Showrunner Matt Nix has been developing a new and yet to be titled X-Men series for Fox Television that would be directly connected to the cinematic universe.
Bryan Singer has signed on to produce and direct the pilot episode which will lead to Fox either greenlight a full series order or not.
Entertainment Weekly has revealed that Blair Redford is the first actor to join the pilot and will play a Native American leader of the mutant underground.
Originally, the second series in a co-production deal with Marvel Television was expected to focus on The Hellfire Club. That plan was then scrapped and this new project was developed by Matt Nix which is said to focus on a family on the run from Sentinels.
The untitled project revolves around two ordinary parents who discover their children possess mutant powers. Forced to go on the run from a hostile government, the family joins with an underground network of mutants and must fight to survive.
Nix stated while the series would have a direct connection to the cinematic X-Men universe, it wasn’t going to be an X-Men series per say. Like Legion, we expect nods but will be mainly original. We’re not expecting to see cast members from the movies show up.
However, the connection to the film franchise might see the series take place between X-Men: The Last Stand the opening sequence in X-Men: Days of Future Past.
The interesting aspect of Redford’s character description is the “mutant underground” part. This could very well be revealing that the series might be actually focusing on mutant outcast group The Morlocks.
They are a group of mostly low-powered mutants residing in a community that makes their home in an underground sewer system. Most have been shunned for their monstrous appearance or have become straight-up runaways or homeless.
Making them easy targets for mutant hate groups, the Mutant Registration, and the Sentinel Program.
Morlocks weren’t only hated by humans they were slaughtered by Mister Sinister‘s Marauders in a genocidal attack carried out by Sabretooth, Mystique, and even Gambit. Sinister hoping to cull the “inferior” mutants from the population.
It’s a sub-group from the franchise that seems fitting for television.
Singer actually introduced a version of the mutant underground in X-Men: Apocalypse which was headed up by key Morlock member Caliban. The Morlock will be returning for James Mangold’s Logan played by Stephen Merchant and we’ll have to wait to see if Morlocks will be referenced.
The group (renamed Omegas) had it’s largest role in X-Men: The Last Stand with their leader Callisto making her on-screen debut along with members like Leech and appearing in the film as well.
Deadpool’s Angel Dust played by Gina Carano was another Morlock but her connection to the group was never established.
We’ll update on the project when more information and casting news is available.
SOURCE: EW