'X-Men' TV Show 'Legion' With 'Downton Abbey's' Dan Stevens To Premiere On FX; First Photo, Theme Revealed

"Legion" is confirmed heading to cable channel FX. The TV show based on the "X-Men" has received a series order and it will have eight episodes for its first season run. It's set to debut in 2017, with former "Downton Abbey" star Dan Stevens leading the pack.

Variety reports that Dan Stevens will play the role of David Haller in "Legion" and his character would be suffering from a mental illness. While getting treatment at a hospital for schizophrenia, a fellow patient would suggest to him that he might have super powers.

In the Marvel comics about the "X-men," Haller is actually Professor Charles Xavier's son. Xavier is the founder of the "X-men" team, who has been played by Patrick Stewart and James McAvoy in the movie versions.

In its announcement of the series order, FX released Dan Stevens' first photo as David Heller below. Also joining the actor in the show are Aubrey Plaza, Rachel Keller, Jean Smart, Jeremie Harris, Katie Aselton and Amber Midthunder. Per Marvel, filming for "Legion" will take place in Vancouver this summer, but the pilot episode, from which the decision to order the series was based, is already finished.  

#Legion coming to FX early 2017, starring Dan Stevens as Professor X's son from Marvel's X-Men comics, David Haller. pic.twitter.com/iK5638mYXd

— Eric Goldman (@TheEricGoldman) May 31, 2016

Noah Hawley is tasked to direct "Legion" and he shared his take on what the show will be like. He told Vanity Fair he's inspired to put a touch of director David Lynch into the production. Lynch is known for movies with "surreal or dreamlike quality," as Hawley describes it. Hawley said that such a theme has not been really explored in the small screen. His take on "Legion" will be "whimsical and imaginative and unexpected."

"Legion" will be a "stand-alone" project, per Cinema Blend. Thus, the possibility of "X-Men" movie characters coming to the show might not happen.