The Mutants are coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While some theories expected a longer wait with the iconic Marvel characters to appear after the Multiverse Saga has come to an end, but Marvel Studios is going at it one step at a time. We first met a familiar face in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness with the 90s theme, which was later used to recontextualize a reveal in Ms. Marvel.
Now, we have the word once again spoken by Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever; the first to be well-aware of his mutant status in the MCU given how different he is from his own people of Talocan. During the Q&A after the CCXP event showcasing Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige was asked on if we can expect more mutants in the near future and he definitely seemed optimistic
No, look, we’ve already met a few. There’s a new Mutant named Namor that you might’ve met recently. So, more to come.
Kevin Feige
Of course, the head of the production company is not going to give away what we can expect. We do know that Deadpool 3 will give Hugh Jackman one more chance to play Wolverine; hopefully finally wearing his iconic outfit. And, there are many opportunities to slowly introduce various versions of these characters throughout upcoming projects. Now, we just have to wait and see if the X-Men will get their time int he spotlight or if they even existed throughout MCU’s history to begin with.
20th Century Fox’s era with the X-Men license has been quite unique, as the franchise kicked off the modern superhero craze and also went through its own soft-reboot phase when X-Men: First Class took over. Technically, the project was a prequel to the original, it still added unique elements that were not referenced in the original trilogy. It was a way to get a new group of actors to take on some iconic roles.
James McAvoy famously took on the role of Charles Xavier with Michael Fassbender offering his talent to the role of Magneto. In a recent interview with GQ, McAvoy opened up on the one aspect that he would criticized of the original run as the films moved away further and further from the main dynamic introduced in First Class.
My biggest criticism of what we did throughout the four movies was that after the first movie, we didn’t take advantage of the relationship between [Xavier and Michael Fassbender’s Magneto], which really formed the backbone of the first film. So it was like, why did we just eject that massive weapon.
James McAvoy
When Bryan Singer returned with X-Men: Days of Future Past, the franchise built a stronger focus back to Wolverine that acted as a connective tissue between the past and future. Apocalypse did continue the storyline surrounding Magneto but kept him and Xavier far apart from each other for most of the film before we returned to another attempt at the Dark Phoenix storyline. Perhaps a new generation could further explore this dynamic.
The moment the announcement dropped that Avengers: Secret Wars was on the horizon, many were excited on who may make an appearance. Anyone is possible in the wide multiverse that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has opened, especially after seeing former Spider-Men Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield once again reprise their iconic roles in Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Naturally, it also opened up a recurring question for anyone that got a chance to interview a Marvel legacy actor, such as what GQ did when they got a chance to sit down with former Professor X, James McAvoy. The actor had already been asked many times if he might appear in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
I’m very quick to say, ‘No, I’m done.’ Or ‘I’m not that bothered about coming back.’ Because you move forward. I’ve definitely not got the call. And if I did I would definitely not be telling you.
James McAvoy
The last part of the statement is quite funny, especially with how McAvoy has always been rather direct in his response, especially when the Doctor Strange rumors were making the rounds. Of course, it does seem quite early for them to cast anyone for Secret Wars, as the script has yet to be finalized. So, they may not reach out until they know who exactly they want to include, especially with an Avengers film that’ll likely include a wide amount of characters. So, not trying to bind anyone too early, especially if production might get postponed (you never know). It might still be some time until we get a firm grasp of what their plans are for this film.
The moment Marvel Studios unveiled plans for Avengers: Secret Wars, it felt like anything suddenly became possible. The Multiverse Saga was upon us and while we only got a glimpse in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, something that seems entirely on purpose in retrospect to build up what is yet to come, it does seem like the perfect way to slowly bring back some iconic stars from Marvel’s cinematic and TV history.
One of the most hopeful returns has been some of the 20th Century Fox actors, especially from the X-Men franchise. Luckily, it seems that one actor is definitely on board as Kelsey Grammer, who once played Beast in X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Days of Future Past, and gave us quite an iconic incarnation ith very little time on screen. Not only does he want to return but he also makes an ultimatum in an interview with MovieWeb.
If they don’t ask me to return to the role of Beast, I’ll never go to Disneyland again. I’d love for them to do that. I want to do that.
Kelsey Grammer
There’s the possibility that we see this actor return to the role even before Secret Wars; if Marvel Studios even ends up approaching him. Hugh Jackman is already confirmed to take on the role of Wolverine once more in the upcoming Deadpool threequel and they could also reintroduce some familiar faces from the original X-Men franchise. So, we’ll see if he might end up having a role after all.
The mutants are coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe…in fact, some are already here. Ms. Marvel made a major change to Kamala Khan’s origins and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, which premiered last night in Hollywood, introduced Namor, often known in the comics as The First Mutant, even though that’s a wildly misleading misnomer. But the question that everyone wants answered, including She-Hulk, is when are the X-Men going to join the fray.
Marvel Studios One-Above-All Kevin Feige was asked that very question at the Purple Carpet Premiere of Wakanda Forever and gave an answer all too familiar to this reporter: “No answer.“
Feige did go on to give a little more information about the potential future of mutants in the MCU saying, “Deadpool and Wolverine…we’re getting close” in reference to the news that Hugh Jackman joined the cast of Deadpool 3, if that’s what it ends up being titled, after years of being pursued by co-star Ryan Reynolds.
Even with that little bit of information, Marvel Studios’ plans for the X-Men remain a tightly-guarded secret. Three years after the merger between Disney and Fox that allowed for the characters to be used in the MCU, no live-action X-Men projects have been announced and it’s unclear whether or not the X-Men are expected to play any role at all in Marvel Studios’ ongoing Multiverse Saga. The studio is, however, working on a revival of the classic X-Men: The Animated Series titled X-Men ’97, which is expected to stream on Disney Plus in 2023.
In what has been one of the largest blindsides of major Marvel Studios news, it’s been revealed that Hugh Jackman is returning as Wolverine for the upcoming Deadpool threequel. Naturally, fans are incredibly curious about what this may mean for the upcoming film and with Secret Wars looming, potentially beyond. Arguably the most notable talking point will be what this means for the character of Wolverine as a whole between the Hugh Jackman variant and the hypothetical future version in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. While the surface-level take would be to assume they’ll bring in a new actor down the road to portray some version of the character, the case can be made for Marvel Studios to actually keep Hugh Jackman in the role for a specific purpose. Let’s take a look at the cases for why and why wouldn’t Jackman become the Earth-616 version of Wolverine.
Hugh Jackman in X-Men: Days of Future Past
Why Hugh Jackman Wouldn’t be the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Wolverine
There are ample reasons why Hugh Jackman wouldn’t work as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s main timeline Wolverine. While the star has been synonymous with the character for over two decades, Marvel Studios would likely want to make room for a new interpretation of Wolverine. From the get-go, it would create the opportunity for the character of Wolverine to go in a different direction from the “Logan” moniker into predominately James Howlett. It’s certainly not the most important element but is emblematic of Kevin Feige’s potential desire to bring a more comic-inspired version of Wolverine to the big screen. In a world where the X-Men universe of characters will need to be distinct to stand apart from the original film adaptation, removing Wolverine’s “leading man” energy would be an easy place to start. Having Wolverine be the shortest and hairiest version possible would be a welcome change to a number of fans.
With that in mind, having a new actor in the role would provide significantly more creative freedom. Wolverine is someone with a rich history that hasn’t been fully told yet (even with Jackman’s many portrayals of the character) and going with a younger actor would ultimately bring more narrative opportunities for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Wolverine is one of the most popular characters in the Marvel pantheon and having longevity for the role could be something paramount for Kevin Feige to consider.
In addition, having Hugh Jackman as the mainline version of Wolverine might take away from what could be a compelling multiversal story with his character. Having an actor with the cache of Jackman returning would presumably necessitate a compelling story arc for his character. Returning for at least Deadpool III could open the door for this version of Wolverine to have a new satisfying concluding arc to him that would maybe be muddled by staying in the Marvel Cinematic Universe afterward.
Hugh Jackman in Logan
Why Hugh Jackman Would Work at the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Wolverine
Alternativly, Hugh Jackman’s portrayal of Wolverine could really work within the framework of the main Marvel Cinematic Universe. The main crux of this though would be the notion that the Logan version of the character is more of a supporting character to a different primary Wolverine: Laura Kinney. She has been distinctly popular with fans for a considerable amount of time, especially since Dafne Keen’s portrayal in Logan. In recent years has been seen as a marquee character in X-Men comics as an official Wolverine. Marvel Studios would be smart to at least consider striking while the iron is hot and bring in the currently-17-year-old actress to reprise her role for the long-term future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
It would be a massive creative gamble by Marvel Studios to have Laura Kinney be the primary Wolverine of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (perhaps their largest creative risk), but it doesn’t feel like it would be completely out of the realm of possibility. It certainly guarantees an entirely new vibe from the X-Men that would be massively different from the original film adaptations by Fox. Jackman’s version of the character loomed large over essentially every project and moving him to a distinctly supporting role would allow different characters to shine on the silver screen. And if there remains a desire to see Logan in his prime, de-aging technology in film continues to advance and seeing what would appear to be a younger Hugh Jackman in action via CGI grows more possible, if it isn’t already.
A second option for bringing in Hugh Jackman is a bit more niche, but would still drum up excitement with fans. A World War Hulk film adaptation has long been rumored to be in the offing, and it’s a film that would feel like a logical endpoint for the character of Bruce Banner in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With that in mind, some of the most seminal stories for both Hulk and Wolverine that haven’t been adapted is their epic showdown in the comics. And unless there is a surprise casting of a new Wolverine in the relatively new future, Jackman would in theory be the best chance at seeing Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk fight against a Wolverine on the big screen.
Conclusions
With every point and counterpoint to consider, it would be very likely that Hugh Jackman wouldn’t return as Wolverine for any other projects besides Deadpool III (and potentially a cameo role in Avengers: Secret Wars). Jackman is currently 53 years old and presumably wouldn’t want to make that sort of long-term commitment, even if it was for more of a supporting role. In addition, Kevin Feige and company would likely be interested in creating their own take on the character that is distinct from what came before. Even still, it would not be entirely shocking if Marvel Studios decided to make other types of radical and unexpected differences to make their version of the X-Men stand out from the original cinematic versions.
We’ve all been wondering what D23 might have in store for us and it definitely delivered. We got the reveal for Werewolf by Night, a grand showcase of their currently announced slate, and even the line-up for the upcoming Thunderbolts movie. So, it definitely was full of surprises but there was still no word on when we can expect any updates on the X-Men.
Well, according to Deadline’s Justin Kroll, we can’t really expect any true announcement or updates on the project “for a very long time” outside of them potentially finding some writers for the project. So, anyone hoping to hear a casting of an iconic X-Men might have to strap in for the long run before we get any real updates on that.
Speaking of X-MEN, this film isn't happening for a very long time, so outside of a writer being tapped, it's super unlikely any casting decisions get made on that one for some time
Marvel Studios has been very open about them not wanting to rush the X-Men and mutants out. Plus, they already have quite the list of characters being rolled out and while there’s a possible appearance in Phase 6 for the project, there’s still a lot more to get out until then. So, it may be something we won’t see until after The Multiverse Saga potentially, but only time will tell.
D23 is finally here and it’ll be an exciting weekend with potential reveals and hints at the future of our favorite Disney franchises. While there are still a lot of theories on what we might see or hear, it seems that a small teaser has been spotted at D23 which offers a little glimpse at not only The Marvels but also X-Men ’97. The footage shared by @BRMarvelNews doesn’t include any new footage but interviews with the director Nia DaCosta and some returning cast members of the 90’s X-Men: The Animated Series revival.
There have been many theories about what we can expect from the upcoming Disney+ Day. Last year, we got a few announcements alongside official logo reveals. The big question for many is how much they’ll really show if D23 is right after but they might still use the chance to tease some Disney+ projects or even reveal some fun trailers. Plus, we’ll also get some new additions to the service to celebrate the occasion. Now, the official Twitter account is also seemingly teasing something X-Men related for the day.
The interesting thing is that they’ve made a few day countdown posts, but this time around they highlighted the hashtag. The inclusion of Hugh Jackman‘s Wolverine is definitely a curious choice but very unlikely is hinting at anything related to the 20th Century Fox era but there’s a chance we might get a teaser of some kind of the 90s animated series continuation X-Men ’97.
Of course, to temper expectations, there’s simply a chance they are promoting the fact that they have all the 20th Century films on the platform. Disney+ has advertised itself as the “Home of Marvel” and is definitely living up to that name. Perhaps they’ll finally add X-Men: Evolution to the platform, which was a great animated series based on popular animated characters. We still have a week to wait until we find out what exactly they might be teasing or if it’s actually anything, but there’s a lot of fun to have to speculate ahead of such a big event from Disney.
The X-Men finally returned home when Disney purchased 20th Century Fox and while their Marvel Cinematic Universe debut is still some time away, we will still get the revival series for the 90s X-Men: The Animated Series titled X-Men ’97. Marvel Studios has used the iconic theme in some places to tease the eventual growing return of the mutants, but it seems getting their hands on it wasn’t so easy.
As revealed during a panel at Pennsylvania’s Steel City Convention, consultant Eric Lewald hinted that they paid a “heavy price” to get the rights back to that iconic theme song. To use it for the upcoming X-Men revival series and in the MCU, they had to negotiate with a second person holding the rights according to Lewald, who stated that:
“[The X-Men: The Animated Series theme song] wasn’t a done deal necessarily when they were producing the new show. The rights were all over the place. I think a secondary person had the rights to the music, so it was a negotiation for them. Obviously, you can’t do the new show without that song. But the guy selling it knew the same thing, so I’m sure it was a heavy price.
Eric Lewald
It’s no wonder that they’ve decided to use it as often as they could. While some made statements that it was for nostalgia bait reasons, it not only offers a memorable cue to connect any mutant joining the franchise but you’d also want to make use of something you paid quite a bit for.
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