Even with only three films under his belt, Jordan Peele has already become one of the most in demand directors working in Hollywood. All three of Peele’s films have been critically praised and box office hits, taking on issues regarding race, class and other social commentary. Naturally, any studio would want Peele attached to their project and that includes Marvel, who has recently expanded their extended universe into the X-Men world with the upcoming film, Deadpool & Wolverine. It seems like Marvel has a vested interest in continuing to experiment with X-Men related projects and recent rumors suggest they are trying to get Jordan Peele on board.
The rumors started when film critic Jeff Sneider stated on The Hot Mic podcast that Jordan Peele met with Marvel about potentially helming a project within the MCU. Sources from One Take News also had info that substantiated the claims, and some believed that the project in question was a future X-Men film. Nothing is at all confirmed, but the rumors circled the internet over the weekend and ignited a fan firestorm, with some thinking he could be considered for the potential Midnight Suns project. The meeting was allegedly a long time ago, so the outcome of discussions may have not been the desired result for the studio. However, if Marvel is eyeing a director like Peele for the future of X-Men, it could be an indicator of where the studio is hoping to go with the franchise.
For Marvel, having Jordan Peele helm an X-Men film would be major, and a perfect marriage of styles. Peele has experimented with the surreal and supernatural within his films, and would likely be able to delve deeper in the lore and stories within the X-Men universe. Also, the dry sense of humor would be a great fit for the MCU, and would separate the new X-Men films from the original ones under Sony. Disney also would potentially give Peele some control over the script, as his world building and storytelling ability is one of the benefits to having Peele attached to a project.
From a financial standpoint, signing Peele onto a Marvel project would be massive for the studio as well. The Oscar winner is one of the few behind-the-scenes talents that still attract an audience just by name alone, and he has a massive fanbase. Marvel’s last few projects have not been as well received as previous movies, and rumblings of superhero fatigue are incredibly prevalent as audiences look towards new ideas. Bringing Peele into the Marvel world could reignite the interest in these superhero properties, and even increase the quality of the films being produced. If fans want more X-Men films, brand confidence is essential, and Peele could be the name that makes X-Men cool again.
All of this should be taken with a grain of salt, considering Jordan Peele has not attached himself onto any Marvel project as of now. He already declined making Blade for Marvel, and hasn’t expressed interest in other superhero properties. Even if the meeting did happen, this does not mean that the discussions led to anything tangible. The acclaimed director is still hard at work on his fourth film, and it is expected to hit theaters next year. If there is a Marvel collaboration on the horizon, this is likely in the distant future. However, if these rumors have some merit, this would be an exciting prospect for MCU and X-Men fans alike, and could be an indicator of the themes and ideas the studio is seeking to explore as they expand their IP into other comic book properties.
Fans will be able to see the first X-Men endeavor to enter the MCU when Deadpool & Wolverine hits theaters on July 26th. For more information on other exciting films heading to the big screen this year, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule. Also, if you are looking for more news on Marvel projects, you can check out our feature on upcoming MCU films expected to hit the big screen over the next few years.
