To me, my X-Men news! Here at Empire HQ, we’ve had mutants on the mind these past few months: Wonder Man‘s Simon Williams has a mutie-shaped question mark over the source of his powers; the Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer’s had Jean ‘Dark Phoenix’ Grey on our minds; and we already know a mutant x-travaganza awaits in Avengers: Doomsday later this year. But now, courtesy of Collider, we have fresh news about a 100% confirmed actual mutant project — Jake Schreier’s solo MCU X-Men movie.
Speaking to Collider ahead of Beef Season 2’s 16 April release, Schreier — who directs on the show — gave an update on his inbound MCU X-Men reboot, confirming that Beef creator Lee Sung Jin and series scribe/The Bear co-showrunner Joanna Calo have come aboard to help write the latest draft of the movie’s script. “We’re still developing,” teased Schreier of his X-Men, praising Sung Jin and Calo’s contributions to Beef and to his first MCU team-up movie, Thunderbolts*, before sharing how “they have come in and are working on a draft right now, which is really exciting to be able to put that group of people together again.”
As anyone who has seen Beef, The Bear, or Thunderbolts* will know, both Sung Jin and Calo are no strangers to handling stories on an intimate, interpersonal level, dealing with characters who hold vastly differing moralities and worldviews. As Schreier explains, that’s the secret sauce he’s after for the X-Men’s long-awaited entry into the MCU. “When you go back and read X-Men [comics], there’s ideology but also interpersonal drama, almost of a soap opera quality,” said the director. “Having writers who understand both how to drive ideology from personal stakes, if we get that right, that’s what will feel most honest to what X-Men can be.”
Having already teased his “very exciting” X-Men movie to Empire last summer, it looks like Schreier is locked in and bringing together the best of the best to help guide his next MCU blockbuster. If the team in front of the camera is as talented as the team working behind it, then the new age of mutants could be a glorious, golden one indeed. And until we hear more on Schreier’s plans, there’s still X-Men ’97 Season 2 coming this summer to get hyped for… Bwa-na-na-na naaaa na-na!
