3) X-Factor
From the Comics: Jamie Madrox, known as the superhero Multiple Man, opens a private detective agency dedicated to helping mutants in need of a little assistance that they can’t get from the police or other obvious agencies due to mutant bias. Uniquely equipped, Madrox can create duplicates of himself that can go anywhere, see everything, get clues, and learn new skills that can then be transferred to the original. Madrox is helped on cases by former teammates Guido “Strong Guy” Carosella and Rahne “Wolfsbane” Sinclair.
Connection to the Film Series: The X-Men films are more or less about the big battles between mutant factions for the fate of the world, so wouldn’t it be interesting to explore the everyday street level concerns of your average mutant on the street? Astute fans will remember that Multiple Man appeared in the often criticized X-Men: The Last Stand, but this wouldn’t be the first time that the events of that movie have been retconned to suit better storytelling.
Adaptation: Amongst the various plots of 50 years worth of X-Men comics is the government’s attempt to have their own mutant team, and Multiple Man, Strong Guy and Wolfsbane were part of one such effort. Some pretty powerful social commentary can be made there about how mutants might feel used, and how these mutants might feel like they’re being used as symbols for a government that really, actually, hates them. In the process, the filmmakers can focus on a smaller, character-driven movie that’s more film noir than action blockbuster, and use all the tools both thematic and narrative that have already been given through the previous X-films. Naturally, there could also be room for a cameo or two.
