James Gunn Confirms Skrulls Are Co-Owned By Marvel Studios And FOX

As a well-documented social media enthusiast, it’s no surprise that James Gunn took to Twitter earlier today to answer a question that Marvel fans have been asking for awhile now: Who the heck owns the Skrulls?

When it comes to film rights, Marvel’s hefty catalog of characters are spread all across Hollywood with different studios owning various entities. During a Q&A, user @danfitzarsenal asked the following question about one of Marvel’s most famous alien races: “[W]hy are the Kree availible [sic] but the Skrulls are at Fox. Surely there are associated with each other?”

Not long after, James responded by writing, “Some specific Skrulls are at Fox. But the Skrulls as a whole are co-owned.” Now, fans are undoubtedly wondering if they’ll be seeing the diabolical shape-shifters in the MCU in the future. However, that wouldn’t be the first time some Skrulls made a cameo in Marvel’s blockbusting cinematic universe.

In fact, when it comes to the Skrulls, they’ve already appeared on-screen via the Chitauri when The Avengers was released in 2012. According to Marvel’s Ultimate Universe, the Chitauri are considered part of the Skrull’s species, but the alien invaders were made into their own race for their MCU debut. The traditional depiction of Skrulls in all their green, pointed-ear glory is likely what Gunn is talking about with his comments though.

While it’s true that the Skrulls as a whole are co-owned by Marvel Studios and Fox, there are still issues liekly preventing Marvel some using the race willy-nilly. As Fox exclusively owns several specific Skrulls, it might prove difficult for Marvel to introduce the species if they can’t create a plausible creation story for them. However, if the studio wants them badly enough, they’ll find a way to retcon a new history.

Also, when you consider Marvel’s use of the Kree within the MCU, it does actually make sense that the reptilian humanoids would cause some sort of intergalactic commotion sooner than later. So, who knows? Maybe fans will get to see a version of the Kree-Skrull War in one of Marvel’s future films?