Singer worked on the story with Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris and Simon Kinberg. Kinberg is writing the script.

The actor has been a critical favorite and received notice for starring in the Coen brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis and for turns in movies such as Drive. He is now starring in J.C. Chandor’s awards season hopeful A Most Violent Year, a 1980s-set crime drama with Jessica Chastain.

But the actor has also tiptoed toward big studio franchise fare and recently wrapped a role in the new Star Wars movie.

While X-Men: Days of Future Past was set in the 1970s, Apocalypse is set in the 1980s. Returning are Michael Fassbender as Magneto, James McAvoy as Professor X and Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique. And a search is on for actors to play young versions of Cyclops and Jean Grey/Marvel Girl.

Apocalypse was seen in a coda during Days of Future Past. The character was born in the ancient Middle East and is a gray-skinned immortal with a host of powers ranging from super-strength to telepathy to morphing his body’s form and size.

Production is due to being early next year with Fox having set a May 27, 2016, release date.