Marvel’s X-Men movie has brought in two new writers. Jake Schreier revealed that Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo are now working on a draft for the film, which means the project is still very much in development. Schreier made the update while speaking with Collider, and Deadline separately reported the same shake-up.
Jake Schreier confirms Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo are writing
Schreier said the film is still in the development stage and explained that Lee Sung Jin and Joanna Calo have joined the project to work on the current draft. That brings together a creative group he already knows well. Sung Jin created Beef, Calo has been a major force on The Bear, and both also have ties to Schreier through prior collaborations, including Thunderbolts*.
That part is what stands out most here. Marvel is not just hiring superhero movie veterans and calling it a day. Schreier is pulling in writers known more for character work, tension, and messy personal dynamics. He also made clear that is exactly what he sees in X-Men, pointing to the mix of ideology and interpersonal drama in the comics.
Michael Lesslie was previously attached
This update also appears to mark a change from the previous plan. Back in May 2024, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter reported that Michael Lesslie was set to write the X-Men movie for Marvel Studios. Now it looks like Marvel has moved forward with a new draft from Sung Jin and Calo.
What Marvel may be aiming for with X-Men
The move makes sense based on how Marvel has been talking about the reboot. Variety previously reported that Marvel was looking at younger talent rather than big A-list names for the next wave of X-Men, with cost control part of the thinking. That lines up with the idea that the studio wants a fresh start instead of building the movie around expensive legacy-style casting.
If that holds, Marvel may be aiming for a younger team and a more grounded cast dynamic, with the writing doing more of the heavy lifting than star power. Bringing in writers from Beef and The Bear fits that approach.
Release date still not announced
Marvel still has not officially dated X-Men, but Disney recently shifted one untitled Marvel movie to July 28, 2028, and added two more untitled dates on May 4, 2029, and July 13, 2029. One of those dates could end up being X-Men, but that has not been confirmed.
For now, the big takeaway is simple. The X-Men movie is still moving forward, but the script is now in new hands. And Marvel is leaning on writers with a strong track record for character-driven TV to shape what could be one of the studio’s biggest reboots.
