We recently learned that Marvel Studios had finally started development on its long-awaited X-Men reboot, with executives beginning to set writer meetings to hear pitches on how to bring the iconic mutant heroes back to the big screen.
Though an announcement is not expected to be made until early next year, we're hearing that several writers have now taken meetings, and we may also have a slightly better idea of what the story will focus on.
A script hasn't been written yet (obviously), but according to insider Daniel Richtman, the initial idea is to focus more on the female members of the team. Kevin Feige is believed to want to make the movie as different to the 20th Century Fox franchise as possible, which also means no Magneto for the time being.
The main villain is said to be Mr. Sinister!
Again, it's very early days, and even if these details are accurate, they will likely be subject to change once the script begins to take shape.
One scribe who would love to take a crack at the story is Loki's Eric Martin - and from the sounds of things, he's far from the only one!
"I think everybody's probably chasing after X-Men because I think that's where the richest characters are," Martin told Total Film in a recent interview. "But I mean, who knows? That's a decision for someone who's not me."
"As long as Marvel is happy, of course, I'd love to [work on more MCU projects]. I mean, Marvel has changed my life by trusting me to write this season. It was a lot of responsibility, and I hope I've earned that trust," he adds. "I think, for me, it all comes down to the characters. Do we have deep, interesting characters to work on? That's what gets me out of bed in the morning. Can I tell a deeply emotional, character-driven story with these people, and on this huge canvas?"
Feige assured fans that a reboot was in the works shortly after Disney acquired 20th Century Fox's assets back in 2019, but we haven't had a single official update until recently. There were rumors that contractual issues may have been preventing Marvel Studios from introducing new actors as established mutant characters such as Wolverine, Cyclops, Storm, etc, to The MCU.
It's said that if Marvel wanted to reboot the team using any of the same characters from Fox's franchise before 2025, the likes of Simon Kinberg, Bryan Singer and co. would be, at minimum, entitled to credits and compensation, and may even have some degree of creative control as well.
We have no idea if this is accurate, but it would explain why there's been radio silence on all things X-Men since 2019, and why the only established mutant character we've seen in The MCU since is Professor Xavier in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness - with Sir Patrick Stewart reprising the role. Hugh Jackman is also set to return as Logan for the upcoming Deadpool 3.
This wouldn't prohibit Marvel from debuting new mutant heroes and villains with no connection to the earlier films, however, which we saw when Kamala Khan was ret-conned as a mutant in the season finale of Ms. Marvel. A recent rumor also claimed that Israeli hero Sabra will be introduced as a mutant in Captain America: Brave New World.