Tag: Fx Networks

FX Networks to Receive DGA’s Diversity Award

FX Networks will receive the Directors Guild of America’s 2019 Diversity Award, DGA president Thomas Schlamme announced on Thursday.

FX is receiving the award due to the network’s commitment to inclusive hiring in DGA-covered categories, according to the Guild. The award will be presented at the 71st annual DGA Awards on Feb. 2, 2019.

“The DGA Diversity Award is a rare honor, given only when exceptional leadership in inclusive hiring is exhibited – and today, FX embodies the spirit of this special award,” said Schlamme. “Just three short years ago, FX made a promise to transform themselves from a network that trailed behind in the area of director diversity, to one that blazed a new trail. In the time since, they’ve gone above and beyond to turn words into action. From CEO John Landgraf to all corners of the network, status quo hiring practices were overhauled into expansive searches for talented women directors and directors of color. By chipping away barriers for talent to be discovered, FX not only impacted the careers of diverse directors, they also enhanced the quality of their shows. FX is an extraordinary advocate for inclusion throughout our industry, and a shining example of how an institution can change its culture. We are very proud to recognize them with the DGA’s Diversity Award.”

Also Read: Director’s Guild of America Reports Increase in Female and Minority TV Directors

In the most recent TV season, 52.6 percent of the network’s roster of directors were women and people of color.

The DGA Diversity Award has only been given out five previous times: In 1997 to Bruce Paltrow, John Wells and Christopher Chulack; in 1999 to Steven Bochco; in 2000 to HBO; in 2005 to Stephen McPherson; and in 2014 to Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers.

Also Read: 41 Percent of First-Time TV Directors Were Women Last Season, DGA Study Finds

The recipient is selected by the Guild’s Diversity Task Force and was unanimously approved by the National Board.

Related stories from TheWrap:

More Than Half of 2019 Sundance Dramatic Competition Films Have Female Directors

Jason Blum Apologizes for ‘Dumb Comments’ About Lack of Female Directors

Director’s Guild of America Reports Increase in Female and Minority TV Directors

FX Networks will receive the Directors Guild of America’s 2019 Diversity Award, DGA president Thomas Schlamme announced on Thursday.

FX is receiving the award due to the network’s commitment to inclusive hiring in DGA-covered categories, according to the Guild. The award will be presented at the 71st annual DGA Awards on Feb. 2, 2019.

“The DGA Diversity Award is a rare honor, given only when exceptional leadership in inclusive hiring is exhibited – and today, FX embodies the spirit of this special award,” said Schlamme. “Just three short years ago, FX made a promise to transform themselves from a network that trailed behind in the area of director diversity, to one that blazed a new trail. In the time since, they’ve gone above and beyond to turn words into action. From CEO John Landgraf to all corners of the network, status quo hiring practices were overhauled into expansive searches for talented women directors and directors of color. By chipping away barriers for talent to be discovered, FX not only impacted the careers of diverse directors, they also enhanced the quality of their shows. FX is an extraordinary advocate for inclusion throughout our industry, and a shining example of how an institution can change its culture. We are very proud to recognize them with the DGA’s Diversity Award.”

Also Read: Director's Guild of America Reports Increase in Female and Minority TV Directors

In the most recent TV season, 52.6 percent of the network’s roster of directors were women and people of color.

The DGA Diversity Award has only been given out five previous times: In 1997 to Bruce Paltrow, John Wells and Christopher Chulack; in 1999 to Steven Bochco; in 2000 to HBO; in 2005 to Stephen McPherson; and in 2014 to Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers.

Also Read: 41 Percent of First-Time TV Directors Were Women Last Season, DGA Study Finds

The recipient is selected by the Guild’s Diversity Task Force and was unanimously approved by the National Board.

Related stories from TheWrap:

More Than Half of 2019 Sundance Dramatic Competition Films Have Female Directors

Jason Blum Apologizes for 'Dumb Comments' About Lack of Female Directors

Director's Guild of America Reports Increase in Female and Minority TV Directors

FX Networks To Receive DGA Diversity Award: “An Extraordinary Advocate For Inclusion”

The company behind such series as Atlanta, Pose, Mayans M.C. and Snowfall is set to receive the 2019 DGA Diversity Award. FX Networks will receive the honor — which has been bestowed only a handful of times in the DGA Awards’ long history &…

The company behind such series as Atlanta, Pose, Mayans M.C. and Snowfall is set to receive the 2019 DGA Diversity Award. FX Networks will receive the honor — which has been bestowed only a handful of times in the DGA Awards’ long history — during the guild’s trophy show next year. The Diversity Award recognizes the network's commitment to, and leadership in, inclusive hiring in DGA-covered categories and the example it sets for the rest of the industry, the guild said…

‘Broad City’ Co-Creator Abbi Jacobson: FX Passed Because Series Was ‘Too Girly’

Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer’s “Broad City” and Comedy Central may seem like a match made in heaven — except the cabler wasn’t the first network to take interest in the co-creators’ show.

According to Jacobson, that was FX. In her new book, “I Might Regret This,” the actress reveals the reason she thinks the female-led comedy was never picked up by the network, which she says originally bought the show’s script and handed it a pilot order: the cabler’s male chief thought it was “too girly.”

“After we got to a place we all felt good, it was handed up to the man in charge, the man we never met, the man at the top. He’d probably never heard of us, the show, or the year we’d been in development, and he wasn’t into it,” Jacobson wrote of her time spent preparing with partner Glazer and Amy Poehler — who signed on to executive produce. “It was, as we were told, ‘too girly.’ So, they passed. We were devastated. This thing that was once so far-fetched has actually started to come to fruition, and then was abruptly taken away.”

Also Read: ‘Broad City’: Final Season Premiere Date Set for Abbi Jacobson-Ilana Glazer Comedy (Video)

The man Jacobson is seemingly referring to here is FX Networks CEO, John Landgraf, who has been at the helm of the cabler since 2013 and would have been “the man at the top” at the time Jacobson and Glazer were developing the series.

When reached for comment by TheWrap, an FX spokesman said the network never ordered a pilot for “Broad City,” and only ordered a script development. There was no further comment regarding who Jacobson is referencing in her book.

Ultimately “Broad City” did find its way to Comedy Central, where it is about to enter its fifth and final season. And Jacobson says that deal was struck thanks to a lot of help from Poehler. But that doesn’t mean FX’s comments didn’t made her rethink whether or not her and Glazer’s show was meant to be at all.

Also Read: ‘Broad City’ Stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson Tease a ‘Lot of Growth’ in Final Season

“Call me crazy, or naive, but this seems counterintuitive, outdated, and like a complete waste of time,” Jacobson wrote. “Do I sound annoyed or heated by this snub, over six years later? Maybe, but because I’ve been in the game a minute now and it keeps happening like that. Development for development’s sake. Hard work kept at a certain level, aimed and focused in the direction of what the big boss’s reaction might be. All to please one person. I suppose that’s the vision of any given network, but that’s a tough battle to win.”

The fifth and final season of “Broad City” will premiere on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019 on Comedy Central.

Related stories from TheWrap:

‘Broad City’: Final Season Premiere Date Set for Abbi Jacobson-Ilana Glazer Comedy (Video)

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Latina Socialist With ‘Broad City’ Endorsement, Scores Stunning Upset Win

‘Broad City’ Stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson Tease a ‘Lot of Growth’ in Final Season

‘Broad City’ Stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson Portraits (Exclusive Photos)

Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer’s “Broad City” and Comedy Central may seem like a match made in heaven — except the cabler wasn’t the first network to take interest in the co-creators’ show.

According to Jacobson, that was FX. In her new book, “I Might Regret This,” the actress reveals the reason she thinks the female-led comedy was never picked up by the network, which she says originally bought the show’s script and handed it a pilot order: the cabler’s male chief thought it was “too girly.”

“After we got to a place we all felt good, it was handed up to the man in charge, the man we never met, the man at the top. He’d probably never heard of us, the show, or the year we’d been in development, and he wasn’t into it,” Jacobson wrote of her time spent preparing with partner Glazer and Amy Poehler — who signed on to executive produce. “It was, as we were told, ‘too girly.’ So, they passed. We were devastated. This thing that was once so far-fetched has actually started to come to fruition, and then was abruptly taken away.”

Also Read: 'Broad City': Final Season Premiere Date Set for Abbi Jacobson-Ilana Glazer Comedy (Video)

The man Jacobson is seemingly referring to here is FX Networks CEO, John Landgraf, who has been at the helm of the cabler since 2013 and would have been “the man at the top” at the time Jacobson and Glazer were developing the series.

When reached for comment by TheWrap, an FX spokesman said the network never ordered a pilot for “Broad City,” and only ordered a script development. There was no further comment regarding who Jacobson is referencing in her book.

Ultimately “Broad City” did find its way to Comedy Central, where it is about to enter its fifth and final season. And Jacobson says that deal was struck thanks to a lot of help from Poehler. But that doesn’t mean FX’s comments didn’t made her rethink whether or not her and Glazer’s show was meant to be at all.

Also Read: 'Broad City' Stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson Tease a 'Lot of Growth' in Final Season

“Call me crazy, or naive, but this seems counterintuitive, outdated, and like a complete waste of time,” Jacobson wrote. “Do I sound annoyed or heated by this snub, over six years later? Maybe, but because I’ve been in the game a minute now and it keeps happening like that. Development for development’s sake. Hard work kept at a certain level, aimed and focused in the direction of what the big boss’s reaction might be. All to please one person. I suppose that’s the vision of any given network, but that’s a tough battle to win.”

The fifth and final season of “Broad City” will premiere on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2019 on Comedy Central.

Related stories from TheWrap:

'Broad City': Final Season Premiere Date Set for Abbi Jacobson-Ilana Glazer Comedy (Video)

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Latina Socialist With 'Broad City' Endorsement, Scores Stunning Upset Win

'Broad City' Stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson Tease a 'Lot of Growth' in Final Season

'Broad City' Stars Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobson Portraits (Exclusive Photos)

FX Networks & BBC Extend Content Deal; U.S. Outlet Gets First Primary UK Home For Its Shows

The BBC and FX Networks have expanded their content deal, giving original series from the U.S. broadcaster a primary home in the UK for the first time.
The deal extends the relationship between the BBC and FX, which co-produce the Tom Hardy-led drama s…

The BBC and FX Networks have expanded their content deal, giving original series from the U.S. broadcaster a primary home in the UK for the first time. The deal extends the relationship between the BBC and FX, which co-produce the Tom Hardy-led drama series Taboo. It also gives the BBC rights to Devs, the UK-produced tech thriller from Ex Machina‘s Alex Garland, and Ryan Murphy’s 1980s-set rookie drama Pose. Also headed across the pond are FX series including Mayans M.C.…

FX Networks Sets Broad Series Output Deal With BBC

FX Networks has set a broad series licensing deal with the BBC, marking the first time the cabler has had a single network home for its shows in the U.K. market. The three-year pact covers all new FX scripted series coming down the pike, and it extends…

FX Networks has set a broad series licensing deal with the BBC, marking the first time the cabler has had a single network home for its shows in the U.K. market. The three-year pact covers all new FX scripted series coming down the pike, and it extends to some of this year’s buzzy newcomers such […]

Peter Rice, Dana Walden to Lead Disney-ABC’s TV Networks and Studio After Fox Deal Closes

Peter Rice and Dana Walden will lead Disney-ABC’s TV networks and studio after the Fox acquisition closes, the Walt Disney Company said on Monday. Under them, John Landgraf and Gary E. Knell will serve as chairmen of FX and Nat Geo Partners.

Ben Sherwood, the co-chair of Disney Media Networks and the president of the Disney-ABC Television Group, will remain in his role until the Fox deal is finished. We learned last month that he would be leaving.

The 21st Century Fox executives selected to move over to the high-level Disney roles are not unexpected — but they are very noteworthy and important promotions.

Also Read: Nick Cannon Is Developing a Weekly Late-Night Show at Fox

Rice is currently president of 21st Century Fox and chairman and CEO of Fox Networks Group. Walden currently oversees Fox’s broadcast network and its studio with partner Gary Newman, who is expected to stay put. Knell is currently president and CEO of the National Geographic Society; Landgraf is CEO for the FX networks and its studio.

Soon, Walden, Landgraf and Knell will report to Rice — as will Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer of Disney Channels Worldwide. James Goldston, the president of ABC News, will also report in to Rice, who himself reports directly to Bob Iger.

Here is the list of Walden’s direct reports:
– Channing Dungey, president, ABC Entertainment
– Patrick Moran, president, ABC Studios
– Jonathan Davis and Howard Kurtzman, presidents of Twentieth Century Fox Television
– Bert Salke, president, Fox 21 Television Studios
– Tom Ascheim, president, Freeform
– Wendy McMahon, president, ABC Owned Television Stations Group

Also Read: Hope Hicks Hired as New Fox’s Chief Communications Officer

“The strength of 21st Century Fox’s first-class management talent has always been a compelling part of this opportunity for us,” said Iger, the chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “Upon completion of the acquisition, this new structure positions these proven leaders to help drive maximum value from a greatly enhanced portfolio of incredible brands and businesses.”

“I want to personally thank Ben Sherwood for his years of service at ABC and Disney,” he added. “Ben has been a valued colleague, and I deeply appreciate his many contributions and insights, as well as his professionalism and cooperation in this transition.”

“I love making television and have been fortunate to work with incredibly talented executives and storytellers,” Rice said. “Disney is the world’s preeminent creative company, and I look forward to working for Bob, and with his exceptional leadership team, to build on that amazing legacy. I also want to thank Rupert, Lachlan and James Murdoch for the privilege of working on such a wide array of movies and television, both entertainment and sports. It has been a wonderful thirty years.”

Related stories from TheWrap:

Janelle Monáe Joins Voice Cast of Disney’s ‘Lady and the Tramp’ Reboot

‘Star Wars’: Jon Favreau Releases First Details About TV Show for Disney Streaming Service

‘Aladdin’ Producers Set ‘Lilo & Stitch’ Live-Action Remake at Disney

Rupert Murdoch and Sons Pay Soars as Fox-Disney Deal Awaits Completion

Peter Rice and Dana Walden will lead Disney-ABC’s TV networks and studio after the Fox acquisition closes, the Walt Disney Company said on Monday. Under them, John Landgraf and Gary E. Knell will serve as chairmen of FX and Nat Geo Partners.

Ben Sherwood, the co-chair of Disney Media Networks and the president of the Disney-ABC Television Group, will remain in his role until the Fox deal is finished. We learned last month that he would be leaving.

The 21st Century Fox executives selected to move over to the high-level Disney roles are not unexpected — but they are very noteworthy and important promotions.

Also Read: Nick Cannon Is Developing a Weekly Late-Night Show at Fox

Rice is currently president of 21st Century Fox and chairman and CEO of Fox Networks Group. Walden currently oversees Fox’s broadcast network and its studio with partner Gary Newman, who is expected to stay put. Knell is currently president and CEO of the National Geographic Society; Landgraf is CEO for the FX networks and its studio.

Soon, Walden, Landgraf and Knell will report to Rice — as will Gary Marsh, president and chief creative officer of Disney Channels Worldwide. James Goldston, the president of ABC News, will also report in to Rice, who himself reports directly to Bob Iger.

Here is the list of Walden’s direct reports:
– Channing Dungey, president, ABC Entertainment
- Patrick Moran, president, ABC Studios
- Jonathan Davis and Howard Kurtzman, presidents of Twentieth Century Fox Television
- Bert Salke, president, Fox 21 Television Studios
– Tom Ascheim, president, Freeform
- Wendy McMahon, president, ABC Owned Television Stations Group

Also Read: Hope Hicks Hired as New Fox's Chief Communications Officer

“The strength of 21st Century Fox’s first-class management talent has always been a compelling part of this opportunity for us,” said Iger, the chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “Upon completion of the acquisition, this new structure positions these proven leaders to help drive maximum value from a greatly enhanced portfolio of incredible brands and businesses.”

“I want to personally thank Ben Sherwood for his years of service at ABC and Disney,” he added. “Ben has been a valued colleague, and I deeply appreciate his many contributions and insights, as well as his professionalism and cooperation in this transition.”

“I love making television and have been fortunate to work with incredibly talented executives and storytellers,” Rice said. “Disney is the world’s preeminent creative company, and I look forward to working for Bob, and with his exceptional leadership team, to build on that amazing legacy. I also want to thank Rupert, Lachlan and James Murdoch for the privilege of working on such a wide array of movies and television, both entertainment and sports. It has been a wonderful thirty years.”

Related stories from TheWrap:

Janelle Monáe Joins Voice Cast of Disney's 'Lady and the Tramp' Reboot

'Star Wars': Jon Favreau Releases First Details About TV Show for Disney Streaming Service

'Aladdin' Producers Set 'Lilo & Stitch' Live-Action Remake at Disney

Rupert Murdoch and Sons Pay Soars as Fox-Disney Deal Awaits Completion

TV News Roundup: ‘Power’ Finale Sees High Ratings for Starz

In today’s TV roundup Endemol Shine North America and Essence Communications signed a deal to develop a new daytime television program and FX Networks launched a new blog. DEALS Endemol Shine North America and Essence Communications have signed a…

In today’s TV roundup Endemol Shine North America and Essence Communications signed a deal to develop a new daytime television program and FX Networks launched a new blog. DEALS Endemol Shine North America and Essence Communications have signed a deal to develop a daytime television program based on the women’s media brand. The two companies are […]

Ryan Murphy Joins ‘Pose’ Cast And Producers To Talk “Cathartic” Launch, Madonna Mojo, ‘Rub & Tug’ Fallout – TCA

Producer Ryan Murphy and the creative team behind Pose put an exclamation mark at the end of FX’s day at TCA summer press tour with a panel taking stock of the show’s pioneering first season and its direction from here.
Writers are beginnin…

Producer Ryan Murphy and the creative team behind Pose put an exclamation mark at the end of FX’s day at TCA summer press tour with a panel taking stock of the show’s pioneering first season and its direction from here. Writers are beginning work next month on the second season of Pose, which broke ground by featuring transgender writers, producers and lead actors. Season 2, slated for 2019, will jump ahead to 1989 from Season 1’s end in 1988 and culminate in March 1990…

Kurt Sutter & ‘Mayans M.C.’ Team On Diving Deeper Into Outlaw Depths In FX’s ‘Sons Of Anarchy’ Spinoff – TCA

Mayans M.C. cast member Edward James Olmos, a longtime advocate for onscreen diversity, says FX’s Sons of Anarchy spinoff “is going to move the needle” in terms of how Latino characters are depicted.
During a panel at TCA summer press…

Mayans M.C. cast member Edward James Olmos, a longtime advocate for onscreen diversity, says FX’s Sons of Anarchy spinoff “is going to move the needle” in terms of how Latino characters are depicted. During a panel at TCA summer press tour, the star predicted that the show will break through because it unflinchingly explores gritty and topical themes including border security. “A good news newspaper, you couldn’t give it away,” Olmos said. “But this thing is going to go…

Jessica Lange Back For ‘American Horror Story: Apocalypse’ – TCA

The name of the next American Horror Story iteration, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, is literal, EP ALexis Martin Woodall said at TCA panel on the latest season of the anthology horror hit.
“The story begins with the end of the world, and the…

The name of the next American Horror Story iteration, American Horror Story: Apocalypse, is literal, EP ALexis Martin Woodall said at TCA panel on the latest season of the anthology horror hit. “The story begins with the end of the world, and then our world begins” she smiled. And, Jessica Lange is returning, Sarah Paulson revealed to TV critics who lapped it up.  Lange is returning as Constance in Episode 6, which Paulson said she is going to direct. Woodall said…

‘It’s Always Sunny’ Cast On Mac’s Gay Pride Dance Sequence, “Massive Response” From LGBTQ Viewers – TCA

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-creator and star Rob McElhenney said a “massive” show of enthusiasm from LGBTQ viewers to his character, Mac, coming out as gay last season helped the show lean into the storyline in the upcoming S…

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-creator and star Rob McElhenney said a “massive” show of enthusiasm from LGBTQ viewers to his character, Mac, coming out as gay last season helped the show lean into the storyline in the upcoming Season 13. The session devoted to the show during TCA summer press tour tweaked the usual tour format. It began with the cast doing an amusingly high-spirited “table read” from the script of an upcoming episode titled “Mac Finds His Pride.” A…

‘You’re The Worst’ Gang Gets Emotional Over ‘Wistful’ Final Season At TCA

Fifth and final season of FXX’s You’re The Worst has been “very wistful” star Chris Geere told TV critics at TCA.
And series creator Stephen Falk noted that people started asking how it would end around Season 3. He joked about hoping to “stick t…

Fifth and final season of FXX’s You're The Worst has been "very wistful" star Chris Geere told TV critics at TCA. And series creator Stephen Falk noted that people started asking how it would end around Season 3. He joked about hoping to "stick the landing," and how much he hated Breaking Bad for having done it so perfectly, and making that phrase a thing. Falk’s goal is for the season to end in an "organic way"…"playing with the idea of commitment and what that means and…

FX Orders ‘Shōgun’ Limited Series Based On James Clavell Novel – TCA

FX is bringing back Shōgun to the small screen. In what the network describes as In its largest international scale production to date, it has given a 10-episode order to a limited series period drama based on James Clavell’s best-selling novel. …

FX is bringing back Shōgun to the small screen. In what the network describes as In its largest international scale production to date, it has given a 10-episode order to a limited series period drama based on James Clavell’s best-selling novel. The book previously spawned a miniseries on NBC, which aired over five nights in 1980, starring Richard Chamberlain, Toshiro Mifune and Yoko Shimada, earning multiple Emmys, Golden Globes and a Peabody award. The FX series has had…

FX Picks Up Tech Thriller ‘Devs’ To Series; Sonoya Mizuno & Nick Offerman To Lead Cast – TCA

FX has given a series order to Devs, a drama from Alex Garland, the award-winning writer-director of sci-fi thriller Ex Machina, DNA TV and Scott Rudin Productions, and set the cast. Sonoya Mizuno (Ex Machina, Maniac, Crazy Rich Asians), Nick Offerman …

FX has given a series order to Devs, a drama from Alex Garland, the award-winning writer-director of sci-fi thriller Ex Machina, DNA TV and Scott Rudin Productions, and set the cast. Sonoya Mizuno (Ex Machina, Maniac, Crazy Rich Asians), Nick Offerman (Fargo, Parks and Recreation) Jin Ha (Jesus Christ Superstar Live) , Zach Grenier (The Good Wife, Deadwood), Stephen McKinley Henderson (Ladybird, Fences), Cailee Spaeny (Bad Times at the El Royale, On the Basis of Sex) and…

‘Fargo’ Season 4 Is Happening With Chris Rock Starring – TCA

Fargo creator Noah Hawley, as he promised, has found a date on his calendar and is moving forward with a fourth season of his Emmy-winning series toplined by Chris Rock who’ll play the head of a crime family. FX Networks and Productions CEO John …

Fargo creator Noah Hawley, as he promised, has found a date on his calendar and is moving forward with a fourth season of his Emmy-winning series toplined by Chris Rock who’ll play the head of a crime family. FX Networks and Productions CEO John Landgraf announced the news today at TCA. Series EP Warren Littlefield told Deadline back in June that they have a city and year for season 4, and as unveiled today that’s 1950, Kansas City, Missouri. Littlefield also told us that…

FX Networks Names Christine Shaw SVP Communications

Veteran publicity and marketing executive Christine Shaw has been named Senior Vice President of Communications for FX Networks. In her new role, Shaw will be responsible for strategy and oversight of the network and studio’s corporate communications, …

Veteran publicity and marketing executive Christine Shaw has been named Senior Vice President of Communications for FX Networks. In her new role, Shaw will be responsible for strategy and oversight of the network and studio's corporate communications, trade advertising, talent relations, events, awards campaigns and public affairs. She will report to John Solberg, Executive Vice President of Communications, FX Networks and FX Productions. "Christine has an outstanding…

Michelle Williams, Sam Rockwell to Star in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s FX Limited Series ‘Fosse/Verdon’

FX has greenlit “Fosse/Verdon,” an eight-episode limited series from Lin-Manuel Miranda and “Hamilton” director Thomas Kail, starring Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams, Nick Grad and Eric Schrier, the Presidents of Original Programming for FX Networks and FX Productions, announced Tuesday.

The eight-episode limited series is based on Sam Wasson’s “Fosse” biography and tells the story of the singular romantic and creative partnership between Bob Fosse (Rockwell) and Gwen Verdon (Williams). He was a visionary filmmaker and one of theater’s most influential choreographers and directors, she was the greatest Broadway dancer of all time. Together they changed the face of American entertainment – at a perilous cost. FX announced the show will feature Fosse’s choreography and explore the hidden corners of show business, the price of pursuing greatness, and the suffering inflicted in the name of art.

Kail, Miranda, Rockwell, Williams, Steven Levenson and George Stelzner will all executive produce the series, which hails from Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions. Levenson, will serve as showrunner and wrote the premiere episode, which will be directed by Kail. Actress, dancer and producer Nicole Fosse — the daughter of Fosse and Verdon — will serve as co-executive producer and oversees The Verdon Fosse Legacy. Co-producer Andy Blankenbuehler is the show’s choreographer.

Also Read: ‘Pose’ Producer Janet Mock Talks Groundbreaking FX Drama, Looks Ahead to Season 2

“My mother and father have one of the greatest love stories ever known,” Nicole Fosse said. “They were extremely complex people with an indestructible bond, loyalty, and trust that endured both fantasy and reality. Finally, we have a creative team with the talent and wisdom to tell the story.”

“Bob Fosse ignited a revolution in American dance, theater, and film,” Kail, Levenson and Miranda added. “But, in contrast to the well-worn myth of the visionary artist working in solitude, Fosse’s work would not have been possible without Gwen Verdon, the woman who helped to mold his style – and make him a star. We are honored to work with the incredible team at FX and Fox 21, and these two extraordinary actors, to tell the story of this remarkable couple, and the complicated, fascinating relationship between them.”

“Fosse/Verdon” marks the first big limited series FX has locked down since it was announced Ryan Murphy (the prolific producer behind the majority of their limited series) is exiting his overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV for a $300 million pact with Netflix.

Also Read: Ryan Murphy’s Netflix Comedy ‘The Politician’ Casts Zoey Deutch

“We are over the moon about this dream team we’ve assembled for this incredible series,” said Grad. “Tommy, Steven, and Lin are the perfect team to tell the story of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon, and we’re so thrilled to have Sam and Michelle playing these iconic roles.”

“Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon’s story is one of a fascinating, passionate love affair that gave birth to some truly remarkable cultural achievements, and to this day it has been largely untold,” Bert Salke, President of Fox 21 Television Studios, added. “In the capable hands of Steven, Tommy and Lin, with the vital creative input and imprimatur of their only daughter Nicole, this series is going to be a compelling look at these two icons as portrayed by the enormously talented Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams. We’re very excited.”

Production on “Fosse/Verdon” will begin in the fall, with a series debut scheduled for 2019.

Related stories from TheWrap:

Ryan Murphy’s Netflix Comedy ‘The Politician’ Casts Zoey Deutch

‘Pose’ Breakout Billy Porter Says Ryan Murphy Series Taught Him to ‘Dream the Impossible’

James Van Der Beek Was Originally Supposed to Play Donald Trump on Ryan Murphy’s ‘Pose’

Greg Berlanti Signs Ryan Murphy-Esque Mega-Deal With Warner Bros. TV

FX has greenlit “Fosse/Verdon,” an eight-episode limited series from Lin-Manuel Miranda and “Hamilton” director Thomas Kail, starring Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams, Nick Grad and Eric Schrier, the Presidents of Original Programming for FX Networks and FX Productions, announced Tuesday.

The eight-episode limited series is based on Sam Wasson’s “Fosse” biography and tells the story of the singular romantic and creative partnership between Bob Fosse (Rockwell) and Gwen Verdon (Williams). He was a visionary filmmaker and one of theater’s most influential choreographers and directors, she was the greatest Broadway dancer of all time. Together they changed the face of American entertainment – at a perilous cost. FX announced the show will feature Fosse’s choreography and explore the hidden corners of show business, the price of pursuing greatness, and the suffering inflicted in the name of art.

Kail, Miranda, Rockwell, Williams, Steven Levenson and George Stelzner will all executive produce the series, which hails from Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions. Levenson, will serve as showrunner and wrote the premiere episode, which will be directed by Kail. Actress, dancer and producer Nicole Fosse — the daughter of Fosse and Verdon — will serve as co-executive producer and oversees The Verdon Fosse Legacy. Co-producer Andy Blankenbuehler is the show’s choreographer.

Also Read: 'Pose' Producer Janet Mock Talks Groundbreaking FX Drama, Looks Ahead to Season 2

“My mother and father have one of the greatest love stories ever known,” Nicole Fosse said. “They were extremely complex people with an indestructible bond, loyalty, and trust that endured both fantasy and reality. Finally, we have a creative team with the talent and wisdom to tell the story.”

“Bob Fosse ignited a revolution in American dance, theater, and film,” Kail, Levenson and Miranda added. “But, in contrast to the well-worn myth of the visionary artist working in solitude, Fosse’s work would not have been possible without Gwen Verdon, the woman who helped to mold his style – and make him a star. We are honored to work with the incredible team at FX and Fox 21, and these two extraordinary actors, to tell the story of this remarkable couple, and the complicated, fascinating relationship between them.”

“Fosse/Verdon” marks the first big limited series FX has locked down since it was announced Ryan Murphy (the prolific producer behind the majority of their limited series) is exiting his overall deal with 20th Century Fox TV for a $300 million pact with Netflix.

Also Read: Ryan Murphy's Netflix Comedy 'The Politician' Casts Zoey Deutch

“We are over the moon about this dream team we’ve assembled for this incredible series,” said Grad. “Tommy, Steven, and Lin are the perfect team to tell the story of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon, and we’re so thrilled to have Sam and Michelle playing these iconic roles.”

“Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon’s story is one of a fascinating, passionate love affair that gave birth to some truly remarkable cultural achievements, and to this day it has been largely untold,” Bert Salke, President of Fox 21 Television Studios, added. “In the capable hands of Steven, Tommy and Lin, with the vital creative input and imprimatur of their only daughter Nicole, this series is going to be a compelling look at these two icons as portrayed by the enormously talented Sam Rockwell and Michelle Williams. We’re very excited.”

Production on “Fosse/Verdon” will begin in the fall, with a series debut scheduled for 2019.

Related stories from TheWrap:

Ryan Murphy's Netflix Comedy 'The Politician' Casts Zoey Deutch

'Pose' Breakout Billy Porter Says Ryan Murphy Series Taught Him to 'Dream the Impossible'

James Van Der Beek Was Originally Supposed to Play Donald Trump on Ryan Murphy's 'Pose'

Greg Berlanti Signs Ryan Murphy-Esque Mega-Deal With Warner Bros. TV

Everything We Saw in the ‘Mayans M.C.’ Footage at Comic-Con

FX showed off the first 13 minutes of the pilot episode of “Mayans M.C.” during its panel at Comic-Con 2018, and if its anything to go by, the huge “Sons of Anarchy”-sized hole left in fans’ hearts is about to be filled.

The “Sons of Anarchy” spinoff starts with a lone rider on his chopper on a remote Southern California highway, through various scenes of empty desolation and exurban decay. He’s wearing a leather vest with no club identification, but the word “Prospect” is written along the bottom in back.

The scene cuts to a warehouse, which we immediately discover is a front for the Mayans M.C. The camera follows Taza, played by Raoul Trujillo, as he moves through a sweatshop staffed with workers making Quinceañera dresses that is run by the motorcycle club. It follows him into a back room, where we learn the real hustle: Mayans are hiding kilos of drugs inside the flowing dresses, then shipping them out in freight trucks.

Also Read: ‘Mayans MC’ Trailer: New Prospect JD Pardo Is ‘All In’ (Video)

Taza and another of the Mayans talk about making a run to Las Vegas, and discuss the Prospect — who apparently recently finished probation. Because of his relatively clean legal slate, they figure he’ll be a good fit to ride support for the Vegas shipment.

The Prospect rides into a bordertown called Santo Padre, revealing that he’s EZ Reyes (JD Pardo). As he passes a high school, the episode swaps in a sepia color palette, and we see a younger version of EZ. A sign in front of the high school, which is now packed with kids, reveals that it’s eight years earlier. Young EZ kisses his girlfriend, a redhead, who notes that she can’t wait to get out of school — and then the scene flashes back to EZ on his bike in the present.

EZ heads to a local butcher shop, run by his father, Felipe (Edward James Olmos), and heads inside. There, EZ hands Felipe a package that his father pockets. As they’re talking, another motorcycle rolls up. As EZ starts to leave, Felipe asks, “Does he know?”

“No,” EZ responds, and heads outside where we meet his brother, Angel (Clayton Cardenas).

Also Read: Here’s What We Learned About ‘The Man in the High Castle’ Season 3 at Comic-Con 2018

EZ and Angel speak about their dad, as Felipe closes up the shop. Angel says that the only thing Felipe will ever talk with him about is baseball, and it’s implied they’ve had a falling out. Angel also tells EZ that he’s been tasked by the Mayans to do the run to Las Vegas.

The scene cuts to night on a desert highway. The truck with the drug shipment drives fast, carrying two men in the cab, and two more in the back, armed with guns and guarding the dresses. Outside, three motorcycles follow, with EZ riding one.

Suddenly, another big truck and a pair of pickups zoom up, separating the motorcycles from the shipment truck. The three new vehicles run the dress truck off the road and it crashes, flipping over. Masked gunmen swarm from the three new trucks and rip open the back of the dress truck, yank out the two guards, and force them to their knees.

Also Read: ‘The Good Place’ Cast Apologizes for Trolling the People of Florida So Hard: ‘But You Guys Get It’

Meanwhile, in the cab, both the driver and the passenger are still belted into their seats. The driver manages to climb out of the cab. He sneaks around the truck and opens fire on the group of robbers, but they shoot and kill him.

Finally, EZ and the other two motorcycles catch up and fire on the robbers — but they stand down when the masked men put a gun to the head of their hostage.

“Do you know whose s–t you’re jacking?” one of the Mayans asks. The drugs belong to a cartel, he says, and they’ll hunt down the robbers.

The masked men grab the dresses and load them into their truck, before spraying the motorcycles with bullets. As the robbers make their getaway, EZ and the other Mayans scramble to free the passenger from his seat. The truck has caught fire, and they just barely manage to get the passenger clear before its ruptured gas line causes it to explode.

The camera closes in on EZ, illuminated by flames. “S–t,” he says, before everything fades to black.

Also Read: James Wan Douses Comic-Con With Exclusive ‘Aquaman’ Clips: Here’s What We Saw

“Mayans M.C.” follows JD Pardo’s character EZ Reyes and hails from “Sons of Anarchy” creator Kurt Sutter and Elgin James.

Set in a post-Jax Teller world, “Mayans MC” sees Reyes, a former golden boy now fresh out of prison, as a prospect in the Mayan M.C. charter on the California-Mexico border who must carve out his new outlaw identity.

Along with Pardo, Edward James Olmos, Sarah Bolger, Clayton Cardenas, Richard Cabral, Michael Irby, Raoul Trujillo, Antonio Jaramillo and Carla Baratta also star. Director Norberto Barba is also an executive producer on the series from Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions.

The show premieres September 4.

Related stories from TheWrap:

19 Stars Who Went to Comic-Con in Disguise, From Ben Affleck to Lupita Nyong’o (Photos)

Mark Hamill in Disguise as First Order Stormtrooper at Comic-Con

‘The Orville’ Visits Comic-Con and Brings Season 2 Teaser With It (Video)

DC’s ‘Shazam!’ Makes a ‘Big’ First Impression in Comic-Con Trailer (Video)

FX showed off the first 13 minutes of the pilot episode of “Mayans M.C.” during its panel at Comic-Con 2018, and if its anything to go by, the huge “Sons of Anarchy”-sized hole left in fans’ hearts is about to be filled.

The “Sons of Anarchy” spinoff starts with a lone rider on his chopper on a remote Southern California highway, through various scenes of empty desolation and exurban decay. He’s wearing a leather vest with no club identification, but the word “Prospect” is written along the bottom in back.

The scene cuts to a warehouse, which we immediately discover is a front for the Mayans M.C. The camera follows Taza, played by Raoul Trujillo, as he moves through a sweatshop staffed with workers making Quinceañera dresses that is run by the motorcycle club. It follows him into a back room, where we learn the real hustle: Mayans are hiding kilos of drugs inside the flowing dresses, then shipping them out in freight trucks.

Also Read: 'Mayans MC' Trailer: New Prospect JD Pardo Is 'All In' (Video)

Taza and another of the Mayans talk about making a run to Las Vegas, and discuss the Prospect — who apparently recently finished probation. Because of his relatively clean legal slate, they figure he’ll be a good fit to ride support for the Vegas shipment.

The Prospect rides into a bordertown called Santo Padre, revealing that he’s EZ Reyes (JD Pardo). As he passes a high school, the episode swaps in a sepia color palette, and we see a younger version of EZ. A sign in front of the high school, which is now packed with kids, reveals that it’s eight years earlier. Young EZ kisses his girlfriend, a redhead, who notes that she can’t wait to get out of school — and then the scene flashes back to EZ on his bike in the present.

EZ heads to a local butcher shop, run by his father, Felipe (Edward James Olmos), and heads inside. There, EZ hands Felipe a package that his father pockets. As they’re talking, another motorcycle rolls up. As EZ starts to leave, Felipe asks, “Does he know?”

“No,” EZ responds, and heads outside where we meet his brother, Angel (Clayton Cardenas).

Also Read: Here's What We Learned About 'The Man in the High Castle' Season 3 at Comic-Con 2018

EZ and Angel speak about their dad, as Felipe closes up the shop. Angel says that the only thing Felipe will ever talk with him about is baseball, and it’s implied they’ve had a falling out. Angel also tells EZ that he’s been tasked by the Mayans to do the run to Las Vegas.

The scene cuts to night on a desert highway. The truck with the drug shipment drives fast, carrying two men in the cab, and two more in the back, armed with guns and guarding the dresses. Outside, three motorcycles follow, with EZ riding one.

Suddenly, another big truck and a pair of pickups zoom up, separating the motorcycles from the shipment truck. The three new vehicles run the dress truck off the road and it crashes, flipping over. Masked gunmen swarm from the three new trucks and rip open the back of the dress truck, yank out the two guards, and force them to their knees.

Also Read: 'The Good Place' Cast Apologizes for Trolling the People of Florida So Hard: 'But You Guys Get It'

Meanwhile, in the cab, both the driver and the passenger are still belted into their seats. The driver manages to climb out of the cab. He sneaks around the truck and opens fire on the group of robbers, but they shoot and kill him.

Finally, EZ and the other two motorcycles catch up and fire on the robbers — but they stand down when the masked men put a gun to the head of their hostage.

“Do you know whose s–t you’re jacking?” one of the Mayans asks. The drugs belong to a cartel, he says, and they’ll hunt down the robbers.

The masked men grab the dresses and load them into their truck, before spraying the motorcycles with bullets. As the robbers make their getaway, EZ and the other Mayans scramble to free the passenger from his seat. The truck has caught fire, and they just barely manage to get the passenger clear before its ruptured gas line causes it to explode.

The camera closes in on EZ, illuminated by flames. “S–t,” he says, before everything fades to black.

Also Read: James Wan Douses Comic-Con With Exclusive 'Aquaman' Clips: Here's What We Saw

“Mayans M.C.” follows JD Pardo’s character EZ Reyes and hails from “Sons of Anarchy” creator Kurt Sutter and Elgin James.

Set in a post-Jax Teller world, “Mayans MC” sees Reyes, a former golden boy now fresh out of prison, as a prospect in the Mayan M.C. charter on the California-Mexico border who must carve out his new outlaw identity.

Along with Pardo, Edward James Olmos, Sarah Bolger, Clayton Cardenas, Richard Cabral, Michael Irby, Raoul Trujillo, Antonio Jaramillo and Carla Baratta also star. Director Norberto Barba is also an executive producer on the series from Fox 21 Television Studios and FX Productions.

The show premieres September 4.

Related stories from TheWrap:

19 Stars Who Went to Comic-Con in Disguise, From Ben Affleck to Lupita Nyong'o (Photos)

Mark Hamill in Disguise as First Order Stormtrooper at Comic-Con

'The Orville' Visits Comic-Con and Brings Season 2 Teaser With It (Video)

DC's 'Shazam!' Makes a 'Big' First Impression in Comic-Con Trailer (Video)

FXhibition Returns To Comic-Con With ‘Mayans M.C.’, ‘Legion’, Others

FX Networks will bring back its FXhibition to San Diego Comic-Con, using interactive combinations of art and technology to promote some of its most popular series, including Legion, American Horror Story and Mayans M.C. 
FXhibition 2018, on the lawn of…

FX Networks will bring back its FXhibition to San Diego Comic-Con, using interactive combinations of art and technology to promote some of its most popular series, including Legion, American Horror Story and Mayans M.C.  FXhibition 2018, on the lawn of the Hilton San Diego Bayfront Hotel, will include installations for Legion, American Horror Story, Mayans M.C. and Archer. FXhibition will be open to the public on Thursday July 19th, 12pm – 6pm; Friday July 20th, 10am…

‘Legion’ Fact Check: Were All Those Tick and Dog Facts True?

(This post contains mild spoilers for the April 10 episode of “Legion” on FX)

FX’s “Legion” Season 2 is still messing with viewers’ minds when it comes to what’s real, what isn’t, and what that means for the story of telepathic “X-Men”-adjacent mutants the show features.

In the second episode of Season 2, “Chapter 10,” the show makes a lengthy point about the nature of reality. Midway through the episode, “Legion” introduces what it calls “Chapter 4” of Season 2, titled, “Umwelt.” In ethology, the study of animal behavior, that word refers to how animals perceive the world around them through their senses. Narrator Jon Hamm digs into the concept, starting with a quote.

“A wise man once said, ‘Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away,’” Hamm states. That wise man was science fiction writer and futurist Philip K. Dick.

Also Read: ‘Legion’: Here’s Everything to Remember From Season 1

“Legion” goes on to make a point about the fact that while we think of reality as a solid, unwavering thing, perception of reality can alter it significantly. Along the way, the show lays out some interesting facts about how two animals perceive the world. But are all those animal facts true? Turns out, the writers of “Legion” have done their homework.

The episode starts by talking about how ticks largely interact with the world through their biological need to feed. “For a tick, reality is a product of temperature, and butyric acid,” Hamm explains. He’s right: Ticks seek out prey by detecting temperature and things like sweat and body odors. Butyric acid (as well as lactic acid) secreted from animals’ skin attract ticks to a meal.

As the discussion about ticks continues in the episode, “Legion” overlays a few other interesting tick facts on the screen, and they’re all true. Ticks really are arachnids, like spiders, and not insects. They eat blood and need it to survive, and they really do remain attached for days to eat — as many as seven or more.

Also Read: ‘Legion’: A Complete Chronological Timeline of When Stuff Probably Happened (Photos)

Next, “Legion” moves on to a discussion of interesting things about the Bloodhound, one possible source of food for a tick. “The bloodhound has 200 million scent receptors,” Hamm narrates. “Its perception of the world is based fundamentally on smell.”

That’s accurate as well. In fact, scientists estimate bloodhounds have more than 230 million olfactory cells, or “scent receptors,” in their noses. That’s about 40 times more than humans have. The difference means that the bloodhound’s sense of smells is about 1,000 times better than a person’s.

As the episode continues, “Legion” notes a few other points: First, that the bloodhound breed is over 1,000 years old. They’re believed to be descended from dogs that were kept at the Abbey of Saint-Hubert in Belgium. That’s true: Bloodhounds were first bred around 1,000 A.D. And they really can track a scent trail up to 300 hours after whatever created that scent trail has moved on from the area.

Also Read: ‘Legion’: 11 Questions We Need Answered in Season 2 (Photos)

“Legion” goes on to discuss how human perception of reality can be variable. That might or might not be true, but at the very least, what the show says about how animals perceive reality is the real deal.

Related stories from TheWrap:

Yes, That Was Jon Hamm’s Voice in the ‘Legion’ Season 2 Premiere

‘Legion’: Here’s Everything to Remember From Season 1

Every ‘Legion’ Character Ranked, From Least to Most Likely Imaginary (Photos)

‘Legion’: A Complete Chronological Timeline of When Stuff Probably Happened (Photos)

‘Legion’ Teased Mysteries But Leaves Viewers Hanging In Season 1 (Commentary)

(This post contains mild spoilers for the April 10 episode of “Legion” on FX)

FX’s “Legion” Season 2 is still messing with viewers’ minds when it comes to what’s real, what isn’t, and what that means for the story of telepathic “X-Men”-adjacent mutants the show features.

In the second episode of Season 2, “Chapter 10,” the show makes a lengthy point about the nature of reality. Midway through the episode, “Legion” introduces what it calls “Chapter 4” of Season 2, titled, “Umwelt.” In ethology, the study of animal behavior, that word refers to how animals perceive the world around them through their senses. Narrator Jon Hamm digs into the concept, starting with a quote.

“A wise man once said, ‘Reality is that which, when you stop believing in it, doesn’t go away,'” Hamm states. That wise man was science fiction writer and futurist Philip K. Dick.

Also Read: 'Legion': Here's Everything to Remember From Season 1

“Legion” goes on to make a point about the fact that while we think of reality as a solid, unwavering thing, perception of reality can alter it significantly. Along the way, the show lays out some interesting facts about how two animals perceive the world. But are all those animal facts true? Turns out, the writers of “Legion” have done their homework.

The episode starts by talking about how ticks largely interact with the world through their biological need to feed. “For a tick, reality is a product of temperature, and butyric acid,” Hamm explains. He’s right: Ticks seek out prey by detecting temperature and things like sweat and body odors. Butyric acid (as well as lactic acid) secreted from animals’ skin attract ticks to a meal.

As the discussion about ticks continues in the episode, “Legion” overlays a few other interesting tick facts on the screen, and they’re all true. Ticks really are arachnids, like spiders, and not insects. They eat blood and need it to survive, and they really do remain attached for days to eat — as many as seven or more.

Also Read: 'Legion': A Complete Chronological Timeline of When Stuff Probably Happened (Photos)

Next, “Legion” moves on to a discussion of interesting things about the Bloodhound, one possible source of food for a tick. “The bloodhound has 200 million scent receptors,” Hamm narrates. “Its perception of the world is based fundamentally on smell.”

That’s accurate as well. In fact, scientists estimate bloodhounds have more than 230 million olfactory cells, or “scent receptors,” in their noses. That’s about 40 times more than humans have. The difference means that the bloodhound’s sense of smells is about 1,000 times better than a person’s.

As the episode continues, “Legion” notes a few other points: First, that the bloodhound breed is over 1,000 years old. They’re believed to be descended from dogs that were kept at the Abbey of Saint-Hubert in Belgium. That’s true: Bloodhounds were first bred around 1,000 A.D. And they really can track a scent trail up to 300 hours after whatever created that scent trail has moved on from the area.

Also Read: 'Legion': 11 Questions We Need Answered in Season 2 (Photos)

“Legion” goes on to discuss how human perception of reality can be variable. That might or might not be true, but at the very least, what the show says about how animals perceive reality is the real deal.

Related stories from TheWrap:

Yes, That Was Jon Hamm's Voice in the 'Legion' Season 2 Premiere

'Legion': Here's Everything to Remember From Season 1

Every 'Legion' Character Ranked, From Least to Most Likely Imaginary (Photos)

'Legion': A Complete Chronological Timeline of When Stuff Probably Happened (Photos)

'Legion' Teased Mysteries But Leaves Viewers Hanging In Season 1 (Commentary)

‘Legion’ Season 2 Hints at David Becoming More Like His Comics Counterpart

(Spoiler alert: Please do not read on if you haven’t watched Tuesday’s episode of “Legion”on FX)

For the entire first season of “Legion,” a key thing was missing from the story: an explanation for the name “Legion.” In the second episode of Season 2, “Chapter 10,” the show might finally be getting closer to the comics and living up to the name.

The FX version of “Legion” is an adaptation from Marvel comics, centering on the anti-hero of the same name. The comics version of Legion, real name David Haller, is a powerful mutant — a human with genetic abnormalities that give him superpowers. Legion in the comics has run up against the mutant superheroes the X-Men.

Also Read: ‘Legion’: 11 Questions We Need Answered in Season 2 (Photos)

David (Dan Stevens) in “Legion” has a lot of the same powers as his comics counterpart. He’s an extremely powerful telepath, with so much psychic ability that he can actually bend reality, teleporting himself across space, reading minds and more. In the show, David doesn’t fully know the extent of his abilities, which means there could more he has yet to explore.

The comics version of Legion is more erratic and dangerous. His powers are so great that he doesn’t just read people’s minds, he can actually absorb their psyches. The comics version of David survives a terrorist attack that triggers his mutant powers, and in so doing, he incinerates and absorbs the mind of the terrorist leader into his own. The trauma of the attack, and being psychically linked to so many people as they died, also caused David to develop split personalities, with each of those personalities controlling different aspects of his powers.

So in the comics, the name “Legion” refers to the idea that David is actually many people in one body. It’s a reference to the Bible, in which a demon possessing a man is asked its name. “My name is Legion, for we are many,” the demon responds.

Also Read: ‘Legion’: Who is His Very Famous X-Men Father?

So far, though, this idea hasn’t popped up in creator Noah Hawley’s TV version of “Legion,” even though it maintains the comics character’s name. On the how, David has shared his mind with another person: the evil mutant Amal Farouk, also known as the Shadow King. In “Chapter 10,” though, we learn that there were actually even more people in David’s mind.

Throughout Season 1, David saw the Shadow King manifest as his friend, a drug user named Lenny (Aubrey Plaza). It seemed as though this was just the preferred form of the Shadow King for messing with David — and probably the preferred form of Hawley, since Plaza was universally praised in the role. “Chapter 10” reveals that Lenny isn’t just the Shadow King’s invention, though. She’s a real person, whose physical body has died, and who has been absorbed into the Shadow King’s mind. Lenny is a full, actual human, who hopes that when the Shadow King has what he wants, he can use his considerable reality-bending powers to create a new body for her to inhabit.

That sounds an awful lot like the conception of Legion from the Marvel comics. It also suggests that the show is heading in the same direction, and that what we’ve seen on the show so far is the origin story of how David turns into Legion. That would make see, since while David has some similarities to the comics character, he’s still missing some key ingredients, like the “anti-hero” idea.

Also Read: ‘Legion’: It’s Starting to Seem Very Possible That Nothing We’ve Seen So Far Is Real

Of course, this is mostly just speculation, and the FX show has deviated significantly from the comics it adapts. But a lot of key elements are maintained — like the idea that David’s father defeated Amal Farouk on the Astral Plane, which is why the Shadow King doesn’t have a body of his own. And the show seems to be hinting that David’s father is the same person he is in the comics: X-Men founder Professor Charles Xavier. The show might not be following the same story as the comics, but it hasn’t wandered too far off-book.

The idea that “Legion” Season 2 is David’s lengthy origin story raises an interesting question: What will happen to David if and when he does become Legion?

Related stories from TheWrap:

‘Legion’: Here’s Everything to Remember From Season 1

‘Legion’: A Complete Chronological Timeline of When Stuff Probably Happened (Photos)

‘Legion’ Teased Mysteries But Leaves Viewers Hanging In Season 1 (Commentary)

‘Legion’: 11 Questions We Need Answered in Season 2 (Photos)

‘Legion’ Uncovers ‘X-Men’ Backstory That Hasn’t Appeared (and Won’t) in the Movies

(Spoiler alert: Please do not read on if you haven’t watched Tuesday’s episode of “Legion”on FX)

For the entire first season of “Legion,” a key thing was missing from the story: an explanation for the name “Legion.” In the second episode of Season 2, “Chapter 10,” the show might finally be getting closer to the comics and living up to the name.

The FX version of “Legion” is an adaptation from Marvel comics, centering on the anti-hero of the same name. The comics version of Legion, real name David Haller, is a powerful mutant — a human with genetic abnormalities that give him superpowers. Legion in the comics has run up against the mutant superheroes the X-Men.

Also Read: 'Legion': 11 Questions We Need Answered in Season 2 (Photos)

David (Dan Stevens) in “Legion” has a lot of the same powers as his comics counterpart. He’s an extremely powerful telepath, with so much psychic ability that he can actually bend reality, teleporting himself across space, reading minds and more. In the show, David doesn’t fully know the extent of his abilities, which means there could more he has yet to explore.

The comics version of Legion is more erratic and dangerous. His powers are so great that he doesn’t just read people’s minds, he can actually absorb their psyches. The comics version of David survives a terrorist attack that triggers his mutant powers, and in so doing, he incinerates and absorbs the mind of the terrorist leader into his own. The trauma of the attack, and being psychically linked to so many people as they died, also caused David to develop split personalities, with each of those personalities controlling different aspects of his powers.

So in the comics, the name “Legion” refers to the idea that David is actually many people in one body. It’s a reference to the Bible, in which a demon possessing a man is asked its name. “My name is Legion, for we are many,” the demon responds.

Also Read: 'Legion': Who is His Very Famous X-Men Father?

So far, though, this idea hasn’t popped up in creator Noah Hawley’s TV version of “Legion,” even though it maintains the comics character’s name. On the how, David has shared his mind with another person: the evil mutant Amal Farouk, also known as the Shadow King. In “Chapter 10,” though, we learn that there were actually even more people in David’s mind.

Throughout Season 1, David saw the Shadow King manifest as his friend, a drug user named Lenny (Aubrey Plaza). It seemed as though this was just the preferred form of the Shadow King for messing with David — and probably the preferred form of Hawley, since Plaza was universally praised in the role. “Chapter 10” reveals that Lenny isn’t just the Shadow King’s invention, though. She’s a real person, whose physical body has died, and who has been absorbed into the Shadow King’s mind. Lenny is a full, actual human, who hopes that when the Shadow King has what he wants, he can use his considerable reality-bending powers to create a new body for her to inhabit.

That sounds an awful lot like the conception of Legion from the Marvel comics. It also suggests that the show is heading in the same direction, and that what we’ve seen on the show so far is the origin story of how David turns into Legion. That would make see, since while David has some similarities to the comics character, he’s still missing some key ingredients, like the “anti-hero” idea.

Also Read: 'Legion': It's Starting to Seem Very Possible That Nothing We've Seen So Far Is Real

Of course, this is mostly just speculation, and the FX show has deviated significantly from the comics it adapts. But a lot of key elements are maintained — like the idea that David’s father defeated Amal Farouk on the Astral Plane, which is why the Shadow King doesn’t have a body of his own. And the show seems to be hinting that David’s father is the same person he is in the comics: X-Men founder Professor Charles Xavier. The show might not be following the same story as the comics, but it hasn’t wandered too far off-book.

The idea that “Legion” Season 2 is David’s lengthy origin story raises an interesting question: What will happen to David if and when he does become Legion?

Related stories from TheWrap:

'Legion': Here's Everything to Remember From Season 1

'Legion': A Complete Chronological Timeline of When Stuff Probably Happened (Photos)

'Legion' Teased Mysteries But Leaves Viewers Hanging In Season 1 (Commentary)

'Legion': 11 Questions We Need Answered in Season 2 (Photos)

'Legion' Uncovers 'X-Men' Backstory That Hasn't Appeared (and Won't) in the Movies