'Thunderbolts' director Jake Schreier eyed to helm new 'X-Men' movie

The X-Men are officially back on Marvel’s radar—and they may be bringing a rising MCU star director along for the ride. Jake Schreier, who recently wowed critics with Marvel’s Thunderbolts (stylized Thunderbolts), is reportedly in early talks to direct the studio’s much-anticipated X-Men reboot. While no deal has been inked yet, insiders reveal Schreier has vaulted to the top of Marvel and Disney’s wishlist after Thunderbolts defied expectations to become one of the most critically praised Marvel films in recent years.Though Thunderbolts opened with a modest $76 million domestically, its strong word-of-mouth and critical acclaim have given the film surprising legs at the box office—enough to convince Marvel that Schreier might just be the creative force their iconic mutant franchise needs.The screenplay for the upcoming X-Men project is being penned by Michael Lesslie, whose recent work includes The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes. Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige will produce the film, but all other details—including casting, plot, and a release date—remain tightly under wraps.Before jumping into the MCU, Schreier helmed the 2012 indie sci-fi drama Robot & Frank, the 2015 coming-of-age romance Paper Towns, and has directed episodes of hit series like Netflix’s Beef and the upcoming Star Wars: Skeleton Crew.The untitled X-Men feature marks the first full-length mutant-led Marvel movie since Disney’s 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox. It comes on the heels of 2024’s billion-dollar juggernaut Deadpool & Wolverine, and the animated hit X-Men ’97, which brought nostalgic praise to Marvel’s streaming slate.Disney CEO Bob Iger recently name-checked Thunderbolts as a return to form for the MCU after a rocky run of underperformers. “We lost a little focus by making too much,” Iger said during a recent investor call. “Thunderbolts is a strong example of the new direction—less quantity, more quality.”If Schreier does board the X-jet, fans may finally get the fresh, focused X-Men saga they’ve been waiting for.