The Gifted, Fox’s upcoming X-Men series, is part of the same universe as the movies, but won’t be connecting to that world just yet. The new drama, which was officially ordered to series last month, takes place in a world where mutants are acknowledged, but certainly not accepted. Focusing on a family with mutant children who are on the run from persecution, the show is introducing some big names from the comics (such as Polaris), and fans are wondering whether it will also see the first real mutant crossover from small to big screen.
So far, it seems that the show and the films are connected, like all of Fox’s X-Men projects. However, this universe is a massive, sprawling, one - where different timelines exist and the various movies and TV shows often take place in vastly different parts of the same continuity. Legion, for example, also takes place within the same world, but doesn’t cross over with the films in any clear or specific way. Now The Gifted star Stephen Moyer confirms that the new series will follow Legion’s lead.
In an interview with eTalk, Moyer spoke about the show and his character Reed Strucker, and reveals where the show will fit into the larger X-Men cinematic universe:
Logan, of course, took place in the future (or in one possible future, given the way that this universe likes to play with timelines) at a point in time when Logan himself was aged and struggling, and the rest of the mutants were gone. Legion, meanwhile, takes place at a point in the timeline where mutants are beginning to appear, but are still largely not understood, and where mutant powers have sent several people to the asylum. The Gifted seems to take place closer to the main X-Men ensemble movies (the next of which will be X-Men: Dark Phoenix) where mutants are recognized by the world, but hated and feared.
Within the X-Men Films, we’re sort of not allied to them or positioned within that. There are obviously mutant characters that have a place in the comic books. Some of them are different, some of them are sort of related in some way. But in terms of timeline, because obviously we just had Logan which was a lot further forward and obviously Legion which is a lot further back. So we definitely slot into a timeline, but as of yet, we’re not allied. I think they have given themselves a lot of leeway in order to be able to go places, but we’ve enough story within our universe to propel us forward without having to do that.
This announcement shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Fans have already been assuming that, much like Logan, Legion, and even Deadpool, The Gifted will take place in its own spot in the X-Universe timeline. It’s not a bad thing, either. As much as some would love to see an MCU-style crossover between the big and the small screen, keeping things separate means giving the writers more freedom to create the best show that they possibly can.
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The Gifted is expected to premiere this Fall on Fox.
Source: eTalk
