X-Men: Apocalypse was something of a safe bet as far as its premise was concerned; you can’t get more superhero-y than saving the world from a big baddie. After Deadpool, it’s clear that audiences are clamoring for something different from the X-Men universe. What’s surprising is that a fresh idea could show up on the small screen first in the form of Legion.
We reported on the FX show Legion a few months back, but today’s news gives us even more reason to be excited. FX has picked up Legion for a series order of eight episodes that are scheduled to premiere sometime in early 2017. The pilot is being written by Noah Hawley, the showrunner for FX’s masterful Fargo series. The plot centers around David Haller, a schizophrenic whose multiple personalities each display a different mutant power. In the comics, David is the son of Charles Xavier but Legion has been said to take place in an alternate universe apart from the main X-Men films, so it’s possible that David’s parentage could be subject to some changes.
Even though I have no direct connection to the character of Legion, the concept alone has me hooked. Seeing as how David’s practically limitless amount of mutant powers allows for some very strange possibilities, I’m willing to bet that Legion will act as a way for Fox to set up their own type of Multiverse. The DC shows have already begun playing with the idea of infinite Earths and Fox would be wise to follow suit. Alternate universes are a classic staple of comic book stories and they allow creators to have more freedom when they wish to pursue interesting stories that may not fit in with the main universe.
FX has a fairly stellar track record when it comes to their most prominent shows, so it looks like Legion will be a real treat when it makes its way to our televisions. The X-Men universe is going to get crazier and crazy often means intriguing and new. I can’t wait.
