Why Apocalypse Deserves a Standalone X-Men Film

For 2026, there’s one thing I’m hoping for: a proper origin film for Apocalypse, the X-Men’s most underappreciated villain. He’s one of Marvel’s oldest antagonists, driven by a belief in survival of the fittest. Over thousands of years, he’s kept himself alive through advanced tech and swapping bodies, always aiming to reshape the world with his infamous four horsemen.

Much like Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker, which became a cultural touchstone, Apocalypse’s beginnings could be explored in a way that finally does justice to his character. There’s a real opportunity here for a film that digs into what makes him tick, rather than just painting him as another baddie.

Apocalypse: Marvel’s First Mutant and His Untapped Potential

Apocalypse stands out as Marvel’s original mutant, with roots stretching back to ancient Egypt and connections to celestial beings. Giving him a solo film would add depth to the X-Men’s backstory, especially as they’re set to join the MCU. His story could take us all the way back to 3600 BC, where he was worshipped as En Sabah Nur, a near-mythical figure. He’s always challenged the X-Men’s ideas about evolution, making him a unique foil for the team.

There’s plenty of room for big visual effects, but if done right, it wouldn’t just be spectacle. Apocalypse could become a villain on par with Thanos, giving the X-Men a real threat to face. We haven’t seen a villain-led film on the scale of Joker in the superhero genre yet, and it’s about time we did.

Oscar Isaac’s Turn as Apocalypse: What Went Wrong?

It’s impossible to talk about Apocalypse without mentioning the 2016 film X-Men: Apocalypse. Oscar Isaac took on the role, and with the success of Days of Future Past, expectations were high. On paper, it looked like a winning combo.

But the end result, directed by Bryan Singer, was a letdown. Apocalypse ended up feeling like just another generic villain, with motives that awkwardly echoed Thanos but without the same impact. The film’s details are as follows:

Category	Details
Title	X-Men: Apocalypse
Release Year	2016
Director	Bryan Singer
Writers	Simon Kinberg, Bryan Singer, Michael Dougherty
Franchise	X-Men (20th Century Fox series)
Sequel To	X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
Genre	Superhero, Action, Sci-Fi
Runtime	144 minutes
Main Villain	Apocalypse (En Sabah Nur)
Villain Actor	Oscar Isaac
Primary Setting	1983, mainly USA (with global locations)
Plot Premise	The ancient mutant Apocalypse awakens and seeks to cleanse the world by recruiting powerful mutants, forcing the X-Men to unite to stop him.
Notable Cast	James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Sophie Turner

The film copped mixed to negative reviews, which was a real downer after the previous instalment had managed to unite fans from different generations. Things only got worse with the next film, Dark Phoenix, which was even harder to sit through.

Room for Redemption

Would punters be keen on a standalone Apocalypse film? It’s a question worth asking, especially given how much potential the character has. For now, X-Men: Apocalypse is streaming on Disney+ in Australia, while Joker is available on HBO Max for those wanting to revisit these takes on villainy.