Joss Whedon

The departure of director Bryan Singer sent "X-Men 3" into a tailspin, but it looks like Marvel and 20th Century Fox are righting the mutant ship. The Hollywood Reporter says Simon Kinberg has been hired to write the "X3" screenplay, which is a good start since movies generally need scripts. Kinberg has a comic-book background, having penned rewrites on upcoming adaptations "Elektra" and "Fantastic Four."

With Kinberg on board, Marvel and Fox now need a director for "X3." Recent rumors say "Buffy" creator Joss Whedon is a contender, but official word has yet to surface. Kinberg’s involvement may actually hinder Whedon’s hiring since Whedon has a strong writing background, including a prolonged stint writing "X-Men" comics. Whedon could have been eyeing a writer/director role for "X3" — but this is pure conjecture on my part.