The mutants are coming! The mutants are coming!

Midnight moviegoers across the country got the first peek at the hotly anticipated comic-book adaptation "X-Men: The Last Stand" in the wee-est hours of the morning.

As of Thursday afternoon, tickets for the 12:01 a.m. showing of the film at Celebration Cinema, 200 E. Edgewood Blvd. in Lansing were moving fast.

"We're actually really close to (a sold out show)," said Jason Sanders, the theater's operations manager, at about 3 p.m. on Thursday.

English senior and long-time X-Men fan Jessica Shamberger wasn't able to attend an early screening, but she was able to put her ticket to good use.

"I got a ticket for my friend to go, so she can see it and tell me about it so I can see it the next day."

"The Last Stand" is the final installment of the film trilogy based on the popular Marvel Comic franchise, which follows the adventures and internal struggles of a community of superpowered mutants.

Buzz on "The Last Stand" is that even more characters will be introduced, many of whom are a new generation of X-Men (and X-Women).

"To see all the younger heroes that they've decided to pop up throughout the movies, I'm hoping to see all their powers used as well," said Kevin Whaley, an employee at Fortress Comics & Games, 425 Albert Ave.

Whaley has watched the films grow out of their inked inspirations.

"The movies, they skew a little bit from the comic books, but it's Hollywood. They have to appeal to everyone, so I can understand that," he said.

Marvel franchises are often distinguished by the internal and external wars their characters wage.

One of the main themes explored in every version of "X-Men" is a feeling of difference and alienation felt by the mutants. "The Last Stand" puts particular emphasis on this theme when a "cure" for the gene that causes mutant powers — the so-called "X Gene" — is introduced.

These struggles are part of what has made Whaley such a big fan.

"They're always battling, whether emotional problems or physical activities, anything in that nature," said Whaley. "I don't know if it draws mass audiences to the story line, but if they've read the comics at all, or gotten interested, they should definitely read some comic books and get into the depth of the characters."

For Shamberger, who was introduced to the series through its various animated incarnations, the "X-Men" films have a nostalgic appeal.

"It's just something I followed as a child, so it kind of reminds me of my younger TV-watching days," she said. "And I always loved the kind of special mutant powers that everyone had, so it kind of made me wish I had something like that."

Though there has been much talk of the film around Fortress, Whaley said the movie has not generated much new interest in "X-Men" comics, but he said he hopes that changes following the release of "The Last Stand."

The first two films, "X-Men" and "X2," took in a combined $372.2 million at the U.S. box office. "The Last Stand," opening on 3,688 U.S. screens, looks to make similarly high numbers.

When asked if the film was going to be one of the summer's biggest draws at Celebration, Sanders said, "Absolutely."