For over two decades, the X-Men have occupied a strange place in the comic book movie universe. As one of the first superhero teams to find success on the big screen, Fox’s ‘X-Men’ helped lay the groundwork for the superhero-loving world we live in today.
However, despite the franchise’s cultural significance and occasional critical success, it was also notoriously inconsistent. That’s why, as the MCU prepares to welcome mutants into its fold, Marvel Boss Kevin Feige is making one thing very clear: the MCU’s X-Men will be something we’ve never seen before.
Kevin Feige Claims ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ Will Mark A New Beginning For Mutants
Kevin Feige recently broke his silence about the long-gestating MCU X-Men film in a roundtable interview (via ScreenRant). While still in early development, the project already represents a major creative reset for the franchise. Feige says the new team will depart significantly from Fox’s earlier efforts. The MCU’s Phase 6 is shaping up to be its most ambitious chapter yet.
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With ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ kicking off the phase and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ serving as its grand finale, the Marvel multiverse is poised for a cosmic shake-up. Feige confirmed that ‘Secret Wars’ will function not as a traditional “ending,” but as a new beginning for the MCU. Additionally, the X-Men will be an integral part of that transition. “Endgame was about endings. Secret Wars is about beginnings,” Feige explained.
That distinction is vital. Rather than rebooting the MCU altogether, Feige envisions ‘Secret Wars’ as a “reset”. “Reboot is a scary word. Reboot can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Reset, singular timeline, we’re thinking along those lines.” This “reset” is where the mutants will rise. According to Feige, the X-Men will be reintroduced as fully fleshed-out individuals in a world that’s finally ready for them.
It will be a ground-up reimagining of the mutant mythos. The MCU will put character development first and treat the X-Men not just as a brand, but as deeply human stories about identity. “They have been a place to tell stories about young people who feel different and who feel Other and who feel like they don’t belong. That’s the universal story of mutants, and that is where we’re going.”
MCU’s X-Men Will Finally Embrace Their Comic Book Roots
Perhaps the most exciting part of Kevin Feige’s update is his commitment to giving the X-Men their long-overdue comic book makeover. The Fox era, while groundbreaking in its own way, often shied away from the visual flair of the comics. Iconic costumes were replaced with black leather suits. Additionally, realism often muted the colorful absurdity that makes the X-Men so beloved.
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Feige, however, seems eager to turn that page. “Look at Galactus […] look at Wolverine in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. We want to embrace that which was not embraced 25 years ago,” Feige stated. Fans were thrilled to see Wolverine in his iconic yellow-and-blue suit in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. This philosophy will carry over into the X-Men’s MCU debut. While Feige was careful not to reveal which characters would appear in the first film, his comments suggest a fresh start.
Moreover, this makes sense; by introducing the X-Men from their origins, Marvel can avoid the pitfalls of jumping into the middle of a convoluted timeline. “There’ve been more X-Men movies than there were Spidey or Fantastic Four movies,” Feige said. “So a lot has been done. But again, it’s almost a comic legacy unto itself. There’s so much more to tap into.”
