Rumors are starting to circulate about plans to take some familiar faces from the comics into the ’97-inspired MCU, the X-Men team and Marvel’s original family.
When it was announced that Disney had acquired 20th Century Fox, comic book fans couldn’t contain their excitement. Eventually, Marvel Studios acquired the rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises.
Return of 4F
Fox never got the hang of Marvel’s First Family, and while the early mutant movies got the praise they deserved, that franchise quickly began to decline (with a few exceptions like Logan and Deadpool).
The 4F reboot will hit theaters next year, and according to classic concept art, the plan is for them to come from an alternate reality from Earth-616.
Although Avengers: Secret Wars may finally see them as a permanent part of Earth-616, it’s a surprising move by Marvel Studios. Time will tell, scooper Daniel Richman shared some exciting details about the film today.
More villains on the way
We know the team will face Galactus and Shala-Bal’s version of the Silver Surfer, but Richtman says Fantastic Four will feature many villains from the comics in smaller roles. The idea seems to be for them to appear in the first act, which means we’ll see the heroes defend their Earth from various threats before heading off into space.
Not only does this give Marvel Studios a chance to showcase the Fantastic Four villains that were previously relegated to the Doctor Doom franchise, but it also likely explains those recent additions.
The creation of the X-Men
As for the X-Men, we’ve seen how many mutants have been slowly appearing in the MCU in recent years. Namor and Ms. Marvel were confirmed as mutants, while The Marvels went a step further by introducing the alternate reality Beast.
Michael Leslie was recently tapped to write the script for the X-Men reboot, and according to Richman, his pitch to Marvel Studios included the same characters the team introduced in X-Men ’97.
The nineties group
If correct, we can expect this MCU team to include Cyclops, Jean Grey, Wolverine, Beast, Storm, Rogue, and Gambit (Morpho, Jubilee, Sunspot, and Bishop could be on the table).
Especially after the success of X-Men 97, this kind of combination makes sense. An upcoming comic book reboot will also feature iterations of the same animation team, so these could be the mutants Kevin Feige wants to focus on.
Amazing studio plans
Marvel Studios’ decision to combine these characters is not only a strategy to attract long-time fans, but also a strategy to attract a new generation of fans. The Fantastic Four, in front of several classic villains, will have the opportunity to show their versatility and ability to adapt to different threats, something that has not been fully explored in previous films.
On the other hand, X-Men, a lineup inspired by one of the most popular animated series, could bring a mix of action and drama that will appeal to fans old and new. This lineup allows Marvel Studios to explore complex team dynamics and explore each character’s backstory.
The future of mcu
With Avengers: Secret Wars on the horizon, it’s clear that Marvel Studios is building the cinematic universe to an even higher level once again. The inclusion of the Fantastic Four and X-Men within this framework not only broadens the scope of the stories, but also promises to create a more cohesive integration of all the properties under the Marvel umbrella.