X-Men: Days of Future Past director Bryan Singer reveals that X-Men: Apocalypse is more of a sequel to X-Men: First Class and wonders if there were mutants thousands of years ago.

Speaking with Empire, the director seems intrigued by the notion of “ancient mutants.” He says, “One thing that interests me is the notion of ancient mutants, What would people thousands of years ago, without the benefit of science, think mutants were? And more importantly, what would mutants thousands of years ago think they were? Gods? Titans? Angels? Demons?”

Singer goes on to wonder that if mutants did exist thousands of years ago, “What became of them? Did one survive?” X-Men: Apocalypse was announced by Singer himself a few weeks back. The director seems very excited about potentially directing the film and he’s “negotiating to direct. We’re in the process. We’re trying to figure it out.”

He has expressed that it is his desire to direct the film, though reports are that he’s currently in negotiations concerning his future contract with Fox.

Screenwriter Simon Kinberg says that he and Singer like the stakes of mutant origins, saying, “it feels like a story that could impact a lot of our favorite characters in big, dramatic ways. We feel it’s a very different story from Days of Future Past. For starters, [Apocalypse] is a very different villain, and the characters will be in very different places emotionally.”

It’s interesting that he seems so focused on X-Men: Apocalypse, when Days of Future Past is yet to hit theaters. The film cost a whopping $250 million to make, the second most expensive film made by Fox behind only Avatar, and it will take one hell of a box office run to make it financially successful.

For reference, X-Men: First Class only made $353 million worldwide, which isn’t exactly a blockbuster. That film had a budget of $160 million and was seen as a success, but if X-Men: Days of Future Past doesn’t pull in $600 million or more it will be deemed a financial bust.

Singer has a lot on the line and we’ll be curious where these X-Men: Apocalypse talks will be if the next film in the X-Men franchise doesn’t meet financial expectations. With a big budget also comes big responsibilities, let’s just hope that X-Men: Days of Future Past is a hit.

X-Men: Days of Future Past will hit theaters May 23 and X-Men: Apocalypse is set to hit theaters May 27, 2016.