![X-Men X-Men](https://i0.wp.com/www.geeksofdoom.com/GoD/img/2015/08/xmen-530x278.jpg?resize=530%2C278&ssl=1)
Marvel Studios and Marvel Television have been working together to tie the MCU universe together in one neat package. With the amount of characters they own, they are allowed to expand their shows and films under their collective universe, and who knows, maybe at one point we may even see Spider-Man in the picture. But for Fox, they are unable to sit at the Marvel table. However, they do own the rights to some pretty big name Marvel brands like X-Men and Fantastic Four.
With the success of Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Agent Carter, and the Netflix series Daredevil on the small screen, and the CW and WB continuing to grow their DC universe with shows like Legends of Tomorrow, Fox wants in on the superhero television series action, and they want to do it with the characters they already own. Over at the TCAs, it has been revealed that there are plans for Fox to launch a live-action X-Men TV series.
More on the story below.
According to a story from THR, Fox Television Group chairman and CEO Dana Walden says that they have been talking to the people over at Marvel for the possibility of a live-action X-Men series:
“[For] X-Men, we’re in negotiations with Marvel. We’re hopeful we’ll be able to announce something soon. We’re not closed on a deal yet but it’s something we’re definitely pursuing.”
They add that Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne will write the script and share a “created by” credit with 24‘s Evan Katz and Manny Coto, who also will serve as showrunners. However, the site also mentions that talks are far from being completed, and that ultimately for the show to happen, Marvel would have to sign off on it. With the way Marvel is sabatoging Fantastic Four (by not releasing any new issues indefinitely) or introducing new mutants in the X-Men, it seems like Marvel most likely won’t even want to touch the pen to sign on the dotted line. But we’ll just have to wait and see.
That being said, Walden did confirm that if their X-Men series were to be given the green light, it wouldn’t crossover with the things that Marvel and Disney are doing now:
“The characters from the X-Men franchise are with Fox on the feature side so we won’t be including Marvel characters that are at ABC with Disney,” Walden said of how the deal with Marvel will be structured. “This will be exclusively the franchise as it has existed at Fox.” She added that the goal of the show was to be a long-running series, and not a limited series run like the 24: Live Another Day or Prison Break.
It should be interesting to see what happens if a live-action X-Men series does happen. Hopefully, Fox would have learned from some of the mistakes they made on Gotham, and do a shorter more concentrated serialized story arc in 16 episodes, rather than have it spread and diluted the season with a 22-episode series. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as the story develops.
[Source: THR]
With regards to Fox wanting the characters and events for the proposed TV show to happen exclusive of what’s going on with MCU, well, that’s probably the opposite of what Disney wants. Given that Disney/Marvel would rather control all of their properties in-house, this sounds like a non-starter to me and I’d be surprised if they even entertain Fox’s idea.
Comment by PAUL — August 7, 2015 @ 8:44 am
Have Fox forfeit the movie rights in exchange for television rights. (I don’t know the technical terms for it) But have them exchange the rights to make this amount of movies with X-Men rights and exchange it with agreeing to sign off on an X-Men tv series (that hopefully could crossover with Marvel Cinematic Universe or at least ties in with it)
Comment by Vladimir Benton — August 10, 2015 @ 3:55 pm