It’s no secret that Marvel Studios is dominating the superhero scene with its Cinematic Universe, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., and now Agent Carter. And although 20th Century Fox has done a fair job with the X-Men franchise, they haven’t quite hit the same level of success. Looking to take up real estate on the good old talk box, a live-action X-Men TV series may be in the works at Fox. Hit the jump for more details on the possible project.

While no official statements have been made by Fox, The Hollywood Reporter have conjured up insider information stating 24 producers Evan Katz and Manny Coto are involved, with the Star Trek 3 screenwriters Patrick McKay and J.D. Payne scribing the series. THR’s sources say that this series is just in preliminary talks, and is “far from complete.” The studio will still need Marvel’s sign-off on the series if they expect to move forward.

The franchise is no stranger to the small screen having had three cartoon series under its belt: X-Men, X-Men: Evolution, and Wolverine and the X-Men. This potential new series would definitely uncharted territory despite the Mutant X series that Marvel developed in 2001. Owning the film rights to the characters, it’s not rocket science that 20th Century Fox wants to capitalize on the big superhero boom on TV – The CW’s The Flash and Arrow have proven to be huge successes. And with X-Men: Days of Future Past re-energizing the franchise, it would be a perfect time for the studio to make their mark with the characters on TV.

However, fans will have to wait awhile for the live action X-Men television show. The Fox entertainment chairman Gary Newman told TV Insider that the show would not appear until at least 2016-2017. Newman described the progress of the live-action show as “in negotiations” and that he is “cautiously optimistic” regarding a recent meeting with Marvel.

Showing promise, the real question is which story arc or iteration of the super mutant group will the show focus on? The X-Men franchise has more than enough content seeded deep within their years of publication. Or will this be a continuation or spin-off of the acclaimed film productions?

Sadly, there will be no tie-ins to the Marvel Cinematic Universe or Agents of SHIELD as well as Agent Carter. We will keep you updated on further developments as they reveal themselves.

Source: TV Insider via The Hollywood Reporter