While certain characters from Marvel’s history have been making successful homes for themselves on the small screen, both on TV and Netflix’s growing lineup, others have yet to make a big entrance in live-action. Like those from the expansive X-Men universe. Not long ago, Fox started developing Hellfire, a series based on the comics’ villainous Hellfire Club. What was once a promising prospect is now without a creative team, as everyone involved with the development of Hellfire has dropped out. So the drawing board should be headquarters for the next few months.
In one corner, there are co-creators Evan Katz and Manny Coto, who backed out of Hellfire in connection with another project of theirs moving forward at the network. That project is the 24: Legacy pilot, the system reboot that will follow a post-Jack Bauer chain of events that threatens the country. As reasons for leaving Marvel projects go, that’s a pretty good one, since 24 is a popular enough franchise to almost guarantee at least one season making it to the fall schedule. Plus, Katz and Coto worked for years on previous seasons of 24 and the limited series follow-up, so this is like home for them.
In the other corner are Patrick McKay and John D. Payne, who were part of the story creation process with Katz and Coto, and were set to write the pilot’s script. Unfortunately, it’s not known if they dropped out because of the other two guys leaving, or how that decision came to be.
Around five minutes of math will tell you that four writers minus four writers equals zero writers. So the hunt is now on again for someone to bring to serialized life the story of this secret society of powerful millionaires and their plans for world domination. This version would have seen a young special agent discovering the titular clan through them working with a power-hungry woman with super abilities. It’s possible that particular point could change when the producers find their new writers, or it might be set in stone.
This setback means, according to THR, that Hellfire won’t be going to pilot during this season, and it will likely be a slower development process. It turns out that’s more of a good thing than a bad one, as the network’s devotion to getting Hellfire created will make its writer-selection process that much more strict, as the producers seek to make it as perfect as possible.
Fox would be the first network to air series from both Marvel and DC if Hellfire and Gotham would be on in the same cycle. But we’ll be waiting a little longer to see that happen now. It’s possible Fox might jump behind one of Marvel’s comedy projects in development, but until then, get set for other Marvel shows returning in the coming months with our midseason TV schedule.
