The series originated after a proposed Fox show based on the X-Men's Hellfire Club failed to move forward in 2016, leading the network to commission a different X-Men-based pilot from writer Matt Nix.

Matt Nix pitched the concept to executives as 'Running on Empty with mutants' and created an elaborate Prezi presentation featuring photos of actors digitally altered to look like mutants.

The series was briefly referred to as simply 'Gifted' by producer Lauren Shuler Donner in March 2017 before Fox officially titled it 'The Gifted' when ordering it to series in May 2017.

Showrunner Matt Nix cited the Marvel comic 'District X' as a major influence, drawn to its depiction of mutants living within society and dealing with everyday issues rather than following a 'mutant of the week' procedural format.

The show's mutant underground railroad concept was directly inspired by the historical Underground Railroad, and the villainous agency is called Sentinel Services, with commentators noting its initials 'SS' as a possible nod to the Nazi Schutzstaffel.

The pilot was filmed in Dallas, Texas in March and April 2017, but production moved to Atlanta, Georgia for the rest of the season after Texas legislators took too long deciding on tax rebates, forcing a retroactive change of the show's setting from Dallas to Atlanta.

To portray the telepathic Frost Sisters triplets played by a single actress, Skyler Samuels, the production used a combination of split-screen effects, green-screening, and face replacements over stand-in actresses.

Actress Jamie Chung wore heavy-duty contact lenses and pink facial markings to portray her character Blink's distinctive green mutant eyes.

Composers John Ottman and David Buckley scored the series; Ottman had previously scored several X-Men films for director Bryan Singer, and had collaborated with Buckley on the film The Nice Guys.