BIGGER. Better. X-Men director Bryan Singer was determined to make X2 - the next chapter in the X-Men saga - all that and more.

The original film, based on the best-selling comic series of all time, grossed nearly 300 million dollars worldwide, and pioneered the current wave of comics-to-film adaptations.

Singer had much more in mind for X2 than a traditional sequel. Using the formidable resources at his disposable and no longer constrained by having to introduce the characters and their powers, he wanted to delve deeper into the X-Men mythology, and into their abilities and relationships.

"X2 is not a sequel," he notes. "It's the next adventure in a saga an evolution from the first film. We not only follow up with the principal characters from the first picture and their respective journeys, we introduce a new generation of X-Men, as well as some new villains.

"Like any good comic book, the X-Men universe is designed to expand," Singer continues. "These stories can go on forever. This continuation of the saga has provided me with an opportunity to expand the storylines and the characters and to have a lot more fun. X2 is edgier, darker, funnier and more romantic than its predecessor."

X2 continues to deal with the themes of tolerance and fear of the unknown, which have been part of the X-Men universe since Stan Lee created the comics 40 years ago.

A new theme in X2 is "unity," as two generations of X-Men join forces with a most unlikely ally to combat a new and very human menace. As the story opens, mutants are continuing their struggle against a society that fears and distrusts them. Their cause becomes even more desperate following an assassination attempt on the President of the United States by an unknown assailant possessing extraordinary abilities. All signs point to the work of a mutant.

The shocking assault renews the political and public outcry for a Mutant Registration Act. Leading the anti-mutant movement now is William Stryker, a wealthy former Army commander and scientist who puts into motion his anti-mutant programme, beginning with a full-scale military offensive on the mutants' School for the Gifted.

Magneto, newly escaped from the plastic prison, proposes a partnership with the X-Men to combat their now common and formidable enemy, Stryker.

With the fates of X-Men leader Xavier, mankind and mutantkind in their hands, the X-Men and their allies stand united to face their most dangerous mission ever. Reuniting from X-Men are Patrick Stewart (Professor Xavier, the world's most powerful telepath), Hugh Jackman (Wolverine, a solitary fighting machine who possesses amazing healing powers, retractable claws and an animal-like fury), Ian McKellen (Magneto, a powerful mutant who can control and manipulate metal), Halle Berry (Storm, who can manipulate weather), and Famke Janssen (the telepathic and telekinetic Jean Grey).

New to the film franchise are Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, who can teleport himself from one place to another; Brian Cox, playing the villainous Stryker, a former Army commander who holds the key to Wolverine's past and the future of the X-Men; and Kelly Hu as Stryker's assistant.

For Hugh Jackman, who rocketed to superstardom after nabbing, at the 11th hour, the role of Wolverine in X-Men, taking on Wolverine was even more fun the second time around.

"Oh, man, I had a blast," says the actor. "Wolverine is getting closer and closer to finding out about his pastthe clues are starting to come togethermore and more information is coming his way.

"He's having more nightmares and more flashbacks so the mental torment is getting stronger, too. Then, out come the emotions which he tries to repress but he really just gets grumpier and a lot angrier and, welljust beware when that happens.

"By the end of the movie, he's got a pretty darn good idea about what his past is all about. Retribution may very well be in store for those responsible."

Patrick Stewart, returning as Professor Charles Xavier, was pleased with X2's larger scale.

"When you take material that already exists and is so loved," says Stewart, "there is an absolute seriousness about retaining the quality of the original material.

"In writing a screenplay about the X-Men lore, you can't approach it ironically or tongue-in-cheek or with the intention of making fun of it.

"The corethe heartof the original comic books must remain the central focus and Bryan (Singer), the writers and the studio have been very faithful to those origins."

May 1, 2003 12:00