Wed Nov 19, 2008 — by Robert Greenberger

20th Recruits 'X-Men: First Class'

Mutant Reboot Coming

Back in July, Production Weekly listed X-Men: First Class on their charts and visitors to www.x-menfirstclass.com were taken to 20th Century-Fox’s website.  Finally, the trades this morning confirm that Fox is looking to reboot the mutant franchise.

Gossip Girl’s Josh Schwartz has been signed to write X-Men: First Class which is perfect casting given his experience writing younger characters. Schwartz has also worked on The OC and Chuck so gets not only teen angst but can write for the geek audience.

Variety notes that Schwartz’s deal includes an option for him to direct.

The title comes from the Marvel comic of the same name which began a new brand for the company, using modern day storytelling sensibilities to retell or add to the original tales. X-Men First Class has focused on the original quintet of mutants – Cyclops, Angel, Ice Man, Beast, and Marvel Girl – all training under Professor Charles Xavier’s tutelage at his school for gifted students in Westchester, New York.  The recently canceled title was supplemented by Wolverine: First Class and the current Weapon X: First Class miniseries.

Lauren Shuler Donner, caretaker of the mutants in Hollywood, will return to produce. Previously she handled the first three X-films plus next May’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Simon Kinberg (Mr. and Mrs. Smith) will co-produce. Shuler is also developing David Goyer’s X-Men Origins: Magneto film. Possibly spinning out of Wolverine could be Deadpool, played by Ryan Reynolds, who appears in the story.

Since Brett Ratner wrapped what was considered a trilogy, the studio has been seeking ways to reinvent the story of people discovering their mutant abilities set against a world that deeply fears those that are different.
 

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