Today, FX announced that Parks and Rec actor Aubrey Plaza, Downton Abbey‘s Dan Stevens and Fargo series’ Jean Smart have joined the cast of upcoming pilot for Legion, a spin-off (of sorts) to the popular X-Men franchise.
Stevens is set to play the role of David, mutant son of the X-Men’s founder, Charles Xavier. The description reads:
“Diagnosed as schizophrenic at a young age, David is a haunted man, trying to find his way back to sanity, but he’s getting tired and is about to give up when he meets the girl of his dreams.”
The three will join Rachel Keller, who will play a character named Syd, a self-sufficient and street smart individual, Syd uses her sharp and prickly demeanor to protect her soft core, because even though it makes her a sucker and puts her at risk, she still believes in happily ever after.
Executive producer had this to say about Legion’s connection to the X-Men film franchise and it’s station in the Marvel/Fox cinematic universe;
“It’s conceived more as a standalone. I don’t want to say too much more about it on that level, but certainly it’s not constructed as a back-door anything. It’s more just that there’s a story that I want to explore that has to fit into that larger universe, which is exciting.”
Noah Hawley, his television credits including Bones and Fargo, will write the pilot for Legion, as well as serve as an Executive Producer alongside Lauren Shuler Donner (X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Wolverine), Bryan Singer (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Superman Returns), Jim Chory (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Marvel’s Daredevil) Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Martain), Jeph Loeb (Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Marvel’s Daredevil) and John Cameron (Fargo, The Big Lebowski).
On top of the host of industry aficionados backing the series, Legion’s pilot will be produced by FX Productions and Marvel Television, with FXP on physical production duties.
As always, stay plugged in to SE for more Comic Nook News as it develops.