Earlier today, we got word that Marvel Studios had shelved (or at least paused development on) three planned Disney+ shows: Nova, Terror Inc., and Strange Academy.
Marvel is said to have "shifted its priorities," and we're hearing that one of the projects the studio may now be focusing on involves a very different type of academy.
During this week's episode of The Hot Mic, Jeff Sneider mentions that a source told him that an "X Academy" series is in the early planning stages.
In the comics, the Academy X students debuted in the pages of New X-Men #23, and were basically introduced as yet another incarnation of the New Mutants (students that would eventually work their way up to the main roster). The original line-up consisted of Anole, Armor, the Cuckoo Triplets, Dust, Elixir, Prodigy, Pixie, and Rockslide.
Some fairly obscure characters - especially for none X-Men comic readers - but this show wouldn't necessarily stick with this exact group. There are any number of young mutant heroes from the various X-themed comics that could take a spot on the team.
Marvel is said to be planning quite a few big and small-screen projects for the upcoming "Mutant Era," so a streaming show focusing on teenage students in training would make sense.
As for the elusive X-Men reboot, Marvel does seem to be making moves behind-the-scenes. No director is attached (that we know of), but the amount of casting rumors from various reliable sources doing the rounds would seem to indicate that the studio is quietly assembling its new line-up.
Previous rumors have claimed that Harris Dickinson (Babygirl, The Iron Claw, Triangle of Sadness) and Jack Champion (Avatar, Scream 6) are being eyed to play Cyclops, with Stranger Things alum Sadie Sink a likely pick for Jean Grey. We've also heard that The Bear's Ayo Edebiri and DeWanda Wise are on the studio's radar to play Storm. Kitty Pryde and Gambit (but will it be Channing Tatum?) are also expected to be on the team.
More recently, Hunter Schafer (Cuckoo, Euphoria) has been rumored to be up for Mystique, Julia Butters (The Gray Man, The Fablemans) is said to be in talks to play Pryde, and Margaret Qualley might be on the studio's radar for Rogue.
Last week, we reported on a slightly more out-there rumor that Denzel Washington might be set to play the villain - possibly Magneto.
Michael Lesslie is currently working on the script.
If some of the X-Men make their debut in the next Avengers movies (which they are rumored to do), there's a chance we could get some official casting news fairly soon.
As for when we might finally see this long-awaited X-Men film, it's said that the "big unspoken secret in Hollywood" is that the movie will release 5-6 months after Avengers: Secret Wars in 2027.