Here's How The X-MEN And FANTASTIC FOUR Could Be Introduced In The Marvel Cinematic Universe

We're a little over a year away from the Fox/Disney deal being completed and with Avengers: Infinity War guaranteed to be a game changer, we're looking at the ways the X-Men and FF could join the MCU.

By JoshWilding - Apr 23, 2018 08:04 AM EST

Filed Under: Avengers: Infinity War

Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4 are going to change the Marvel Cinematic Universe forever but with the Fox/Disney deal unlikely to be completed until next summer, neither one of those is going to bring the Fantastic Four and/or X-Men into the fold. As a result, Thanos snapping his fingers or the Reality Stone being destroyed aren't going to suddenly lead to these characters being introduced.

With that in mind, we're now taking a look at the many different ways the likes of Magneto, The Thing, Wolverine, and Doctor Doom could be introduced to the MCU and the reasons those would and wouldn't work. While there a lot of fan theories about how it might go down, we think we've come up with some suggestions which are both realistic and stand a very good chance of happening one day.

So, to check out the full list of possibilities, be sure to click on either one of the buttons down below.

A Period Piece

Captain Marvel is taking us back to the 1990s to reveal that Iron Man wasn't the first modern-day superhero and we've frequently had flashbacks to various other periods in the MCU (most notably WWII in Captain America: The First Avenger). When it comes to the Fantastic Four, though, the best possible option for these characters could be to have them gain their powers during the 1960s or 70s.

That was a time when space travel was obviously a much bigger deal than it is now (especially as The Avengers will be travelling to the far reaches of space while doing battle with Thanos) and it's fair to say that these occasionally cheesy superheroes would fit in well in that period just as they did in the comics. The franchise could then remain in this time or even follow the team into the cosmos.

Lost In Space

Alternatively, Marvel could bring the Fantastic Four crashing back to Earth after revealing that they've either been lost in space or stuck in a wormhole and what seemed like months for them has been decades for the rest of us. That would leave the team like a fish out of water, thereby giving the franchise a different feel but there's one major problem with this; Reed Richards may be a genius but his 60s era inventions would look laughable compared to today's and he'd no longer seem that smart!

With that in mind, another option is for one of their adventures - perhaps with a character like The Beyonder - being wiped from everyone's memories for reasons which could be made clear during this movie. Unfortunately, both of these options could prove too complicated for your average moviegoer.

They've Always Been There

This would be a hard sell but if handled the right way, it could work. The Fantastic Four operating from within the Baxter Building is feasible as their accident could have easily been kept off the record and The Thing having been hidden indoors for all these years - probably because he wouldn't want to be looked at the same way as The Hulk - would explain how they've managed to stay off the radar.

Bear in mind that the rest of the team look very human so they could have gone about their normal lives and while some fans would probably find fault with the Fantastic Four not helping out against Thanos and other world-ending threats, I'm sure Marvel could come up with an explanation for that. Having them come out of the shadows to finally be superheroes would also be a very cool moment.

As for the X-Men, Professor X's team being hidden absolutely makes sense and a cataclysmic event of some sort which exposes them would obviously kick the door open to their adventures being told.

The Arrival Of The Mutant Gene

Assuming that latter point does happen - and even if it doesn't - the sudden arrival of the Mutant Gene will obviously have lasting ramifications for the MCU which everyone will be forced to sit up and take note of. Marvel could easily reveal that a character like the Scarlet Witch is a mutant and that all Baron Von Strucker did was activate dormant abilities which many people in the world have.

With that in mind, Thanos unleashing the power of the Infinity Gauntlet could have a similar impact on a much larger scale, just like how Terrigen Crystals finding their way into the water explained the sudden emergence of powered individuals in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Some mutants will have had to be around longer than others, though, but mutants popping up all over the place would help explain why the X-Men are needed and goes some way in addressing why we're only seeing them now.

Disaster In New York

I'm not a storyteller by any means but someone like Magneto destroying a huge chunk of New York City or Galactus arriving in the Big Apple to devour the world could lead to the X-Men and Fantastic Four stepping out of the shadows to finally take centre stage. This method would avoid any convoluted explanations for where they've been all these years as it throws them into the deep end and just makes it clear that while they've been out there, it's only now they're having to make their presence felt to us.

While you could argue that the X-Men and Fantastic Four not getting involved with the Chiaturi Invasion or Ultron's attack doesn't make sense, those were relatively contained adventures and just like we never saw what Black Panther and Doctor Strange were up to when those battles were taking place, their absence could be explained by the heroes dealing with threats only they could face.

An Alternate Reality

Fox has dropped the ball on its X-Men Universe in a lot of big ways over the years but the studio has assembled one hell of a cast for its current iteration of the team and it would definitely be a shame to lose the likes of Tye Sheridan, Michael Fassbender, and Nicholas Hoult. So, rather than start over in terms of casting, why not bring their versions of the X-Men over from another reality?

It could be hard to explain but the X-Men arriving in the MCU after their world is destroyed could work, especially if whatever that world-ending threat might be is on its way there too. A lot of complications come with this one but we may need to brace ourselves for the possibility that the X-Men Universe will be kept separate to the MCU (for a while at least) rather than ditch the likes of the Deadpool franchise!

Universes Collide

Marvel's recent Secret Wars event brought together a number of alternate realities, and once all was said and done, characters like Old Man Logan and the no longer scarred Doctor Doom were part of the Marvel Universe proper. A similar story playing out on the big screen could explain the sudden arrival of the Fantastic Four and X-Men in a seamless and quick way which fans would approve of.

By the time the story reaches its close, the versions of characters like Cyclops and Magneto that we're used to seeing could have been totally rebooted and integrated into the MCU in a quick and easy way. Again, there's a risk this could get too complicated but there are definitely ways it could work!

X-Men: First Class...Again

Something we may have to accept when it comes to the arrival of the X-Men is the fact that they'll likely be teenagers. Just like Spider-Man being an adult wouldn't have made sense in the MCU, the team having been around for years might be really hard to explain even with some of the ideas we've put forward here. The question is, will fans embrace younger versions of these characters?

There's no reason why they wouldn't but a lot of fans may end up being disappointed with kid versions of Cyclops and Jean Grey as opposed to their older selves (who are more than capable of holding their own against The Avengers rather than being looked down on as little more the powered up children). However, a teen approach to the X-Men would obviously help Marvel attract a new audience.

Avengers Vs. X-Men

This would very much be a case of throwing the characters straight into the deep end but an Avengers vs. X-Men movie would no doubt break all sorts of records at the box office. Just picture this: Earth's Mightiest Heroes see that the X-Men - who have had to step out of the shadows due to some sort of mutant terrorist-related threat - are causing problems and decide to do something about it.

What follows is a battle between the two sides which culminates with them teaming up to take on that larger threat, regardless of whether it's Magneto, Apocalypse, Onslaught, or any other villain you can think of. This would basically be like Captain America: Civil War all over again and that would be no bad thing, especially as it would be easily marketable and exciting way to introduce the heroes.

"Reboot" The MCU

Whoa, calm down! I'm not suggesting a full-on reboot of the MCU but with Avengers 4 set to wrap up more than a decade of storytelling, there has to be a way for Marvel to push the reset button and change this world in a fundamental way. That way would allow the Fantastic Four and X-Men to be introduced in a way which doesn't require a lengthy explanation and convoluted twists and turns.

Perhaps we could get a "5 Years Later..." title card at the end of Avengers 4 which shows that the Fantastic Four and X-Men now exist without the need for origin stories and the like? I'm not entirely sure how this could work but Marvel has already subtly rebooted The Hulk so they know their stuff!

Use The Villains

One of the biggest complaints about Fox's X-Men and Fantastic Four Universes is that they've dropped the ball on the villains again and again. Apocalypse, Galactus, Doctor Doom...the list goes on.

A good start for Marvel would be redeeming these guys even if the Fantastic Four and X-Men aren't part of that at first. Handled the right way, the studio could deal with these baddies before slowly introducing the heroes best known for squaring off with them. Galactus would be a great choice to bring everyone together while the X-Men's arrival could be explained by them hailing from a timeline created by Apocalypse (who's known for making alternate realities through his actions).

We'll just have to wait and see but an argument could be made that the villains have more potential than the heroes because Doctor Doom, for example, could easily be the MCU's new big bad.

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Star Paul Bettany Shares A Shocking Revelation About The Vision's Death Scene

Recommended For You:

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Reportedly Removed A 45-Minute Sequence With Thanos Seeking Out The Power Stone

DISCLAIMER: ComicBookMovie.com is protected under the DMCA (Digital Millenium Copyright Act) and... [MORE]

ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.

Do you have what it takes to write for us?

Want to contribute?

94 Comments

1 2 3

KWilly - 4/23/2018, 8:11 AM

For the F4, I'd rather them just keep it simple. No time pieces, no wormholes or anything like that.

Let them have been in the MCU all this time... It's just that they're not official heroes yet. They can have their powers for awhile, but not be "The Fantastic 4". That way, you can do an origin film without doing the origin. I could see the 4, just trying to live normal lives.

But when a villain like the Mole Man (No Dr. Doom. Not yet) comes along, that's when they realize they should use their powers to its full potential.

Nightwing1015 - 4/23/2018, 8:15 AM

I wonder if the MCU will ever end? Will we get a second MCU in 100 years time? Where the X-Men, FF and the Avengers are included from the get-go.

Ineedrevelation - 4/23/2018, 8:19 AM

The only real problem for the X-Men is Magneto and his backstory of him going through the holocaust as his motivations for today. He'd be super old by now and definalty wouldve made his mark on society at this point.

MNLawyer - 4/23/2018, 8:21 AM

@Ineedrevelation - There have been a number of genocides/ethnic cleanings/despotic regimes since the holocaust he could be a part of. They could also invent a country, or tie it to Sokovia or Latveria; and have a "second holocaust" take place there later in the century.

KWilly - 4/23/2018, 8:24 AM

@Ineedrevelation - Exactly. So Marvel has two options. Either they completely revamp his origin story, which would create a huge hissy fit by the fans. Or you just don't introduce him at all, which again... creates a huge hissy fit by the fans.

This X-Men transition ain't gonna be easy, lol.

StormXmen123 - 4/23/2018, 8:33 AM

@MNLawyer - I think a major point of Magentos story is that he was subjected to the horrors of the holocaust because he was Jewish.
Now he sees it again with humans treatment of mutants, and he wants to prevent that happening again.

I feel Jewish holocaust aspect of Magento is a huge part of his characterisation, and I think many people will be offended if you don't make him Jewish.

I think it can easily be worked around by just saying that all mutants (regardless of their unique powers) simply just age slower/a longer lifespan than humans.

Or specifically to Magento, he is able to use use his powers somehow to age slower.

MNLawyer - 4/23/2018, 8:45 AM

@StormXmen123 - You could also work in similar tech to what Hydra did to the Winter Soldier/Super soldiers. Have magneto be on ice or otherwise had been put out of commission by early Shield in the 1960s. It would be difficult to have the backstory with Xavier if they did that though.

IMO they will change his origin to a fictional country and it'll be "ethnic cleaning lite" rather than the Holocaust.

GoldenBoy02 - 4/23/2018, 8:20 AM

Actually, I agree with most of your Ideas. Setting the FF in the sixties and seventies would be brilliant. Nice one.

MarvelDCAllDay - 4/23/2018, 8:24 AM

F4 would be easy cause you can create them at literally anytime. Xmen, yeah any intro to them is gonna be stupid.

1 2 3

Related Headlines

Avengers: Infinity War

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Star Paul Bettany Shares A Shocking Revelation About The Vision's Death Scene

JoshWilding

Feb 06, 2024 11:02 AM

The Marvels

THE MARVELS Director Shares Her Take On Why AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Loss Was Captain America's Fault

JoshWilding

Nov 07, 2023 11:11 AM

Avengers: Infinity War

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Reportedly Removed A 45-Minute Sequence With Thanos Seeking Out The Power Stone

JoshWilding

Apr 13, 2023 06:04 AM

Related Headlines

Avengers: Infinity War

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Star Paul Bettany Shares A Shocking Revelation About The Vision's Death Scene

JoshWilding

Feb 06, 2024 11:02 AM

The Marvels

THE MARVELS Director Shares Her Take On Why AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Loss Was Captain America's Fault

JoshWilding

Nov 07, 2023 11:11 AM

Avengers: Infinity War

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Reportedly Removed A 45-Minute Sequence With Thanos Seeking Out The Power Stone

JoshWilding

Apr 13, 2023 06:04 AM

Avengers: Infinity War

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Star Mark Ruffalo Reveals They Shot FIVE Different Endings For The Hulk

JoshWilding

Mar 06, 2023 07:03 AM

Avengers: Infinity War

RESULTS: Here's The INFINITY SAGA Movie You, ComicBookMovie.com's Readers, Voted As The Best One!

JoshWilding

Jan 31, 2023 07:01 AM

Avatar

Action

MONKEY MAN Now Available On Digital HD; Eddie Yang Talks Designing Dev Patel's Badass Monkey Mask (Exclusive)

RohanPatel

37 mins ago

X-Men '97

Former X-MEN '97 Showrunner Beau DeMayo Says Show Will Address Mr. Sinister's Racism

MarkCassidy

1 hour ago

Latest Headlines

Man of Steel

MAN OF STEEL Director Zack Snyder Says Superman Would Be "Fake" If He Hadn't Killed General Zod

JoshWilding

3 mins ago

Action

MONKEY MAN Now Available On Digital HD; Eddie Yang Talks Designing Dev Patel's Badass Monkey Mask (Exclusive)

RohanPatel

37 mins ago

X-Men '97

Former X-MEN '97 Showrunner Beau DeMayo Says Show Will Address Mr. Sinister's Racism

MarkCassidy

1 hour ago

Moon Knight

MOON KNIGHT Gag Reel Sees Oscar Isaac Instantly Regret Punching Himself In The Face

JoshWilding

1 hour ago

Deadpool & Wolverine

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: What Happened That Led To Logan "[Letting] Down His Entire World"?

JoshWilding

3 hours ago

Spider-Man 2

SPIDER-MAN 2 Returns To Theaters - Here's How Its Box Office Compares To Last Week's SPIDER-MAN Re-Release

JoshWilding

3 hours ago

Hot Headlines

248 comments

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Official Trailer Features Ultimate Team-Up & Promises The Wildest MCU Movie Of All-Time!

RohanPatel

1 day ago EST

154 comments

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Trailer Arrives Tomorrow! Check Out A New Teaser And Poster

MarkCassidy

2 days ago EST

90 comments

MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney Seemingly Takes Shot At Hollywood Producer: "Sorry For Having Great T**s"

JoshWilding

1 day ago EST

81 comments

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: Every Major Marvel Cameo In The New Trailer - Possible SPOILERS

JoshWilding

1 day ago EST

64 comments

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

X-MEN '97: Rogue Is Out For Revenge In First Clip From Tomorrow's New Episode, Bright Eyes

More Cartoons & Animated ►

LaKeith Stanfield To Star In Film Based On EL PASO, ELSEWHERE Vampire Video Game

More Anime & Manga ►

BLINK TWICE: Channing Tatum Invites You To Pussy Island In First Trailer For Zoë Kravitz's Directorial Debut

More Horror ►

MONKEY MAN Exclusive Interview With Mask Designer Eddie Yang; Dev Patel Film Now Available On Digital HD

More Action Movies & TV ►

Finn Balor Has Reportedly Signed Big Money Deal To Remain In WWE Despite Interest From AEW

More Pro Wrestling ►

DUNE: PART TWO Director Denis Villeneuve Breaks Down The Sequel's Ending And Teases MESSIAH Plans - SPOILERS

More Sci-Fi & Fantasy ►

More Cartoons & Animated ►

More Anime & Manga ►

More Horror ►

More Action Movies & TV ►

More Pro Wrestling ►

Here's How The X-MEN And FANTASTIC FOUR Could Be Introduced In The Marvel Cinematic Universe

We're a little over a year away from the Fox/Disney deal being completed and with Avengers: Infinity War guaranteed to be a game changer, we're looking at the ways the X-Men and FF could join the MCU.

A Period Piece

Lost In Space

They've Always Been There

The Arrival Of The Mutant Gene

Disaster In New York

An Alternate Reality

Universes Collide

X-Men: First Class...Again

Avengers Vs. X-Men

"Reboot" The MCU

Use The Villains

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Star Paul Bettany Shares A Shocking Revelation About The Vision's Death Scene

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Reportedly Removed A 45-Minute Sequence With Thanos Seeking Out The Power Stone

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Star Paul Bettany Shares A Shocking Revelation About The Vision's Death Scene

THE MARVELS Director Shares Her Take On Why AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Loss Was Captain America's Fault

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Reportedly Removed A 45-Minute Sequence With Thanos Seeking Out The Power Stone

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Star Paul Bettany Shares A Shocking Revelation About The Vision's Death Scene

THE MARVELS Director Shares Her Take On Why AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Loss Was Captain America's Fault

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Reportedly Removed A 45-Minute Sequence With Thanos Seeking Out The Power Stone

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR Star Mark Ruffalo Reveals They Shot FIVE Different Endings For The Hulk

RESULTS: Here's The INFINITY SAGA Movie You, ComicBookMovie.com's Readers, Voted As The Best One!

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER Passes AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR To Become Fifth Highest-Grossing Film Of All Time

Popular Headlines

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: Every Major Marvel Cameo In The New Trailer - Possible SPOILERS

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: Rob Liefeld Responds To Trailer's Shot At His Apparent Inability To Draw Feet

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: 7 Biggest Easter Eggs, Reveals, And Spoilers In The New Trailer

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Rumor Points To Larger Roles For Two Particular Characters - SPOILERS

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Official Trailer Features Ultimate Team-Up & Promises The Wildest MCU Movie Of All-Time!

MAN OF STEEL Director Zack Snyder Says Superman Would Be "Fake" If He Hadn't Killed General Zod

MONKEY MAN Now Available On Digital HD; Eddie Yang Talks Designing Dev Patel's Badass Monkey Mask (Exclusive)

Former X-MEN '97 Showrunner Beau DeMayo Says Show Will Address Mr. Sinister's Racism

MAN OF STEEL Director Zack Snyder Says Superman Would Be "Fake" If He Hadn't Killed General Zod

MONKEY MAN Now Available On Digital HD; Eddie Yang Talks Designing Dev Patel's Badass Monkey Mask (Exclusive)

Former X-MEN '97 Showrunner Beau DeMayo Says Show Will Address Mr. Sinister's Racism

MOON KNIGHT Gag Reel Sees Oscar Isaac Instantly Regret Punching Himself In The Face

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: What Happened That Led To Logan "[Letting] Down His Entire World"?

SPIDER-MAN 2 Returns To Theaters - Here's How Its Box Office Compares To Last Week's SPIDER-MAN Re-Release

Hot Headlines

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE Official Trailer Features Ultimate Team-Up & Promises The Wildest MCU Movie Of All-Time!

DEADPOOL AND WOLVERINE Trailer Arrives Tomorrow! Check Out A New Teaser And Poster

MADAME WEB Star Sydney Sweeney Seemingly Takes Shot At Hollywood Producer: "Sorry For Having Great T**s"

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: Every Major Marvel Cameo In The New Trailer - Possible SPOILERS

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE: 7 Biggest Easter Eggs, Reveals, And Spoilers In The New Trailer

Sci-Fi & Fantasy

DUNE: PART TWO Director Denis Villeneuve Breaks Down The Sequel's Ending And Teases MESSIAH Plans - SPOILERS

Jennifer Lopez Battle An A.I. Simu Liu In New Trailer For Netflix's ATLAS

REBEL MOON: Zack Snyder Says Director's Cuts Are "More Like A Parallel Universe Than An Extended Version"

Daisy Ridley Teases The Different STAR WARS Film That Will Hopefully Be A "New Adventure"

Zack Snyder's Animated Norse Mythology Series TWILIGHT OF THE GODS Will Be Released This Fall

DUNE: PART TWO Star Rebecca Ferguson On DUNE: MESSIAH - "I'd Love To See Timothée Turn Into A Worm"

Cartoons & Animated Features

X-MEN '97: Rogue Is Out For Revenge In First Clip From Tomorrow's New Episode, "Bright Eyes"

JUSTICE LEAGUE: CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS - PART 2 Is Likely To Disappoint Fans Of BATMAN BEYOND - SPOILERS

X-MEN '97: Former Showrunner Beau DeMayo Says Series Will "Touch On" Mr. Sinister's Racism

BIG HERO 6 Producer Reveals Why We STILL Haven't Got A Sequel To Disney Animation's Marvel Movie

KNUCKLES Rotten Tomatoes Score Revealed Along With New Clip Featuring Sonic And Tails

Ella Purnell Says ARCANE Season 2 Will Be Incredibly Tragic As Netflix Preps The Series For Annecy Reveal

Gaming

LaKeith Stanfield To Star In Film Based On EL PASO, ELSEWHERE Vampire Video Game

Comedy Central Orders 10-Episode GOLDEN AXE Animated Series From Mike McMahan And Joe Chandler

FALLOUT Season 2 Will Feature One Of The Game's Most Iconic Monsters

FORTNITE Will Now Let You Block "Confrontational Emotes"

KNUCKLES: Paramount+ SONIC Spin-Off Hits Rotten Tomatoes With An Impressive 88%

Fan Project Estimates GTA 6 Map Size Could Be 2.5 Times Larger Than GTA 5

Anime & Manga

DRAGON BALL SUPER Interval Special Announced By Jump While Manga Remains On Indefinite Hiatus

New Teaser And Key Art For Live-Action TRILLION GAME Movie

Netflix's PARASYTE: THE GREY Is Now Streaming; Here's What The Critics Are Saying

MY HERO ACADEMIA Tops X-MEN '97, INVINCIBLE And More In Social Media Engagement

Netmarble Announces Release Date For New Game SOLO LEVELING: ARISE

KAIJU NO. 8 Reveals Opening And Ending Theme Animations

Horror

BLINK TWICE: Channing Tatum Invites You To "Pussy Island" In First Trailer For Zoë Kravitz's Directorial Debut

THE WATCHERS New Trailer Sees Dakota Fanning Terrorised In Ishana Night Shyamalan's Directorial Debut

EVIL DEAD RISE Director Lee Cronin Shares Gruesome New BTS Photos To Mark Movie's One-Year Anniversary

Happy 4/20! Check Out The Red Band Trailer For New Stoner Horror Movie TRIM SEASON

ABIGAIL Spoilers: Find Out What Happens - And Who Shows Up - In New Horror Comedy

TRAP: First Trailer For M. Night Shyamalan's Latest Spoils The Big Twist