Marvel’s Mutants might be ready for primetime.
By Brandon Wolfe
It would seem that in addition to dusting off its old properties, Fox has also noticed that synergistic superhero TV shows - optimally those starring Marvel characters - are a big deal these days. So the network has put two and two together and is attempting to create an X-Men television series to work in conjunction with its eternally popular film franchise, according to TVInsider.
This plan has a hitch to it, however: 20th Century Fox only holds the film rights to the mutant franchise, meaning that for the studio’s TV division to use the characters in that medium, it would require getting approval from Marvel, who is, of course, owned by Fox’s rival, Disney. But Fox is reaching across the aisle to try to make it happen all the same.
"It's in negotiations," Fox Entertainment chairman Gary Newman claims. "We're cautiously optimistic, we had a good meeting with them. That will not be on a fast track creatively. This is just the deal, now we have to find the creative."
The creative might already be found, as The Hollywood Reporter claims that 24 producers Evan Katz and Manny Coto are shepherding the project as showrunners, with the series being written by Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne, both of whom have put in scripting work on the upcoming third Star Trek film. They will share a "created by" credit with Katz and Coto.
Though the project appears to have a certain amount of momentum behind it, Newman cautions that it’s unlikely to debut until the 2016-2017 TV season at the soonest. And while the concept certainly sounds intriguing, one can’t help but wonder how such an effects-intensive property like X-Men could work on the small screen given the budget limitations of network television. Plus, can you even imagine how much they’d have to throw at Hugh Jackman for a sweeps pop-in?
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