The latest entry in the larger X-Men series is coming this summer in the form of X-Men: Apocalypse. Like its predecessor, X-Men: Days of Future Past, the upcoming film was directed by Bryan Singer, an indication, by all accounts, that this next one will be a good X-Men movie.
The title comes from the film's chief villain, longtime X-Men comic antagonist Apocalypse. Named for his earth-shattering powers by which he claims and conquers his way from Ancient Egypt through current events in X-Men storylines, Apocalypse sounds like a pretty intimidating name.
We generally use the term 'apocalypse' to refer to the end of the world and final judgement day. The original meaning of this Greek word is actually closer to the meaning of the word 'revelation,' as in, 'the unveiling' of something, or 'uncovering' of some hidden truth. The word actually came to mean 'end of the world' because of its association with the Biblical book "Revelation," the final book in the Bible. The book actually is 'apocalyptic,' as its author, the Apostle John, describes the unveiling of both the heavens and God's final chapter for creation. It is this unveiling that makes "Revelation" an example of apocalyptic literature, not because the text details an account of the end of the world (not inconsequentially, the word 'armageddon' is also founded in this particular text, coming from a Hebrew phrase naming a location where God's final judgement takes place). It was within 19th century English that the term 'apocalypse' was used to refer to the subject matter of "Revelation" rather then the genre of the book. Despite this, words become what we all agree they mean and they mean what the way we use them says they mean. Language is fluid and strange, giving and taking power depending on how we use it.
For the X-Men, it could very well be that the arrival of Apocalypse in their cinematic universe signals some sort of ending to their world. Actors contracts are in flux, and who knows if Singer still wants to make movies about Marvel's mutants. It's probably a safe bet that X-Men: Apocalypse will make a fat stack of cash for Fox at the box office, so the studio will certainly want to keep making movies in the series, but there's always room for shifts and change. Hugh Jackman says his next Wolverine movie is his last, and Deadpool just broke in to shake things up for superhero movies everywhere. Apocalypse could just be an entry to start unveiling these new changes.
Check out the newest trailer for X-Men: Apocalypse below:
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