This is probably the best era for comic lovers to be in. From films to TV, comics are to be adapted on every possible form of medium of entertainment. With TV series based on comics like Arrow, Gotham, Flash, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D gaining immense popularity, the channels are now venturing more into the comic world.
Fox is bringing the next comic to life adaptation on the small screen and the comic is none other than X-Men series. Recently, Fox revealed that two live-action X-Men-based series are in development for its channels Fox and FX. These two series will be based on two characters from the X-Men universe namely Legion and Hellfire.
Fargo’s Noah Hawley is on board to produce the Legion series which will feature Charles Xavier’s son David Haller from Marvel Comics lore and will air on the FX cable network. Here’s the official description of the premise: “Since he was a teenager, David has struggled with mental illness. Diagnosed as schizophrenic, David has been in and out of psychiatric hospitals for years. But after a strange encounter with a fellow patient, he’s confronted with the possibility that the voices he hears and the visions he sees might be real.”
In the comic universe, David Charles Haller is the son of Charles Xavier and Gabrielle Haller. Since Xavier was himself a superhuman mutant, David was born a mutant with the potential for superhuman powers. Xavier later learns that his son does possess the superhuman power where he absorbs a person’s psyche into his as an alternate personality and manifest their superhuman abilities. These multiple personas in his David’s mind call themselves Legion.
Legion who first appeared in 1985’s New Mutants created by Chris Claremont and Bill Sienkiewicz. The character famously played a key role as the catalyst of the Age of Apocalypse storyline.
Whereas Hellfire which is based on longtime X-Men antagonists The Hellfire Club, will be broadcasted at the Fox broadcast network. The series is developed by Evan Katz & Manny Coto and Patrick McKay & John D. Payne. The show will be set in the ’60s and is said to follow a young special agent who learns that a power-hungry woman with extraordinary abilities is working with a clandestine society of millionaires known as ‘The Hellfire Club’ who want to take over the world.
The Hellfire Club were introduced back in 1980’s Uncanny X-Men #129 issue by Claremont and John Byrne. They were headlined by famous characters including Emma Frost/The White Queen, Sebastian Shaw and Donald Pierce. Both Shaw and Frost were previously depicted in live-action in 2011’s X-Men: First Class, as played by Kevin Bacon and January Jones, respectively.
Hellfire is a co-production of 20th Century Fox Television and Marvel Television. “Hellfire is a unique opportunity to be able to go deeper with some of these extraordinary characters, but to also dramatize new characters and give TV viewers a chance to experience this expanded world in an explosive way that everyone will be talking about,” commented 20th Century Fox Television, president, Creative Affairs,Jonathan Davis.
The director of multiple X-Men films, Bryan Singer is named as a producer on both series. Jeph Loeb, Head of Marvel Television, is also listed as a producer on both shows.
Fox Broadcasting Company’s President, David Madden said, “We are thrilled to partner with Marvel to bring this world to television and build upon the vibrant mythology that has captivated fans for years.”
Currently Fox is airing the DC comic based Gotham series and is planning to launch yet another DC comic’s character Lucifer next year along with one of the longest-running science fiction series in network TV history The X-Files.