For years, Marvel fans accepted that mutants, specifically the X-Men, are not coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Then, the unthinkable happened and Disney acquired FOX back in 2019. This paved the way for the arrival of the mutants in the MCU. Since then, fans have been wondering when they'll see fan-favorite mutant characters like Professor X, Wolverine, Cyclops, and Jean Grey, among others, share screentime together with other MCU staples.
Some thought that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness would answer this. But, as those who've watched the Benedict Cumberbatch-led sequel will attest to, Patrick Stewart's "return" as Charles Xavier was more of a brief cameo.
A few months and a Ms. Marvel season finale later, it appears that we'll see mutants in the MCU soon.
Warning: the following graphics will include Ms. Marvel spoilers. Consider yourself warned.
The latest MCU show to hit Disney+ introduced Kamala Khan to the general MCU audience. Unlike her comic book counterpart, who is an Inhuman, Khan is a supernatural being that is original to the MCU known as a djinn. However, in the season finale, Khan talks about her genes more. Specifically, he mentioned that there's something "like a mutation" inside her. We could chalk this up as a "throwaway line" that could mean anything. But, what really seals the deal is the quick soundbite of the theme song of the X-Men: The Animated Series.
This leaves the door wide open for mutants to head to the MCU in the next two years. Most likely, the X-Men won't be part of the MCU until later in Phase 5. For now, Disney is slowly integrating its new FOX properties into its streaming platform and movie slate. The X-Men '97 series reboot will premiere on Disney+ by next year followed by The Fantastic Four film, which will be the final movie of Phase 4 of the MCU.
Regardless of what will happen, the MCU appears to be using mutants as the entry point for the next generation of superheroes after the current successor-centric theme.
The worst-case scenario is that the MCU will not revisit Khan's revelation until The Marvels hits theaters next July. In the meantime, audiences can check out Thor: Love and Thunder, which is a certified box office hit despite the mixed critical reviews.
0 Comments