Kevin Feige Says X-Men Are Key to MCU’s Future

Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has indicated the X-Men will play a key role in the upcoming Avengers: Secret Wars. Not only that, but it seems like the X-men pretty important for the subsequent phases of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).

While individual mutants like Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) have made appearances in the current MCU phase, fans should anticipate the integration of the entire X-Men team. This is thanks to Feige’s comments that arose during Disney’s D23 Fan Event in Brazil.

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D23 is where trailers for Captain America: Brave New World and Thunderbolts premiered. In an interview, Feige discussed Marvel Studios’ approach to Avengers: Endgame and Avengers: Secret Wars, contrasting the studio’s understanding of the narrative direction. He explained that Endgame served as a culmination of a major narrative arc, which needed a fresh start afterward.

In contrast, the path to Secret Wars involves a clearer understanding of the overarching story, both leading up to the film and extending beyond it. Feige told Omlete (translated by SHH), “This time, on the way to Secret Wars, we already know very well what the story will be up to that point and beyond. The X-Men are an important part of that future.”

This new saga is expected to feature the X-Men prominently. Reports indicate Marvel Studios is already developing projects slated for release after Avengers: Secret Wars.

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The film’s premise, involving the collision of multiple universes, provides a way for introducing mutants into the main MCU timeline. Including the X-Men also opens up opportunities for crossovers and interactions with existing MCU characters, broadening the universe’s scope and creating new narrative possibilities.

The unfolding of this plan will likely involve a phased approach, gradually introducing key X-Men characters and storylines before fully integrating them into the larger MCU narrative. This approach allows for careful development and avoids overwhelming audiences with a sudden influx of new characters and concepts, as we’ve seen from previous phases.