The Huge Problem MCU's X-Men Has Already Made

How Markus' Idea Makes The X-Men Less X-Traordinary

X-Men Comics
Marvel Comics

On the surface, yes, this seems like a pretty good idea. Marvel Studios have excelled when subverting audience expectations and providing a fresh spin on an old character or concept (see Captain Marvel's Skrulls or Spider-Man: Homecoming's Vulture), but the X-Men are a different beast altogether. The team dynamic couldn't be further from the Avengers in that they're a family first and foremost; they aren't assembled out of a common occupation, but rather because they're persecuted. The X-Mansion is their home, and the X-Men are the heroes that fight for mutant and humankind alike, overcoming great adversity and prejudice in the process.

Further still, the approach Markus has suggested already failed before. With the exception of Wolverine, who's lived about a dozen lifetimes' worth of adventures anyway, no X-Men character really justifies a solo adventure. It was a quandary Fox tried and fail to grasp during the intervening years between The Last Stand and First Class, with X-Men Origins: Wolverine tanking critically, and numerous other solo films centred around Magneto and Gambit failing midway through production shortly thereafter.

It's not a viable approach, and though Markus does reiterate that the X-Men can't "just" be like the Avengers, restricting them to a solo-movie structure prior to the big team-up would make comparisons inevitable.

X Men Nineties
Marvel Comics

Worse still, perhaps, are the writer's comments regarding Xavier's school. Marvel would be making a huge mistake to nix that element completely, as it would remove so many beloved aspects of the property, including but not limited to: the teacher-pupil dynamic; the X-Men as an educational force against bigotry, and the X-Mansion as a bastion for mutants to feel safe in.

For the most part, Marvel Studios' commitment to providing fresh takes on older storylines has paid off, but there's no point in providing a new spin just for the sake of it. Some concepts just don't need tinkering with, and the X-Men are most definitely one of them.

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How do you think the MCU should introduce the X-Men? Let us know in the comments below.

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X Men Rogue
Marvel Comics

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Content Producer/Presenter
Content Producer/Presenter

Resident movie guy at WhatCulture who used to be Comics Editor. Thinks John Carpenter is the best. Likes Hellboy a lot. Can usually be found talking about Dad Movies on his Twitter at @EwanRuinsThings.