DC and Marvel. Two comic book publishers who have been ruling not just the comic industry but are also making a mark in the Hollywood industry by doing their best to keep up with the growing competition as they have also managed to get a fan base for their small screen shows. Marvel’s Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter have already managed to carve out a space in the heart of the audience with their storyline and visual effects. And now seems like the most recognisable and successful intellectual properties of Marvel Comics, ‘X-Men’ are about to wield their way on the small screen.
Marvel TV and 20th Century Fox will team up for a new X-Men based pilot on FOX. According to the press release, 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.”
The series will be a joint production between the two companies, with Fox’s Bryan Singer, Lauren Shuler Donner, Simon Kinberg, and Matt Nix joining Marvel’s Jeph Loeb and Jim Chory as the production staff. Nix (Burn Notice, APB) will lead creative production.
Fox Broadcasting Company, president, David Madden said, “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. 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.”
When it comes to X-Men there always has been an issue regarding its rights as 20th Century Fox holds the right to the X-Men family of characters. However, in the recent times, both the companies are trying to cooperate with one another and maintain peace, something which seemed unknown in the past. However, this doesn’t mean that we will get to witness mutants joining in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (we can surely hope for it).
Marvel Television, head of television, Jeph Loeb, who will be producing the series is well versed with X-Men as he has earlier penned down several comic books at Marvel. He said, “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.”
This new project will most likely be taking place “Hellfire,” which was previously in development at the network. As of now, Marvel TV is also co-producing the series Legion for FX that’s set to air in 2017. FOX is currently home to DC Comics-based shows Gotham and Lucifer, and this will be the first Marvel co-production debuting on FOX channel.