'X-Men: The Last Stand' writer Simon Kinberg hired to write 'First Class' sequel

While "X-Men" fans who despised "Last Stand" probably won't be happy with this news, it's being reported that Simon Kinberg, the man responsible for that film's screenplay (along with Zak Penn), has been hired to write the follow-up to this year's "X-Men: First Class", the Matthew Vaughn-directed origin film which grossed over $350 million worldwide last summer (Kinberg served as a producer on the film, though he had no official hand in shaping the screenplay).

"First Class" had four credited screenwriters: the writing team of Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz, Jane Goldman and Vaughn.

Kinberg has been a go-to writer for Fox ever since penning the 2005 New Regency-financed hit "Mr & Mrs. Smith" starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, which Fox distributed. His other Fox efforts include the 2008 Hayden Christensen-starring superhero film "Jumper", "This Means War" starring Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy, and the historical horror/fantasy "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter", based on the bestselling mashup novel by Seth Grahame-Smith. His other screenwriting credits include "xXx: State of the Union" and "Sherlock Holmes".

It is unknown whether Vaughn will return to the director's chair for the sequel.

The story was broken by SuperHeroHype.

Interested in hearing what hardcore fans of the "X-Men" franchise think of this news...