MCU Phase 4: How And When We'll See Mutants

The Marvel comic-verse has always been extensive, spanning multiple realities and realms to bring us numerous story arcs involving our favorite heroes. Clearly spoilt for choice, Marvel Studios took the lead in bringing these stories to our screens, creating what later came to be known as the MCU.

But since Marvel Entertainment had sold the big-screen rights to some of their most recognizable characters to stay afloat in the nineties, this cinematic universe was left incomplete. Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four, and the X-Men were stuck in the hands of Sony and 20th Century Fox respectively, precluding them from taking part in the MCU.

This made it difficult to predict which characters Marvel Studios would introduce next, as well as what we'd be able to call them. In an effort to avoid copyright issues with Fox, clearly mutated heroes and villains had to be classified as being 'enhanced'. But with the Disney-Fox merger long since sealed, it looks like we can finally expect to see some real mutants in the MCU in the not-so-distant future.

So let's take a look at how the studio might have to reimagine certain characters and follow the clues Marvel have already left to determine just when these new mutants will be saying hello...

As mentioned earlier, this wouldn't be the first time a cinematic universe introduced us to the mutants of Marvel. We've seen everyone from Wolverine to Illyana Rasputin grace our screens both before and after Marvel Studios decided to dip their toes in the Infinity Saga. And although none of these introductions were done under the banner of the MCU, the writers and producers of Marvel's Phase 4 properties will likely stick to the basics. So before we jump right into these future plans, let's take a look back at what we already know about mutant-kind.

According to prior knowledge, mutants are different to humans because of their genetic composition. Their bodies contain what has been referred to as the X-gene, which lies dormant until triggered by some or other process. When triggered, this gene helps transform the body and essentially manifests powers that could range from teleportation to regeneration.

How the X-gene triggers is completely up to the mutant's circumstances. It could be the resultant of some or other traumatic experience, for example, which is what Weapon-X relied on when bringing about the mutation in Deadpool. More often than not, however, mutants have their abilities triggered by hormonal changes brought on by puberty, which is how Rogue almost sucked the life out of her boyfriend.

But as we're well aware, the mutations of certain heroes and villains have already been explained much differently in the MCU because of prior licensing agreements. So what can we expect to be done about this?