Michael Jackson Wanted Role in X-Men

[PureLove]

Michael Jackson Wanted Role in X-Men

One of the more interesting and amusing stories from the recent movie industry conference, Produced By, concerns a top producer revealing that Michael Jackson had lobbied for a role in the first X-Men movie.

However, the King of Pop didn't want to play a mutant with an over-the-top costume or ridiculous powers. No, Jacko had his heart set on playing the wheelchair-bound telepath and founder of the X-Men, Professor X, in a role that eventually went to Patrick Stewart for three movies (and is currently being played by James McAvoy in the new prequel X-Men:First Class).

Ralph Winter, producer of the X-Men movie series plus the second Fantastic Four film, told the assembled crowd that former basketball star, Shaquille O'Neal, had also wanted a role in X-Men, which came out in 2000.

However, apart from dropping in stunning little tidbits like the Jackson story, the main thrust of the talk - which had the alluring title Raising Your Tentpole: Producing Motion Picture Franchises - was about whether studios should continue to film in 3D.

Lauren Shuler Donner, another X-Men producer, revealed that X-Men: First Class was never going to be that gimmicky. "We chose not to do 3D," Donner told the audience. "I believe the movie itself tells you whether it should be 3D. And I believe there's a little too much 3D right now. I think, especially in this economy, parents don't always want to spend that extra money.

http://www.moviefone.co.uk/2011/06/06/m ... -in-x-men/

[happythoughts]

Why would Michael want to play Professor X? His favorite one was Morph...

[PureLove]

Well it reminded me what the EMTs said about the patient at Michael's house. Old and fragile man with bald head. Sounds like Professor X.  

[MJonmind]

The old man theme again, and another current movie link to MJ!

It also reminds me of the character The Wizard of Oz.

Unseen for most of the novel, he is the ruler of the Land of Oz and highly venerated by his subjects. Believing he is the only man capable of solving their problems, Dorothy Gale and her friends travel to the Emerald City, the capital of Oz, to meet him. Oz is very reluctant to meet them, but eventually each is granted an audience, one by one. On each of these occasions, the Wizard appears in a different form, once as a giant head, once as a beautiful fairy, once as ball of fire, and once as a horrible monster. When, at last, he grants an audience to all of them at once, he seems to be invisible—nothing but a disembodied voice.
Eventually, it is revealed that Oz is actually none of these things, but rather a kind, ordinary man from Omaha, Nebraska, who has been using a lot of elaborate magic tricks and props to make himself seem "great and powerful."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_of_Oz_(character)

MJ has wanted to play roles in several movies but always declined. And in his cameo appearance in MIB 2, he asks something like, "What about my role in the next MIB, you promised me", and the leader snubs him and turns his back as MJ fades still calling. I wonder if these are all meant for future clues placed there knowing they would come up, since he has planned this hoax for 20+ years.

[Tink.I.Am]

DP  viewtopic.php?f=49&t=19429

That wouldnt have been a great role for MJ.....  but maybe thats why he insisted on being pushed around in a chair every now and then.. to prove to the filmfolks that he could do it.....

[jacilovesmichael]

Yeah, I don't know if we should take this as any kind of clue or just the simple fact that Michael is alot of things including a good actor. Maybe he wanted to show people that and be taken seriously as an actor. At the same time, maybe it's good that he didn't get the role because that might make his hoax disguises a little too obvious if the majority of people really knew what he could do :)

[MJonmind]

Yeah, I don't know if we should take this as any kind of clue or just the simple fact that Michael is alot of things including a good actor. Maybe he wanted to show people that and be taken seriously as an actor. At the same time, maybe it's good that he didn't get the role because that might make his hoax disguises a little too obvious if the majority of people really knew what he could do :)

You know I really think the vast majority have no clue that MJ is capable of pranking, disguising, changing voices, funny/laughing lots, stubborn/tough and even intimidating (BACK?), cleverly speaking in riddles, half-truths or layers, and much more. They always think of him like an ordinary celeb - just once a famous great singer/dancer, weird, victim or molester, getting old and a has-been. MJ works hard to protect and project that 'front' or external image to the world because it enables him to carry out the hoax, with only the diggers finding the other side to him. Yeah! typing/  penguin/ And what MJ can do is far beyond and on another level than merely acting an assigned role and saying lines. The general public would have to scrape their jaws off the floor if they really grasped what he's done here in this adventure of adventures. bow/  mj_dance/