An update regarding a brand-new X-Men reboot movie, following Disney’s acquisition of FOX in 2019, is finally here. With the conclusion of the writers’ strike, numerous projects can now resume their development, and one of these projects is the eagerly awaited new X-Men movie.
As per a recent report from Deadline, Marvel Studios executives will begin scheduling meetings this autumn to identify a writer. According to the report, there is no immediate urgency to secure a writer for this highly coveted role, and the decision is expected to be finalized around the start of 2024.
It may take some time before we see another X-Men movie in theaters. The mere announcement of Marvel initiating the development of a live-action film is bound to create some sort of excitement among fans of the franchise. Fans have eagerly awaited a new movie ever since Disney acquired 20th Century Fox and its extensive library in 2019. The X-Men universe was the most beloved and lucrative Marvel intellectual property under Fox’s stewardship. However, following the underwhelming reception of Dark Phoenix in 2019, the X-Men franchise has been in dire need of a rejuvenation.
Disney’s Strategic Focus on X-Men and the Anticipation for Deadpool 3
Disney’s decision to invest more in the X-Men reboot franchise makes sense, While Fox had a successful run with six X-Men movies, a Wolverine trilogy, and two Deadpool films, recent releases like Dark Phoenix and New Mutants didn’t perform as well. Disney seems intent on rejuvenating the franchise.
Meanwhile, there’s high anticipation for Deadpool 3. The movie was well into production before a writers’ strike and a subsequent SAG-AFTRA strike forced a halt. Originally slated for a May 2024 release, the fate of the film hinges on the outcome of contract negotiations in Hollywood.
Marvel’s Approach to X-Men and Industry Updates
After the acquisition of Fox, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has been overseeing the development process for the X-Men reboot. However, there hasn’t been a rush to reboot it. There were many other projects already well into development in the Marvel pipeline. Nevertheless, Marvel has playfully teased fans by dropping hints about an upcoming X-Men movie in its films and TV series. Notably, in the end-credit scene of the Ms. Marvel series, a character mentioned the word “mutant,” hinting at the arrival of mutants and the X-Men.
Marvel is also revisiting the X-Men universe with the launch of the animated series “X-Men ’97,‘. The new animated series pays homage to the classic ’90s animated series and is scheduled to premiere on Disney+ in early 2024.
The recent agreement between the WGA and AMPTP is expected to lead to more open writing assignments. While writers assigned to specific projects are already working on them, other areas like the speculative script market and production are likely to remain slow or on hold until the SAG-AFTRA strike is resolved. SAG-AFTRA, which began its strike on July 14, is set to resume negotiations with the AMPTP on Monday.
