X2 is a 2003 superhero film based on the fictional characters the X-Men and the graphic novel God Loves, Man Kills. In promotional materials, it was also called X2: X-Men United, X-Men 2: X-Men United and X-Men 2. The film is the second part of the X-Men film series, following X-Men (2000) and preceding X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). X2 was directed by Bryan Singer, and starred an ensemble cast including Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, Shawn Ashmore, Aaron Stanford, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden, Halle Berry and Kelly Hu. In the film, William Stryker is a high-ranking army colonel who leads an assault into Professor Xavier's school to build his own version of Xavier's mutant-tracking computer Cerebro in order to destroy every mutant on Earth. The X-Men are forced to ally with Magneto and Mystique to defeat Stryker.

Development phase for X2 began shortly after X-Men. David Hayter and Zak Penn wrote separate scripts, combining what they felt to be the best elements of both scripts into one screenplay. Michael Dougherty and Dan Harris were eventually hired for rewrite work, changing characterizations of Beast, Angel and Lady Deathstrike. Sentinels and the Danger Room were set to appear before being deleted because of budget concerns. Filming began in June 2002, Singer and cinematographer Newton Thomas Sigel used perspective techniques when filming. Production designer Guy Dyas adapted similar designs of John Myhre from the previous film. Most of the filming took place at Vancouver Film Studios, the largest soundstage in North America. X2 was released and became both a critical and financial success, as well as earning eight nominations at the Saturn Awards.

Several months had passed since The X-Men defeated Magneto and imprisoned him in a plastic chamber. One day, a mutant going by the name of "Nightcrawler" infiltrates The White House and attempts to assassinate The President. Meanwhile, Logan is trying to discover his past, and wonder why he became a mutant. However, the friction between the humans and mutants is grinding much harder. As a scientist named William Stryker is assigned to discover about Professor X's secret school and his chamber called "Cerebro". Meanwhile, Magneto's partner, Mystique, is planning to break her leader out of prison. Then, Professor X's school is attacked by Stryker's forces. Logan, Rougue, Iceman and others escaped. The rest of The X-Men meet in Boston along with Magneto, who escaped from prison. They must work together to stop Stryker and rescue Professor X. Written by John Wiggins

After the events on Liberty Island, everyone at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters are settling in. Magneto (McKellen) is locked up in a plastic cell, Rogue (Paquin) and Bobby Drake (Ashmore) have finally got together, and Wolverine (Jackman) has set off to find the origins of where he came from. But it wont stay quiet for long. After a mutant attack on the President (Smith), everyone starts to fear any type of mutant. William Stryker (Cox) who plans to stop all mutants, takes over the school, causing Wolverine and his team of mutants to go into hiding. Stryker has managed to capture Xavier (Stewart) and will use him to create another version of cerebro. Wolverine and the team must now team up with their enemy, Magneto to stop Stryker before it's too late. Written by Film_Fan

Already living in a society that mistrusts them, the mutants are faced with even more discrimination after an unforeseen enemy - who may be a mutant with extraordinary powers - launches a devastating attack. The news of the assault causes a public outcry against the mutants, including renewed support for the Mutant Registration Act, and William Stryker, a military leader rumored to have experimented on mutants (possibly including Wolverine), is among the most vocal supporters of the legislation. Stryker puts into motion a plan to eradicate the mutants and begins an offensive on the X-Men mansion and school. Magneto, having escaped from his plastic prison, forms an unlikely alliance with Professor Xavier to stop Stryker. Meanwhile, Wolverine heads north to investigate his past. Written by Uber Minion

A new war between humans and mutants begins after an attempted assassination of the President of the United States. Now, all the mutants must fight together against a common enemy: General William Stryker. Stryker, to further his plan to eradicate all mutants, uses radical methods to get some information from Magneto, and plans an attack to Professor Xavier's school. On the night of the attack, Wolverine is left alone to 'babysit' the young students (Jean Grey and Storm are looking for the mutant assassin, and Xavier is in Magneto's plastic prison, having left Cyclops in its lobby). The plot goes on with a lot of action and many revelations, largely following the comic books. Written by Nelson CA

Having returned from the north after finding nothing, Wolverine/Logan watches over the school students for a night as Charles Xavier visits Magneto in his plastic confinement prison and Storm and Jean Grey search for a teleporter mutant known as Nightcrawler who attempted to assassinate the president. Things become deadly as William Stryker, a scientist who has experimented on mutants, leads a siege on Xavier's mansion- few mutants escape. With the school no longer safe, Magneto out of prison and forming a temporary alliance with the X-Men, and Professor Xavier in the hands of Stryker; the mutants team up to stop Stryker's plans to wipe the mutants off the face of the Earth. Written by commanderblue