Days after Fox announced that its newX-Men TV serieswill start production next month, the untitled series has found its first cast member.Blair Redfordhas signed on to play a mutant character named Sam, who is described as the “strong-headed Native American leader of the underground network.” It isn’t clear when the network plans on filling the remaining roles, but if production is in fact slated to begin next month, then we should be getting more news about casting in the very near future.
Entertainment Weeklybroke this news today, with this character likely slated to play a major part in this story. The previously-released plot details revealed that the story centers on two ordinary parents who discover their children possessmutant powers. Forced to go on the run from a hostile government, the family joins up with an underground network of mutants and must fight to survive. It isn’t clear if Sam is based on any specific character from theX-Mencomics or not.
Fox handed out apilot orderfor the series last month, after issuing a put pilot commitment for the show back in July, which means the network would have to pay the producers at 20th Century Fox Television and Marvel a penalty if the pilot episode doesn’t air on TV. A put pilot commitment all but guarantees that a series order will be issued, but we likely won’t find out for sure until the network’s upfront presentation this May. The project has been quite well-received at the network, with the pilot being green lit after series creatorMatt Nixturned in his final script draft.
The pilot script is said to be incredibly timely, mirroring the plight of minorities in today’s society. with series creatorMatt Nixpreviously revealed in January that thismutant TV seriesdoes take place within the same universe as the movies, teasing that there are a “certain amount of characters” from theX-Mencomics that he is allowed to use, while he is inventing other characters from scratch. If thisX-MenTV Show does get a series order, it would make Fox the only show on broadcast or cable to play host to both a Marvel TV show and a DC Comics show, withGothamandLuciferstill airing on the network.
Matt Nixwrote the pilot script and will serve as an Executive Producer.Lauren Shuler Donner(X-Men: Apocalypse,X-Men: Days of Future Past,The Wolverine),Bryan Singer(X-Men: Apocalypse,X-Men: Days of Future Past),Simon Kinberg(X-Men: Days of Future Past,Fantastic Four),Jeph Loeb(Marvel’sDaredevil, Marvel’sJessica Jones) andJim Chory(Marvel’sDaredevil, Marvel’sJessica Jones) serve as Executive Producers.Bryan Singerhas also been confirmed to direct the pilot episode as well.Blair Redfordis best known for playing Simon on USA Network’sSatisfactionand he has also starred in90210,The Lying GameandSwitched at Birth.
