Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier denies he's attached to Marvel's X-Men reboot, but Black Panther Ryan Coogler says otherwise, and Marvel may have confirmed it

Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier has been rumored as Marvel's top choice to take on the job of directing a reboot of the X-Men film franchise. However, Schreier himself has now denied that he's been confirmed to direct the X-Men reboot, though he does have a few thoughts about where he'd start if he were to take it on.

"Even if I were confirmed on that movie, I don't think I would be allowed to answer that question," Schreier told an audience at the Mediterrane Film Festival in Malta (via Collider). "I guess what I would say is that it always starts from character and working with great writers and collaborators, and certainly thinking about how to do something different with any project that you take on. That's as much as I can say."

Indeed, Schreier became a Marvel darling with Thunderbolts*, which was praised for its focus on character and hands-on filmmaking despite underperforming at the box office. Disney head Bob Iger even cited the film as the "first and best example" of how Marvel Studios is refocusing its output.

"We've also learned over time that quantity does not necessarily beget quality… We lost a little focus by making too much," Iger said at the time.

However, there's a big plot twist in Schreier's denial, as notoriously loose-lipped Black Panther director Ryan Coogler (who has forced Marvel to confirm news around his own Black Panther 3 by spilling his share of beans) told Metro Entertainment that "Jake [Schreier] is directing that" when asked.

What's more, Gizmodo reports that they've gone so far as to get Marvel's own official confirmation on the matter - so perhaps Jake Schreier may finally be allowed to speak openly about whether he's officially involved in the new X-Men reboot or not.

Marvel's next big film is The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which has been touted as a turning point for the MCU leading into Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars, which will bring a close to the embattled Multiverse Saga.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps hits theaters on July 25. For more, check out our guides to upcoming Marvel movies and shows and how to watch the Marvel movies in order.