The Fox X-Men film series, alongside Blade and Spider-Man, formed part of the foundation of modern superhero cinema, hooking audiences in with a more grounded approach before expanding to more comic-booky shenanigans. Starting with Bryan Singers X-Men in 2000, the franchise has showcased iconic mutants such as Wolverine, Professor X, and Magneto, each contributing to the complex dynamics of the mutant world, a thinly disguise metaphor for the social injustices in our own. All the films were very earnest and somewhat humourless until the notable introduction of Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool (2016) brought a refreshing and irreverent take on the genre, blending action, humor, and anti-hero sentiment in a way that resonated with a diverse modern audience. This was followed by James Mangold’s Logan in 2017, which strip the franchise back to its bare bones with a mature, somber take on the material, showcasing Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine.
Unfortunately, mismanagement of the franchise meant that it couldn’t sustain itself. It seemed that each critical and commercial high would be followed by stories of behind the scenes dramas and box office bombs that cut the throat of all the good will that the successes had earnt. 20 years after they released their first film, Fox put the last nail in the coffin of the series with the release of The New Mutants in 2020.
Now in 2024, the X-Men are about to take their first big steps into the MCU with the release of Deadpool & Wolverine which sees both Reynolds and Jackman reprise their roles. This film is seen by some as the savior of the MCU, with it even being referenced in the trailer, and if everything goes to plan, we could be looking at another 20 years Marvel Studios produced X-Men films.
This is our ranking of the thirteen X-Men films produced by 20th Century Fox.
13. X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)
12. The New Mutants (2020)
11. X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
10. X-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
9. X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
8. The Wolverine (2013)
7. Deadpool 2 (2018)
6. X-Men (2000)
5. X-Men: First Class (2011)
4. Deadpool (2016)
3. X-Men: Days Of Future Past (2014)
2. X-Men 2 (2003)
1. Logan (2017)
What’s your ranking of the films? Comment below.
We Have Issues 
X-Men 2 and Logan being at the top of this list are most agreeable. Especially X-Men 2 for its reminder of how the first sequel in a franchise might most particularly stand out. The scene with Bobby’s family is one of the most important sci-fi parallels to real world issues for me personally. Thank you for sharing this list.
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