose Byrne (Moira McTaggart), Nicholas Hoult (Beast), January Jones (Emma Frost), Caleb Landry Jones (Banshee), Lucas Till (Havok), Zoe Kravitz (Angel), Jason Flemyng (Azazel) and as we've said, Lawrence (Mystique). Meanwhile Lionsgate may be on the hunt for a new director for Catching Fire as The Hunger Games helmer Gary Ross is reportedly a huge doubt for a return, though talks are continuing for him to return.