X-Men: 10 Theories For How They Can Join The Marvel Cinematic Universe
The X-Men are coming to the MCU, but how does Marvel Studios plan on pulling it off?
The Disney/Fox merger had major ramifications for the entertainment industry, but all comic book fans really cared about was the fact it meant Marvel Studios would regain the rights to the X-Men and Fantastic Four franchises. Fox released the first X-Men movie way back in 2000, and from day one, the studio made creative decisions which upset and infuriated fans in equal measure.
With Kevin Feige and company in charge of mutants, a more comic accurate take on the team is guaranteed, but after twelve years of stories in a Marvel Cinematic Universe without them, how can the X-Men now be introduced?
That's a question on everyone's minds right now, and with it said that the X-Men won't return to the big screen for at least five years, there's plenty of time for Marvel Studios to start laying the groundwork. In fact, there have already been hints that's exactly what's going to happen during Phase 4, but it's still going to take a lot for them to handle this in a way that doesn't feel forced or too convoluted.
The theories in this feature aim to address the many ways the X-Men could enter this shared world, and you might be surprised by just how much any one of these could ultimately change the MCU forever...
10. "Patch" Shows Up In The Falcon And The Winter Soldier
Set photos have confirmed that The Falcon and The Winter Soldier will take the action to the fictional island nation of Madripoor, a well-known mutant haven and the home of Madame Viper. That alone signals Marvel Studios' intentions to start exploring locations tied to the X-Men, but it would be a crazy missed opportunity not to make a "Patch" reference in the Disney+ series.
For those of you unfamiliar with that moniker, it's the name Wolverine was known by when he donned an eyepatch and started working as a bartender after the X-Men were believed dead. He called Madripoor his home for quite some time, and could easily be hiding out there in the MCU after escaping from the Weapon X programme decades earlier.
It might be wishful thinking to hope Marvel Studios has secretly cast a new Wolverine who could make a cameo appearance in the show, but even a throwaway mention of "Patch" would go a long way in confirming that mutants do indeed exist in the MCU. In terms of laying the groundwork for an eventual reveal that these heroes have been in this world for a while now, thsi would work perfectly.