Josh Schwartz, the creator of Gossip Girl, Chuck, and The O.C., let it slip that he’s currently working on the screenplay for the next X-Men film, a prequel/spin-off of sorts. The film will center on the other teenage characters attending the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning.
“I’m very well aware that I’ll be bludgeoned by purists, but I love its mythology, and it comes with a pretty hefty paycheck,” Schwartz told Black Book Magazine. “It’s not like I’m adding new characters like Toaster Head, or anything like that. The Hulk looks like it’s going to be terrible. And why does he look like he’s fighting against the monster from Cloverfield? I mean, with Transformers, it’s not like fans were going to come back saying, ‘You used the wrong car.’ This, however, is a different story.”
Schwartz also admits that hack director Brett Ratner “didn’t have a lot of credibility going in to the third X-Men movie,” (is this supposed to be to his defense?) and that “Bryan Singer got a free pass on Superman Returns because of his work on X-Men.”
But the question is: Can the guy who created Gossip Girl write a good superhero movie?
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:13 pm
He sounds like a giant hypocrite.
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:13 pm
this guy talks like uwe boll
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Like OMG Iceman is soooo cute. What’s with Kitty being all pregnant and bitchy. I heard that Jean went all psycho and shit last week. What’s her problem?
That day Xaiver blows his brains out to quiet the gossip BS.
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:19 pm
“I mean, with Transformers, it’s not like fans were going to come back saying, ‘You used the wrong car.’ This, however, is a different story.
Mr. Schwartz is in for a rude awakening.
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:22 pm
Burger phones for everyone!
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:25 pm
Has any of you lot actually seen Gossip Girl. It’s a fantastic show which actually handles teen subject matters in a non preachy manner, while providing solid entertainment. It’s also very well written.
So ok, having Josh Schwartz is not a fanboy’s dream, but I think given the teen angle, it definitely could work. He could also explore some new avenues, like social hierarchies within the different X men and also their sexualities on a much deeper level.
Yes, I know it sounds like I am over analysing. But would’nt you like to see the X men formula in a fresh new angle. Or just the same old comic geek wet dream?
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Please no no no no no. Comic book movies need to stick with indy directors like Nolan, Favreu and Singer. Works better that way.
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:41 pm
I mean he created Gossip Girls and he thinks he has credibility ? I mean, yeah, Bret Ratner sucks and I agree with him that The Incredible Hulk looks like it’s gonna suck. Bryan Singer should have completed the X-Men trilogy, but who thinks this clown can do a better job? We’ll have to wait and see…
May 2nd, 2008 at 4:55 pm
Gossip Girl ain’t bad, but going into a comic book movie, such as an X-Men 4 is no small step. His bashing of other directors doesn’t help matters.
Beak is supposed to be in the Wolverine prequel, so maybe they’ll take subject matter from the New X-Men to craft this story. But then again, who knows?
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:07 pm
Umm he did not create gossip girl, he’s just the showrunner for the tv show based on the books. He also is the creator/writer for NBC’s Chuck which is hilarious and awesome. Check it out. He’s fairly talented but does sound like a jerk
here
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:36 pm
I think he’d work great for something like Generation X or New X-Men but the actually students. OC and Chuck are pretty well written. And at least with OC/Chuck it had some more serious drama and action as well. Besides after the 3rd one, why not?
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Yeah, sure, why not?
By the way WTF is a “Gossip Girl”?
May 2nd, 2008 at 5:58 pm
I don’t know if everyone is being hit on the head but I don’t understand why The Incredible Hulk looks bad. I think it’s going to be very good and a lot better than the previous film. Second Schwartz sounds like an asshole when he talks about the other comic movies, like he’s a savior to the comic films. Stick to your O.C. bullshit and we’ll be just fine.
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:16 pm
let’s hope that someday, all the people he trashed are lucky enough to make something as great and dignified as chuck and the oc.
May 2nd, 2008 at 7:41 pm
I like it! The Xavier Institute has always been chock full of interpersonal drama, and few people are better at teen angst than Josh Schwartz. Its true The OC went downhill pretty quickly, but in Season One it was actually a pretty good show– clever, heartfelt, and just cheesy enough. I’d totally watch this movie.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:10 pm
The original Blackbook article has been pulled so maybe this isn’t true???
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:21 pm
The O.C. had a crap ton of comic book references, so he’s worked around people that were into comics, is into them himself, and I’m sure he knows about his subject matter. We’ll see what happens.
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:54 pm
Where’s the full article?
May 2nd, 2008 at 8:57 pm
He may have created Gossip Girls, but he also created Chuck which is a big geek show and one of the best new series of the season. I think it will be an interesting take on X-Men. Good spin off idea I think.
May 3rd, 2008 at 8:59 am
Schwartz did not create Gossip Girl. It was a series of books which he then turned into a tv show and which he now produces. However, he also did the OC and does Chuck. The OC was funny, had good drama, and had tons of comic book references, even some X-Men ones. Chuck is a nice blend of comedy and action as well. I think he’s a great writer and could make a kick-ass movie. It will be hard to be worse than Ratner’s movie.
May 3rd, 2008 at 9:33 am
Josh Schwartz knows comic books. When he was still doing The OC there were tons of comic book references all the time… ANd he knew what he was talking about. The OC is my favorite show all the time with its brilliant writing and filming. Also Gossip Girl is a great show! This guy is on the rise and just needs one superb movie project to get his career really moving
May 3rd, 2008 at 11:52 am
Never have seen gossip girls, but the OC was a terrible hack, melodrama. We should all be concerned.
May 3rd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
umm…why not make X-men 4…with a bighitter screenwrite and director and fix all the crap from X3…with good actors and a good story..
is that like an out-of-the-box idea? it seems RETARDedly simple to me? I should take over the jobs of all the extremely stupid executives making these decisions.
May 3rd, 2008 at 12:28 pm
I have to say Schwartz can definitely make this work. I hate teen shows and they usually ride on a boring template. But I have every season of The OC and though i won’t call it groundbreaking, it does have great stories that a lot of other shows never really grasped or handled poorly. If you watch the 3 first shows of season 4, you will see why Schwartz will work for adapting any X story. I think sometimes people want TV to be like William Shakespeare sometimes. Whats wrong with good mindless fun. Nothing.
May 3rd, 2008 at 12:42 pm
jesuschrist..
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:04 pm
I don’t know. I don’t watch any of the crap this guy has done. Not saying that i don’t watch it because he does it. None of these shows have just ever fit into my TV schedule.
I’ll give him it a chance just like I have every comic movie. After we’ve all seen it, that’s when the fun discussion begins.
May 3rd, 2008 at 2:15 pm
“Working on the screenplay’ doesn’t equal ‘currently in production’.
We can start our griping if and when that happens.
FYI - I’ll be the first.
May 3rd, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Great news. Schwartz is one of the brightest minds in Hollywood. Chuck and Gossip Girl are probably the two best shows on Network Television. With Schwartz I think we will get a script that has a lot more depth and subtlety than the past two X-Men movies.
May 16th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
shut up! the hell i care
June 14th, 2008 at 5:08 am
I don’t think this movie is a good Idea .If he wants to make a good Xmen Movie then go back into the comic books and look for the time when storm became brainwashed an turned against her friends and caused alot of damage in the whole world.Make that into a movie more action .