How Oscar Isaac Really Feels About X-Men: Apocalypse
It's no secret that Oscar Isaac wasn't a fan of the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy. He almost turned down his role in Marvel's "Moon Knight" because of what he went through playing Poe Dameron, saying he felt burnt out by the Disney "Star Wars" machine and big-budget projects in general while speaking to Empire magazine in April 2022 (via SyFy). But what about Isaac's time in the "X-Men" universe?
In 2016, the veteran actor appeared in the film "X-Men: Apocalypse," playing its titular bad guy. The movie was a follow-up to the franchise's critically acclaimed 2014 entry, "X-Men: Days of Future Past," starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence. "Apocalypse" wound up missing the mark with audiences and critics, scoring unexpectedly low ratings on Rotten Tomatoes and other sites, including IMDb, where it's one of the worst-reviewed "X-Men" films to date.
According to Isaac, Hollywood blockbusters like "X-Men: Apocalypse" and the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy can be draining. "They are such big, huge films," he explains in a May 2022 interview with The New York Times. "As fun as they can be, you're outputting a lot of energy, and then you leave, and you're just exhausted." We already know how Isaac feels about "Star Wars," so what about "Apocalypse" and his time in the "X-Men" franchise?
He wishes X-Men: Apocalypse was a better film, but is still fond of the experience
When Oscar Isaac looks back on his time in the "X-Men" universe, he says he feels both disappointed and fond of what he went through. "No, I don't disown it," Isaac told The New York Times of his role in "X-Men: Apocalypse" and his true feelings about the film. He continued, "I know exactly what I went in there wanting to do and the reasons why. There were these amazing actors involved that I really wanted to work with, [James] McAvoy and [Michael] Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence. I collected X-Men growing up, and I loved Apocalypse. I just found him such a freaky, weird character."
According to Isaac, he got hit with numerous challenges while on set, including a struggle with his Apocalypse costume, which he had previously detailed in a 2018 GQ interview (via YouTube). "You get there, and you're like, 'Oh my God, I've got all these prosthetics on. I've got a suit on. I can't move. I can't see anybody," the "Moon Knight" actor explained. "All these actors I wanted to work with — I can't even see who they are. I still think back to that time with fondness. I wish it would have been a better film and that they would have taken care of the character a little better, but those are the risks."
Six years on, Isaac is back to doing bigger Hollywood projects and more recognizable roles, with "Moon Knight" signifying his official live-action return to the entwined worlds of Marvel and Disney. The series debuted on Disney+ on March 30 and is preparing to air its finale on May 4.