We know that Marvel Studios is planning a live-action X-Men reboot, but official updates have been few and far between. Last we heard, writers began to pitch ideas for the project last year. Some progress may have been made since, of course, but it's probably going to be a while before any creative teams/cast members are officially announced.
Disney+'s animated X-Men '97 has proven to be very popular with fans of Marvel's merry band of mutants, and many feel that the studio should stick as close as possible to the animated revival series for the team's live-action MCU debut.
If Kevin Feige and co. do decide to take inspiration from '97 and want people on the project who are very familiar with the characters, they need look no further than two of the directors behind the critically-acclaimed revival series.
Chase Conley (who directed episodes 2, 4, and 6) and Emi Yonemura (episodes 3, 5, 7, and 9) were asked if they had any desire to be part of the MCU's first live-action X-Men movie during an interview with Screen Rant.
"If that's a call that we get, at some point, I'm going to pick up the phone, for sure," said Conley. "I would never say no to that phone call because I love a good challenge, and I love trying new things," added Yonemura.
In fairness, we can't see many directors turning down the chance to work on this project, but it's nice to know these guys would be ready and willing to bring the X-Men characters into another medium if the opportunity presented itself.
Last year, a rumor did the rounds 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 still don't know if this report was accurate, but it would explain why it's pretty much been radio silence on all things X-Men since 2019, and why the only established mutant characters 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 - and Kelsey Grammar as Beast in The Marvels' post-credits scene.
Hugh Jackman is also set to return as Logan for the upcoming Deadpool and Wolverine.
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.
Who would you most like to see take the helm of the MCU X-Men reboot? Let us know in the comments section.