The arrival of the X-Men to the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a consistent topic of discussion among fans . Before, it was all a pipe dream for Wolverine to interact with the rest of the Avengers, but this will soon become a reality due to the Fox-Disney merger that transpired during 2019.
The deal between the studios was only the first huge step in the process. However, the actual approach of how the characters will be introduced in the narrative is a different topic altogether.
During San Diego Comic-Con 2019, Marvel Studios CCO Kevin Feige name-dropped the term “mutants” to the audience, seemingly hinting that a potential plan is in place for their introduction in the MCU down the line. After that, nothing was revealed about the future of the aforementioned characters, with the pandemic ultimately derailing the studio's plan to unveil updates.
Now, it seems that the plan is back on track.
NEWS
While speaking with Screen Rant , Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige assured fans that discussions to reboot the X-Men for the MCU “have been long and ongoing internally” at Marvel Studios.
“You know how much I love the X-Men. I already said that's where I started. I can't tell you anything before we actually announced it, but rest assured, the discussions have been long and ongoing internally.”
WHAT THIS MEANS
Given the plethora of projects that were already announced for Marvel Studios, it makes sense for Feige and the rest of the crew to take a step back in terms of mapping out the perfect plan to reintroduce the mutants to the MCU. It's worth mentioning that the last two X-Men films from Fox were 2019's Dark Phoenix and 2020's The New Mutants , and it is likely that part of the strategy of the studio is to create a gap to distance themselves from the previous iteration of mutants.
In MCU canon, it's tricky to explain the whereabouts of the X-Men, especially after world-altering events like Thanos' decimation and the Battle of New York. As it is, the easiest way to incorporate the mutants to the MCU is through the concept of the multiverse which, coincidentally, is the main focus of the ambitious Phase 4 slate of the franchise.
There's a strong chance that the multiverse has long been intended to be the key concept of Phase 4 and beyond, and the arrival of the X-Men has already been mapped out by utilizing that concept. If so, WandaVision could offer hints on how they will be introduced, with the endgame likely being featured in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness .
Given the complex situation, it's good to know that Feige is taking his time to craft a compelling (and convincing) storyline for the MCU debut of the famous superhero team. Thankfully, Feige knows the characters very well, and it's only a matter of time before fans will get to see how his strategy will be showcased in the future.
