X-Men TV spin-off Legion more to cast

The Hollywood Reporter brings word that the cast of FX’s Legion, a TV spin-off of the X-Men film franchise, has added another member to its cast with newcomer Jeremie Harris (The Get Down, HBO’s Bessie). Harris will take on the role of Ptonomy, described as “an outsider by nature, stand-offish and sardonic who is a former child prodigy who feels trapped in the past.”

Dan Stevens (The Guest) is set to lead the series in the role of David, the son of Charles Xavier. Diagnosed as schizophrenic at a young age, David is a haunted man, trying to find his way back to sanity, but he’s getting tired and is about to give up when he meets the girl of his dreams.

Aubrey Plaza will also appear as Lenny, David’s friend, who despite a life of drugs and alcohol abuse, knows that any day now her life is gonna turn around, which gives Lenny the likeable energy of the impossible optimist despite her rough demeanor. Jean Smart will play Melanie, a nurturing, demanding therapist with a sharp mind and unconventional methods. Rachel Keller also appars as Syd, who uses her sharp and prickly demeanor to protect her soft core, because even though it makes her a sucker and puts her at risk, she still believes in happily ever after.

“It’s conceived more as a standalone,” executive producer Noah Hawley previously said about the show’s connectivity to the X-Men films. “I don’t want to say too much more about it on that level, but certainly it’s not constructed as a back-door anything. It’s more just that there’s a story that I want to explore that has to fit into that larger universe, which is exciting.”

Hawley (“Fargo,” “Bones”) will write the Legion pilot and serve as an Executive Producer along with Lauren Shuler Donner (X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Wolverine), Bryan Singer (X-Men: Days of Future Past, Superman Returns), Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Days of Future Past, The Martain), Jeph Loeb (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Marvel’s Daredevil”), Jim Chory (“Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,” “Marvel’s Daredevil”) and John Cameron (Fargo, The Big Lebowski).

The pilot for Legion will be produced by FX Productions and Marvel Television, with FXP handling the physical production that is set to begin in March.

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