MCU's X-Men Sounds A LOT Like This (& That's A Good Thing)

The MCU's X-Men Reboot Is Giving X-Men: Evolution Vibes (Sort Of)

In terms of X-Men adaptations, the big two are the Fox movies and X-Men: The Animated Series, the latter of which being a '90s darling that drew wide acclaim for adapting some of the X-Men comics' most iconic storylines into animation (and for having the best cartoon intro ever). So strong was the cult following for the latter that it made a surprise comeback on Disney+ the other year as X-Men '97, emerging as probably the most faithful X-Men adaptation of all time before the wheels came (slightly) off in its sophomore effort in 2026.

Regardless, the success of these two key X-Men interpretations has led to other efforts being somewhat forgotten about, with perhaps the biggest victim being X-Men: Evolution.

Released in the year 2000 - the same year that the first X-Men film hit theatres - Evolution didn't set out to maintain continuity with the previous decade of Marvel animation. While the '90s show had admirably adhered to the halcyon days of the X-Men's comic past, adapting key story arcs from Claremont's run - like The Dark Phoenix Saga and Days of Future Past - Evolution had a different brief. Instead of spotlighting the X-Men at their peak, it presented a more youthful depiction of that core lineup, focusing on the conflict between Xavier's Gifted Youngsters and Magneto and Mystique's Brotherhood, with Cyclops, Rogue, Jean Grey, Nightcrawler, Shadowcat, and new creation Spyke the lead figures.

The big difference with this dynamic came with the teaching makeup of Xavier's school, with Charles being joined by Storm and Wolverine as his fellow mutant elders and key X-Men operatives. Here, Logan excelled in a "cool uncle" role, protecting the next generation of mutants with Storm - and later Beast - while working as a more peripheral figure in the team. This switch-up also helped emphasise the drastic stakes at play in the struggle for mutant liberation, with Charles, Storm, and Wolverine doing their best to find the balance between training their students and shielding them from the darker aspects of their rivalry with Magneto, Mystique, and Sabretooth.

That classic X-Men soap opera dynamic is iconic for a reason, but Evolution shook things up in a way that balanced the want to capture a more youthful vibe and keep the team's most iconic characters in the frame. It also shows the perfect way to bring Wolverine into the X-Men when his usual teammates are now on the younger side. You can't babify Logan, and by making him the team's guardian, you unlock the best kind of Wolverine - the ferocious elder who'll defend his family at all costs, while at the same time trying his best to figure the whole "teacher thing" out.

Better still, if you do still want that younger Wolverine in that setup, then X-Men: Evolution already showed how to do that as well - you bring in Laura Kinney's X23/Wolverine. That's two Wolverines for the price of one reboot. What's not to love?

But what beyond the youthful makeup of the MCU's X-Men has caused Evolution to get all up in my brain this week? Apart from the fact my brain is 80% comprised of the cartoon intros of my youth (special shout-out to Batman Beyond), there's one casting in the MCU's X-Men announcement that really activated my X-Men: Evolution gene - Samara Weaving as Emma Frost.

Emma Frost has been many things in the comics over the years: a willing villain, a drama demon, and a determined ally - and it's the latter role that writers have extracted her most impressive moments from. Emma is posh, petty, and supremely self-confident, and that charm works wonders in a family like the X-Men - particularly when she's in the same telepath bracket as Professor X and Jean Grey. She has fewer of the X-Men's moral hang-ups and is more willing to break boundaries, which also makes her the perfect foil for a character like Charles.

With all that said, could it be the case that Weaving's Frost will take on that Storm/Wolverine role as a teacher in this new X-Men film? It would be a killer way to add tension to the X-Men leadership, and also do a lot to make up for the subpar depictions of the character in live-action we've gotten beforehand. Also, Emma Frost has been a member of the X-Men in the comics for over 20 years now - it's high time the movies got on board with the program.

Thankfully, judging from Weaving's reading material at least, it very much looks like they're about to.

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