Sequels If There Was a Live-Action X-Men TV Series...

[mr. peasant]

In light of Marvel starting up a TV-focused division, it's hard to imagine Fox wouldn't take this opportunity build bridges using its X-Men franchise; especially since Smallville will be ending after its tenth season and Heroes being cancelled. The comic-themed TV series genre would seem ripe for the picking. Question is... what would they do? A few ideas come to mind:

X-Factor Investigations:
I've seen this idea being mentioned here and there before and I think it would be interesting. I would also definitely like to see some noir elements thrown in. On the plus side, by stepping away from the main 'X-Men team', the show would less likely be compared too heavily to its film counterpart and so be allowed to grow in its own right. On the negative, the show won't benefit from Wolverine publicity. Like it or not, that Canadian ferret is the franchise's biggest draw for the general audience.

Weapon X/X-Corps:
One or the other. Basic premise would be of a military-style force that take on covert ops that the government can and will deny. Think along the lines of Ultimate Force, Alias or a mix of the two.
And so this thread is not pure repetition of previously mentioned ideas, here's something new to think about:

X-Men: High School:
Wasn't the X-Men's originally about gifted teenagers learning to control their powers? Throwing the characters back into their high school years (with monsters of the week a la Buffy) would be an interesting twist to this basic concept. Plus, it's probably one of the few ways they can feature the classic characters as well as the new/younger generation without it feeling weird. And by adding high school drama a la Gossip Girl and 90210, such a hypothetical show could potentially draw in the notoriously fanatic and loyal female audience. On the other hand, I can definitely see massive outcry from the male comic fans if the show is marketed wrongly. That said, I think the chance of seeing Wolverine as a 'loner freak' teenager or a hyper-scary gym coach (you know it will be one of the two) would be worth it.

 

[Squidboy]

I think now is a good time for shows like these, both in terms of convenient timing (as you mentioned, Heroes and Smallville ending leaves a void) and marketability (comic book adaptations are in now, so cashing in while they're still hot is the thing to do).

I think I can say that five seasons of Angel shows that a show like X-Factor could work if handled correctly, so I'd be on board with that - especially if Peter David were involved as a producer or something. The fact that Fox had that Mutant X show running for some time seems like it was testing the water for superhero shows, but it didn't pan out as they planned, so now could be the time to do that. Technology has made it possible to have convincing computer graphics without needing to spend an entire episode's budget, so the sfx aspect of the shows shouldn't be too much of a problem. And if Marvel is involved as much as they are with their own movie adaptations, then it'd be likely that the fans would get as accurate an experience as they could get.

 

[Michael Frost]

I tend to agree. If there's a franchise that should be a series it is the X-Men one.

There's alot of characters and material that you can cover in a series that you don't have the time for in a movie. Besides, since Heroes fell really short, having the Marvel stamp and known characters right from the start would definatly help it get off the ground.

They just need a good setting and a director/visionary that knows what he's doing with the franchise. It is most important to hit all known notes while also being appealing to the general audiences.

 

[Squidboy]

From a strategic standpoint, Fox just lost 24 and currently owns the rights to the X-Men, so it'd be fairly simple for them to develop a cool action-y show to fill that void. Lost and Heroes are also gone from the upcoming fall/winter line-ups for the first time in years, so the general audience that would be drawn into the smart type of shows like those two (meaning shows that force you to watch from the start and entice you to stick on through the end, to see how the seeds planted throughout the season flourish), an X-Men type of show could definitely hit all the right points. But maybe that's just wishful thinking.

 

[javphonic]

I'd like to see a high school centered series, it could be amazing but I doubt it because of the costs... I'd hope for a quality somewhere between the early Heroes and True Blood, but with a bit of humor

 

[Squidboy]

We already got the high school view from X-Men Evolution, so I'd rather any future shows try to tread new waters. Obviously, living in the school would invoke the high school drama and all the problems that come with it, but I'd prefer a show as close to the comics as possible.

Then again, Smallville has lasted about a decade with the Clark Kent in High School angle, so who am I to talk?