UPDATED: New X-Men Project 143 Could Be Kitty Pryde Film

UPDATE: Sometimes, speculation has a chance at paying off. Following the news that Brian Michael Bendis is developing a script for an X-Men film titled 143 with Tim Miller directing, a Collider report from January is coming back into focus. That report said that Miller was attached to develop a solo film for Kitty Pryde.

As noted in my original report, Kitty Pryde was the sole X-Man in Uncanny X-Men #143, which saw the young mutant face off with an Alien-like demon known as an N’Garai in the mansion. Kitty defeats the demon by remembering what Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley did in Alien and kills it with the Blackbird’s thrusters.

With 143 being a likely working title for the film, it’s entirely possible (and even perhaps likely) that the title is only an oblique reference to Kitty, being one of the first issues of the comic that centered solely on her. In other words, it may not revolve around that plot. The attachment of Miller and the titular reference does at least seem to suggest that this is the same film as was initially being reported on for Kitty.

Ellen Page played Kitty in previous X-Men films X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Days of Future Past.

ORIGINAL: Comics writer Brian Michael Bendis is set to develop a script for Fox set in the X-Men universe, with Deadpool helmer Tim Miller directing. Deadline reports that while Fox is keeping a tight lid on the project, they have confirmed the X-Men setting and uncovered the film’s title as 143.

There’s no word on what the film might be about. The only “143” that comes up in relation to the X-Men in a deep dive is Uncanny X-Men #143. That 1981 issue is a story of the legendary Chris Claremont/John Byrne era and was a largely standalone story in which a young Kitty Pryde (aka Shadowcat), still new to her powers and being part of the team, comes home to the X-Mansion alone on Christmas, where she finds an N’Garai demon. The demon hunts her throughout the house until she manages to destroy it. The issue is famous for being a very close homage to Ridley Scott’s Alien, right down to Kitty killing the demon via the Blackbird’s thrusters. Kitty even directly references Alien as her inspiration for the plan, and Byrne thought the issue was so close that they might be sued over it. It’s worth noting that Fox is the rights holder to the Alien franchise.

Obviously, it must be said that the above is not confirmed or even being reported reliably at this point as the plot for the film. It’s merely a bit of speculation based on the title, which considering the secrecy surrounding the project may well be a working title.

Interestingly, Bendis made headlines three months ago when he jumped from Marvel Comics to DC after being a major part of Marvel’s creative plans for the last seventeen years.