Phase Four of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in full swing and, as a result, the massive, interconnected franchise is continuing to expand at a rapid pace. In the past year alone, MCU devotees have met fresh faces like Yelena Belova, Shang-Chi and Kate Bishop. There are, however, plenty of other heroes that many are still waiting to see, and the X-Men are certainly at the top of the list. Though Marvel Studios has yet to reveal how the famous characters will be brought into the fold, a number of high-profile creatives (like Deapool’s creator) have commented on their eventual introductions. Longtime producer Simon Kinberg is the latest to chime in, and he seems to have a very good attitude about Marvel gaining control of the mutants.
For years, Charles Xavier and his group of crusaders dwelled at Fox alongside other comic book properties like Fantastic Four. But both franchises would finally make their way to Marvel Studios following Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019. During the summer of that same year, Marvel head honcho Kevin Feige alluded to plans for the mutants. Like fans, Simon Kinberg isn’t privy to any specific details, but he does have plenty of faith in Feige:
The honest answer is, I have no idea. And the other answer is, Kevin [Feige] knows what he is doing with the MCU. I would argue he's the greatest producer in the history of cinema. Truly. I mean, if you look at it pound for pound in terms of quality and in terms of obviously commercial success, there's no question the latter is true. So I don't know.
It’s hard to argue with Simon Kinberg’s comments on Marvel’s CCO, as he’s definitely helped to put the MCU on the map. Since 2008, the man Stan Lee once referred to as “Fearless Feige” has overseen the releases of 27 films and five television shows, which have predominantly been well received by the public. He’s also shown that he’s a capable storyteller who makes shrewd decisions.
Simon Kinberg has also had his fair share of success with the X-Men franchise. Though a number of later installments didn’t quite connect with fans, films like X2, Days of Future Past and Logan are still held in high regard. Through his work, Kinberg was also able to collaborate with a great cast, consisting of stars like Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry and Patrick Stewart. The producer has nothing but love for the actors, but how would he feel about them reprising their roles for the new film series? Well, in the same interview with IGN, he shared his thoughts:
I love those actors. I love them as human beings, and I love them as the characters. So obviously, there's a part of me that would be incredibly nostalgic and would be excited to see them. And certainly, I can't imagine another person playing Wolverine, but I also couldn't imagine another person playing James Bond. And I think that there's an aspect of some of these characters where it's like, there are a lot of great Hamlets over time. And I think even Hugh felt that with the end of Logan.
Fans seem to be somewhat mixed on whether they’d like to see the OG actors brought back. Likewise, the stars themselves have provided a variety of responses on the possibility of returning. Franchise veteran Halle Berry, for instance, is open to reprising her role as Storm, while Kelsey Grammer is also enthusiastic about possibly playing Beast again. But Hugh Jackman has been adamant that his time as Wolverine is over, regardless of the multiverse or Ryan Reynolds’ jokey appeals. On that note, X-Men: First Class director, Matthew Vaughn has suggested a few actors who could don the adamantium claws next.
It’ll probably be a little while before Marvel Studios officially announces its plans for the iconic characters. Though the wait may be difficult for some, it's good to see that the company is taking its time in laying things out. In the meantime, fans can keep speculating about the mutants’ eventual role and check out their past cinematic exploits by streaming the X-Men films on Disney+.
