Disney finalized its Fox acquisition in 2019, which meant that Marvel would get access to several immensely popular characters. Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and Deadpool were all on the list, with Marvel expected to reboot each of these franchises. Deadpool 3 should be a softer reboot, of course. But it’ll be a while before these characters join the MCU’s Avengers. And the X-Men might be last to join the MCU because rumors say Kevin Feige & Co. aren’t going to release any mutant movies until 2025.
Marvel has started incorporating the mutants even though we don’t have an official X-Men movie announcement. And the studio must have a strategy for adding the mutants to the MCU in a way that makes sense for the overall storyline. After all, the MCU lacked mutants so far because Fox owned the rights. So they have to show up in the MCU without requiring complicated explanations.
It so happens that the plot of the first MCU X-Men movie might have been revealed in a major leak. But before you read any further, we’ll warn you that major spoilers follow below.
The state of MCU mutants so far
X-Men fans dying to see the mutants in action in the MCU have to wait a while longer. Marvel hasn’t made much progress so far, with rumors claiming the studio has to run out the clock on the existing X-Men talent contracts it inherited from Fox. Hence the inability to produce new shows with the mutants it might want to feature in the MCU.
The same rumors say that Marvel has to use the Fox actors for any X-Men character it might want to use. And we already saw that with Professor X (Patrick Stewart) in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But that Charles Xavier variant was from a different reality, and he died just moments after appearing on screen.
Similarly, Ryan Reynolds will reprise his Wade Wilson/Deadpool role from the Fox movies. So Marvel can use this X-Men character in Deadpool 3, though we don’t have an official release date yet.
On top of that, Marvel hinted at other mutants in the MCU. We might have seen one in Black Widow. And we definitely saw one in Ms. Marvel. Kamala Khan (Iman Vellani) is Marvel’s first big mutant reveal. She knows she is a mutant, even though there’s no label for her genetic anomaly.
As you have noticed, we’re only talking about the live-action MCU projects involving mutants so far. Because Marvel has already announced its X-Men ’97 animated series for a 2023 Disney Plus debut.
With all that in mind, it feels too early for an X-Men movie plot leak. We’re several years away from Marvel’s reboot if the rumors are accurate. Also, earlier rumors say Marvel might go for a different title for the film: The Mutants.
But Marvel seems to be placing all the Easter eggs it needs for the X-Men’s arrival. Like Ms. Marvel.
Marvel’s X-Men movie plot leak
That means Marvel has an idea of where it might want to go with its big X-Men reboot. And ideas like that can always leak.
According to ScreenGeek, Marvel Studios has settled on the comics run that will inspire the upcoming movie. Apparently, the MCU’s first X-Men film will be based on Joss Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men run.
The blog reports that the comics ran between 2004 and 2008 as a continuation of Grant Morrison’s New X-Men. Moreover, the team in Whedon’s run had Cyclops and Emma Frost as team leaders.
Beast, Kitty Pryde, Wolverine, and Colossus were also part of the team. According to other rumors, Wolverine should appear in Deadpool 3.
As for the overall story of that X-Men run, it covers a massive conflict with an alien race:
Whedon’s Astonishing X-Men run featured four different story arcs in Gifted, Dangerous, Torn, and Unstoppable. A summarized version of the overall plot is that the team must stop an alien race from destroying Earth – while also dealing with the announcement of a mutant cure and various other problems that come about along the way.
That said, we’re only looking at a rumor for the time being. We have no idea when Marvel will announce the first live-action X-Men movie. And if this leak is accurate, then Marvel has plenty of time to adapt its plans and make changes so it can still surprise fans.
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