30/09/2023

MCU X-Men Update Adds More Weight To Game-changing Marvel Phase 7 Theory

Information is finally coming out about Marvel’s plans for the X-Men, and the latest reveal has big implication for the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Summary

The X-Men’s debut movie in the MCU supports the theory that the next saga will be the Mutant Saga, providing ample time to explore the impact of their introduction in Phase 7.
Introducing the X-Men earlier would overshadow the multiverse narrative and risk feeling disconnected, making Phase 7 the perfect timing to fully explore the effect mutants have on established characters and franchises.
Mutants can serve as a consistent thread connecting different movies in the background, addressing the criticism of a lack of strong connecting narrative in Phases 4 and 5.

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The X-Men are on their way to the MCU, and a new update about the team’s debut movie supports an exciting theory about their role in the upcoming Marvel movie landscape. Fox’s X-Men movies were pivotal in kickstarting the modern superhero movie craze, and even if the franchise found uneven critical reception, it produced several iconic takes on classic mutants and their storylines. Despite years having passed since Disney acquired the rights to Fox – and, with it, their film franchises – mutants have only been slowly dripped into the MCU. While Deadpool 3 will see Wade Wilson and Wolverine cross franchises, information about the other X-Heroes has been scarce.

However, news about where Marvel Studios is at with the X-Men reboot has surfaced via Deadline, revealing that the search is on for a writer. Sources say that Marvel Studios leadership will be hearing pitches from writers this fall, and a decision should happen sometime in early 2024. While it’s exiting to hear an update about the X-Men’s future, this news undoubtedly places the movie’s planned release several years out. After a writer is selected, they’ll need ample time to write before production begins. The wait will hopefully be worth it, and the assumed timeline is perfect for an exciting MCU Phase 7 theory.

MCU Mutant Saga Theory More Likely After X-Men Movie Update

With the MCU Phases 1 through 3 being the Infinity Saga and Phases 4 through 6 labeled the Multiverse Saga, anticipation has already been building over what the MCU Phases 7 through 9 could bring. One long-held theory is that the MCU’s next saga will be the Mutant Saga, and the X-Men reboot’s latest update works well with that idea. The theory already made sense – while mutants like Namor and Ms. Marvel have been trickling into the MCU, the introduction of the actual X-Men is sure to be monumental, and cramming them into a multiverse-focused series of movies would be a disservice. If the MCU Phase 7 is the Mutant Saga, there will be plenty of room to explore the impact of such a big introduction.

Related: Every Upcoming Marvel Movie: Full MCU Phase 5 & 6 List (& Beyond)

Why MCU Phase 7 Is the Perfect Time For Marvel’s X-Men Movie

The cast of X-Men 2

If the X-Men were introduced earlier than the MCU Phase 7, their arrival would be overshadowed by the multiverse narrative that’s already in motion. An MCU Phase 6 X-Men project would either have to play into what’s going on with Kang and the multiverse or risk seeming strangely disconnected from everything else. It’s simply not the right moment in the MCU timeline to introduce not only a new character, but what could potentially be a massive portion of Marvel’s future movie universe.

The MCU’s X-Men movie releasing later means that the franchise can fully explore the effect mutants have on already-established characters and franchises. A common criticism of the MCU Phases 4 and 5 is that there isn’t yet a strong connecting narrative tying disparate projects together. Mutants can change that. Even if other MCU Phase 7 projects aren’t directly about the X-Men, they can be an important and consistent piece of fabric connecting different movies in the background.