The X-Men are getting their own Marvel Cinematic Universe reboot!
After teasing fans with the mention of mutants at Marvel Studios' 2019 San Diego Comic-Con panel, it looks like Kevin Feige and co. are officially developing their own X-Men movie for the MCU. The Illuminerdi reports that the film, currently titled The Mutants, is being developed as a theatrical release and will be a reboot of Fox's X-Men franchise. Deadpool 3, another mutant-led film, is also currently in development at Marvel Studios.
Hearing this news hours before the finale of WandaVision adds even more intrigue, as many people are hoping that Fake Pietro is really Peter Maximoff from the prequel films. Additionally, some fans think that Michael Fassbender's Magneto could appear in the finale, while Wanda herself could be revealed as the MCU's first mutant. It's unexpected to see Marvel Studios moving forward on an X-Men movie so early, as their slate is full through 2022 and there are several more films with unknown release dates. Currently undated are Blade, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Fantastic Four, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, and Deadpool 3, which are all presumed to release from late 2022 through 2023. This means that The Mutants would be a 2024 release at the earliest, a year in which Avengers 5 is also expected due to the forming of the production company Infinity Productions III today. Infinity Productions I and II were used for the making of Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, so it stands to reason that III is meant for the next installment in the franchise.
Personally, I didn't expect an X-Men film until 2025 or 2026 at the earliest, so I'm pretty surprised by this news! I don't like the tentative title - The Mutants sounds awkwardly passive, and while I understand that Feige wants to go in a new direction with the X-Men, I think even a title such as Mutants or Mutation would work much better. Right now, it sounds like someone just removed the "new" from The New Mutants. A reboot was entirely expected, and I really don't want Peter Maximoff or Magneto in WandaVision. I'd like the MCU to have a fresh take on the X-Men with new cast members for all of the main characters - the only actors I'd like to see reprise their roles are Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool (confirmed), Deadpool's supporting characters (Zazie Beetz as Domino), Anya Taylor-Joy's Magik, and perhaps Olivia Munn as Psylocke. Other than that, I really don't want the messy Fox X-Men movies muddling things up in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
What do you think of this news? Where are mutants going to show up for the first time in the MCU? Comment below!
Source: The Illuminerdi