The X-Men franchise has been curiously absent from the small screen, perhaps due to behind-the-scenes rights issues that exist between Marvel and Fox. That is set to change with Hellfire and Legion, two upcoming X-Men TV shows. The two shows are headed for different networks, with Hellfire to appear on FOX and Legion to appear on its sibling network FX, but both of them revolve around characters originating from the X-Men comics.
Besides their link to the X-Men franchise, the two shows have another thing in common: director Bryan Singer will serve as executive producer on both. Recently, Singer was asked about what the two shows might add to the X-Men universe onscreen. “I think the underbelly [could be explored]. There’s always something interesting about a school that’s got a military aspect beneath its classrooms," he said. "Is there another layer to all of that? Is there another layer to the Hellfire Club? The idea of, ‘Who’s running the world?’ — that’s something that was touched upon in First Class but has yet to be fully explored. It just has to be explored in a very gentle, methodical way. And I’ve seen it go haywire. I’m not going to be specific where I believe it has. The audience will tell you. But when it’s done right, it all can connect.”
Legion will star Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey) as David, the son of Charles Xavier, aka Professor X, and the titular character who’s described as “a haunted man, trying to find his way back to sanity, but he's getting tired and is about to give up when he meets the girl of his dreams.” Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation), Jean Smart (Fargo), Hamish Linklater (The Crazy Ones) and Rachel Keller (Fargo) also star. Hellfire has not begun casting, and dates have not yet been set for either show's pilots.
ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.