Marvel Just Confirmed X-Men Plans for Future MCU Movies
Even the grouchiest viewer of She-Hulk: Attorney at Law swooned a bit when Tatiana Maslanys Jennifer Walters asks the robot K.E.V.I.N. the question on everyones mind: When are we getting the X-Men?While the robot Kevin dodged the question, the real Kevin Feige finally provided a more serious timeline during the Disney APAC Content Showcase in Singapore.I think you will see that continues in our next few movies with some X-Men players that you might recognize, Feige told attendees (via Deadline) while talking about bringing more characters together in future MCU films. Right after that, the whole story ofSecret Warsreally leads us into a new age of mutants and of the X-Men. Given that Avengers: Secret Wars isnt scheduled to release until May 7, 2027, it seems like the proper X-Men are still a long ways off, at least officially.However, Feige does suggest that well still see random mutants pop up between now and then, something thats been happening for a while in the MCU. Weve already seen Kamala Khan (not officially a mutant until the last episode of Ms. Marvel), Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and El Aguila and Mr. Immortal in She-Hulk. Alternate reality mutants have popped up in Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, The Marvels, and, of course, Deadpool & Wolverine.Thus, it sounds like Marvel will continue to introduce mutants in this method. Well likely see more variations of the Fox and animated X-Men appearing in alternate universes. Channing Tatum and Ryan Reynolds have called for a Gambit movie after the success of Deadpool & Wolverine and Michael Fassbender recently mentioned that he would return to his role as Magneto, so it wouldnt be too much of a shock to see those characters again.However, the most interesting mutants might be those who appear in the mainline MCU (sigh fine, Earth-616). Sabra aka Ruth Bat-Seraph will appear in Captain America: New World Order played by Shira Haas, but well probably see more C- and D-listers join the universe.Its important that Marvel seed these minor mutants before big guns like Wolverine, Cyclops, and Storm precisely because of the X-Mens central ethos. Unlike the Avengers or the Fantastic Four, the X-Men fight to save a world that hates and fears them. The mutant metaphor always stretched credulity, not just because it was an imperfect way to talk about oppressed groups, but also because it never really made sense that regular humans would love the Avengers, who count the Hulk and former criminals such as Quicksilver and Hawkeye as members, or the Fantastic Four and hate a mutant like Angel, who has the frightening ability to fly with his wings and dodge things.By introducing mutants slowly into a world thats already filled with fantastic heroes who have caused massive amounts of distraction, Marvel has the opportunity to retain some of the central themes of the comic book characters. If bringing the mutants to the MCU is, as Feige told the attendees, one of those dreams come true, then its good that hes doing them right. Only when mutants are feared and hated can we finally get the X-Men.