New ‘X-Men’ TV show ‘Legion’ is ‘very different’ from the films, vows its creator

Show about psychiatric patient David Haller will broadcast on FX channel in 2017

The creator of a TV spin-off series from the X-Men films has vowed that the show will be “very different” from the movie franchise.

Legion will be shown on FX in 2017. It stars English actor Dan Stevens as psychiatric patient David Haller, who learns from a mysterious fellow patient that the voices he hears may be real and are from the X-Men universe.

Speaking at New York Comic Con, Legion creator Noah Hawley said: “Legion is far away from the X-Men movies, but it still lives within that universe. The only way for X-Men to keep moving forward is to be original and to surprise us. This is really a surprise. It’s very different.”

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In the comics the TV Legion is based on, Haller has a special connection with X-Men leader Professor Xavier. Asked if that connection means Xavier actors Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy may guest in Legion, Marvel TV boss Joel Loeb replied: “Wouldn’t that be great?”

But Hawley said Legion had to establish itself as a show in its own right before featuring guest star cameos. He compared it to Fargo, the TV series based on the Coen Brothers’ film. Hawley said: “For its first three hours, Fargo seemed completely unconnected to the movie. We’ve got to earn the right to be part of that X-Men universe.”

Before becoming an actor, Dan Stevens was in the Cambridge Footlights comedy group with future stand-up comics Tim Key and Mark Watson. Having starred in Downton Abbey, he will soon be seen as The Beast in the live action film of The Beauty And The Beast.

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