Kevin Feige Says What Marvel Studios Does With X-Men Will Be “Quite Different”

Marvel fans can expect an unfamiliar future ahead for the X-Men movies. During the Hall H panel on Saturday night at San Diego Comic-Con 2019, Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige revealed the Phase 4 slate of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The X-Men are not a part of that schedule, but Feige did allude to “mutants” being something that Marvel Studios is working on.

Speaking to IGN after the event, Feige clarified that the use of the word “mutants” instead of X-Men is nothing to read into, but that Marvel’s approach to the franchise will be different than what’s come before. “Mutants and X-Men are interchangeable,” Feige clarified. “I just said mutants. But yes, whatever we do will be quite different than what’s been done before.”

20th Century Fox launched the X-Men movie franchise in 2000. The studio put out 12 films in total (counting Dark Phoenix, which was released after the Disney purchase of 20th Century Fox was finalized). There’s still one film left to release, The New Mutants in 2020, but the franchise is considered done with the release of Dark Phoenix in the eyes of most fans.

In another interview, Feige elaborated a bit about his feelings towards being able to work on the X-Men and Fantastic Four following the Disney-Fox deal, but remained vague on the details. “I’m extremely excited about those characters and about bringing Marvel’s First Family up to the platform and the level that they deserve,” Feige said.

“The truth is, I’m excited for all of them. I’m excited, and it’s not just the marquee names you know — there are hundreds of names on those documents, on those agreements,” Feige said at the Golden Globes. “And the fact that Marvel is as close as we may ever get now to having access to all of the characters, is something I’ve been dreaming about for my almost 20 years at Marvel. And it’s very exciting.”

Are you excited about the X-Men coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe? What are your hopes for the Marvel Studios take on the franchise? Let us know in the comments.

Upcoming Marvel Studios projects include Black Widow on May 1, 2020, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier in fall 2020, The Eternals on November 6, 2020, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings on February 12, 2021, WandaVision in spring 2021, Loki in spring 2021, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on May 7, 2021, What If? In summer 2021, Hawkeye in fall 2021, and Thor: Love and Thunder on November 5, 2021.