X-Men: First Class coming next year

X-Men: First Class has a new director, release date and synopsis all in place. That's three news items in the space of just one article. We're like the Budgens of movie blogging.

It has been confirmed that director Matthew Vaughn is taking the reins on this X-Men prequel, which will re-imagine the future mutant heroes as kids mentored by a young Charles Xavier. Vaughn is a great choice considering the slick action set-pieces in his more recent comic-book film, Kick-Ass. Plus, he might get a 12-year-old Storm to call Cyclops a cunt.

More surprising, however, is the news that 20th Century Fox have set a release date for June 2011. That gives Vaughn just over a year for pre-production, casting, shooting and the post-production colouring of all those pretty CGI powers. Jesus, I hope the cajillion dollar pay-cheque is worth it.

There is, at least, a starting block - the story has bones: