‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ Will Be a Direct Sequel to ‘Days of Future Past’?

Director Bryan Singer announced Thursday that the next film to follow 'X-Men: Days of Future Past' will bear the name of 'X-Men: Apocalypse' and hit on May 27, 2016. With no other information to go on, the film is merely presumed to take its name from the Apocalypse character in the comics and perhaps even the storyline 'Age of Apocalypse.' However, more details have shed some light on this title that through the Internet into a frenzy.

Until more solid intel is unearthed, take this with a grain of salt, though so far it looks to be where we're heading ... When will 'X-Men: Apocalypse' take place with regards to the 'X-Men' cinematic universe? Which stars of the franchise will return? To answer that first question, Bleeding Cool reports that the next installment will be a direct sequel to 'Days of Future Past,' which is set for release on May 23, 2014. Not only that, but "there’s a clear narrative thread that will string the two pictures together, and the character of Apocalypse is a good part of how this will work."

As for potential cast members, all -- both members of the "past" group of X-Men and the "future" group -- are being eyed to return, in addition to several new mutants to join the bunch. Being that Singer was the one who helped announce 'X-Men: Apocalypse,' it's also likely he'll return to helm the sequel, though that remains unconfirmed.

Singer's current film, 'X-Men: Days of Future Past,' follows two parallel storylines separated by time. The world has fallen into chaos and the mutants of the future (played by Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, etc.) are living in apocalyptic conditions caused by mutant-hunting Sentinel robots. To prevent this world from ever existing, Wolverine is sent back in time to the '70s to warn the mutants of the past (played by Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, etc.) of the moment that sets it all into motion.

20th Century Fox recently hired screenwriter Simon Kinberg to further develop its superhero universe in the vein of Marvel's shared world, and 'Apocalypse' is another major set up for the entire X-Men world to come together. "I have a lot of ideas on how to build those brands and do what everybody is thinking of these days: Be like Marvel," said Kinberg. "I want to be able to build stories over multiple movies."