X-Men in other media

The X-Men are a fictional superhero team created by Marvel Comics that appear in comic books and various forms of media.

Animation

The Marvel Super Heroes

The X-Men made their first ever animated appearance on the The Marvel Super Heroes TV series in 1966 with Professor X commanding the original X-Men line-up of the Cyclops, the Beast, Marvel Girl, the Angel, and Iceman. The X-Men appeared in the Sub-Mariner episode "Dr. Doom's Day / The Doomed Allegiance / Tug of Death". Though the episode was adapted from Fantastic Four #6 (1962) and Fantastic Four Annual #3 (1965), Grantray-Lawrence Animation did not have the rights to the Fantastic Four (their series was produced by Hanna-Barbera), and so instead substituted the X-Men.^[1] The X-Men are never referred to in this episode as the X-Men but rather as the Allies for Peace.^[2] The characters kept their original looks and individual names from the comics..

1980s

Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends

The X-Men guest-starred in several episodes of Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends, which included Iceman, along with Spider-Man and Firestar, as the main characters, starting with a flashback in "The Origin of Iceman".^[2] Appearing in this particular episode are Professor X and the five original X-Men: Iceman, the Angel, the Beast, Marvel Girl, and Cyclops. For the continuity of the show, Firestar was also a former member of the X-Men. X-Men member Sunfire would also pop up on his own in a later episode teaming up with the Amazing Friends, as well as representing a romantic interest for Firestar.

The X-Men's next appearance was in the episode "A Firestar is Born",^[2] which included appearances from Professor X, Storm, the Angel, Cyclops, Wolverine, and the Juggernaut and cameos by Magneto and a Sentinel.

The X-Men would return the following season in the episode titled "The X-Men Adventure".^[2] Making appearances this time were: Professor X, Cyclops, Sprite, Storm, Nightcrawler, Colossus, and Thunderbird. This episode was meant to be a pilot for an X-Men cartoon that was slated to feature the X-Men characters, plus Lady Lightning (an animated version of Carol Danvers/Ms. Marvel) and Videoman as members.^[3] The series was never produced.

Pryde of the X-Men television pilot

In 1989, Marvel Productions produced a half-hour pilot X-Men episode titled X-Men: Pryde of the X-Men. It related the story of Kitty Pryde's first adventure with the team of mutants which included Professor X, Cyclops, Storm, Wolverine, Colossus, Nightcrawler, and Dazzler as they fought against Magneto, the White Queen, the Juggernaut, the Blob, Pyro, and the Toad.^[2] The series was never picked up but the single episode aired infrequently in syndication during the Marvel Action Universe series and was released on video in 1990.^[1]

In 1991, a six-player arcade game and a four-player version were based upon the pilot starring Cyclops, Colossus, Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler, and Dazzler as the playable characters. Kitty Pryde and Professor X also appear.

1990s

X-Men

In 1992, the Fox network launched an X-Men animated series with the roster of Cyclops, Wolverine, Rogue, Storm, the Beast, Gambit, Jubilee, Jean Grey, and Professor X with secondary background player Morph making occasional appearances. The two-part pilot episode, "Night of the Sentinels" began a five-season series. It was an extraordinary success and helped to widen the X-Men's popularity.^[2] The five seasons ended in 1997. It returned to Fox's line-up for several months after the first movie was released in 2000.

Spider-Man

The X-Men guest starred on Spider-Man in episodes "The Mutant Agenda" and "Mutants Revenge", when Spider-Man seeks Professor X's help with his growing mutation disease. Storm would later guest-star in the Secret Wars arc.^[2]

Fantastic Four

In 1995, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Gambit, Wolverine, Storm, and the Juggernaut, along with the Scarlet Spider, made very quick cameos in the Fantastic Four series, in the episode "Nightmare in Green", as the Human Torch flies overhead.

2000s

X-Men: Evolution

In 2000, The WB Network launched the X-Men: Evolution television series, which portrayed the X-Men as teenagers attending a regular public high school in addition to the Xavier Institute. The series ended in 2003 after its fourth season. The show focused on Cyclops, Jean Grey, Spyke (Storm's nephew), Storm, Wolverine, Rogue, the Beast, Shadowcat and Nightcrawler.^[2]

Spider-Man: The New Animated Series

In 2003, while not physically making an appearance, the X-Men and mutant-kind are mentioned in an episode of the short-lived CGI series Spider-Man: The New Animated Series called "The Party". Peter Parker is quoted as saying, "I bet the X-Men get to go to parties." Soon after, he is ambushed by a group of cops, one of them calling him a "mutant freak".

X-Men: Darktide

In 2006, Minimates released a short animated brickfilm called X-Men: Darktide on DVD with a box set of figures. The story involved the X-Men battling the Brotherhood at an oil rig. The X-Men team consists of Cyclops, Jean Grey, Archangel, Wolverine, the Beast, Xavier and Storm. The Brotherhood team is Mystique, Magneto and the Juggernaut.

Wolverine and the X-Men

In 2008, Marvel Studios released a new X-Men animated show that featured Wolverine. This series used a mesh of 2D/3D animation for characters and backgrounds. Avi Arad, CEO of Marvel Studios, stated "X-Men is one of Marvel's crown jewels and it makes sense to focus on the popular Wolverine character for our second animation project." The new series titled Wolverine and the X-Men debuted in the United States on January 23, 2009 and in the U.K. in February. It also aired in Latin America and Canada. The team consisted of Wolverine, Emma Frost, Cyclops, the Beast, Storm, Shadowcat, Iceman, Rogue, Nightcrawler, the Angel, Jean Grey and Professor X. The show was cancelled after just one season due to financing issues.^[2]

The Super Hero Squad Show

The X-Men have appeared on Cartoon Network's The Super Hero Squad Show.

2010s

Marvel Anime: X-Men

As part of a four-series collaboration between the Japanese Madhouse animation house and Marvel, the X-Men starred in a 12 episode anime series that premiered in Japan on Animax and in the United States on G4 in 2011.^[4] The series deals with the X-Men coming to Japan to investigate the disappearance of Armor. The antagonists are reported to be the U-Men.^[5]

Marvel Anime: Wolverine

As part of the same four-series collaboration as described above, several characters from the X-Men franchise, including Wolverine and Cyclops, are featured in a 12 episode anime series aired in Japan on Animax and in the United States on G4.

Live action television series

Legion

In October 2015, Marvel Television announced that FX had ordered a pilot titled Legion, with Noah Hawley attached as writer, and executive producer alongside Donner, Singer, Kinberg, Jeph Loeb, Jim Chory, and John Cameron. The series tells the story of David Haller, who is diagnosed as schizophrenic, but following a strange encounter is confronted with the possibility that the voices he hears and the visions he sees might be real.^[6] The next month, Kinberg compared the tone and direction of the show to Breaking Bad,^[7] and in January 2016, Rachel Keller was cast as Syd, "a scrappy, optimistic woman in her 20s" who "still believes in happily ever after" and demonstrates powers that are "tied to human touch", similar to X-Men mainstay Rogue.^[8][9]

Also in January, FX President John Landgraf revealed that construction of sets for the pilot had begun, and though episodes beyond the pilot had not yet been ordered, he had read scripts for further episodes, and expected Legion to be picked up for 10 episodes, likely airing later in 2016. He also revealed that the series would be set in a parallel universe to the film series where the government is just learning about the existence of mutants, that it would potentially take place "a few years in the past", and that there was still potential for characters from the films to appear in the series.^[10] The next month, Dan Stevens was cast as Haller, while Aubrey Plaza, Jean Smart, and Amber Midthunder joined the cast as Haller's drug- and alcohol- addicted friend Lenny, his therapist Melanie, and the sheltered savant Kelly, respectively.^[9][11] In March, Katie Aselton was cast in the role of Amy.^[12][13] Hawley says he’s aiming for a more existential exploration and surreal or dreamlike quality where it’s not just about running and kicking.^[14] The series was picked up by FX in early 2017 with eight episodes.^[15] Singer later revealed that Legion would connect to futures X-Men films.^[16][17]

Hellfire

In October 2015, Marvel Television announced that Hellfire was in development with 20th Century Fox Television and Fox Broadcasting Company, with Donner, Singer, Kinberg, Loeb, and Chory attached as executive producers. Set in the late 1960s, the series follows an agent who learns that a power-hungry woman with "extraordinary" abilities is working with a clandestine society of millionaires, known as the Hellfire Club, to take over the world. Evan Katz, Manny Coto, Patrick McKay and JD Payne would co-create the series, while McKay and Payne would write the pilot based on a story by themselves, Katz, and Coto, and Katz and Coto would act as showrunners.^[6] However, Katz, Coto, McKay, and Payne left the series in January 2016 to focus on 24: Legacy.^[6][13][18] On July 12, 2016, Variety reported that Fox has scrapped the series.^[19]

Unititled series

On July 12, 2016, Variety reported that Fox has picked a pilot from both Matt Nix and Singer, Donner, Kinberg, Loeb and Chory as executive producers that will focus on two ordinary parents who discover their children possess mutant powers. Forced to go on the run from a hostile government, the family joins up with an underground network of mutants and must fight to survive.^[19]

Motion comics

Marvel produced motion comics based on Astonishing X-Men, releasing them on Hulu, iTunes, the PlayStation Store, and other video services. These animated episodes were released on DVD through Shout! Factory. It has been announced that Marvel Knights Animation will continue animating Joss Whedon and John Cassaday's run^[20] starting with the second storyline of the series X-Men: Dangerous.^[21]

The titles in the series include:

1. Astonishing X-Men: Gifted (2009)
2. Astonishing X-Men: Dangerous (April 2012)
3. Astonishing X-Men: Torn (August 2012)
4. Astonishing X-Men: Unstoppable (November 2012)

Films

Wax figure of X-Men's Wolverine at Madame Tussauds

The X-Men film series currently consists of eight superhero films based on the fictional Marvel Comics team of the same name. The first three films focus on the conflict between Professor Xavier and Magneto, who have opposing views on humanity's relationship with mutants. While Xavier believes humanity and mutants can coexist, Magneto believes a war is coming, which he intends to fight and win.

20th Century Fox bought the film rights to the characters in 1994. After numerous drafts, Bryan Singer was hired to direct X-Men for a 2000 release. Singer returned for the 2003 sequel X2, but left the franchise to direct Superman Returns. Singer was offered directing positions for other X-Men films, but declined, citing scheduling conflicts. Brett Ratner directed X-Men: The Last Stand for a 2006 release. Critics praised Singer's films for their dark, realistic tone, and focus on prejudice as a subtext. Although Ratner's film was met with mixed reviews, it out-grossed both of its predecessors.

There have been two spin-offs set before the three films: X-Men Origins: Wolverine, directed by Gavin Hood, was released on May 1, 2009, and X-Men: First Class, directed by Matthew Vaughn was released in June 2011. Other movies include a further Wolverine spin-off, The Wolverine, directed by James Mangold, set in Japan, was released in July 2013 and X-Men: Days of Future Past, a sequel to both the original trilogy and X-Men: First Class, with Singer returned to direct, was released in 2014. The spin-off Deadpool with Ryan Reynolds portraying the titular character of Deadpool, was released on February 12, 2016 and a sequel to Days of Future Past titled X-Men: Apocalypse was released on May 27, 2016. A Wolverine sequel titled Logan with Mangold returning is scheduled for a March 3, 2017 release. A Gambit film was set for an October 2016 release, it is still in development. An adaptation of X-Force and New Mutants are also in development, with Jeff Wadlow writing and directing X-Force and Josh Boone set to direct and co-write the screenplay with Knate Gwaltney for New Mutants.

Video games

Early X-Men games

The first X-Men video game was released by Josh Toevs and LJN for the Nintendo Entertainment System and was titled The Uncanny X-Men. That same year (1989) a computer game was also released called X-Men: Madness in Murderworld. Another title, X-Men II: The Fall of the Mutants was released the year after.

Konami also created an X-Men arcade game in 1992, which featured six playable X-Men characters: Colossus, Cyclops, Dazzler, Nightcrawler, Storm, and Wolverine.

In 1992, the X-Men teamed with Spider-Man for Spider-Man/X-Men: Arcade's Revenge, released for the Super NES, Genesis, Game Gear and Game Boy.

The following years saw the games X-Men: Gamesmaster's Legacy and X-Men: Mojo World released for the Sega Game Gear.

The X-Men made a few appearances in Spider-Man 2: Enter Electro. Professor X (Daran Norris) and Rogue (Jennifer Hale) run a Danger Room simulation for the player to train in. Beast (Dee Bradley Baker) appears in the first level to demonstrate the controller functions to the player.

In the 1990s, Sega released two X-Men video games for its Genesis; X-Men and X-Men 2: Clone Wars. Wolverine starred in a solo game in 1994 for both the Super NES and Genesis titled Wolverine: Adamantium Rage. That same year, the X-Men appeared in the X-Men: Mutant Apocalypse game for the Super NES.

Fighting games

The X-Men are featured in many 2-D and 3-D fighting games.

In order of release:

• X-Men: Children of the Atom
• Marvel Super Heroes
• X-Men vs. Street Fighter
• Marvel Super Heroes vs. Street Fighter
• Marvel vs. Capcom
• X-Men: Mutant Academy
• Marvel vs. Capcom 2: New Age of Heroes
• X-Men: Mutant Academy 2
• X-Men: Next Dimension
• Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
• Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3
• Marvel: Contest of Champions

Film-based games

To coincide with the release of the third film, Activision released X-Men: The Official Game which filled in gaps between X2: X-Men United and X-Men: The Last Stand, such as explaining Nightcrawler's absence from the third film.

X-Men Legends and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance

X-Men Legends and its sequel are games that featured multiple X-Men as playable characters.

Deadpool, Iceman, Storm, and Wolverine are playable in the major Marvel video game, Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. Colossus is playable on the Xbox 360, Wii and PS3 versions of the game, and Jean Grey is playable on the GBA version. Cyclops, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, Professor X, and Psylocke appear as NPC's on all versions while the Beast, Forge, Karma and Dr. Moira MacTaggert were mentioned by different characters. In addition, during a cut-scene, the Beast, Colossus, Cyclops, Gambit, Magneto, Professor Xavier, Psylocke, and Shadowcat were seen defeated by Doctor Doom alongside the Hulk. Xbox 360 owners were later able to download eight new playable characters for the game, including X-Men heroes and villains: Cyclops, Magneto, Nightcrawler, and Sabretooth.^[22]

In Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2, Wolverine, Deadpool, Iceman, Storm, Gambit, and Jean Grey are featured as playable characters while Cyclops and Psylocke are exclusive to PS2, PSP and Wii. While Colossus appears as an NPC. In the briefing that follows the Wakanda incident, Captain America and Iron Man mention that the other X-Men members have been absorbed into The Fold. Psylocke, Cable, Magneto and the Juggernaut were later added as downloadable characters for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2.

Books

Science of the X-Men by Linc Yaco and Karen Haber explains how different superpowers would work and how such abilities would affect the people that have them. The mutants featured include Quicksilver, Wolverine, Shadowcat, and Nightcrawler.^[23]

Several X-Men novels have been published.

Team line-ups/compositions

Of all the X-Men, only Professor X and Cyclops have appeared as main members of the team in every animated incarnation, while Storm and Wolverine have appeared as members in every incarnation since their debut in the comics.