Rachel Keller
"Fargo" actress Rachel Keller, pictured here at the Fox TV All-Star party in Hollywood on Aug. 6, 2015, has been cast as the first female lead in FX's "X-Men" tv series pilot "Legion." Getty

As we anxiously wait for the return of 20th Century Fox and Marvel’s heroic mutants to theaters in “X-Men: Apocalypse,” many may not be aware that an episodic series based on the “X-Men” comic books is on its way. Now, the show has become more of a reality than ever thanks to the casting of its first female lead.

According to The Wrap, “Fargo” Season 2 actress Rachel Keller has landed herself a starring role in FX’s upcoming “X-Men” pilot, “Legion.” The series will explore the adventures of the character David Haller, who has struggled with mental illness since he was a teen. After being diagnosed with schizophrenia, he finds himself in a psychiatric hospital where he has a “strange encounter” with another patient that changes the way he looks at both the world and himself. Whatever happens with the patient makes Haller believe that the voices he hears and the visions he sees might not be a symptom of mental illness at all. In the comic books, he is the son of Charles Xavier, the leader of the X-Men.

Keller landed her first breakout role as the femme fatale Simon Gerhardt in the second season of FX’s breakout hit “Fargo.” As Deadline reports she did such a good job and became such a beloved fan-favorite in the show that she was quickly given the opportunity to star in the network’s upcoming drama. “Fargo” showrunner Noah Hawley penned the pilot for the "Legion" script and serves as its executive producer along with the film’s director Bryan Singer, Fox producer Lauren Shuler Donner, writer/producer Simon Kinberg and Marvel TV’s Jeph Loeb, Jim Chory John Cameron and Steve Blackman.

As The Hollywood Reporter notes, there is currently no word from either FX of Marvel TV about who exactly Keller will play. She’s only described as a scrappy and optimistic woman in her 20s. However, she’s rumored to have powers similar to that of the X-Men comic book characters Rogue and Spyke. Rogue's mutation makes it so that anyone she touches is harmed while she absorbs their power. She can also fly and has super-strength depending on which comic continuity you may be reading. Spyke, who may not be as well known, is known for his ability to retract and shoot bones from his body.

Unfortuantely, without any more information as to the tone of the upcoming series, all those rumors about Keller's character should be taken with a grain of salt. There is currently no concrete news on when the pilot will premiere.

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