10 X-MEN And FANTASTIC FOUR Characters Marvel Studios Should Prioritise Following The Disney/Fox Merger

With Fox's Marvel movies "on hold," the X-Men and Fantastic Four are closer to returning home than ever before. These are the heroes and villains who should be a priority for Marvel Studios moving forward!

By JoshWilding - Feb 05, 2019 08:02 AM EST

Filed Under: X-Men

Avengers: Endgame promises to be a game-changer for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but even a movie as big as that will pale in comparison to the ramifications that the Fantastic Four and X-Men franchises returning home will have after the Disney/Fox merger.

As of right now, we don't know what Marvel Studios and Kevin Feige have planned for these characters but, as fans, I think we all have our favourites who we will be hoping to see get the spotlight.

In this feature, I'm taking a look at ten heroes and villains who I believe should be a priority once the rights are back in Marvel's hands. From bad guys who could easily replace Thanos to new heroes who have never been done justice by Fox over the past twenty years since X-Men was released, I think you'll find some interesting and unexpected suggestions here.

So, to take a look at this breakdown, all you guys have to do is hit the "View List" button below.

Cyclops

While it's true that we've seen plenty of Cyclops over the past twenty years or so, I think an argument could be made that Fox never quite got the character right. James Marsden and Tye Sheridan were both well cast but neither has been given the opportunity to show what a great leader Scott Summers is and most of their screentime has been devoted to pining after Jean Grey.

From the very start, Bryan Singer made a point of emasculating Cyclops as soon as Wolverine showed up and while I'm sure Marvel Studios is well aware of the importance this character holds to X-Men fans, there's sadly a risk that they'll feel he's been overexposed.

With any luck, though, he'll be given the chance to shine in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and these movies will focus on his actual personality, including Scott's slightly darker side which has seen him align himself with Magneto in both the regular and Ultimate Marvel Universes over the years.

Doctor Doom

Victor Von Doom has appeared in three Fantastic Four movies as the primary antagonist and for that reason alone, I don't think Marvel Studios will be too quick to use him in the reboot.

Kevin Feige is no fool, though, and he surely realises that Doctor Doom has the potential to be a foe for the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe and not just Marvel's First Family. It's vital that there's some sort of connection between Doom and Reed Richards but there are ways around that if the heroes are going to be left on the bench for at least a little while.

Doom is an incredible villain who hasn't even come close to being done justice on the big screen, so I would say that he should be an even bigger priority than Galactus and the Silver Surfer.

Wolverine

I know what you're thinking but bear with me! Wolverine has been overexposed both on the big screen and in the comic books for years now but as great as Hugh Jackman was as Logan, I still feel like we still haven't seen the definitive version of the character.

For starters, I think it's about damn time that he gets his suit, while there are so many elements of his history that Fox glossed over by obsessively returning to his time as Weapon X. There aren't really any characters like Wolverine in the current Marvel Cinematic Universe and as great as he is when he's with the X-Men, just imagine the hero crossing paths with Black Panther and Spider-Man.

The fact is, Wolverine is a character with an awful lot of box office potential and it could be Marvel Studios we ultimately have to thank for finally putting him on the same screen as Deadpool.

Apocalypse

While it definitely appeared as if Fox was building to a big Mister Sinister reveal somewhere down the line after teasing the villain in movies like Logan and Deadpool 2, the fact that those developing these Marvel movies are completely clueless means that was probably never going to happen.

As much as I think Sinister needs to be introduced (and tied closely to the Summers family), it would be even more compelling to see a comic accurate version of Apocalypse enter the fray, especially if that kicks open the door to alternate timelines, time-travel, and a sci-fi vibe which fans of the X-Men will be all too familiar with.

Bryan Singer tried and failed to bring a satisfying version of En Sabah Nur to the big screen back in 2016 and while I think Marvel Studios would hold off on introducing him, a new take could see him easily become the big bad of not only the X-Men franchise but the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a whole.

Invisible Woman

The entire Fantastic Four should obviously be a priority for Marvel Studios but it's about damn time Sue Storm gets the spotlight.

The most powerful member of the Fantastic Four, we've seen a bimbo version and an entirely forgettable scientist version but a comic accurate Sue who is the matriarch of this family and also every bit the leader Reed is is a must for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Plus, if that A-Force movie really does end up happening, she would need to play a key role there.

Invisible Woman is an incredible character and someone who could be vitally important in what's still a mostly male-dominated shared universe. Captain Marvel is opening the door for characters like Sue so Kevin Feige and company need to take advantage of that.

Sabretooth

We got a fleeting glimpse of Sabretooth's potential in X-Men Origins: Wolverine but that was sadly squandered and he hasn't been seen since in Fox's X-Men Universe.

Moving forward, I can't think of a better foe for the new Wolverine than this guy and there are a lot of great comic book storylines which Marvel Studios could choose to address (them being related in any way should be forgotten but the fact Victor visits Logan on his birthday each year would help make him a great recurring bad guy even in the X-Men franchise).

Sabretooth just so happens to be the sort of bad guy who could pop up elsewhere too; just imagine him crossing paths with Black Panther in Wakanda! Regardless, this is an X-Men villain with a huge amount of potential who deserves to be treated the way he deserves on the big screen.

Franklin Richards

One of the biggest questions fans have about the Fantastic Four's debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is how they could possibly be introduced. Will they be teenagers or could it be that they travelled to another dimension after being bombarded with those cosmic rays?

If so, it's perfectly feasible that they'd return to Earth with a child in tow and there's an awful lot Marvel Studios could do with Franklin. An Omega-level mutant, the youngster is one of the most powerful characters in the entire Marvel Universe and if Kevin Feige is going to start playing with alternate worlds, then having someone who can create them might come in very handy.

If you know anything about the Fantastic Four's adventures, you'll be all too familiar with what could be done with Franklin and he could even be used to reboot franchises and launch that Secret Wars movie we've heard so much about if The Beyonder isn't on the table.

Storm

I want to start off by saying that I most definitely don't want to see Storm end up being married to Black Panther. It didn't work in the comics and more than likely wouldn't play out that well in live-action either.

However, exploring Ororo's African origins is a must and Marvel Studios should cast the role accordingly. There are ways she could be tied into T'Challa's world, of course, but Storm can easily stand on her own as a character and it would be great to see her step up and do more than summon the odd lightning bolt or to create some clouds when she's in a bad mood!

Storm is a great character and one of the Marvel Universe's most powerful mutants so it would be awesome to see her powers portrayed properly as she flies through the sky and kicks some ass.

Silver Surfer

Way back when Fox lost the rights to Daredevil, Kevin Feige offered them the chance to keep the Man Without Fear in exchange for being allowed to use Galactus and the Silver Surfer. They said no.

With that in mind, it's pretty obvious that these two will pop up before too long but I would love to see a larger focus on the Silver Surfer first with Galactus teased over a number of movies. Norin Radd could even get his own solo movie before the Eater of Worlds appears to flesh out his origin story and to explain how he become Galactus' Herald.

It's shocking that Fox has never made a Silver Surfer movie but that leaves the door open to Marvel Studios properly introducing the character because the version we met in 2007 has been mostly forgotten by now (despite possibly being the best part of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer).

Kang The Conqueror

Marvel Studios has introduced the majority of The Avengers' biggest villains but we've yet to see Kang the Conqueror grace the big screen. The time-travelling villain is closely tied to the Fantastic Four so he's probably been owned by Fox up until this point but that's about to change.

Kang could unite the Avengers and Fantastic Four, while also serving as a big bad every bit as terrifying and powerful as Thanos.

The way he plays with the timeline would be fun to explore, as would adapting any number of the story arcs which have seen him best Earth's Mightiest Heroes. Kang is an amazing villain who deserves to have his story play out on the largest stage possible so I definitely think Marvel Studios should make giving him the spotlight a real priority.

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154 Comments

1 2 3 4

Hyperborean - 2/5/2019, 8:35 AM

Richard Armitage for Wolverine.

MrCamw1 - 2/5/2019, 9:14 AM

@Hyperborean - Francis Dolarhyde from Hannibal? Im in.

NakedAvenger - 2/5/2019, 8:36 AM

Reading this article feels like dejavu...

SpideyPuffsMJ - 2/5/2019, 8:38 AM

No.

HeavyMetal4Life - 2/5/2019, 8:39 AM

@TheDoctor1225-

This makes me think he could be playing a Skrull, per his comment "the mystery of why he looks that way."

1 2 3 4

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10 X-MEN And FANTASTIC FOUR Characters Marvel Studios Should Prioritise Following The Disney/Fox Merger

With Fox's Marvel movies "on hold," the X-Men and Fantastic Four are closer to returning home than ever before. These are the heroes and villains who should be a priority for Marvel Studios moving forward!

Cyclops

Doctor Doom

Wolverine

Apocalypse

Invisible Woman

Sabretooth

Franklin Richards

Storm

Silver Surfer

Kang The Conqueror

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