Comic TV shows are all the rage right now, and superheroes from both Marvel and DC have found homes on the major networks. The next project from Marvel will hopefully bring the X-Men to the small screen and onto a network that already has DC shows on the roster. Fox - which is currently the home of DC series Gotham and Lucifer - has committed to a Marvel put pilot for a project that will introduce introduce a group of outsiders to the extraordinary world of mutants and their fight to survive in an unwelcoming world. Writer Matt Nix of Burn Notice fame is the mind behind the project, which does not yet have a name.
The series would focus on a pair of ordinary parents who learn that their children have mutant powers that set them apart, according to Variety. The family must go on the run to avoid the reach of a belligerent government, and they discover a network of mutants united in the singular goal of survival. Matt Nix will executive produce with Bryan Singer, Jeph Loeb, Jim Chory, Lauren Shuler Donner, and Simon Kinberg.
A put pilot is an encouraging show of faith from Fox, as at least something is going to get developed, or else Fox will face some unpleasant financial penalties. Of course, with the X-Men franchise attached to the project, Fox is pretty sure to get a decent audience to check it out. X-Men movies are still making big bucks for the big screen, and a TV show that touches on a universe including X-Men could be a big winner for Fox.
Marvel television properties to this point have been produced for either ABC or Netflix, whereas DC properties have been spread out over the other networks. Fox will be the first to feature both Marvel and DC projects in its lineup. Gotham and Lucifer have both been successful enough to be renewed for the 2016 - 2017 TV season. If the put pilot commitment turns into a series order, Fox would be in a truly unique position with shows attached to both of the major comic studios.
This is the second project commitment that Fox has made with Matt Nix. He also has the police procedural A.P..B. in the works to debut on the midseason schedule. Fox clearly believes that Nix has what it takes to create quality television; hopefully, he can deliver the same kind of funny and high-octane action that he brought to Burn Notice with the X-Men series, as well as with A.P..B. Let's not forget he has that Bruce Campbell hook-up that could make for at least one interesting mutant.
Only time will tell how Fox will fare with a Marvel project in addition to its DC properties. Hopefully we don't have to wait too long to see what is in store on primetime with the best mutants that Marvel has to offer for the small screen. Check out our fall TV premiere schedule to see what is confirmed to be airing in the not-too-distant future.
