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Why the Fantastic Four and the X-Men Should be Welcomed into the MCU

There are rumours abound about Disney trying to buy Fox. For us superhero fans, this means that Marvel Studios may be able to get their hands on two properties sorely missing from the MCU–The Fantastic Four and the X-Men. The Fantastic Four hadn’t a good run at Fox, so they are overdue for a new take that is not butchered and a real Dr. Doom, tyrant of Latveria. The X-Men is hit or miss at Fox – Logan was a wonderful take on the “Old Man Logan” storyline from the comics, but the actual X-Men films are meh.  However, the character of Deadpool is also considered a part of the X-Men (for some reason), but we have no idea what the rumors mean for the Rated-R Merc with a Mouth.

Anyway, Deadpool aside, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men should be welcomed into the MCU–they are sorely missed, especially with certain storylines coming in the MCU.

The First Family of Marvel

The Fantastic Four deserves so much better. The 2004 Fantastic Four and its horrendous sequel was just plain bad. And the reboot was worse. We all know it, so I’m not going to be labour over the point.

Fox and Marvel have been duelling over the First Family of Marvel for a while. The feud got so bad that in the comics that Marvel Comics got rid of the Fantastic Four. The FF no longer exist as a team.  Sue, Reed and their children Franklin and Valeria have been wiped from the Marvel-616 existence. The Thing off in space with the Guardians of the Galaxy (I think) and Johnny Storm/The Human Torch gracing the pages of his superhero-bff Spider-Man’s comics as a guest.

It’s a true travesty. The Fantastic Four was what started the Marvel Age of Comics in the 1960s. If you go watch the first episode of Robert Kirkman’s Secret History of Superheroes on AMC, it details how Stan “the Man” Lee was going to give up comics, but decided to give it one more go by his wife. Together with Jack “The King” Kirby, The Fantastic Four comic became the comic that began the Marvel universe.

They should get a true adaption, to its core values about family. But the question remains how will the FF fit into to the already well-established MCU? There are a lot of possibilities, but the easiest is have the FF’s origin in the earlier than the setting of Iron Man like the Captain Marvel movie is supposed to be and kick the Fantastic Four into another dimension for years only to be rescued after the Infinity War arc in the movies. (Check out more ideas about how the FF can be integrated into the MCU, here).

The Marvelous X-Men

I’m just going to come and out say it. The MCU Inhumans suck (and if I’m being honest, I’m not too fond of them in the comics, save for singular heroes like Ms. Marvel and Lockjaw). We all know by now that they are the group of people trying to fill the X-Men-shaped hole in the MCU. The Inhumans don’t have the same feeling that the X-Men give when they trying to fight for the people that hate them.

The average movie goer might not know but X-Men were involved in almost every major event in the Marvel Universe, alongside the Fantastic Four and the Avengers. Several members of the X-Men, like Wolverine, Storm, The Beast, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver, have had long-standing memberships in the Avengers. When Avengers: Age of Ultron came out, everyone was speculating how they could have Wanda and Pietro in the MCU without the X-Men, without their infamous father Magneto, but they did it okay I guess. Wanda remains.

Wanda/Scarlet Witch could be the key to having the X-Men welcomed into the MCU. Wanda’s powers have changed over the years in the comics, but one thing is certain, she’s one of the most powerful magic users in Marvel. She can warp reality itself and if she comes into contact with the Time Stone or the Space Stone in Avengers: Infinity War who knows what will happen.

But the X-Men is the part of Marvel that gives voice to the outcasts of the world, whom ever they might be. It’s something that the Inhumans can’t really do like the X-Men.

If Disney manages to buy Fox, it could mean the beginning of a new age of Marvel movies (Poor DC, at this point, am I right? They just can’t catch up.). The Fantastic Four and the X-Men are a part of Marvel’s long history and deserve to be in the hands of Marvel Studios. Think of all the stories that can be given life on the big screen with the three major teams of Marvel in the same cinematic universe. It would be glorious.

What do you think of the chances of this happening? Would you be excited? Or do you prefer the X-Men to stay with Fox? Sound off in the comments or send us your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter!

About the author

Dara Berkey

Superhero nerd. History nerd. Favorite personal hero--Shazam/The Original Captain Marvel. Favorite female hero--Any of the Batgirls. Favorite male hero, other than Shazam--Any of the Robins.