The new addition to the X-Men saga is directed by Matthew Vaughn, previously responsible for an eclectic mix of stunning cinema — British crime thriller complete with cockney gangsters (2004's "Layer Cake"), star-studded fantasy epic (2007's "Stardust") and, in a different direction altogether, surprisingly excellent comic-book adaptation (2010's "Kick-Ass.")
"X-Men: First Class" goes back to the beginning when Magneto was Erik Lehnsherr and best buds with Professor Xavier, who then was known simply as Charles. They met at Oxford University in England during the 1960s and developed a mutual respect for each other's vast intellect. Together, they founded the School of Mutant Resources to study the new “X-gene” cropping up in various members of the population. Unfortunately, Eric and Charles developed two very opposing opinions regarding the future relationship between humans and mutants. This split them apart with long-term, violent consequences.
Well-known and less familiar members of the X-Men team feature in this prequel, some by up-and-coming British actors such as Nicholas Hoult (2002's "About a Boy"), who steps in as a very young and smaller Beast / Dr Henry “Hank” McCoy. Jennifer Lawrence (2010's "Winter's Bone") is young Mystique /Raven Darkholme and Jason Flemyng (who has had roles in three of Vaughn’s films, including "Layer Cake") is demonic mutant Azazel.
Some other rather good British superheroes doing it better:
Christian Bale as Batman
Welshman Bale certainly gave a much more serious and darker edge to his portrayal of the wealthy superhero with gadgets and money instead of superpowers. It took a few goes for Bale to get his movie career firmly off the ground. A few moons ago, he played Jim Hawkins in a 1990 version of "Treasure Island" (alongside Charlton Heston) and was the love interest in Gillian Armstrong's 1994 adaptation of "Little Women." Bale's dedication to central roles shone through when he gave his all as serial-killer yuppie Patrick Bateman in 2000's "American Psycho" and as wafer-thin Trevor Resnik in "The Machinist" (2004).
Henry Cavill as Superman
On the 2012 release of Zack Snyder’s vision of Superman — so far titled "Superman: Man of Steel" — there will have been five actors that have played Clark Kent / Superman on film and four on television, including Tom Welling and Dean Cain, for a total of nine Supermen.
Next year, Henry Cavill will step in to the red boots and don the famous Lycra suit. Originally up for the role in McG’s aborted "Superman: Fly-by," Cavill was dropped for Brandon Routh once Bryan Singer took over as director of what became "Superman Returns." He also lost out to playing Cedric Diggory in 2005's "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" to Robert Pattinson. (Imagine Cavill as Edward in the "Twilight" series.) This time, he has secured the lead role as the Big Blue Boy Scout, in a film due for release in December 2012. Perhaps the timing is better now that Cavill has some more acting notches on his bedpost, including Vaughn's "Stardust," and now that the Batman franchise has had the successful Christopher Nolan revamp.
Tom Hardy as Bane in "The Dark Knight Rises"
This London-born actor's successes are perhaps quiet but brilliant. He prepared for a role just as thoroughly as his future co-star Christian Bale when he put on three stone of muscle to become Bronson in "Bronson" — a biographical crime film about one of England’s most dangerous criminals who spent more time in solitary confinement than anywhere else during his lifetime.
The experiences gained in preparing for this role will no doubt come in handy when Hardy becomes Bane, Batman’s new nemesis in 2012's "The Dark Knight Rises." Hardy has also starred in a variety of roles including Praetor Shinzon, Jean-Luc Picard’s clone in 2002's "Star Trek: Nemesis," and made a firm mark as Eames, an identity forger in Nolan’s 2010 dream hit, "Inception."
Andrew Garfield as the new Spider-Man
Building anticipation seems to be the key when it comes to revealing your newly improved, revamped superhero, which director Mark Webb (no pun intended) has taken on board with this glimpse of his new vision. The new actor replacing Tobey Maguire is Andrew Garfield of 2010's "Never Let Me Go" and "The Social Network." Born in L.A., Garfield moved to England at age 3. After some theater training and breaking in to acting on the stage, he played a minor role in Justin Chadwick’s "The Other Boleyn Girl" (2008). The first-look photo of Garfield in the tattered Lycra suit gives a hint to a perhaps grittier and darker envisioning of the webbed hero in a film that takes Spidey back to his teenage years.