In Dark Phoenix, the X-Men are still Marvel’s weird, mutant cinematic stepchild

Viewers may understandably feel a sense of déjà vu when watching Dark Phoenix, the 12th film in the X-Men franchise once spinoffs like Logan and the Deadpool are factored in. Written and directed by longtime series producer Simon Kinberg, the film adapts one of the most famous stories in the history of X-Men comics: the Dark Phoenix saga. Playing out over four years between 1976 and 1980 in issues written by Chris Claremont and drawn by Dave Cockrum and John Byrne, the storyline d