What do we want in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? We want mutants, and more importantly, the X-Men! When are we getting it?! No one knows.
We’ve seen clues of mutants' inevitable to the MCU arrival in the Multiverse Saga through titles such as Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, The Marvels, Ms. Marvel, and more. However, other than the past actors from 20th Century Fox X-Men franchise appearing in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, there hasn’t been confirmation of when we’ll see Marvel’s Mightiest Mutants taking center stage. Sadly, this won’t be an article that gives hope for an upcoming mutant-led project.
Although Marvel Studios Preisdent Kevin Feige previously revealed that the "Mutants Era" would be the next chapter of the MCU that doesn't necessarily mean that it will be titled "The Mutants Saga". And now, a new report has cast doubt on just how prominent they might be right out of the gate.
The Mutants are coming to the MCU but they may not be the main focus... yet
During a Q&A with fans (via The Cosmic Circus), Marvel insider Alex Perez was asked a brilliant question about the next saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe: “Which corners of the MCU (supernatural, cosmic, street-level, global/Avengers, mutants, mystical/magical, etc) will be the primary focus for the next saga after Secret Wars?” Perez responded, “Cosmic is the biggest one right now. Then Mutant. Followed by the Supernatural.”
So, yes, mutants are part of the plan, but they may not be the priority.
A lot of people want to see the X-Men in the MCU. Seeing Wolverine and Captain America team up or fight, or the New Mutants venturing to Asgard, would be a dream come true. And we can’t forget projects like House of M and Avengers vs X-Men. They’re all guaranteed ways for fans to be happy if Marvel Studios chose to adapt them for the MCU (there have been rumors of a project focusing on the latter), and would likely lead to Disney making money. It’s a win for everyone. That said, this writer is all for Marvel Studios taking their time.
Lao Tzu said "Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished." That phrase can be used here regarding the X-Men. You don’t want something this importantto feel rushed. It leads to mistakes like bad casting and awful stories. Or, what may be worse, is getting good performers wasted in unwatchable movies like New Mutants and Fantastic Four (or Fan4stic). So, rather than sprinting to the finish line, enjoy the marathon and finish strong.
Furthermore, if the focus prior to the mutants is cosmic, then that is also a very good thing. Fans have enjoyed the Guardians of the Galaxy film series, and the upcoming The Fantastic Four: First Steps is a highly anticipated movie. And, the next two Avengers movies (Doomsday and Secret Wars) are likely to be cosmic projects that will bring about an end to the Multiverse Saga, setting the stage for the next chapter of the franchise. That’s four reasons to be happy about the future of the MCU. If you need more reasons, comic book stories like Annihilation, Infinity (the possible return of Thanos), and Planet Hulk would also serve as strong cosmic inspiration for the MCU's next chapter, so we could also see projects adapt some of these stories.
So, as much as we’d all like to see the X-Men, let Marvel get the ingredients and temperature right before the meal is sent out. No one wants an undercooked Storm or burnt Wolverine steak.
The X-Men movie is in development and rumor has it that it might come out in 2028. But even if it doesn't outright lead to the mutants dominating the franchise just yet, the Mutants Era will have well and truly begun. And that's all that matters.
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