Marvel co-producing an ‘X-Men’ TV series on FOX
Marvel is getting into bed with FOX, at least in some manner. It isn’t exactly Wolverine in Infinity War (dammit!), but the two companies are teaming up to bring an X-Men series to the TV channel.
FOX has reportedly entered a put pilot commitment for an “X-Men”-based TV series, written by “Burn Notice” creator Matt Nix. A “put pilot commitment” means the network must air the pilot — and if they don’t, substantial money is owed to the production.
20th Century Fox Television and Marvel Television are co-producing the project, with Bryan Singer, Lauren Shuler Donner, Simon Kinberg, Jeph Loeb and Jim Chory serving as executive producers.
According to Variety, the new series will follow “…two ordinary parents who discover their children possess mutant powers. Forced to go on the run from a hostile government, the family joins up with an underground network of mutants and must fight to survive.”
“Developing a Marvel property has been a top priority for the network — and we are so pleased with how Matt Nix has led us into this thrilling universe,” FOX president David Madden told the site. “There’s comic book adventure, emotional and complicated relationships and a rich, existing mythology from which to draw. With the brilliant production crew behind this project, it has all the makings of a big, fun and exciting new series.”
Head of Marvel TV Jeph Loeb said of the project, “Marvel Television is thrilled to be co-producing with 20th Century Fox Television on our first project. Matt’s a huge fan of ‘X-Men’ and his take on the ‘X-Men’ universe, with its rich characters and high-stakes adventure, is exactly the show we want on Fox. It’s a great team of creative producers who will be making something entirely unique.”
The new “X-Men”-based project will take the place of “Hellfire,” which was previously in development at the network. “Hellfire” was announced at the same time as “Legion” — which is still moving forward as a series at FX — with Patrick McKay and John D. Payne attached to write, and Evan Katz & Manny Coto on board as showrunners and executive producers. The latter twodeparted “Hellfire” to work on FOX’s “24” revival, “24: Legacy.”
No air date has been set for FOX’s latest “X-Men” project.