Will X-Men: Dark Phoenix introduce a new timeline?
Based on new details and a possible Disney/Fox merger, it looks like X-Men: Dark Phoenix might create a new timeline.
The X-Men have become cinematic giants ever since the first X-Men movie in the year 2000. While the original X-Men trilogy didn’t end on a high note, the franchise rejuvenated itself with Matthew Vaughn’s X-Men: First Class. Indeed, First Class is a stellar superhero movie and its sequel, Days of Future Past, is just as good. Unfortunately, though, each trilogy’s third installment underperformed. (X-Men: Apocalypse shared similar reception to X-Men: The Last Stand.) So far, and somehow, all of these movies are connected. But the next movie in Fox’s slate of X-Men films, Dark Phoenix, might just break away from the complicated timelines.
The Last Stand ended the original X-Men trilogy, while Apocalypse was the culmination of the second one. If such pattern continues, then X-Men: Dark Phoenix could be the start of a new trilogy of X-Men films. We know that Dark Phoenix is set primarily in space and will concentrate on Jean Grey (Sophie Turner) and the Phoenix Force. Such powers have the ability to decimate planets, even entire universes, so it’s not out of the realm of possibilities that such catastrophes could occur in the upcoming film. More so, when we analyze the motivations of Dark Phoenix’s main villain.
Renowned actress Jessica Chastain will make her superhero franchise debut as the main antagonist in Dark Phoenix. While it’s still unknown who her character is, it seems this character will have some rather destructive plans for Earth, especially when, according to Entertainment Weekly, there is a huge twist near the middle of the film that’s set to change the X-Men franchise forever. Additionally, while speaking with EW, the film’s director, Simon Kinberg, said:
"[Chastain’s] character is way way smarter than we are. What she realizes is she can use [Jean Grey] to manipulate this world, to turn it against itself."
If Chastain’s character does indeed subdue Jean and use the Phoenix’s powers, then what if the film’s big twist is that the villain finally succeeds in achieving her goal? With James McAvoy describing the film as “the most emotional X-Men we’ve done” with “a lot of sacrifice and a lot of suffering,” then such results could ensue from a villain’s win.
The Phoenix’s ramifications could be universe-level dangerous. A whole new universe could originate and a new X-Men trilogy, unconnected to the previous films, could arise. This would surely allow the X-Men franchise to continue as such, with free realm as to where it wants to go moving forward. Especially since it wouldn’t tie to the previous X-Men movies. As great as that sounds, though, there are other cooler possibilities.
It is every comic book fan’s dream to see the X-Men and the Avengers together in the silver screen. With the Disney/Fox merger looking to become a reality, fans have speculated that the big twist in X-Men: Dark Phoenix is that both the MCU and the X-Men universe will unite. If such merger transpires, then this is one easy way to introduce mutants to the MCU.
That said, if, rather, Dark Phoenix initiates a new trilogy, then most likely Chastain’s character has something to do with the film’s big twist. A twist that could potentially create a whole new timeline in Fox’s X-Men universe.
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What do you think is the big twist in Dark Phoenix?