Mutant pop star Dazzler will make big screen debut in X-Men: Dark Phoenix

It’s the moment that many comic book fans have been clamouring for every since the ‘X-Men’ first took to the big screen: Dazzler is joining the movies at last.

After heavy rumours that the character would be part of the ensemble of the upcoming ‘X-Men: Dark Phoenix,’ Entertainment Weekly have confirmed that Dazzler will indeed make an appearance in the 2018 20th Century Fox movie based on the Marvel comic line.

The report also confirms that a scene was shot for 2016’s ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ which made reference to Dazzler, as star Sophie Turner hinted on Instagram at the time. However, the scene did not make the final cut.

As the ‘1989’ reference might suggest, it is believed Taylor Swift was the model for this particular incarnation of Dazzler. However, EW stress there are no plans for Swift to take the role in ‘X-Men: Dark Phoenix.’

It is also emphasised that Dazzler will only be a “small role” in the film – although given the character’s cult status, it seems unlikely this will be the only time we wind up seeing Dazzler on the big screen.

Created by Tom DeFalco and John Romita Jr. in 1980, Dazzler is perhaps the most self-consciously cheesy X-Men character ever, a disco singer with Kiss-like make-up and diamond-encrusted roller skates.

Her mutation – the ability to convert sound waves into light beams – is hardly the most useful super-power ever, but worked as a great on-stage gimmick.

Marvel had originally planned to use the character for multi-media cross-promotion, intending to release real Dazzler records, as well as a ‘Dazzler’ movie with Bo Derek in the lead, but none of this ever came to pass.

During production on ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past,’ director Bryan Singer tweeted that Lady Gaga would appear as Dazzler in that film as an April Fool’s prank.

‘X-Men: Dark Phoenix’ will be the directorial debut of long-standing ‘X-Men’ writer and producer Simon Kinberg. Actors James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and Nicholas Hoult are all confirmed to return, along with comparative newcomers Sophie Turner, Tye Sheridan, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Alexandra Shipp.

Jessica Chastain is also in talks to co-star as the villain Lilandra.

‘X-Men: Dark Phoenix’ is set to open in UK cinemas on 2 November 2018.

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