Tag: X-Men

‘Eternals’ Producer Talks Marvel Studios Approach to a Future ‘X-Men’ Film

Eternals and Marvel Studios producer Nate Moore joined the Phase Zero podcast during a live stream to discuss the recently released film and MCU’s future. In it, he was asked quite a few questions about the future of Marvel Studios, especially with the properties like X-Men or Fantastic Four. especially the former was brought up due to Eternals diverse cast and if there were any thematic connections between these two properties. Moore had a rather interesting answer to the question and highlighted how the Eternals differ.

To me, our goal with the film wasn’t to make it a film about diversity in a way that I think X-Men has to be. X-Men is a super direct allegory in which these people are, are ostracized and, and persecuted for who they are. And that’s very much the story of X-Men that’s that’s in the DNA. What I find interesting about Eternals is the movie has zero commentary about that. The characters don’t talk about it.
Nate Moore

It’s an interesting discussion about the X-Men’s place in storytelling. Moore goes on to highlight that Eternals is “about faith and purpose” rather than its diversity. Yet, he also goes on to highlight that once they approach an adaptation of X-Men, they’ll have to discuss the topic regarding diversity.

This film is very much a conversation I would argue about faith and purpose and the value of humanity, but not in the context necessarily of the diversity conversation that we’re having in our everyday lives. I think if, and when we get to an X-Men movie, we’re going to have to have that conversation because that’s very much in the DNA of, of that thematically.
Nate Moore

So far, we still have no announcement of when we can expect the X-Men or any adaptation of these characters. the last time we heard anything about a potential reboot was back in March when Illuminerdi shared that they are slowly starting work on a project titled The Mutants rather than the iconic name we’ve come to love. Still, it may be a project name that pays tribute to what Stan Lee originally wanted to call the initial comics.

Source: Twitch

November 10, 2021
‘Eternals’: Paving the Way for Mutant Resurrection

Sometimes what’s left out of Marvel Studios movies could end up being just as relevant as what’s left in. Most of the time we’re talking about plot points that are explored in forthcoming sequels, either to allow them to gain relevance and weight over time or simply because the runtime doesn’t allow for everything to be touched upon. But what’s not so usual is for certain aspects of a superhero’s background to be left out in order to use it on another IP.

There are rumblings of how Kamala Khan’s powers might be reinterpreted in the Ms. Marvel series, with the reasoning being that they might be too similar to Reed Richard’s, who’s soon joining the MCU. On the other hand, there never seemed to be any issues with the number of super-soldiers running around the MCU, all with similar strengths and weaknesses, so who’s to say if the rumors regarding Ms. Marvel have any truth to them. What is not a rumor, as we’ve now seen in Eternals, is how a pivotal and intrinsic characteristic these characters have in the comics has been mostly disregarded (primarily in terms of easy access to the technology), something that might end up being used when the Mutants come around.

Even the latest Eternals run, written by Kieron Gillen and launched earlier this year, makes it extremely clear why Eternals have the name that they have. They are, as their name says, eternal. They might die but are quickly resurrected with the help of their own Resurrection Machine, hidden underneath the surface of the Earth. Their bodies are restored with their memories intact, meaning they know why they died, and who might have been responsible for it. By apparently leaving such a defining aspect of the Eternals out of their MCU introduction, Marvel Studios could be setting up something quite big.

When relaunching the X-Men books in 2019, Jonathan Hickman introduced a similar concept. As part of the creation of the mutant island-nation of Krakoa, it became possible to resurrect mutants who had met a premature end. A telepath would transfer the mutant’s latest Cerebro backup into a developing body inside a cocoon, allowing it to be reborn with memories up to said backup. Both the Eternals’ and the Mutants’ intended resurrections could still hit a few snags, as both the Resurrection Machine and the Krakoan Resurrection Protocols weren’t without flaws and shortcomings, so it’s not like there would be no stakes involved in whatever storyline that ends up being put to screen.

It’s doubtful that the MCU, which is already sometimes referred to as a universe where nobody stays dead, will introduce the resurrection possibility in two of its Phase-4-and-beyond teams. Even if the Eternals are referred to as being built (therefore capable of being rebuilt when destroyed), the process seems to imply Celestial intervention. So being, and even if this weekend we were all reminded that Salma Hayek signed up for Multiple Marvel films, it certainly appears unlikely Arishem would bring back entities that rebelled against him. Her future appearances might turn out to be through flashbacks (the timeline certainly allows for that) or even portraying a different iteration of the character altogether, not a resurrection per se.

By rejecting to apply the concept of resurrection to the most obvious of characters (or at least the ease of the process we grew used to) we might get to a point where Marvel Studios end up keeping one of the most groundbreaking changes to the mutant status quo in decades in its X-Men storylines. Hickman’s work has always lent itself to the sort of sci-fi glimpses the MCU has evolved into, and this specific choice would be the perfect response to the no-death complaints: Embrace it. For a while at least. With caveats.

November 8, 2021
How Marvel Studios Solved Everything

It’s been already heavily discussed how the fact that Marvel Studios not having the rights to its current catalog of characters from the start was probably a good thing. It allowed for a number of trilogies devoted to specific characters to have the room to be developed, something that was crucial to the relevance those same characters achieved, not only whiting the MCU itself but in pop culture as a whole. From there, with its Cinematic Universe already established and with a need to infuse it with new characters, Marvel Studios had to figure out how to do so all while also giving audiences a pretty good reason why those characters didn’t show up earlier, at times when the Earth needed every helping hand it could find.

So being, Marvel decided to tackle introducing new characters in various ways. These were either someone wanting to keep a low profile (Ant-Man), others were in outer space (Guardians of the Galaxy), another was in a secluded African nation that wanted nothing to do with the outside world’s problems (Black Panther), one was a kid from Queens that kept mostly to his part of town (Spider-Man), another was introduced through a prequel meaning she was there all along, just not on earth (Captain Marvel), while a neurosurgeon turned sorcerer managed to fulfill his duty behind the scenes (Doctor Strange). All in all, it went pretty smoothly, but with its growing catalog of characters, and specifically referring to most of the ones Marvel got back from Fox, Kevin Feige, and the Parliament (Marvel’s unifying creative committee) wouldn’t have such an easy task.

How to introduce both the Fantastic Four and the X-Men to the MCU was always a bit of a head-scratcher, more so with each passing year. Both have an almost inherent need to have been there from the start and, especially in the case of the Mutants, it’d be hard to have them stay away from the public eye since the beginning of the MCU. They have always been the outcasts, the marginalized, enduring a lifetime of being seen as less than they’re worth, which eventually leads to a breaking point. But for this stage to be set, you would need a different context than the one the MCU holds at this time.

Going back to the Fantastic Four, it would also be tough to swallow that Reed Richards, one of the smartest men on the planet, would be left out of the story being told so far, even if Marvel’s First Family hadn’t gained its powers yet, only to show up now. And even if the route chosen would be to have the team vanish in the middle of the space race that started in the 50s, only to return in the present day, there should be references, technology left behind, something that would have already alerted audiences to their presence in the MCU.

But after Loki, by going the route we all saw, what Marvel Studios has done is allow for all the optimal scenarios one might conjure to introduce the former Fox residents to the MCU. Ever since the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney we all knew it was coming, but there always seemed to be a few tough decisions left to be made to make the overarching story make sense. One of those would be Magneto’s origin. Someone who was so clearly defined by the horrors of Nazi Germany and their concentration camps. Introducing such a character beyond 2022 would make him an elderly man, far from the ideal age for such a relevant character in the MCU’s coming decade. But now, both this, the issues raised above, and many others, are almost magically solved, without much compromise

With slight deviations to the Sacred Timeline at specific points in time, you could create these character’s origin stories free from all the constraints more than a decade of MCU projects have ultimately created. With the timeline-hopping we’re probably in store for in the next few years, it won’t take much to get already fully-formed characters with specific backgrounds we already know of (much like we pretty much skipped Spider-Man’s origin in Captain America: Civil War) into the main timeline, with their development from then on being specific to the MCU.

I’m sure the upcoming Multiverse Saga ended up being developed partially because, much like Reed Richards himself in Jonathan Hickman‘s Fantastic Four run, Feige and his team were on a quest to “solve everything”. To figure out how to best move forward beyond the Infinity Saga by following a different structure, and at the same time deciding on how to best integrate two of the most iconic comic book teams into the character playground the MCU has become. Knowing that arriving late to the party might be a downside, by choosing the Multiverse route they are not only allowing their entrance into the MCU in a fairly straightforward fashion but also for it to become the home of the best versions these characters have ever seen on the big screen.

August 13, 2021
‘Loki’ May Have Hinted at Non-Marvel Studios Films Existing Before the Multiversal War

Up to this point, we all assumed that the Marvel Cinematic Universe consists of multiple reality branches simultaneously. As such, we all expected WandaVision to kick it off after Wanda created a pocket dimension out of the small rural town of Westview. After countless guesswork, it ended up as a self-contained story, and there were no real signs of the multiverse just yet. Even 2019’s Spider-Man: Far From Home teased its existence only for it to turn out to be a lie by Mysterio. Yet, we have a What If series heading to Disney+, and Doctor Strange‘s sequel has the subtitle Multiverse of Madness. So, we believed Loki would finally confirm our suspicions only to surprise us even more. It revealed that the TVA serves to prevent new timelines from sprouting into existence. It seems the multiverse we know has already happened and imploded after a war. Now, it made us wonder what exactly was the multiverse before the Time Keepers got involved?

There are no hints at what existed before the Sacred Timeline got created. If they follow the comics, the current iteration of the Avengers and their entire journey serve the Time Keepers as they seek to ensure their life cycle remains intact. Mobius also hints at the fact that the timeline exists in a constant loop. So, the end of time will always lead back to the beginning of creation. As such, our heroes will continue down their path no matter what over and over again. It did sound like the world was very different in the original timeline before it got that TVA reboot at some random point in its existence. We have no idea what may have led to that event, but there might be some curious hints through the rumor mill, especially surrounding Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Everything seems to be pointing to the appearance of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield‘s incarnations of the iconic webhead. Their villains seem almost confirmed at this point. Yet, there is one contradiction their appearance would create. As we saw, branches extend out of the Sacred Timeline when a nexus event happens. Like in What If, any alternative version of the characters will connect to the main timeline. Peggy Carter becoming Captain Britain is only a different event unfolding as some of the same events happened before the nexus that caused the new scenario. So, if we get introduced to two versions of a character with very distinct histories, it would imply that the multiverse was much more unique at one point, as the heroes looked different. Of course, the TVA’s current predicament could contradict this, but it does seem likely that we’re playing with very distinct concepts of the multiverse. Perhaps Garfield and Maguire come from multiversal timelines before the first war, which developed more independently from each other. Miss Minutes used the wording “unique” when discussing their pre-war existence.

Whatever happens in Loki, it may see the resurgence of these original timelines that vanished after the first Multiversal War. Marvel Studios already rebranded older movies as Marvel Legacy projects. So, it may be a way to keep them as distinct franchises but open up the door to allow the potential of multiversal cameos without breaking the universe’s canon. So, it won’t make people think if Hugh Jackman has a brief appearance as Wolverine, he will return to the role moving forward. Speaking of the X-Men franchise, the confirmed third Deadpool entry also gives the theory some weight if you consider that it’s a continuation from the Fox universe that continues into the MCU. As such, he may be part of this original multiverse and ends up in the Sacred Timeline. As an outsider, he starts to unravel the universe even more, especially if you consider his ability to break the fourth wall. We know the first seeds for a Secret Wars adaptation got planted. Just like Thanos, it seems inevitable that the next multiversal war will happen, and we might see some other familiar faces join the fray.

June 10, 2021
How an MCU Adaptation of ‘Dark Phoenix’ Could Be the X-Men’s ‘Avengers: Endgame’

The Dark Phoenix Saga is perhaps one of the most controversial topics when discussing comic book movies. The story has been adapted twice in modern film media, and, frankly, those interpretations were not the best translations from comic books to film. Earlier in the week, a question by Twitter User @TheHexTown inspired me to look back at these films. When comparing X-Men: The Last Stand to X-Men: Dark Phoenix, we have to consider that they’re both very different interpretations of the same story. When we boil it down, they are very different in how the world-building connects these films to the overarching X-Men franchise. It will also help us understand how a potential future adaptation can avoid these very issues.

Two Sides of the Same Coin

Famke Janssen had three films to develop her interpretation of Jean Grey. She had already learned how to control her powers and worked as the team’s doctor. Not only that, she was an active fighter for mutant rights and defended the lives of both her students and mutant-kind in general. So, in part, the first series of X-Men films gave us backstory and context to who Jean Grey was before teasing her true nature at the end of X2. It made her inevitable fall to the dark side in The Last Stand even more tragic. Meanwhile, Sophie Turner only had two movies to develop her version.

In X-Men: Apocalypse, she was already struggling with the Phoenix Force in her dreams, and they were already setting Jean up to take up the Phoenix mantle from the get-go. That made Jean’s character development far too rushed to be able to see any cohesive structure. We barely spent time with this version of the character. I would love for Sophie Turner to get another shot as Jean Grey in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a soft rebooted version. Let’s take a closer look at how both versions failed to adapt the Phoenix Saga and how the MCU could avoid its pitfalls.

It’s All About the Build-Up

The original comic run got divided into two parts. Firstly, Jean Grey encounters the Phoenix Force for the first time while the X-Men repaired the M’Kraan Crystal on the planet of Shi’ar. The second part occurs a few issues later, and we witness the Phoenix Force consume Jean Grey and usher in her run as a villain. She would ultimately sacrifice her life to save her friends and the world once she regains control. The complexity of the comic arc highlights how it isn’t easy to shove into a two-hour film. Dark Phoenix was meant to be two films but got cut down after the Disney-Fox merger. Kinberg did have the right idea on how to adapt the story, but his hands were tied.

Marvel Studios isn’t a stranger to a two-arc storyline. With the recent expansion into Disney+, they could even take a series approach. Still, it needs time to build up before it gets the spotlight. Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame was such a success, was because they were the culmination of a story told over eleven years. Of course, we also need to get our official introduction into the MCU’s version of mutants first. They could already plant the seeds once the rumored The Mutants project is adapted. They might even set up multiple arcs from the iconic franchise to explore in the future. Their introduction into the ever-expanding franchise finally allows them to adapt the interconnected stories we’ve come to love from the comics. Nevertheless, we can’t wait to see what Marvel showcases when the Mutants finally arrive in the MCU.

Source: IndieWire

April 29, 2021
Theory Thursday: The Future of the MCU

On December 10th, 2020, Kevin Feige gave a presentation during Disney Investor Day that provided an in-depth glimpse at the next few years of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The presentation showed a mixture of returning characters appearing in solo projects or team-ups, as well as new superheroes joining the ranks. With the introduction of many different superheroes and teams, speculation began to spiral: When the next Endgame event is coming? As once discussed by Kevin Feige and James Gunn, some speculated that the MCU was turning to the cosmos and the next big event would be inspired by Annihilation. Others believed that the story that was being laid out was headed towards Secret Wars. While I agree that this feels like the natural progression, there are more intimate stories that should come first. Exploring these stories, viewers would feel they earned the Secret Wars’ pay-offs.

Inhumans vs. X-Men

Two of the announced projects and beyond set this event up by introducing both teams and concepts required for telling this story. Ms. Marvel, due to arrive on Disney+ later this year, is bringing the first Inhumans to the MCU. In the comics, Kamala Khan receives her powers from a Terrigen Cloud that activated the Kree DNA in her genetic code. With Ms. Marvel’s introduction into the MCU, other Inhumans like the Royal Family will finally be able to make their proper way onto the screen. As well, At SDCC 2019 Feige announced that “The Mutants are coming”, but with no other information surrounding them since then, their projects may still be far off. It could even be the end of phase five or six before we see a full X-men team-up. However, with both parties on their way, Inhumans vs. X-Men could be the next team-up event.

In the comic event series, the Terrigen Cloud that gave Ms. Marvel her powers was released across the globe due to a Terrigen Bomb going off. This cloud gave many Inhumans powers across the global, but also caused Mutants to get sick. It killed off large portions of their population, causing mass panic among those infected. The Mutants wished to destroy the cloud leading to a division with the Inhumans who did not support their actions. To give justice to the story, many aspects need to develop before the clash occurs. The Inhumans, the Royal Family, and Attilan, The Inhumans City, need to be established explored. With their rich heritage and culture, there are plenty of stories to explore in their own series or movies, A catalyst event also needs to occur that would cause the release of the Terrigen Cloud. It does not make narrative sense to show this in Ms. Marvel as it would severely limit potential stories that could be told. While it occurred in response to the events of Secret Wars in the comics, an event Disney+ show such as The Death of the Inhumans may be a better place to explore this story. The MCU also needs time to properly explore the mutants, both individual characters and eventually the team, and establish why viewers should care about their imminent demise. This could play out as either a series on Disney+ or a movie.

Civil War II

Following the establishment of the Inhumans vs. X-Men, the team behind the MCU could move on to another fight. Civil War II centers around the introduction of an Inhuman who can predict the future. Captain Marvel wishes to use these powers to stop threats by arresting the culprits before they commit them, essentially removing their agency. Tony Stark is opposed to this plan, which causes a clash amongst Avengers. The groundwork will be laid through Ms. Marvel and the eventual Terrigen Cloud that will show up in the MCU. As for the role of Tony Stark, Sam Wilson or Doctor Strange could replace him as the moral compass of the group. Another character that would need to be established would be Miles Morales. Peter Parker could play the part; however, removing Miles Morales feels cheap and may anger many fans. To allow the previous event to play out and establish Miles in the MCU, it would make sense that this event would not arrive until the end of phase six or even early phase seven.

Avengers vs. X-Men

At first, I struggled to place this event in the narrative being established leading up to Secret Wars but ultimately decided that it would make the most sense as the finale in this trilogy. The comic series tells the story of the return of the Phoenix Force, a threat in the eyes of the Avengers. Many of the X-Men hold the Force together and use it to create a society a better society. Feige could drastically change story details, but they would need more time to establish the Phoenix Force if he were to stay true to the basic concept. We have seen the Phoenix Force twice in movies and so we might not need to establish it. We would need enough time to pass after Inhumans vs. X-Men to explore integral X-Men stories before this one can be told. So, at the earliest, it should be sometime in Phase Seven.

Once the vs. trilogy is told in its entirety, the teams of the MCU will be fractioned. And through the chaos, Secret Wars would begin and bring our heroes back together to face the end of days.

April 22, 2021
How Disney+ STAR May Hint at ‘Deadpool 3’ Being a Soft-Reboot for the MCU

Marvel Studios is venturing into new territory with their first R-rated project. The third entry in the Deadpool franchise will continue where the latest left off with the same vulgar we’ve come to love from the character. Yet, unlike the previous entries, we know that this new entry will be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe even with the R-rating. Ryan Reynolds will return to tackle the role of the merc with a mouth. As far as we know, he is the only confirmed returning character from the previous films, and it opens up the question if the upcoming threequel will soft reboot the franchise. Wendy Molyneux and Lizzie Molyneux-Loeglin are hard at work on the script. So, nothing is set in stone for now. Yet, there is a chance that Marvel Studios and Disney may have accidentally hinted that the upcoming Deadpool film will work on its own merits.

A few months ago, Disney+ expanded in specific markets through the STAR brand. It was a gateway for adult and R-rated projects to find their way into the usually family-friendly platform. Marvel already included a variety of the 20th Century films under the tagline “Marvel Legacy.” They had two separate stacks for the films and animated projects. Interestingly enough, the TV shows Legion, Agents of SHIELD, and others are titled “Marvel Live-Action Series.” Now, as you can see in the image below, even though the third entry of Deadpool will be an MCU project, its first entry is classified as a Legacy film in the Disney+ selection.

The list goes out of its way to highlight which projects are part of the MCU. Now, there is a chance that they might not have a placement for Deadpool, as his films tie into the other Legacy films from the X-Men franchise. Yet, that is a loose connection at best, because it seems to take place in the modern era, but we see the cast from X-Men: Apocalypse, which takes place in the 80s. Plus, the second film ended in a sequence where the merc with a mouth jumps through time. If it remains the same character from the previous films, they can easily retcon the character into the main timeline of the MCU as a result of his actions.

So, he still has his fourth-wall-breaking mentality and experience from the previous films, but he ended up screwing the timeline that he ended up breaking through the multiverse. That way, they can write off the previous entries as Legacy films while the third is a soft-reboot into the MCU. It’s just speculation but with the Star Wars Vintage branding separating non-canon Star Wars projects, it seems quite deliberate that it was given the Legacy title. We’ll have to see how they approach the project, as there are rumors of a Hulu Deadpool series in development that may be hinting at a bright and bloody future for the iconic mercenary.

April 14, 2021
Lil Rel Howery Reveals He Was Cast in Channing Tatum’s ‘GAMBIT’

The cast of 20th Century Fox’s Gambit spin-off has grown by one. Well, if it was still in some form of development. Actor and comedian Lil Rel Howery revealed that he was once attached to star alongside Channing Tatum. It’s still uncertain who Howery would have portrayed, but his involvement in the first new tidbit on the troubled production we’ve gotten in a long time. He revealed this information during an interview to promote his upcoming Netflix comedy, Bad Trip. He first gave the vague description before confirming it:

So there was a movie that I was attached to with Channing Tatum that we were going to do and whatever happened happened, it was in that world so…I was like ‘Damn man.’

As a reminder, Gambit was a spin-off from the original X-Men franchise that never made it to the big screen. The film got announced in 2014. The project underwent multiple re-writes and experienced many delays over numerous years. After cycling through four directors, including Rupert Wyatt and Doug Liman, the movie was officially canceled in 2019.

The only casting, aside from Tatum, was for the female lead. Actresses like Lea Seydoux and Rebecca Ferguson auditioned for the role of Belladonna Boudreaux. Howery, who has had something of a career renaissance since appearing in 2017’s Get Out, was never rumored to be part of the cast. This new revelation, straight from the lion’s mouth, almost makes you wonder what other talent may have been in line to appear in the film had it not been given the boot.

Source: The Illuminerdi, Movieweb

March 20, 2021
Murphy’s Law Podcast: Episode 84

Charles and Charles are back! Charles M. gives a bunch of Marvel Studios production updates and the guys talk about the big news around Marvel Studios X-Men reboot, the Thor: Love and Thunder set photos, Captain Marvel 2 rumors and more!

March 8, 2021
REPORT: Marvel Studios’ ‘X-Men’ Reboot in Early Development

Ever since Disney purchased 20th Century Fox, we’ve been waiting for the X-Men to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe. During Disney’s Investors Day, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige revealed that they are adapting Fantastic Four, but the mutants will have to wait a bit. There have been theories that they could appear in WandaVision, as Wanda Maximoff has close ties with Magneto. It seemed unlikely to happen with each passing episode, but it looks like Marvel Studios is finally moving forward with their adaptation of the iconic mutant family.

Illuminerdi has just shared that the X-Men film reboot has entered the early stage of development. As of right now, there is no talent of any kind attached to the project. It’ll enter development under the working title “The Mutants,” which is beautifully straight-forward. We have no details of how they will approach the project, but it would indicate that we could maybe get some news by the end of the year.

It will be interesting to see which direction they go. 20th Century Fox introduced the first film in the franchise back in 2000. So, the franchise has been going for around 20 years. Last year’s The New Mutants marked the end of an era. The original franchise focused a lot on Wolverine. It made sense as he is one of the group’s most popular characters. They might take a different route and focus on the school, as they could take the same path as the Harry Potter franchise did by focusing on the students. No matter what direction they take, we can’t wait to see it unfold on the silver screen.

Source: Illuminerdi

March 4, 2021