AN: Alright, new week. Hopefully, you'll get 5 chs this week too if I stay in the top 20 Ranking. So, gimme those powerstones.
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[A Few Days Later] [Titan Studios]
Alex sat behind his desk, reading through the early plans for the next phase of Titan's superhero universe.
Iron Man would begin the year, with Alex directing Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark. Zack Snyder's Superman would follow in the middle of 2009, expanding the DC side after Supergirl. The first X-Men movie would arrive during Christmas, giving Titan two Marvel films and one DC film within the same year.
The schedule was ambitious, though Alex had already decided it could be done.
Titan had enough production facilities, experienced crews, and money to run several large projects simultaneously. The Universal Editor also allowed Alex to complete visual effects, editing, sound work, and other difficult post-production tasks without relying on multiple external companies.
Iron Man was already under control.
The larger challenge was finding the right directors for X-Men.
Alex knew the X-Men could become one of Marvel's strongest franchises. The new scripts had everything needed for this film series, including political conflict, discrimination, family drama, personal tragedy, large-scale action, and characters with completely different views about humanity.
He also remembered what happened to the X-Men films in his previous life.
The movies focused so heavily on Wolverine that most of the other characters became secondary. Wolverine was a great character, and Hugh Jackman had played him brilliantly, but the movies constantly pushed Cyclops, Storm, Jean Grey, Rogue, Iceman, Colossus, and several others into the background.
Cyclops never received the respect he deserved as the team's field leader. Storm had the power to control the weather, yet the films rarely showed the true scale of her abilities. Rogue lost most of the strength and confidence that made her memorable in the comics. not to mention her southern accent. Jean Grey's Phoenix storyline was rushed, while many younger mutants appeared for only a few scenes before disappearing again.
Then there were the prequels... X-Men: First Class, where they nerfed everyone to the ground. Havok could've overloaded Shaw with his plasma, even if he was unable to control them. Banshee could have liquified Shaw's organs with sonic waves from a distance. Angel's acid spit could've melted Shaw. The worst of all was Darwin's nerf. Bro got killed by a simple energy push from Shaw. But they kept Shaw as powerful as the comic version. It was like watching a gag character walking and face-slapping everyone.
Alex hated that approach and the movies.
He understood why the filmmakers had done it. Large casts were difficult to manage, powerful characters cost more to animate, and studios believed weaker heroes created more tension. They also had to fit everything inside a limited runtime while dealing with budgets, visual effects deadlines, and nervous executives. Not to mention the script fights between the script writer, director, producers, and the studio. To make everyone happy, they compromised on every end, and the end result was nothing but a sloppy mess.
Did the movies make money? Sure. But they disappointed many hardcore X-Men fans. Had they kept the OG power without the nerf, they would've made even more money, and everyone would have been happy.
Well, Alex didn't have those problems, nor does he plan to nerf the characters and get them killed unnecessarily.
He could hire as many visual effects artists, stunt teams, designers, and technicians as the production needed. He could build larger sets, create better action scenes, and use the Universal Editor to generate high-quality effects without adding years to the schedule.
Nobody would be weakened because the studio wanted to save money.
Storm would control the weather on a scale that made people understand why she had once been worshipped as a goddess. Cyclops would lead the team and use his optic blasts without being treated like an obstacle between Wolverine and Jean. Jean Grey would feel powerful long before the Phoenix became part of the story. Rogue would have abilities and emotional depth closer to her comic version.
Wolverine would still have an important role, though the entire movie wouldn't revolve around him.
The X-Men film would belong to the team.
Every main character would have a purpose in the story, enough screen time to develop, and an important role during the final conflict. The audience would understand why Xavier trusted Cyclops, why Storm believed in his dream, why Jean feared her own potential, and why Magneto believed humanity would eventually turn against mutants.
Alex needed directors who could handle all those characters without losing control of the story.
That was why he chose Joe and Anthony Russo.
In 2008, the brothers weren't known for directing massive superhero films. Their experience came mostly from comedy, television, and smaller productions. Most studio executives wouldn't have considered handing them a project as important as X-Men.
Alex knew what they would become.
In his previous life, the Russo brothers had directed Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. They had managed large casts, major action sequences, emotional storylines, and several connected character arcs inside the same film.
They understood ensemble storytelling.
Civil War had balanced the conflict between Steve Rogers and Tony Stark while still giving several other heroes important moments. Infinity War had brought together characters from different franchises without making the film feel completely disconnected. Endgame had handled an enormous cast while giving its central characters meaningful conclusions.
Alex believed they could do even better with Titan's resources and his guidance.
They wouldn't have to fight the studio over budget limits or remove scenes because visual effects were too expensive or for political reasons. They wouldn't have to weaken the X-Men to make the villains feel dangerous. They would have access to the best crews, the best equipment, and enough time to develop each major character properly.
Rachel had arranged the meeting.
The brothers had only been told that Titan wanted to discuss a major directing opportunity. They hadn't been given the title, budget, or release date. They also had no idea why Alex Wilson had suddenly taken an interest in them.
Alex closed the X-Men file and placed it on the desk.
Everything else was ready.
All Alex had to do was convince the Russo brothers that they were ready for something much larger than anything they had directed before.
A knock came from the office door.
The assistant opened it a moment later...
Joe and Anthony Russo entered the office together, both dressed professionally and carrying the cautious expressions of men who still didn't know why Alex Wilson had called them into Titan Studios.
They had attended difficult studio meetings before, but Titan Studios existed on a different level. Every hallway outside Alex's office had been lined with posters from films that had dominated theaters, awards ceremonies, and public conversation. Spider-Man, Titanic, The Hobbit, The Blind Side, and Maleficent watched them from the walls like reminders of the standard attached to everything produced under Alex Wilson's name.
Alex could see the tension in their shoulders before they reached his desk.
He rose and shook their hands before gesturing toward the chairs across from his desk. Rachel sat quietly on the couch near the windows, sorting through several documents without joining the conversation. She just glanced up once before returning to her work.
"Thanks for coming," Alex said as he returned to his seat. "I know Rachel didn't give you much information."
Joe sat down beside Anthony. "We were told it involved a directing opportunity."
"That's correct," Alex replied. "Before I tell you anything else, I need both of you to sign confidentiality agreements."
He slid two short documents across the desk. The brothers read them carefully, checking the terms before signing their names. Alex waited until Rachel collected the agreements and placed them with the other documents.
Only then did he open the folder in front of him and turn it around.
The silver X-Men logo was printed across the cover.
'Holy crap!' Joe stared at it for several seconds before looking up. "You want us to direct X-Men?"
Alex nodded. "Titan is preparing the first live-action X-Men movie for Christmas 2009. I wrote the screenplay, and the larger franchise direction is already planned."
Anthony glanced toward his brother, then back at Alex. "Why us?"
"You understand ensemble storytelling," Alex said. "The X-Men can't work if the film loses control of the group. Every major character needs a purpose, and the team has to feel like a team instead of one hero surrounded by background players."
Joe leaned forward slightly. "You realize we haven't directed anything close to this scale."
"I do," Alex replied. "Technical experience can be supported by strong department heads, experienced crews, and proper preparation. However, managing several characters while keeping their emotions grounded is tougher to find. Plus, at some point, you have to take that big step. So, why not do it now?"
Anthony studied the X-Men logo again. "What kind of production are you planning?"
"A large one," Alex said. "Titan will provide every department you need, including visual effects, stunt coordination, costume development, set construction, previsualization, and experienced second-unit teams. You won't be asked to weaken the film because an effects sequence costs too much."
Joe looked at him carefully. "How much creative control would we have?"
"You'd direct the film," Alex replied. "Performance, staging, visual style, pacing, and execution would be your responsibility. The screenplay, continuity, and long-term franchise foundations would stay under my oversight. Any changes would be discussed before they reached production."
Anthony rested his hands together as he considered the offer. "Have you already selected the cast?"
Alex replied, "I got some talents in mind, but the main casting will begin once the directors are confirmed, and you'll be part of that process."
The brothers exchanged another look. The opportunity was clearly larger than either of them had expected when they entered the building. And Alex is right... They gotta take that big step someday. But still...
Joe finally spoke. "We're interested, but we can't give you an answer today."
"I wasn't expecting one," Alex replied. "This is a massive commitment, and you should understand exactly what you're taking on before accepting it."
Anthony nodded. "We'd need to review the production plan and talk through the responsibilities between ourselves. Also, do our side of research on X-Men characters."
Alex slid a smaller briefing folder across the desk. It contained the proposed schedule, production structure, general tone, and broad character list, though the screenplay itself remained locked away.
"Take this with you," Alex said. "It doesn't contain the script or any sensitive story details. It'll give you enough information for you to do your research and decide whether you want a second meeting."
Joe picked up the folder. "How much time do we have?"
"Take a week or two," Alex replied. "Call my office when you've made your decision. If you're still interested, we'll move forward with contracts and full access to the screenplay."
The brothers stood, and Alex rose with them.
"We appreciate the offer," Anthony said as he shook Alex's hand. "Whatever we decide, we understand how significant this is."
"That's all I need from you right now," Alex replied.
Joe shook his hand next, holding the briefing folder beneath his other arm. "We'll contact you soon."
Alex watched them leave the office before returning to his chair.
They hadn't accepted, but they hadn't walked away either.
But Alex knew they would come back because they always do, and he also planted a small seed of excitement in their heart: Take the big step.
--[Spoilers> Upcoming chs names. Click to read.][1]
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[7 advance chs] [All chs available for all tiers] + [Streamer in Modern Family> 23 chs> All chs available for all tiers]
[1] Ch: 323 [Emma and Storm: Roleplay] Ch: 324 [A night filled with lust] [Vol-4 END] Ch: 325 [Supergirl Released] [Vol- 5: Start] Ch: 326 [Twins] Ch: 327 [Two Little Heirs] Ch: 328 [Asher's Birthday & Nacho, a Flerken?! Nah!] Ch: 329 [New projects, Harem Quest & awesome reward]