Marvel Studios' first film in the upcoming X-Men reboot now has a highly coveted name attached to production. While the mutants still seem to be some time away from taking center stage in their own movie under the Marvel Studios umbrella, the team behind the MCU has their eye on who they want to help usher in that era of storytelling.
Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier is reportedly in talks to direct Marvel Studios' new untitled X-Men movie. While he has not officially signed with Marvel to take on his second MCU movie, after a meeting in the first week of May 2025, he appears to be the studio's top choice to lead this high-profile new project (per Deadline).
Schreier is coming off his work on Thunderbolts* (released on May 2), which is his first directorial effort with the studio. While Phase 5's closing film has not dominated the box office, it earned stellar reviews from critics and fans after press screenings and fan events in late April and early May.
Largely, Thunderbolts* earned that praise for its strong chemistry between its core cast of characters along with the humor and character work. On top of those elements, the X-Men (like the Thunderbolts) are often seen as a team full of misfits and rejects, which Schreier was able to put in the forefront as his group of antiheroes found a way to work together.
Currently, Schreier is one of two names attached to the MCU's new X-Men movie, whose script is being written by Hunger Games writer Michael Lesslie. Details have not yet been revealed on which characters will take center stage in this new movie or its specific plot, and it does not yet have a release timeframe.
Why Jake Schreier Will Work for an MCU X-Men Movie
Jake Schreier has earned a smattering of praise for the work he put in on his first Marvel movie, particularly one as important to the greater MCU story as Thunderbolts*. Bringing together a team like this, fans can already see what he could bring to Marvel Studios' first attempt at a new X-Men movie.
Particularly with Thunderbolts* centering so much on themes like mental health and Yelena Belova's depression, Schreier seems to be able to tell a compelling narrative while infusing it with an interesting exploration of themes throughout. As mutants traditionally deal with themes of discrimination and othering in their source material, Thunderbolts* demonstrates that Schreier is fully capable of digging deep into these heavier issues.
Looking at the way he built the team dynamic between Thunderbolts*' stars, juggling conflicting personalities like Wolverine, Storm, Cyclops, and more seems to be something that he would handle smoothly. Combine that with the way he developed Lewis Pullman's Sentry into a compelling villain, and he has a chance to do something the X-Men films of the past struggled with at times.
For now, fans continue to wait for details on what Marvel plans to do with the X-Men, which is likely to be determined after the legacy X-Men take a final bow at the end of the Multiverse Saga. Then, Schreier and Lesslie will have full license to embark on their own mutant journey starting where the next two Avengers films leave off, kicking off a new era of X-Men excellence on screen.
Richard Nebens joined The Direct in March 2020, now serving as the site's Senior Writer and also working as an assistant editor and content creator. He started his journalism career as a hobby in 2019 and is passionate about sharing news and stories from the entertainment industry, especially comic book movies, comedy, and sci-fi. Richard looks to expand his knowledge about movies and TV every day, and he is eager to stay locked into the latest releases and breaking news at every opportunity.
