Tim Miller Talks X-Men Dreams, So-Called Superhero Fatigue, and the Legacy of Deadpool

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly a decade since Deadpool first stunned audiences after a long road to getting made. That moment ignited a franchise that helped to change the superhero landscape forever.

Since then, Miller has stayed busy. He’s earned critical acclaim with the amazing animated anthology Love, Death + Robots on Netflix (check it out!) and Secret Level for Prime Video. But as “superhero fatigue” becomes a growing topic in Hollywood, Miller believes there’s still untapped potential in the genre, especially from a certain corner of the Marvel Universe.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter while promoting his latest project, Miller revealed his deep affection for the X-Men, calling them his “gateway” into comics and his favorite characters.

“Marvel still has this ace up their sleeve, the X-Men,” Miller said. “That’s the part of the universe that drew me in as a fan. I even had an X-Men film in development at Fox before the Disney merger happened. It was based on X-Men #143 — imagine Home Alone meets Alien.”

Published in 1981, X-Men #143 is a solo adventure featuring Kitty Pryde, one of the youngest members of the X-Men. Set on Christmas Eve, the issue follows Kitty as she’s left alone in the X-Mansion for the first time, only to face off against a deadly alien creature. Written by Chris Claremont and drawn by John Byrne, the issue blends horror and superhero storytelling.

Miller said he has reached out to Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige to express his interest in the franchise: “If there’s anything I could do in the Marvel Universe, it would be the X-Men.”

That said, Miller also has love for DC’s edgier titles. He mentioned a particular interest in The Authority, a darker, more morally complex take on superhero teams. “It’s like the Justice League if they weren’t afraid to kill. There are still so many fresh stories left to tell.”

Reflecting on his contributions to the genre, Miller remains humble about his impact on the success of Deadpool, including the recently released third installment, Deadpool & Wolverine.

“I know I’ve been credited more than fairly,” he said. “I’ve been the luckiest nerd on Earth. Ryan Reynolds absolutely crushed it. I never expected to even direct a feature film, let alone one as successful as Deadpool.”

Source: The Hollywood Reporter