Marvel Studios is turning to the architects of modern prestige television to breathe new life into one of its most valuable properties. Jake Schreier, the director tasked with helming the upcoming X-Men reboot, recently revealed that Lee Sung Jin, the creator of Netflix’s Beef, and Joanna Calo, the co-showrunner of The Bear, have taken over screenwriting duties.
The news broke during the promotional cycle for the second season of Beef. Schreier, who has worked closely with both writers on previous projects including Thunderbolts*, expressed confidence in the new creative team. The duo replaces Michael Lesslie, who had been attached to the project following earlier drafts by Aaron Rabin and Zach Dean.
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For Schreier, the appeal of Lee and Calo lies in their ability to handle complex emotional dynamics. He noted that the X-Men comics have always functioned as a sort of “superpowered soap opera,” where global ideologies are inseparable from personal friction.
“Having writers who understand how to drive ideology from personal stakes is key,” Schreier said in a recent interview. “Sonny has this ability to take small interpersonal dynamics and explode them into a much larger canvas. If we get that right, it will feel like the most honest version of what the X-Men can be.”
While Marvel has kept specific plot details under a strict embargo, the production is expected to focus on a younger generation of mutants. Rumors suggest the studio is scouting for actors in their teens and twenties, a move that aligns with recent comments from Marvel’s Kevin Feige regarding a “youth-focused” direction for the franchise.
There is also speculation regarding casting continuity within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Some believe that Sadie Sink, rumored for a role in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, may eventually be revealed as Jean Grey. However, officially, the call sheet remains empty.
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The X-Men reboot is currently eyeing a 2028 release date, positioning it as a major pillar of the post-Avengers: Secret Wars landscape. Until then, Marvel continues to integrate mutants into the existing universe through projects like Deadpool & Wolverine and the animated X-Men ’97.
Schreier remains tight-lipped about the “villains” or the specific “team lineup,” joking that the production will eventually move into a “little black box” to maintain secrecy. For fans, the hiring of Lee and Calo suggests a shift toward the character-driven storytelling that defined the original comics’ most successful eras.
