It’s finally time for the mutants to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. During the Marvel Studios panel at San Diego Comic-Con, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige revealed that the X-Men are coming to the MCU. Virtually no details were revealed at this time, as it’s in the very early stages. In any case, this is something fans have been waiting a very long time for and, in the years to come, characters like Wolverine and Storm can exist alongside Thor and Doctor Strange, in theory.
Kevin Feige was coy about the way he revealed the X-Men are coming to the MCU while still standing on the stage at San Diego Comic-Con, while he was willing to name-drop the Fantastic Four, he merely said “mutants” at the panel. But that was more than enough to send the crowd into a frenzy. Other titles revealed to be in the works that weren’t discussed in depth at the presentation were Black Panther 2 and Captain Marvel 2.
The X-Men finally becoming part of the MCU is being made possible by Disney’s $71 billion purchase of the majority of Fox’s media assets. Since they purchased all of the movie studio 20th Century Fox, Disney acquired the rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four. Since Disney also owns Marvel, the character rights are back in their hands and can be used in future movies. And that’s exactly what Kevin Feige and Co. plan to do.
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At this stage, it isn’t clear where they are at in the development process when it comes to integrating the X-Men into the larger universe. Feige did say in various interviews prior to SDCC that it’s going to be several years before we see a reboot, since they had the Phase 4 plans mapped out before the Disney/Fox deal went into effect. Part of what makes the MCU work so well is being able to map out their plans years in advance. But they can start to pepper in Easter eggs for the mutants here and there.
Marvel also announced a number of new titles for Marvel Phase 4. These include Eternals, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Black Widow, Thor: Love and Thunder and a Blade reboot, which will feature Mahershala Ali in the title role. These are the first official movie titles announced for Phase 4. Marvel had been keeping tight-lipped regarding their slate beyond this year’s Avengers: Endgame.
The X-Men previously enjoyed a very long life on the big screen under the Fox regime, dating back to the first live-action movie, which was released in 2000. Since then, the franchise has grossed more than $6 billion globally. However, the most recent entry, Dark Phoenix, proved to be a major bomb and sent the series out with quite the thud. But we’re looking toward the future now. Who will replace Hugh Jackman as our next Wolverine? When will we see the first mutant in the MCU? And who will it be? The possibilities are exciting and endless. We’ll be sure to keep you posted as any further news on Phase 4 is released by Marvel.
