Marvel Eyes Jake Schreier for X-Men Film

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is officially integrating the X-Men into its multi-phase roadmap, with Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier reportedly in discussions to spearhead the project.

According to Deadline, the filmmaker is in preliminary talks with Marvel Studios to direct a new X-Men film. Insiders note that while the status of negotiations remains unclear, Schreier is currently the studio's top candidate to lead the production.

The early-stage X-Men project is said to feature a screenplay by Michael Lesslie, writer of The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Marvel architect Kevin Feige is attached as producer. Key details—including casting, release timeline, and the degree of integration with the broader MCU—remain tightly guarded.

Since Avengers: Endgame, the MCU has been steadily laying groundwork for the X-Men's arrival. As multiverse narratives expand through films like The Marvels, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, and Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel has subtly hinted at potential crossovers involving Wolverine, Beast, and Professor X with the current Avengers roster. While The Fantastic Four: First Steps will introduce Marvel's First Family this July, the iconic mutant academy has remained conspicuously absent.

The X-Men are confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday, as evidenced by last month's casting announcement which featured numerous X-Men veterans. Kelsey Grammer, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Alan Cumming, Rebecca Romijn, and James Marsden are all set to appear, signaling significant mutant involvement. Grammer previously portrayed Beast in the Fox franchise before his MCU debut in The Marvels' post-credits scene. Stewart's Professor X appeared briefly in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness as part of the Illuminati. McKellen's Magneto, Cumming's Nightcrawler, Romijn's Mystique, and Marsden's Cyclops have yet to be established in the MCU, raising the question: could Avengers: Doomsday secretly be an Avengers versus X-Men storyline?

Marvel has been developing an MCU X-Men film for some time. Feige confirmed last year that mutants would debut within "the next few movies." Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter recently revealed that Ryan Reynolds has been quietly advocating for a Deadpool-X-Men crossover film. Though no official X-Men movie appears on the current slate, given the MCU's accelerated development pace, fans may not have long to wait for their favorite mutants to join the cinematic universe.

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Schreier's Thunderbolts* debuted strongly last weekend, earning $173,009,775 globally according to Box Office Mojo. The anti-hero ensemble has also garnered critical acclaim, currently holding an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes (IGN's review scored it 7/10).

While awaiting further updates on Marvel's discussions with Schreier, explore fan reactions to Alan Cumming's leaked tease of a potential Nightcrawler/Mister Fantastic confrontation in Avengers: Doomsday.