Marvel’s introduction of the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe should avoid the mistakes of Eternals (2021) by giving viewers a mutant Disney+ series, instead of another film. Since the acquisition of 20th Century Fox by Disney, mutants and the X-Men have been on the cards for Marvel Studios, even mentioned by Kevin Feige, but no details of their introduction into the MCU have yet been released. While an X-Men film seems the likely candidate to introduce them to the MCU, it would be better to start their stories in a Disney+ series.
Audiences have wanted to see the X-Men interact with established MCU characters for years, with their dreams getting one step closer to reality in 2019 after Disney bought back the rights to the characters. But since then, practically no information has been released about when mutants might be introduced into the MCU, who will be cast as which X-Men characters, or how the studio will blend such a massive narrative with a rich history into the already fleshed-out world of the Avengers. At San Diego Comic-Con in 2019, Marvel chief Kevin Feige mentioned that a project involving the mutants was in the works, so now it could be just around the corner, and the opportunity is there for Marvel to avoid previous mistakes.
X-Men films of the past, while helping to revitalize the superhero genre, failed to showcase the individual stories of each character to a depth that audiences wanted to see. Characters such as Rogue, Scott Summers, and Gambit were pushed aside to save space for the likes of Wolverine, Professor X, and Magneto. If Marvel Studios were to introduce the mutant X-Men in yet another film, the same mistakes could be repeated. The use of too many characters in one story would complicate the narrative and confuse audiences – a mistake demonstrated by Eternals (2021), where Marvel tried to introduce all 10 new superheroes, meaning that none got the development they needed. This problem could be solved through the medium of a Disney+ series.
If each of the central members of the X-Men had a dedicated character-focused episode in a Disney+ series, their origin stories could be far better developed without other distractions muddying the waters. Audiences would get a clearer insight into the background of these mutants, becoming better acquainted with each one and paving the way for a potential team-up film or even a team-up in the finale of the series, akin to What If…. Marvel Studios would be well advised to deliver episodes exploring each character’s strengths and abilities, laying the groundwork before bringing them together. This is a formula proven to work as far back as Phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe ending with The Avengers. As the Disney+ series’ have budgets similar to that of MCU films, the cinematic themes and special effects that go hand-in-hand with these characters wouldn’t be lost in an X-Men series either.
A Disney+ series would allow characters to be better developed and would give audiences a better pay-off when they are brought together in a crossover event. Marvel Studios should learn from the mistakes of the past and give fans the X-Men stories they’ve always desired with well-developed characters and strong backstories. Whether Marvel Studios releases a film based on the mutants or a Disney+ series delving deeper into their individual stories, it surely won’t be too much longer until the X-Men find their home in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
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