TheMCUhas been chugging along since 2008, and it has slowly become one of the biggest movie franchises of all time. This shared cinematic universe of superhero films began by introducing Iron Man to the audience, and went on to establish The Avengers as a powerful superhero team. It has even explored the far reaches of outer space in movies likeGuardians of the GalaxyandCaptain Marvel. Yet one question remains on fans' minds. When will the X-Men debut in the MCU?
The X-Men were owned by Fox Studios when the MCU began, which is why mutants could not be used in this cinematic universe from the start. However, Marvel’s parent company, Disney, bought Fox Studios in 2018, which means that they now own the rights to these characters again. So, when are X-Men most likely to show up in the next few years?
5Doctor Strange 3
Release Date: TBD
The MCU’s resident sorcerer has been the star of two successful solo movies in the franchise so far, and there is no reason to believe that the character will not get a third movie sometime soon. When this movie will be released is anyone’s guess, but Doctor Strange hasa connection to the mulitiversethat makes it possible for the X-Men to debut in his next movie.
Some of the Marvel characters that were previously owned by Fox, such as Mr. Fantastic and Professor X, appeared inDoctor Strange: In The Multiverse of Madnesswhen the wizard enters a new universe. Plus, the second movie in the series ends with a post credit scene that teases Strange heading into the multiverse with Clea to prevent further incursions. If Marvel is planning to introduce the mutants as a new race from another universe, they very well could appear inDoctor Strange 3as their reality collides with the current MCU.
4Fantastic Four
Release Date: July 2025
The Fantastic Four is another Marvel superhero team that was owned by Fox before the Disney merger. However,a newFantastic Fourmovie set in the MCU is already in the works,and is set to be released in 2025. Marvel’s first family were the team of heroes that initially kicked off the Marvel Comics universe in the 60s, but there has not been any mention of the famous explorers in the main MCU continuity yet. Therefore, many fans are expecting the nextFantastic Fourmovie to take place on an alternate Earth, one that will eventually merge with the MCU.
If this is the case, then there is no reason why mutants couldn’t also exist on this alternate Earth. The X-Men and other mutants could be easily established inFantastic Fourbefore the two worlds collide. This would also explain why no one has heard of the X-Men before in this continuity.
3Deadpool and Wolverine
Release Date: July 2024
The third installment of theDeadpoolseries is already set to introduce two mutants into the MCU. One of these is the fourth-wall-breaking Deadpool, and the other is set to be the last appearance of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine.
From what the trailers and marketing forDeadpool and Wolverinehave already shown, this movie will explainhow Deadpool is going to transition into the MCUfrom the old Fox universe. Other mutants from his previous franchise will show up in the movie, but it is unlikely that they will become part of the MCU proper. However, this movie could introduce mutants in a meta way, by having Deadpool explain the Fox/Disney merger to the audience, and then moving forward with a new version ofThe X-Menfrom there.
2Captain America: Brave New World
Release Date: February 2025
The fourth movie in theCaptain Americaseries already has a lot to accomplish. It is tasked with introducing audiences toa new version of the character,Sam Wilson, on the big screen and telling an interesting story. Not much is known about the movie yet, but the reports from CinemaCon 2024 state that the movie is supposed to be a grounded political thriller that sees President Thunderbolt Ross tasking Cap with establishing a new team of Avengers.
On the surface, this description does not have much to do with mutants or the X-Men. However, remember that Thunderbolt Ross did not like the idea of The Avengers in previous movies. Therefore, he must have a big reason for wanting the team back. Perhaps the emergence of new humans who have evolved with dangerous powers could force him to change his mind. Add to this the fact that a new hero, Sabra, is appearing in the movie, and that she is a mutant with many of the same powers as Captain America, and the idea makes even more sense.
1Avengers: Secret Wars
Release Date: May 2026
Avengers: Secret Warsis set to be the sixth Avengers movie, and will shake up the franchise in a big way. The comic series of the same name brought togetherall the biggest heroes in Marvel, such as The Avengers, Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, and the X-Men, as they are forced to fight in a battle of good and evil in Battle World.
While this may not be the exact plot of this upcoming Avengers movie, it is likely to be similar. As such, the franchise will need to bring in some X-Men or other mutants for the story to work. They could establish a new team of X-Men in this movie, and then bring the team into the MCU once the multiverse saga is over. Alternatively,Secret Warscould act as a soft reboot of the series. If that is true, then a new team of X-Men may not show up until after this movie, as the franchise changes into something new where mutants have always existed.
