Here's What Bryan Singer's Dropped Molestation Charges Might Mean For X-Men

Right around the time his massive mutant
sequel X-Men: Days of Future Past was due
to reach theaters, director Bryan Singer was
slapped with a sexual assault lawsuit. The
timing of the suit raised questions, and some
of those still linger, even as the legal system
granted a request to dismiss the case
against Singer earlier this week.
U.S. district judge Susan Oki Mollway
granted a motion filed by Bryan Singer’s
accuser, Michael Egan, for voluntary
dismissal in U.S. District Court in Hawaii on
Wednesday, according to The Wrap . This was
the latest step in a series of setbacks for
Egan, who lost his attorney in May and also
dropped similar suits against former
entertainment executives.
However, The Wrap notes that Egan’s suit
was dismissed "without prejudice," meaning
that he has the freedom to refile against
Singer at a later date if he so chooses – an
option that Singer’s legal team tried to fight,
but lost.
Singer's attorney, Marty Singer, told The
Wrap that there is "absolutely no settlement"
between Michael Egan and the director, and
that: "We're very pleased and my client is
looking forward to moving on."
What does "moving on" entail? It likely
means that Bryan Singer will be able to step
back into the director’s chair for 20tht
Century Fox’s next mutant adventure, X-Men:
Apocalypse . The studio had greenlit a sequel
to Days of Future Past before that film had
even opened, going so far as to include an
introductory scene to the potential villain,
Apocalypse , in the closing credits of the
smash-hit summer blockbuster.
But in the days and weeks following the
release of X-Men: Days of Future Past, Bryan
Singer and his camp were in radio silence, to
the point where his involvement in X-Men:
Apocalypse was in doubt. Given the
overwhelming success – both critically and
financially – of Days of Future Past, you can
understand why Fox would want to keep
Singer in the fold for Apocalypse . He has a
clear vision for the mutant universe, and has
been working hard with screenwriter Simon
Kinberg on the mapping of the steps that
should take place in the story’s next chapter.