Prepare yourself for an alien invasion.

Pre-production has begun in Boston on “X-Men: The New Mutants,’’ a spinoff of the wildly successful “X-Men’’ film franchise. Not much is known about the movie, except that director Josh Boone, whose credits include “The Fault in Our Stars,’’ will be behind the camera, and Scottish actor James McAvoy might be in front of it.

We say might because the cast hasn’t been confirmed, but McAvoy (inset), who played Professor Xavier in the “X-Men’’ movies, is rumored to be reprising the role in “The New Mutants.’’ It’s not clear where Boone will be filming — we’re told scouts have looked at Medfield State Hospital, where director Martin Scorsese filmed scenes for “Shutter Island’’ — but we at least know work has begun because Boone posted a picture on Instagram announcing that the long-gestating movie is finally off the ground.

It’s one of a few film projects now rolling, or soon to be.

“Daddy’s Home 2,’’ with a cast that includes Mark Wahlberg, Will Ferrell, Linda Cardellini, Mel Gibson, John Cena, John Lithgow, and Alessandra Ambrosio, is currently filming in and around Boston. Then there’s “The Burning Woman,’’ starring flame-haired “Mad Men’’ actress Christina Hendricks, Sienna Miller, “Breaking Bad’’ star Aaron Paul, and “Silver Linings Playbook’’ actress Jacki Weaver.

And work has already started on “Proud Mary,’’ starring “Hidden Figures’’ actress Taraji P. Henson as a hit woman whose maternal instincts kick in when she befriends a young boy.