Marvel’s New X-Men Movie Update From Writer Lee Sung Jin Revealed

Marvel Studios is gradually shaping its highly anticipated X-Men reboot, and one of the writers involved has shared fresh insights about what fans can look forward to. Lee Sung Jin recently discussed his involvement with the film and expressed the significance of the X-Men characters in his life.

In an interview with Men’s Health, Lee mentioned that he hadn’t intended to return to Marvel so soon after his work on Thunderbolts. However, director Jake Schreier persuaded him to join the project. The two have previously collaborated on Thunderbolts and the acclaimed series Beef, with writer Joanna Calo also contributing to the new X-Men script.

“I wasn’t planning on doing another Marvel thing because I do have a lot I want to explore in my personal projects,” Lee noted. “But Jake is one of my best friends, and when he comes calling with X-Men…come on, you drop everything for that.”

Lee reflected on his childhood experiences with the X-Men franchise, highlighting how the animated series and comics fueled his passion for the characters. “I grew up waking up every Saturday morning and turning on the cartoon. I watched every single episode,” he shared. “When they came back with X-Men ’97, I devoured that.”

He specifically cited the classic comic series by Chris Claremont as a major influence. Lee emphasized that the new film aims to prioritize emotional depth over spectacle. He explained that Jake Schreier’s vision for the reboot focuses on the relationships and personal challenges that have made X-Men stories beloved for decades.

“These are amazing characters with very rich backstories full of so much emotion,” Lee said. “There are so many intra-team dynamics and relationships. There’s soapy stuff. And sure, there are political themes baked into the DNA of X-Men too, and those are evergreen, but we want to get back to character-first storytelling.”

Marvel Studios first announced plans to integrate mutants into the Marvel Cinematic Universe back in 2019 at San Diego Comic-Con, when Marvel president Kevin Feige hinted at the eventual arrival of the X-Men in the franchise.

Since then, Marvel has been gradually reintroducing actors from the previous Fox X-Men films during the Multiverse Saga, but the studio has confirmed that the upcoming movie will feature a completely recast team following Avengers: Secret Wars.

Discussions about the reboot gained momentum in 2023 as Marvel began meeting with writers for the film. Michael Lesslie was initially set to write the script before Jake Schreier officially took over as director after the success of Thunderbolts. Earlier this year, Schreier confirmed that Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo were collaborating on a new draft of the screenplay.

Kevin Feige has also described the upcoming X-Men reboot as a film with a more youth-oriented focus compared to earlier versions of the franchise. Although Marvel has yet to disclose casting details or a release date, Lee’s recent remarks indicate that the studio aims to return to the emotional drama, intricate friendships, and complex relationships that originally made the X-Men comics stand out.

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