In the wake of X-Men: Apocalypse‘s opening weekend, FX is ordering its own X-Men series, Legion, straight to series.
The pilot for Legion has already been shot and produced, and after a viewing, FX has given the order for and eight-episode first season. FX Productions and Marvel Television will begin production for the series in Vancouver this summer. The first season of Legion will premiere in early 2017 on FX.
Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey), Aubrey Plaza (Parks & Recreation), and Jean Smart (Fargo) were previously announced as being cast in the pilot FX ordered for Legion. Stevens will play David Haller, also known in the Marvel universe as Legion. In past incarnations of the character, Haller is the son of Charles Xavier, aka Professor X, aka the founder of the X-Men. The son of the powerful telepathic mutant has suffered from mental illness since a young age and is a diagnosed schizophrenic. It is unclear if Legion will stay true to the original lineage, but the series will follow a Haller who has just about given up on life after spending way too much time in psychiatric hospitals trying to find his sanity. After a strange encounter with a fellow patient who has appeared in his dreams, he faces the possibility that the voices and visions might actually be real.
Plaza will play Lenny, Haller’s friend who maintains an optimistic outlook on life despite her history of drug and alcohol abuse. She’s a little rough around the edges, but her hope makes her a likable character. Smart has been cast as Melanie, a sharp-minded therapist who is nurturing yet demanding of her patients and employs “unconventional methods.”
Concerning the pilot, Nick Grad of FX told Variety, “We’ve come to expect excellence from Noah Hawley and with Legion he has delivered another major creative achievement. Just as he did in reimagining Fargo, he is bringing an entirely new aesthetic and sensibility to the enormously popular and richly represented X-Men world. The pilot episode is stunning, driven by incredible performances from Dan Stevens, Aubrey Plaza, Jean Smart, Rachel Keller and the rest of the cast.”
Jeph Leob, head of Marvel TV and Legion executive producer added, “Marvel Television is thrilled to not only have our first partnership with FX go to series, but working with the enormously talented Noah Hawley makes it even better. 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.”
We may have to wait until next year for the premiere of Legion, but X-Men: Apocalypse is currently in theaters, and you can check out mxdwn’s review here.