The MCU's Complicated Future for the X-Men
The release of Deadpool & Wolverine has left fans with more unanswered worries about what lies ahead for mutants in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). The film's ending has left many fans perplexed, despite their expectations of a clear resolution to the Fox X-Men films' merger into the MCU.
Expected to wipe out the Fox realities and leave the main MCU timeline with just Deadpool and potentially Wolverine, the movie has a lot of easter eggs related to Deadpool. The movie's ending, nevertheless, doesn't entirely validate this theory. The movie's conclusion implies otherwise, despite the Deadpool & Wolverine cameos and easter eggs appearing to bid farewell to the Fox universe.
X-Men's MCU Debut: Expectation and Perplexity
Fans of the beloved Marvel characters X-Men are excited about the prospect of an MCU X-Men revival that includes both new and returning characters. A new batch of mutants will likely enter the MCU soon, according to screenwriter Michael Lesslie, who is associated to the project. The release date and lineup details are yet unknown, though. The recent developments involving Deadpool and Wolverine have further clouded the future of the franchise.
Deadpool & Wolverine featured rumors of an appearance by Ben Affleck's character Daredevil, although it's not clear if that was ever the plan. This ambiguity exacerbates the uncertainty around the MCU's plans for the X-Men.
Uncertain Future: Wolverine, Deadpool, and the Fox Universe
Remarkably, Deadpool & Wolverine leaves open the question of the X-Men's continued existence in the MCU. The protagonists of the movie save Earth-10005, not destroy it, and then go back. The absence of Deadpool and Wolverine from the MCU universe raises the possibility that the Fox universe will survive in some form for X-Men films in the future. More complexity arises from the introduction of a new Wolverine variation, which essentially reverses Logan's conclusion.
After Deadpool & Wolverine, a lot of things are still unclear. Hugh Jackman's presence in future projects, such as Avengers: Secret Wars, has not been confirmed despite speculations to the contrary. Deadpool's future MCU appearances are questionable as he stays in his own reality with his buddies. Marvel appears to be considering their options given their ambiguous stance regarding these characters.
Adieu to Fox's X-Men Universe: The Scene with the Mid-Credits
The "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" song by Green Day was playing during the montage of moments from Fox's Marvel films, combined with behind-the-scenes video, in the mid-credits scene of Deadpool & Wolverine. The scenario seemed meant to be a farewell to the X-Men universe, since this song is often performed during graduation ceremonies. The Deadpool trilogy came to a nostalgic close with the poignant mid-credits.
This segment provided an overview of Fox's contributions to popular superhero Movies in the past. This picture captured the studio's history, which included both successes and disappointments, from the first X-Men and its sequels to Fantastic Four and Daredevil. The movie's storyline is at odds with the footage, which seemed to suggest Fox's universe was ending.
The MCU's X-Men: An Imprecise Representation
Marvel's inability to reach a firm conclusion is the most likely reason for the X-Men's current status in the MCU. The movie basically left the MCU as it was when the characters went back to their own universe. This is especially confusing in light of Kevin Feige's rating of the film's significance to the MCU of an 8 out of 10. But it's still unclear what the movie will mean in the end. The destiny of these characters is up for debate as there is no definite Deadpool 4.
Probably so that characters could make a comeback in the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars. Although specifics about returning characters are still unknown, the comics that served as the inspiration for the movie assembled a broad cast of heroes by pulling from the Marvel multiverse. Likely to follow suit, the movie will have characters from different eras of Marvel's history. There are rumors that characters like Hugh Jackman's Wolverine and Tobey Maguire's Spider-Man may make a comeback.
The Marvels and More Perplexity: The X-Men's Unpredictable Course
Marvel has been introducing story points in their post-credits scenes lately that appear far from resolved, and these moments have grown increasingly confused. The climax of The Marvels features Monica Rambeau awakening at the X-Men home and coming face-to-face with Kelsey Grammar's Beast. A year later, the meaning of this moment is still unknown, and Deadpool and Wolverine offer no clarification. Whether Monica's new universe is Earth-10005 or something else entirely is unknown.
Due to Marvel's success, there have been rumors of an Avengers vs. X-Men movie; however, with the release of Avengers: Doomsday, this seems improbable. Confusion regarding the direction of the series arises from the studio's apparent attempt to combine elements from the Fox X-Men Movies while simultaneously constructing a new mutant universe, as shown in Ms. Marvel.
The MCU's Future: Uncertainties and the Need for Clarification
Marvel should ideally have a clear long-term strategy for the X-Men in the MCU. But recent significant alterations to the world, such as the choice of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom, throw doubt on the studio's obvious course. The recent X-Men storylines and hints in the MCU have increased complexity, necessitating a satisfactory explanation. Fans are still trying to figure out where the X-Men fit into the MCU, and Deadpool & Wolverine have only made things more confusing.
Since Paramount's 2008 release of Iron Man, starring Robert Downey Jr., the Marvel Cinematic Universe has experienced exponential growth in popularity. Marvel Entertainment's 2009 acquisition by Disney solidified the success of the series. There are many films and television series that are part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), including Avengers: Endgame, WandaVision, and Loki.
