Disney’s $71.3 billion acquisition of 20th Century Fox has been completed. This means Marvel now owns the rights to the characters from the X-Men, as well as the Fantastic Four. For fans this begs the question of when these characters will get folded into the existing MCU. Many fans have hoped and prayed that it would happen with a stinger at the end of Avengers: Endgame.
The Disney-Fox deal to closed on March 20 , 2019.
If I had a Magic 8 Ball and I asked it would we get an X-Men stinger, I am certain that it’s response would be “Outlook not so good.”
If not with Avengers: Endgame, What is the Plan to Introduce the X-Men into the MCU?
As recently as December 2018, directors Joe and Anthony Russo confirmed that the X-Men characters would meet the Avengers. In a CNET article Joe Russo was quoted as saying “We haven’t talked to him [Disney CEO Bob Iger] about when that will happen,” but stated he was “sure” Disney will bring the Marvel Cinematic Universe together after the two companies combine.
Endgame to be Russo Brothers’ Final MCU Film
It appears Endgame will be the Russo brother swan song as they are not currently slated to direct any Phase 4 movies for the MCU. The Russos previously directed Avengers: Infinity War, Captain America: Civil War and Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The duo has expressed interest in seeing “large-scale” crossovers with the likes of the X-Men, Deadpool and The Fantastic Four.
Unfortunately, it appears that Kevin Feige has a different vision. In a recent io9 article he was quoted as saying:
It’ll be a while, it’s all just beginning and the five-year plan that we’ve been working on, we were working on before any of that was set. So really it’s much more, for us, less about specifics of when and where [the X-Men will appear] right now and more just the comfort factor and how nice it is that they’re home. That they’re all back. But it will be a very long time.”
What does this mean for the X-Men and the MCU? It looks like Marvel Studios already has a 5-Year Phase 4 plan and it probably does not include the X-Men. It also means that we will most likely not get a mid or post-credits stinger introducing mutants to the MCU anytime soon!
Whether we do or do not, we’ll find out soon enough when Avengers: Endgame opens April 26.
