X-Men are finally entering the MCU. And now the question is only of when. The masterful group of Marvel mutants first appeared on Disney as a part of the Fox acquisition. The deal apparently closed back in March 2019. With Marvel continuously expanding its Multiversal approach, their possibilities in the MCU are abundant. The notion of introducing mutants comes up every time a forthcoming MCU project is announced. Fans constantly make assumptions about the X-Men, finally introducing themselves in a new light.
Marvel has teased the infamous mutants in its various projects throughout the past year. Many of the franchise’s fans even looked forward to an X-Men character making somewhat of a debut in WandaVision. However, these aspirations ultimately came down to nothing. Especially when Evan Peters, also known as Fox’s Quicksilver, revealed that he was simply an unaware Westview resident Ralph Bohner.
Incorporating the Mutants in the MCU
As an overall idea for interpretation, the mutants are a vast subject, mainly if Marvel wants to sneak them into the current MCU narrative, which is why it will require utmost precision to introduce them into the franchise. Some rumors suggest a Fox character will make a cameo in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. To us, it appears as if this will be the first official tease of the X-Men in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for eager audiences. After all, Marvel’s slate has already filled in the titles of The Mutants project and X-Men 97 for the impending future. Suffice it to say, and there is no better time than now to begin laying the groundwork for these upcoming projects.
However, considering Disney’s heavy payout to acquire the superhit franchise. Did it ironically affect or change the plans of Kevin Feige and the Marvel brass? Not as much.
X-Men does not disturb Kevin Feige’s Multiverse plans
Marvel Studios Chief Creative Officer Kevin Feige recently sat for an interview with Collider. In a candid but informative conversation, Feige revealed that the Fox acquisition by Disney “didn’t change the timetable” on projects at all. Mainly the ones revolving around the idea of the Multiverse in the MCU remain untouched.
Marvel boss Feige paid extra weightage to the importance of introducing the Multiverse. He said that the concept “you have to wield carefully.” And that the “twenty-plus year history of the [MCU]” justifies the use of multiple realities:
“You know I think we first mention, or the Ancient One mentions it in Doctor Strange 1, when she’s taking Stephen Strange to that sort of mind-warping journey. And it was always one of the most powerful storytelling tools in the comics, one you have to wield carefully because it can get overwhelming. But one that now with obviously the sixty to eighty-year history of the comics. Now we have a twenty-plus year history of the movies, and there and enough characters that we can start playing with it that way.”
Additionally, Feige also stressed that the MCU has “enough characters… [to] start playing with” in the Multiverse now. And the purchase of Fox’s X-Men characters merely added “toys… to the toy box:”
“I think the toys that were added to the toy box increased with that Fox acquisition. But it didn’t change the timetable on when we were introducing the idea of the multiverse.”
Kevin Feige’s toys in the MCU toy box
Kevin Feige is pretty clear that the Multiverse is a storytelling device that one has to “wield carefully.” It is not something that can just be planned and executed in an inattentive hurry. Keeping this information in mind, we understand how the fairly recent acquisition of Fox was a properly thought out move. And was made after making sure that it will not, in any way, mess with the plans of the current MCU and its major characters.
Also read: Marvel’s Upcoming Disney+ Shows Include Spider-Man, Echo, X-Men, Zombies And Agatha
Of course, the idea may have required a few rectifications here and there, especially because the franchise plans ahead of time in the long term. After all, the introduction of Mutants was not something that could have seen the light earlier. However, it appears as if the Multiverse was always a part of the MCU.
As suggested by multiple reports, Feige, along with a huge Marvel Studios staff, sat down for a meeting through the summer. The meeting was particularly subjected to the Multiverse. Wherein the studio exec broke down the “rules of the Multiverse”. This implies that the Multiverse concept is not something that the MCU is taking lightly. All the people involved are being extremely precise and factual. Thus leaving no elbow room for tiny imperfections.
However, how the Multiverse fleshes out further will only be seen in time. Something as elaborate takes its sweet time in adjusting, which is why, some four or five years later, it will be fun to see how the Multiversal era of storytelling through X-Men and other mutants will pan out.
However, for now, fans will get the very first real sneak into the Multiverse in Spider-Man: No Way Home. The film releases in theaters worldwide on December 17.
