Sequels Fox Considering X-Men on TV?

[eledoremassis02]

In a recent interview with Collider, X-Men: Days of Future Past writer/producer Simon Kinberg spoke briefly about how 20th Century Fox was considering expanding its Marvel properties to TV in the manner that Marvel's done with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and the upcoming Netflix streaming shows, Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/04/27/fox-considering-x-men-on-tv

 

[psylockolussus]

Would this really happen?

If Fox had the rights for a live-action TV series, then I'm surprised why they haven't at least filmed a pilot after all these years.

 

[Dasher10]

If Fox is serious about making an X-Men TV show, the properties that immediately come to mind are New Mutants, X-Factor and Alpha Flight.

New Mutants since it's a high school drama where every few episodes a supervillain like Emplate would show up. It's also an excuse to see Mirage, Cannonball, Cypher, Surge, Dust, Prodigy, Hellion, Meltdown and Chamber. This is the most obvious property to develop.



The only reason why I can imagine a New Mutants show not being produced is because Jubilee is a hard character to make likable. The version from the animated series was a cross between Shadowcat and Meltdown who was Jubilee in name only. The character from the comics is this whiny, lazy little kid who once refused to eat lobster at a seafood restaurant to the waiter brought her Mcdonalds. It's hard to get an audience to relate.


X-Factor would also be good since it'll be about mutants who are tasked with hunting other mutants. If it were up to me, I'd draw from each incarnation. They work for Serval Industries (fourth) which is a government contractor utilizing mutant mercenaries (second) that hunts down rogue mutants and tries to reintegrate them back into society (first) and each story arc will revolve around whodunnits and really hook the audience from episode to episode.


X-Factor would naturally be able to combine the casts from the past and present since Layla Miller is a walking MacGuffin for time travel and alternate universes so it would be an excuse to bring back Havok, Gambit and Quicksilver from the 80s into the 2010s and then watch as they struggle with the future shock like Quicksilver learning that he has a much younger half-sister when Magneto fell in love with a much younger woman and Havok seeing his nephew all grown up alongside hearing that Banshee who was one of the original X-Men was murdered by his brother and his daughter is now out for vengeance. Layla is shocked that after bringing back the three former X-Men from the past, she's a living temporal paradox who technically never existed. None of them are surprised that Mystique hasn't aged a day.

X-Factor's present day roster would be Val Cooper, Mystique, Forge, Siryn, Multiple Man, Rictor, Polaris and Strong Guy who are caught up with four time travelers so there's already a really full cast that's way too large for a film. Also, Mystique this time around would use her human disguise most of the time, partially for budget and partially because that's how she looks when she interacts with Val.



Alpha Flight would be more of a show like MASH or JAG where it's all about military bureaucracy. As somebody who watches JAG, just because it's military doesn't mean that it needs to be all action and explosions. There's also room for storylines about the team bonding and running training exercises. With most of Marvel's team books, the characters get down time in between the crossover event comics and with the cast of Alpha Flight needing longer arcs than what a film can provide to develop things like James and Heather's romance and Jean-Paul learning to be a team player, Alpha Flight looks like it would be a really good show for Fox on primetime. Also, many of the members of the team lack energy projection so it saves on the budget in addition to Madison not suiting up as Box unless he's in the field. And Alpha Flight has the highest potential for cameos from Wolverine and Deadpool so there's star power from Jackman and Reynolds alongside name recognition.



I'd put New Mutants on Fox since it seems like it has the greatest commercial potential as a primetime TV show on a channel that nearly everyone has. X-Factor would be on FX since it works better as a cable show due to some of the edgier material like Rictor coming out of the closet and how he doesn't feel totally accepted despite being around other mutants since he's the only gay and only hispanic member of the team. This alongside the really convoluted plot lines and expansive cast makes this one of those shows like The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones or Battlestar Galactica that works best on a cable network since it would jive with most of the FX original series.

Alpha Flight would either be a streaming show on Amazon or Netflix or it would be used to get more people to subscribe to FXX. FXX just launched in Canada this month and Alpha Flight would be great for opening up that market and getting more Canadian subscribers along with making FXX more than just a lesser version of FX.

 

[jonathancrane]

Kinberg says a lot of things...

 

[The Englishman]

Excalibur!!!

 

[Dasher10]

Excalibur!!!

I actually don't see Excalibur happening. Partially since Nightcrawler and Colossus need a higher budget to do well. Partially since I see some rights issues popping up regarding Captain Britain and who owns him.

 

[Eddie]

I'm not so sure Fox can do this even if they want to, but it almost certainly won't be with Alpha Flight. Department H was referenced on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., so Marvel seemingly has those rights, at least on television.

 

[X-Maniac]

I actually don't see Excalibur happening. Partially since Nightcrawler and Colossus need a higher budget to do well. Partially since I see some rights issues popping up regarding Captain Britain and who owns him.

It's always possible to vary the line-up of Excalibur so one or both of those aren't in it.

 

[X-Maniac]

I'm not so sure Fox can do this even if they want to, but it almost certainly won't be with Alpha Flight. Department H was referenced on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., so Marvel seemingly has those rights, at least on television.

Hmmm. I'm not so sure. Alpha Flight includes mutants among its members and is a significant part of Wolverine's history and X-Men history. I'm pretty sure they could use Alpha Flight in the X-Men series but whether they would is another matter.

 

[Dasher10]

It's always possible to vary the line-up of Excalibur so one or both of those aren't in it.

So Excalibur without Nighcrawler, Colossus and possible not Captain Britain and Gloriana depending on who owns the rights? That's just Shadowcat and Rachel Summers teaming up. That's not Excalibur.

 

[Dasher10]

I'm not so sure Fox can do this even if they want to, but it almost certainly won't be with Alpha Flight. Department H was referenced on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., so Marvel seemingly has those rights, at least on television.

Amagordo was also referenced in Captain America; The First Avenger. Does this mean that the rights to Charles Xavier are now with Marvel instead of Fox or that the X-Men can't use Hazard as a villain?

Probably not. They could mention things related to these characters as long as they don't name them specifically.

 

[X-Maniac]

So Excalibur without Nighcrawler, Colossus and possible not Captain Britain and Gloriana depending on who owns the rights? That's just Shadowcat and Rachel Summers teaming up. That's not Excalibur.

They'd have to try to include Captain Britain (which makes me doubt whether they'd ever do this as a series, as Marvel may holds rights).

And they could probably keep either Nightcrawler OR Colossus.

But there are many other members of this team who could be considered.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excalibur_(comics)

 

[Donut]

Can they even do this legally ? If not I hope they do it anyway. So that Disney can sue. Payback for Fantastic Four & other crap Fox is responsible for

 

[psylockolussus]

Like I suggested before, if they will do it, make it a mini-series with 10 to 13 episode. Map it out carefully like 3 movies split into 10- 13 episodes and don't end it with a cliffhanger just incase it doesn't get renewed. I don't want it to be a regular season with 22 to 24 episodes. I'm sure with that amount of episodes, there would be episodes that feel like a filler or episodes that feel like they are stalling the story.

 

[Hellion]

If they can, teen X-Men is the way to go. Personally, I'd like a mix of the Gen X/Academy X crew.

I like psylockolussus's idea of the stories the stories split into three episode arcs and especially the 10-13 episode cap or 20+ (personally, I get exhausted when episode counts are high).

The "movie split into 10-13 episodes" idea reminds me of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars way of mapping out it's seasons. Each story arc lasted around three episodes.

 

[psylockolussus]

They could use the original X-Men trilogy as an inspiration or they could make small-screen remake of it.

Like the first three episodes deals with Senator Kelly/Brotherhood. Episode 4 to 6 deals with Stryker and the Brotherhood teaming up with the X-Men. Episode 7 to 13, they could split up Phoenix Saga and the Gifted storyline.

Then for season 2, show post X3/pre-DOFP days which leads to the events of The Wolverine. Then before they head to Days of Future Past. Show origin episodes for Wolverine/Professor X/Magneto. After that do Days of Future Past. End season 2 with the Apocalypse teaser.

They could also remove unnecessary things in the movies (like Easter eggs/Psylocke/Emma Silverfox/Cyclops in Origins) and the things that didn't really lead to anything (Emma Frost/HellfireClub teaming up with Magneto/Yukio and Wolverine together at the end of The Wolverine) and tweak and expand the story.

 

[Dasher10]

Probably not rehashing storylines. Depending on how they handle the Emma Frost/Weapon x thing since it's confirmed that she was kidnapped by Weapon X in DOFP, I could see her and the Hellions in one arc or Bianca La Neige depending on the resolution, another arc needs to do Emplate because Emplate is a really, really cool villain. For the third arc, I suggest Demon Bear.

I don't want the OT remade, those stories were already told and there are all sorts of new ones to tell with the New Mutants.

 

[Lord]

My first choice would be a new adaptation focusing on the big 5 from the comics and building from there, however, it's doubtful they would do a different X-Men universe for tv, so they will probably have it as a spin-off, which is still an interesting idea, New Mutants are a good choice, second possibility could be Excalibur.

 

[Sexy Magician]

Would love an X-Factor Investigations show featuring Multiple Man, Layla Miller, Wolfsbane, Strong Guy and Siryn, Strong Guy might be hard to pull off on a tv budget but I suppose just a huge guy would do.

Basic synopsis of them operating as a detective agency for mutants.

Really love what they have done with Multiple Man over the years, he's really developed into a great character.

 

[Loki882]

I think that a New Mutants/Young X-Men/Academy X TV show could be pretty cool. They could develop the younger characters over a multi-season TV show than in a two to two and a half hour movie. Plus the school setting lends itself well to an ongoing TV show. An X-Factor show could work as well.

 

[Loki882]

If Fox is serious about making an X-Men TV show, the properties that immediately come to mind are New Mutants, X-Factor and Alpha Flight.

New Mutants since it's a high school drama where every few episodes a supervillain like Emplate would show up. It's also an excuse to see Mirage, Cannonball, Cypher, Surge, Dust, Prodigy, Hellion, Meltdown and Chamber. This is the most obvious property to develop.



The only reason why I can imagine a New Mutants show not being produced is because Jubilee is a hard character to make likable. The version from the animated series was a cross between Shadowcat and Meltdown who was Jubilee in name only. The character from the comics is this whiny, lazy little kid who once refused to eat lobster at a seafood restaurant to the waiter brought her Mcdonalds. It's hard to get an audience to relate.


X-Factor would also be good since it'll be about mutants who are tasked with hunting other mutants. If it were up to me, I'd draw from each incarnation. They work for Serval Industries (fourth) which is a government contractor utilizing mutant mercenaries (second) that hunts down rogue mutants and tries to reintegrate them back into society (first) and each story arc will revolve around whodunnits and really hook the audience from episode to episode.


X-Factor would naturally be able to combine the casts from the past and present since Layla Miller is a walking MacGuffin for time travel and alternate universes so it would be an excuse to bring back Havok, Gambit and Quicksilver from the 80s into the 2010s and then watch as they struggle with the future shock like Quicksilver learning that he has a much younger half-sister when Magneto fell in love with a much younger woman and Havok seeing his nephew all grown up alongside hearing that Banshee who was one of the original X-Men was murdered by his brother and his daughter is now out for vengeance. Layla is shocked that after bringing back the three former X-Men from the past, she's a living temporal paradox who technically never existed. None of them are surprised that Mystique hasn't aged a day.

X-Factor's present day roster would be Val Cooper, Mystique, Forge, Siryn, Multiple Man, Rictor, Polaris and Strong Guy who are caught up with four time travelers so there's already a really full cast that's way too large for a film. Also, Mystique this time around would use her human disguise most of the time, partially for budget and partially because that's how she looks when she interacts with Val.



Alpha Flight would be more of a show like MASH or JAG where it's all about military bureaucracy. As somebody who watches JAG, just because it's military doesn't mean that it needs to be all action and explosions. There's also room for storylines about the team bonding and running training exercises. With most of Marvel's team books, the characters get down time in between the crossover event comics and with the cast of Alpha Flight needing longer arcs than what a film can provide to develop things like James and Heather's romance and Jean-Paul learning to be a team player, Alpha Flight looks like it would be a really good show for Fox on primetime. Also, many of the members of the team lack energy projection so it saves on the budget in addition to Madison not suiting up as Box unless he's in the field. And Alpha Flight has the highest potential for cameos from Wolverine and Deadpool so there's star power from Jackman and Reynolds alongside name recognition.



I'd put New Mutants on Fox since it seems like it has the greatest commercial potential as a primetime TV show on a channel that nearly everyone has. X-Factor would be on FX since it works better as a cable show due to some of the edgier material like Rictor coming out of the closet and how he doesn't feel totally accepted despite being around other mutants since he's the only gay and only hispanic member of the team. This alongside the really convoluted plot lines and expansive cast makes this one of those shows like The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones or Battlestar Galactica that works best on a cable network since it would jive with most of the FX original series.

Alpha Flight would either be a streaming show on Amazon or Netflix or it would be used to get more people to subscribe to FXX. FXX just launched in Canada this month and Alpha Flight would be great for opening up that market and getting more Canadian subscribers along with making FXX more than just a lesser version of FX.

Current comics Jubilee is really likeable. She's essentially a mutant vampire teenage mother, and it's awesome. Plus her friendship with X-23 is really cute.

 

[Dasher10]

I just learned that any live action X-Men TV show would need to be a co-production between Marvel and Fox. Is there any chance at all that the post-DOFP timeline is part of the MCU?

 

[def28]

Current comics Jubilee is really likeable. She's essentially a mutant vampire teenage mother, and it's awesome. Plus her friendship with X-23 is really cute.

The mother role has been a good change for the character. Also agree her relationship with Laura works very well and was a fun read, they should focus back on that.

The Vampire part though, is still pretty lame imo. Can't wait till that's done with.

 

[Loki882]

I like it better than her not having any powers at all and barely appeared at all. At least now we've a fairly interesting character arc for her, and it makes her friendship with X-23 even deeper since they each know what the other one is going through.