X-Men Reboot Reportedly Already Filming, With Cyclops and Jean Grey Tapped as Co-Leaders

The untitled X-Men reboot has reportedly begun quietly filming, and a fresh wave of reports lay out who Marvel Studios is building the story around. According to Jeff Sneider, the film privately began filming in late August, which is notable timing since additional photography and reshoots for Avengers: Doomsday were under way at the same time, confirmed separately. That means X-Men is starting its process unusually early relative to Doomsday.

This matters for fans because it suggests Marvel Studios has locked in a real direction for the team after roughly two years of X-Men news, directors, writers and now a cast announcement. As I put it, "you don't really start unless you know where you're going," so this early start is a sign the story is largely set even if details can still shift.

Jeff Sneider reports the X-Men film privately started filming in late August

Sneider's report describes this as private filming, though by the time it is being discussed publicly it is clearly not staying secret for long. I don't expect leaked set footage or drone shots anytime soon since this sounds like early stages of the shoot rather than full production, but I do expect more plot details to leak now that the story appears to be locked in.

I called this a genuinely positive sign, saying it shows the production is "taking their time" and focusing on getting things right rather than rushing. Given how long this project has been in development, with the cast now announced and much of the groundwork already done, an early quiet start fits the pattern of a team trying to nail the details before wide production begins.

Mark Ruffalo reportedly filmed scenes privately, but I suspect they are for Doomsday, not X-Men

A separate report says Mark Ruffalo seemingly filmed some scenes privately in late August, and plenty of people have jumped to the conclusion that this means the Hulk is joining the X-Men film. This report is not officially confirmed by Marvel Studios, and I think the more likely explanation is that Ruffalo was filming for Avengers: Doomsday reshoots rather than the X-Men movie.

If Hulk does end up in the X-Men film, I said that would be great, calling it a way of "tying things to the past, old Avengers with the new X-Men." I acknowledged a lot of fans would want a Hulk versus Wolverine matchup, but I don't think Wolverine is likely to show up that early in this new X-Men era, so I'd hold off on getting fully convinced Hulk is actually in this specific movie.

Cosmic Circus reports Cyclops and Jean Grey will be established as co-leaders of the X-Men

According to a new report from thecosmiccircus.com, the film's focus will be on Cyclops and Jean Grey, who are reportedly being set up as co-leaders of the X-Men team. Deadline has separately reported on the search for Magneto, with Lee Pace reportedly the front runner, alongside earlier chatter about Henry Cavill, who I said was my own pick for the role before Pace's name surfaced.

I like the idea of Cyclops leading the team with Jean right beside him as his partner, especially heading into a Phoenix storyline and the Cable and Mr. Sinister arc, given Adam Driver is already cast as Mr. Sinister. I said I'd like a Phoenix saga "done properly" even though I know some fans feel it has already been told enough times on screen.

Marvel is reportedly trying to assemble the original five X-Men, with some casting still pending

Cosmic Circus reporter Alex Perez states the goal is to get the original five members together and build a coming of age story, describing characters who have been hiding out of fear of rejection or persecution finally stepping into the open to save the world and prove not all mutants are bad. Iceman, Beast and Angel are still uncast, with the report indicating additional casting announcements are still coming.

That framing raised a question for me: if the story is about proving not all mutants are bad, who exactly are the bad mutants being set up against? I wondered whether Magneto is already positioned as a threat at this stage, or whether it could be someone like Mr. Sinister, especially once Doomsday and Secret Wars are factored into how this new universe gets established.

Cosmic Circus also reportedly said any mutant is fair game for the broader X-Men universe, even though this particular film is starting with the early days roster. We already know some X-Men characters, including Laura Kinney per Sneider's earlier reporting, are expected to appear in Secret Wars first, which I think is a smart way to lay groundwork before the dedicated X-Men film arrives amid a new universe. I'd also expect a Professor Xavier's school setting with plenty of training-ground cameos even for characters who aren't the main focus.

The working title "Channel" may point toward Fantomex and the Weapon X program

Cosmic Circus reports the film's working title is Channel, and after digging into it they connected it to the Chunnel, the rail tunnel linking England and France. Per their research, the Chunnel has appeared in Marvel comics eight times, only twice in X-Men comics, but both of those appearances are part of the same story arc in New X-Men 129 and 130, tied directly to the introduction of Fantomex.

In that comic storyline, Fantomex seeks sanctuary at the X-Corporation in Paris after stealing information about the Weapon X project inside the tunnel, asking the X-Men to help destroy Weapon XII, and is later revealed to be Weapon XIII himself, a living weapon who escaped the program much as Wolverine did. Charles Xavier and Jean Grey investigate the crime scene with Fantomex and battle an army of mindless creatures in the issue. Cosmic Circus notes it's unclear whether this is the reboot's main plot or just a side plot within a larger story.

I don't think Marvel would jump straight into introducing Fantomex right away, but I do think they'd start teasing the Weapon X program, the origin behind both Wolverine and Deadpool, especially since Deadpool's future is already confirmed. Kevin Feige and Ryan Reynolds have both confirmed another Deadpool film is coming, though not explicitly billed as Deadpool and Wolverine.

Hugh Jackman's Wolverine is reportedly sticking around, but I don't expect him in the first X-Men film

Hugh Jackman has said he had a great time playing Wolverine again and has seen the fan love for his return, and reports indicate he's returning for Doomsday, with plenty of chatter suggesting Secret Wars as well. Since the new film is reportedly centering on Cyclops and Jean Grey first, I think Logan enters the picture later rather than in this initial movie, which actually makes sense since Wolverine has already been the focus of so many prior X-Men films.

I'd personally like to see some of the older multiverse characters, like Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man, get some kind of happy ending, possibly in a private universe, though that's my own hope rather than anything confirmed. Eventually I expect a new, younger Wolverine to be introduced given the multiverse allows both versions to coexist, with Reynolds likely playing Deadpool for a long stretch given the mask and fourth wall breaking give that character more flexibility.

What do you think Marvel's actual plan is for introducing Weapon X and a new Wolverine into this rebooted X-Men universe?