phoenix, as understood in the comics, can't "just die." phoenix, as understood within the movie, is just another part of jean's psyche. and when the body dies, the mind goes with it. or it goes off to heaven, or hell, or the white hot room, or whatever.
there was an announcement that there won't be an x-4, somewhere. so don't hold your breath.
There's a thread on this already. Please use this thread:
X-Men: The Last Stand
http://www.killermovies.com/forums/f49/t405397.html
Well, the best thing about the Marvel universe is that no one actually dies. Well they do die, but they come back in some mysterious way through cloning or rebirth or some other way.
I don't think there will be a X-Men 4 film. I think they'll just stick with the trilogy, which is disappointing because there is so much left to explore with the X-Men as a group. They are making film about the individual characters. They're working on films for Wolverine and Magneto. I'd like to see a film about Gambit. Why wasn't he in X3?