The X-Men are finally coming to TV. Or, at least one character from the franchise is coming to TV.
Marvel Studios and FX formally commissioned a full season of X-Men TV spinoff Legion on Tuesday (May 31), and unveiled the first preview of Downton Abbey's Dan Stevens as one very broody mutant.
Stevens returns to TV for Fargo writer Noah Hawley's Legion as the tortured schizophrenic David Haller, a young man who wonders if all of those voices in his head might actually be real.
Marvel TV boss Jeph Loeb announced today: "From the first time we heard Noah's vision to his exceptional script and cast through the extraordinary filming of the pilot, we knew the series would be incredible."
A story based in psychological drama - a distinct shift from lighter comic book fare - is what drew award-winning Fargo writer Noah Hawley to the X-Men universe.
"I always feel like the structure of a story should reflect the content of the story," he recently told Vanity Fair. "If the [story], as in this case, is about a guy who is either schizophrenic or he has these abilities, i.e., he doesn't know what's real and what's not real, then the audience should have the same experience.
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"[Legion is] surreal or dreamlike quality where it's not just about running and kicking. There's, whatever, 9,000 superhero stories right now. They've got all the running and kicking covered.
"I think my goal with this is to do something whimsical and imaginative and unexpected. Not just because I want to do something different, but because it feels like the right way to tell this story."
Legion will also reunite the writer with his Fargo stars Rachel Keller and Jean Smart, in addition to bringing in Parks and Recreation's Aubrey Plaza for a dramatic role.
The show is not expected to cross over with the X-Men movie universe, even though the character of David Haller has strong connections to Professor X in the comics.
FX's Legion is one of two upcoming X-Men TV spinoffs, along with a Hellfire Club-centric thriller currently in the works at parent network Fox.
Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
