With the pilot season in full swing, we are starting to learn more about what pilots are most likely going to series, including the comic book shows Black Lightning and FOX’s X-Men TV series. In a new report today from Deadline, they brought up the two respective comic book projects and where they are at in terms of going to series.
First up is Black Lightning, from Being Mary Jane producers Salim Akil and Mara Brock Akil as well as DC TV producers Greg Berlanti and Sarah Schechter. The report goes on to discuss that the series is definitely a “hot prospect” for the CW, as we just got the first look at Cress Williams as the iconic DC hero Jefferson Pierce. However, it was revealed that the script that was written when it was being considered for Fox, didn’t get used for production.
Therefore, what they are doing right now is shooting a “shorter presentation” that will be shown to the network and studio executives before it is decided if it goes to series or not. However, with Black Lightning being a DC Comics related series and with Berlanti attached (who has currently five shows on The CW), it would be shocking if they didn’t pick this up. In addition, if CW went through all the trouble to give it a pilot order at the last minute, it would be odd if it didn’t go to series.
Then there is the untitled X-Men series (with the working title “Gifted”) from Burn Notice producer Matt Nix. According to the pilot report, the pilot is looking quite good, so much so that there is discussions about getting is an early pick-up, even though Upfronts are just less than a month away. As we get closer to the network Upfronts next month, we will learn then if both projects will be ordered to series as well as when they will air on the 2017-2018 TV Season schedule.
“Black Lightning centers on Jefferson Pierce. He made his choice: He hung up the suit and his secret identity years ago, but with a daughter hellbent on justice and a star student being recruited by a local gang, he’ll be pulled back into the fight as the wanted vigilante and DC legend Black Lightning.”
Salim Akil, Mara Brock Akil & Greg Berlanti’s Black Lightning, starring Cress Williams (Hart of Dixie, Friday Night Lights) as Jefferson Pierce/Black Lightning, Nafessa Williams (Code Black) as Jennifer Pierce, China Anne McClain (House of Payne) as Anissa Pierce and Christine Adams (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) as Lynn, currently has a pilot order on The CW.
“The Untitled Fox Marvel Project will focus on two ordinary parents who discover their children possess mutant powers. Forced to go on the run from a hostile government, the family joins up with an underground network of mutants and must fight to survive. The series will be produced by 20th Century Fox Television and Marvel Television, with 20th Century Fox handling physical production.”
Matt Nix’s X-Men series, starring Stephen Moyer (True Blood) as Reed, Amy Acker (Person Of Interest) as Kate Stewart, Jamie Chung (Once Upon a Time) as Clarice Fong/Blink, Blair Redford (Switched at Birth) as Thunderbird, Sean Teale (Incorporated) as Marcos Diaz/Eclipse, Natalie Alyn Lind (Gotham) as Lauren, Emma Dumont (Pretty Little Liars) as Lorna Dane/Polaris, Percy Hynes White (11.22.63) as Andy, and Coby Bell (Burn Notice) as Jace Turner, currently has a pilot order at FOX.
Nix’s creative team consists of X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner, director Bryan Singer, X-Men screenwriter, Simon Kinberg, Jim Chory and Marvel TV President Jeph Loeb that will all be serving as Executive Producers on the project. These people are also involved with the FX series, Legion.
Source: Deadline
10 ‘X-Men’ Spin-Offs That Would Make Great TV Shows
The X-Men universe is largely responsible for bringing about the current age of superhero movies. Starting with X-Men in 2000, there has been an explosion in superhero cinema. The X-Men movies have succeeded at the box office for quite some time and are now getting ready to break out onto the small screen.
Next month, FX will be premiering Legion based on the Marvel comics character. The show will focus on David Haller, a mutant with schizophrenia, who happens to have incredible powers for each personality he has. The buzz for the show is great and there’s great potential to seeing more mutant stories on the small screen. In fact, another mutant-based X-Men spin-off show from Burn Notice creator Matt Nix just received a pilot order from Fox, with longtime franchise steward Bryan Singer at the helm.
With two TV shows based in the X-Men universe (or alternate universes) coming in the future, we wanted to think about what other X-Men characters should get their own spin-off TV shows. Here is a list of 10 X-Men spin-offs that should get their own television shows. Click Next to start!
