With Alien: Earth‘s success, Noah Hawley has reclaimed his position as one of the best filmmakers in the sci-fi genre. The series has scored 7.6 out of 10 on IMDb, and has a rating of 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. In fact, Legion, the show he worked on before Alien: Earth, proves that he is the perfect fit for directing Marvel’s X-Men reboot film.
Legion aired for three seasons, from 2017 to 2019, and is hailed as one of the most acclaimed superhero series based on Marvel characters. With his expertise in the sci-fi genre as well as his experience working with mutant characters, Noah Hawley would definitely nail the X-Men movie, should Marvel give him a chance.
Legion Is Not Your Typical Marvel Series
Legion centered on a troubled young man named David Haller, who kept switching psychiatric institutions in hopes of a cure for his dissociative identity disorder. When he meets a fellow patient, Syd Barrett, he realizes that what he has been assuming to be his mental illness is actually his superpower.
Soon, he discovers that Syd is an undercover agent of the mutant refuge organization, Summerland. With Syd and Summerland’s head, Dr. Melanie Bird’s help, he sets out to save the world from some of the most formidable villains.
Legion might have a mutant-based story, but it is unlike any other X-Men project that fans have witnessed before. It uses David’s dissociative identity disorder to keep fans guessing about every single thing that happens. As David learns to take control of his powers, the show draws a fine line between reality and David’s imagination.
The show’s surreal imagery, accompanied by impressive production design, brings Hawley’s wild comic-inspired imagination to life. Instead of taking the action-based narrative route that Marvel typically uses, Hawley chose to structure the show as a mind-bending fantasy.
Legion is a character study, a puzzle box, and a piece of visual art. While its abstract style can be challenging, it’s also what sets the show apart, offering audiences something truly original in a crowded genre. For those willing to embrace its complexity, it is not just another Marvel show; it’s a groundbreaking exploration of power, perception, and self.
While Jake Schreier Directs X-Men Reboot, Noah Hawley Can Revive New Mutants
An X-Men movie is already in the making at Marvel Studios. In August 2025, Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier told Empire that he had already started working on the new X-Men movie, which he finds “very, very exciting.” He also revealed how his experience of working on Thunderbolts* will help him shape his next Marvel movie.
While Schreier is expected to do a great job with the X-Men reboot, Noah Hawley can give a sci-fi horror twist to the mutants’ storyline. The X-Men world has always had room for darker, more unsettling stories. Characters like Magik, Legion, or even horror-inspired teams such as the New Mutants could provide the perfect canvas for Hawley’s signature style.
Hawley’s track record with Legion already shows he can deconstruct the superhero narrative through a surreal and unsettling lens. Pair that with his knack for horror, and the result could be a groundbreaking series or film that redefines what a Marvel spinoff can be.
With Alien: Earth, Hawley showcased an impressive grasp of sci-fi horror, capturing the tension, atmosphere, and psychological dread that define the genre. If there’s anyone who could successfully bring that same energy into Marvel’s mutant universe, it’s Hawley.
Marvel has been searching for ways to expand beyond its traditional formula. A horror-themed mutant project under Hawley’s vision wouldn’t just stand out; it could set the stage for a whole new branch of Marvel storytelling.
Legion and Alien: Earth are available to stream on Hulu.
The X-Men reboot movie does not have a release date yet.