Since the MCU really hit the ground running in 2008 with Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, Marvel Studios has been a force to be reckoned with that showed no signs of slowing down (although we did have a few scares). This kick started a series of 34 films as of 2024, with this month’s release of Captain America: Brave New World becoming the 35th entry. The first few phases filled theaters for over a decade, but sadly, all good things must come to an end as we said goodbye to a few characters whose time was up.
From Chris Evans as Captain America to the Guardians of the Galaxy squad, we have to move on to new characters and storylines to really embrace what the future has in store for comic book flicks. While some recent attempts from Marvel’s fearless leader, Kevin Feige, have been poorly received due to opting for quantity over quality, he has put forth a strong effort to get us back to where we once were. Perhaps one of the studios biggest challenges has been to put together a successful Fantastic Four film, but we are set to check that box this summer with the release of Fantastic Four: First Steps.
So what’s next after that? What will it take to generate that level of excitement all over again? There’s one major task that comic book fans have been longing to see come to fruition: a proper introduction of X-Men and mutants into the MCU. But how can it be done? Let’s talk about it.
At the conclusion of Logan, we had all closed the door on ever seeing Hugh Jackman back as Wolverine, a role that would pose extremely hard to recast (although Henry Cavill definitely was convincing). That all changed when his good buddy, Ryan Reynolds, got him to dust off his claws once again for the record breaking Deadpool & Wolverine. Although the Australian actor is approaching 57 years old, his physique is still in top-notch shape, proving he may have a few more Wolverine projects left in him (until he’s 90!).
The reality of the situation is that we are very much fighting a ticking clock. If Feige and team want to pull off incorporating mutants into the MCU, Jackman can set them up nicely, but after a few years, he might not be as capable. So the best idea is to tackle the highly anticipated storylines that fans are eager to see.
First on that list is Secret Wars, a title Feige has already confirmed to be in the works during a Disney Content Showcase in Singapore. “It has already started,” Feige said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. “I think you’ll see that continue into our next few movies and some X-Men players that you might recognize… after that, the whole story of Secret Wars really leads us into a new age of mutants and of the X-Men…. one of these dreams come true that we finally have the X-Men back at Marvel Studios.” Avengers: Secret Wars is currently slated for a May 7, 2027, release, with the Russo Brothers back to take on directing duties with Downey Jr. to take on the role of Doctor Doom as announced at last year’s San Diego Comic Con.
That’s all exciting from a film perspective, but what about arcs that are slightly more deeper cuts? Enter the Messiah Complex, a storyline that has so much potential to be a seamless tie-in that requires minimum build up as we’ve already been introduced to some pieces like Cable (Deadpool 2) and House of M (somewhat teased through WandaVision). A lengthy introduction of mutants into the Marvel Cinematic Universe could pose dull and take some time, so we need something that kicks things off with a bang.
Tapping into the Mutant Messiah is a solid way to explain where mutants have been during all these events we’ve seen transpire through these 34 MCU films. It is vital that Hope Summers be introduced as it would only make sense seeing how Avengers vs. X-Men is almost certainly going to happen one day.
Hope is the first naturally born mutant after M-Day and the adopted daughter of Cable whom we’ve already met, so talk about a warm transfer into the MCU. She could be the one to bring forth mutants from hiding and either work to coexist with the heroes that have already been developed or allow for that epic showdown we’ve all been waiting for. We need something End Game level, and it’s without a doubt that exploring the Messiah Complex could be our answer to that.
One aspect of the first few phases of films that we loved was the actors that truly embodied the characters and we got to grow with them along the way. With that being said, casting Hope Summers is a lot of pressure, as she will play a big role in the future of the MCU should they choose to go this route. Who would you cast as Hope?