The X-Men franchise is 20th Century Fox’s most successful comicbook property, seeing as though they messed up Fantastic Four, Daredevil and Elektra. Sony is churning out Spider-Man 4, Warner Bros will no doubt be producing more Batman films, along with other DC properties, and Marvel are now producing their own goods. Fox need to keep the X-Men franchise alive if they want to make any $$$, and it seems like they are doing just that.

Back in May Josh Schwartz, writer of The O.C, Gossip Girl and Chuck, sat down with Black Book Magazine and randomly revealed that he was working on an X-Men movie that focused on some of the lesser known mutants. However, within hours the article was removed. Suspicious? I think so!

Now 5 months on Variety have confirmed that Schwartz will indeed be writing a young X-Men movie, entitled X-Men: First Class. The movie appeared in Production Weekly at the end of July, so we knew Fox were working on something.

Josh Schwartz has apparently declined an offer to direct, although Lauren Shuler Donner, who produced all three X-Men films, as well as next summer’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, is producing alongside X-Men 3 writer Simon Kinberg.

Fox is keeping quiet on plans and declined to confirm details of the project, although according to Variety:

Resulting film would likely draw from elements of the Marvel comic of the same name, launched in 2006, and enlist such characters as Iceman, Rogue, Angel, Colossus, Jubilee and Shadowcat, who have appeared prominently or made cameos in prior pics.

Given Hollywood’s penchant for reboots with new actors playing familiar roles, pic could also reintroduce characters. Comicbook revolves around the Cyclops, Marvel Girl, Beast, Iceman, Angel and Professor X.

I am an X-Men fan so I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want more films. My first thought was that it will just be The O.C with powers, however I am thinking (and hoping) that Fox will make something better than that. Some cool aspects of this are that this will hopefully be the first X-Men movie without Wolverine. Yeah he’s cool and kills people, but he took WAY too much limelight in the trilogy. The fact that this could be the real ‘team’ movie is exciting also.

I will be eagarly awaiting to find out who Fox choose to direct this. (And to see which characters they decide to use)