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- NOTE: This article is about the incarnation of Zander Rice from the X-Men film series. The mainstream version can be found here: Dr. Zander Rice (Marvel).
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| “ | Allow me to introduce myself. Zander Rice. I believe you knew my father in the Weapon X program. | „ |
| ~ Zander Rice first meeting Logan. |
| “ | My goal was not to end mutant kind, but to control it. I realized, we needn't stop perfecting what we eat and drink, but we could use that as part of us to perfect ourselves. To distribute gene therapy discreetly through everything, from sweet drinks to breakfast cereals. And it worked. Random mutancy went through the way of polio. | „ |
| ~ Dr. Rice explaining his plans to Wolverine. |
| “ | Maria, we do NOT dress them up for Halloween. We do not call them 'babies' or kiss boo-boos. Don't think of them as children. Think of them as things. With patents and copyrights. | „ |
| ~ Rice scolding a nurse for treating the Mutant children as people. |
Dr. Zander Rice is the main antagonist of the 2017 superhero film Logan, the tenth installment of 20th Century Studios’s X-Men film series, and the overarching antagonist of its 2020 spin-off The New Mutants.
He is the head of Essex Corp and leader of the Reavers as well as the mastermind behind Project: Transigen - which surgically caused the near-extinction of the Mutant race by tampering with common food products to exterminate the X-Gene. At the same time, Dr. Rice engineered his own Mutant kids through illegal experiments, but they all escape so Rice sends his Reavers after them and Wolverine, who is trying to protect the kids. He is based on the character from the Marvel Comics.
He was portrayed by Richard E. Grant, who also played Withnail in Withnail & I, Barkis Bittern in Corpse Bride, The Great Intelligence in Doctor Who, Darwin Mayflower in Hudson Hawk, Vic Van Wrinkle in Horrid Henry: The Movie, The Man With a Beard But No Hair in A Series of Unfortunate Events and Allegiant General Pryde in Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker.
Personality
A sophisticated genius would be the best way to describe Dr. Zander Rice. He talks in a smooth, collected way almost all the time in order to make the person he is talking to believe that he is affable.
While he does seem genuinely nice at times, he is also often arrogant, underestimating Wolverine's powers when Donald Pierce was torturing Caliban.
Rice is a cruel monster that tortures and enslaves mutant kids for monetary gain, making their lives absolute nightmares in the process. Not only that, but Rice is also delusional, and sees what he does as less brutal than it truly is.
History
X-Men: Apocalypse
A younger Dr. Zander Rice is seen with glasses, entering The Alkali Facility and creating X-24.
Logan
His father, Dale Rice, originally founded Essex Corp. After he was killed by the Wolverine, his son, Zander continued to work in the company. He signed a project, named "Project: Transigen", whose purpose was to capture and control mutantkind.
He later hired on the ex-military mercenaries, the Reavers, led by Donald Pierce, as a private security force for his company.
Rice bred mutant children by impregnating Mexican women with DNA taken from other mutants. Through this method, various mutants were born into the X-23 program, including the Wolverine's biological daughter, Laura Kinney. However, Laura had betrayed him and tried to massacre the facility. Gabriela, a nurse working for Transigen, also helped many mutant kids, including Laura, escape. A while after that, he decided to recapture Laura and program her to be the new Weapon X.
Using Caliban
| “ | My name is Dr. Rice. But you can call me Zander if you like. | „ |
| ~ Dr. Zander Rice introducing himself to Caliban. |
Dr. Zander Rice sends Pierce and his men to recapture Laura, and kill whoever stands in his way, mostly the Wolverine. After the many failed attempts of capturing them, Rice decides to "bring new tools to bear". Using mutant tracker Caliban, Rice and the Reavers track Logan, Xavier and Laura to Will Munson's house. Dr. Rice sends X-24 to kill Charles Xavier and recover Laura.
Zander's attack has caused the deaths of Will Munson and his family. Rice tried to get Caliban to control the mutants, however, Caliban took control of X-24 and caused him to kill a few of Rice's soldiers. Caliban then threw two grenades, and bombed Rice's van. Rice later returned to his base to plan a strategy while the Reavers took care of X-24 and Donald Pierce. He determines that X-24 has fulfilled the project's purpose and decides to kill all of the remaining mutant children. Rice then receives reports from Pierce about the whereabouts of the mutant kids.
Final Battle
| “ | Random mutancy went the way of polio. We embarked on our endeavor... (Logan: Growing mutants of your own!) Precisely. | „ |
| ~ Rice's last words to Logan/Wolverine moments before being shot |
He and the Reavers later go to stop the mutants from crossing the border into Canada. Meanwhile, Dr. Rice and the Reavers chase after the mutant kids, almost managing to capture them all, until Logan enters the scene and starts tearing them down.
Rice reveals to Logan his plans to gain control of the mutants, and states that he does so in order continue the legacy of his father, and become rich. While monologuing his intentions to use the mutants and exploit their powers, an angered Logan kills Rice with a shot to the throat while the mutant kids kill Pierce with their powers.
Unfortunately, Rice's death proved to be Logan's downfall as it drove an angry X-24 to kill Logan by impaling him on a large tree branch, though X-24 would later be shot to death by Laura in revenge for Logan's death.
Gallery
Trivia
- In the March 2017 issue of Empire, it is revealed that Rice's father was killed by Wolverine during the events of X-Men: Apocalypse, a moment adapted from comic format.
- Like his father, Dr. Zander Rice was killed by Logan / The Wolverine.
- Zander is the last person Logan ever kills before dying at the hands of X-24.
External Links
- Dr. Zander Rice at the Pure Evil Wiki
 Movies Villains
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Brotherhood of Mutants Department of Domestic Security and Defense Team X Omega Gang Hellfire Club Yashida Corporation Trask Industries Ashir En Sabah Nur/Horsemen of Apocalypse Essex Corp Others | ||
