Summary
20th Century Fox’sX-Menfranchise may have delivered some disappointments over the years, but many of its movies and TV shows were highly-rated, so Marvel Studios can learn some valuable lessons when developing its ownX-Menprojects in theMCU.Fox’sX-Menfranchisekicked off in 2000 with the release ofX-Men, introducing the likes of Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman, and Famke Janssen as some of Marvel Comics' most iconic mutant heroes and villains. In the following two decades, theX-Menfranchise spawned twelve additional feature films and two TV shows before concluding with 2020’sThe New Mutants.
Fox’sX-Menfranchise unfortunately delivered some lackluster projects, withX-Men Origins: Wolverine, Dark Phoenix,andThe New Mutantsfailing to garner a positive reception. However,many installments of the two-decade-longX-Menfranchise were actually very successful and well-received, achieving high scores onRotten Tomatoes, and contributing to the entire franchise grossing well over $6 billion at the global box office between 2000 and 2020. Despite being a franchise of highs and lows, Marvel Studios can learn some valuable lessons from the highest-rated projects in 20th Century Fox’sX-Menfranchise, particularly since theMCU’s officialX-Menrebootis now in production.
2017
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2014
2011
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2016
85%
2003
2018
84%
2000
82%
83%
79%
68%
2013
71%
69%
MCU X-Men Movie Gets First Update In 8 Months
Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Men movie reboot takes a step forward as the Marvel Cinematic Universe project finally lands a writer for the film.
10Deadpool Is The Perfect Character To Introduce The X-Men To The MCU
Both Of Deadpool’s Solo Adventures Were Hugely Successful
Ryan Reynolds will bridge the gap between the FoxX-Menfranchise and the MCU in2024’s upcomingDeadpool & Wolverine, and the highest-ratedX-Menprojects prove that he is the best person for the job.Both of Deadpool’s solo adventures in Fox’sX-Menfranchise are highly-rated, and the character is widely regarded as one of the strongest aspects of the franchise, despite being mostly disconnected from the wider world of the X-Men.DeadpoolandDeadpool 2performed very well for Fox, and this will likely be repeated in the MCU.
Not just repeated, butMarvel Studios’Deadpool & Wolverineis expected to surpass the success of its predecessors. This is perhaps thanks to the entertaining partnership between Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, both on and off camera. Two of the biggest stars in Hollywood being involved in the same project is a massive draw for Marvel Studios and the MCU.
The MCU’s Next $1B Movie Box Office Success Just Got A Lot More Likely
Deadpool & Wolverine is the strongest candidate to pass the $1 billion mark for the MCU in years, and a new broken record makes that even more likely.
9Wolverine Should Still Be A Key Part Of The MCU’s X-Men Storylines
Wolverine Appeared In Most Of Fox’s Highest-Rated Projects
While Hugh Jackman will be returning as James “Logan” Howlett’s Wolverine inDeadpool & Wolverine,Marvel Studios is expected to recast the clawed mutant for the MCU’s official X-Men team. This will see a new actor take over from Jackman, and could sideline the character after years of being the focus in Fox’sX-Menfranchise, but this may be a mistake. Six of Fox’s top ten highest-ratedX-Menprojects feature Wolverine, and 2017’sLoganis top of the list, so audiences certainly love the legendary X-Men member.
Wolverine being so popular in Fox’sX-Menfranchise means Marvel Studios should give him an ample amount of attention in the MCU’sX-Menreboot. Of course, this doesn’t mean Wolverine needs to be a leading man again, as Marvel Animation’sX-Men ‘97proved, but he must get some substantial moments. Wolverine is still a very exciting character that deserves exploration in the MCU.
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Keanu Reeves? Jason Momoa? Tom Hardy? There are plenty of actors that could play the role of Wolverine admirably, so let’s check them out.
8X-Men TV Shows Work Well To Accompany The Movies
Both Of Fox’s X-Men TV Shows Are Highly-Rated
20th Century Fox produced only two TV shows to accompany theX-Menfilm series:The GiftedandLegion, both of which premiered in 2017. Both of these shows are among the top ten highest-rated projects in Fox’sX-Menfranchise, proving that Marvel Studios should also developX-Men-focused TV showsalongside its upcoming feature films.With the recent rebranding of Marvel Television, this is more likely than ever, so the MCU’s world of X-Men is surely about to expand massively.
Legionfocused on Professor X’s son from an alternate timeline, whileThe Giftedis set in the same world as theX-Menmovies, but the shows didn’t connect to the films or to each other at all. This will likely be different in the MCU, asMarvel Television’s showsconnect directly to the MCU’s feature films, establishing a more clear shared universe that will work well to develop the X-Men’s storylines.
7Marvel Studios Needs To Adapt The X-Men’s Biggest Stories
Days Of Future Past & Old Man Logan Are Just A Couple Massive Stories Fox Adapted
Now that Marvel Studios has the film rights to mutants and the X-Men, any number of iconicMarvel Comics storylines could be adapted into the live-action MCU. Fox’s highest-ratedX-Menprojects could hint at which storylines viewers may want the most, as the likes of1981’sDays of Future Past,2008’sOld Man Loganand 1982’sGod Loves, Man Killsall formed the inspiration behind some of the franchise’s most successful movies. As well as suggesting stories that Marvel Studios should re-adapt, this list also omits one the MCU should avoid.
20th Century Fox made two major attempts at bringing Marvel Comics’Dark Phoenix Sagainto live-action, first led by Famke Janssen’s Jean Grey, and later by Sophie Turner’s. Both of these attempts were disappointing, and were poorly-rated, suggesting Marvel Studios may be better off avoiding theDark Phoenix Sagain the MCU, at least for the time being, anyway.
2006
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2019
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Marvel Has Adapted The Best X-Men Story 4 Times, But Which Is Best?
The X-Men’s Dark Phoenix Saga is one of the greatest comic book stories of all time. While some adaptations have done it justice, others have not.
6MCU’s X-Men Should Be More Experimental
Several High-Rated X-Men Projects Experimented With Genre & Story
Several projects among the top ten highest-rated in Fox’sX-Menfranchise experimented with genre, storytelling, character, and style, so Marvel Studios shouldn’t be afraid to be a bit wild with its upcomingX-Menprojects. By their very nature, mutants and the X-Men are fantastical, sometimes-ridiculous characters, so this should perhaps be reflected in the style in which they’re delivered in the MCU.Marvel Studios has recently been experimentingmore, so this could continue in the MCU’s future.
WhileDeadpooldelivered an outright comedy, andLogantook on more of an indie feel, Fox’s TV shows set adjacent to theX-Menmovies also played with different story elements.The Gifted, at its core, was a coming-of-age story focused on Lauren and Adam Strucker, whileLegionentered a more psychological and supernatural realm, which was incredibly effective at delivering its narrative, and made it the second-highest-ratedX-Menproject, just falling behindLogan.
10 Explanations The MCU Could Use For Why The X-Men Are Appearing So Late
The MCU has finally moved into Phase 5, but there is no sign of the X-Men. However, there are possible explanations for why they’re arriving so late.
5More Mutants Than Just The X-Men Should Get Attention
Fox’s Highest-Rated Projects Aren’t Just X-Men Movies
While six of the top ten highest-rated projects in Fox’sX-Menfranchise focus on the X-Men or separate members of the team, namely Wolverine, the others are partially or completely separated from the titular superhero group.Legion, Deadpool, Deadpool 2,andThe Giftedall focus on mutants outside the X-Men, and were praised nonetheless. SinceMarvel Studios’X-Menrebootis already in production, there’s no doubt the MCU’s future mutant storylines will kick off with the team itself, but the MCU should branch out after that.
Even in the highest-ratedX-Menmovies, other mutants were put in the spotlight. These include Caliban, Nightcrawler, Sebastian Shaw, and X-23, among others, proving thatMarvel Studios doesn’t need to only focus on the X-Men. There are also hundreds of mutants from Marvel Comics that never got attention in Fox’sX-Menfranchise, so Marvel Studios can differentiate itself entirely by exploring these new characters.
Recasting X-Men ‘97’s Mutants For The MCU’s Live-Action Franchise
X-Men ‘97 has brought back classic incarnations of many X-Men characters, and adapting them into live-action would require the right actors.
4Marvel Studios Should Shine A Light On Lesser-Known Mutants
Legion, X-Men: First Class & The Gifted All Explored Lesser-Known Mutants
By exploring the stories of more mutants outside the X-Men team, Marvel Studios has the perfect opportunity to focus on somelesser-known mutants from Marvel Comics. This is something that 20th Century Fox also excelled at, particularly when developing the stories ofLegion, X-Men: First Class, andThe Gifted.First Classdebuted the likes of Banshee, Darwin, and Angel, who hadn’t been seen until that point, while Fox’s TV shows in theX-Menfranchise did an even deeper dive into Marvel Comics’ mutant history.
Legion’sfocus on David Haller was inspired, particularly when pitting him against the Shadow King, potentially a truly terrifying villain in the MCU.The Gifted, while giving attention to many lesser-known mutants, focused on the likes of Blink, Thunderbird, the Stepford Cuckoos, and Polaris, who deserve even more attention in the MCU’s future. This would be a great way to expand theMCU’s future mutant-centric storylines.
David Haller is the mutant son of Professor X and Gabrielle Haller in Marvel Comics, with his dissociate identity disorder allowing him to access a huge number of powerful abilities.
3Marvel Studios Should Show The X-Men’s Origin Story
X-Men: First Class Is One Of The Highest-Rated X-Men Movies
2011’sX-Men: First Classis the fourth-highest-rated project in Fox’sX-Menfranchise, and quickly became the franchise’s most popular installment at the time of its release. Acting as a prequel to the originalX-Mentrilogy,First Classexplored the meeting ofCharles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherrand the formation of the first X-Men team, who banded together to take down Sebastian Shaw and the Hellfire Club.The success ofX-Men: First Classmeans Marvel Studios could repeat a similar storyline, focusing on the origin of the titular team.
At this point,it’s unclear whether the X-Men are already secretly operating in the MCU, or if they’ll come together for the first time in Marvel Studios’X-Menmovie.RepeatingX-Men: First Classwould give Marvel Studios the opportunity to reinvent the team from the ground up, however, perhaps introducing a more comic-accurate first line-up for the X-Men, which Fox never did.
Marvel Comics’ original X-Men team formed in 1963’sThe X-Men #1and comprised Charles Xavier’s Professor X, Scott Summers’ Cyclops, Bobby Drake’s Iceman, Hank McCoy’s Beast, Warren Worthington III’s Angel, and Jean Grey’s Marvel Girl.
2A Strong Cast Will Make The MCU’s X-Men Projects Even Better
Fantastic Performers Were Attached To Most Of Fox’s High-Rated Projects
One thing that all the highest-rated projects in Fox’sX-Mentimeline share is a strong cast. 2000’sX-Menintroduced some legendary actors as powerful mutants, such as Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen being cast as Professor X and Magneto, and this only developed over the years.Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, James McAvoy, and Michael Fassbender all became household names thanks to their brilliant performances in theX-Menfranchise, and this can be repeated with a newX-Men cast in the MCU.
There is a lot of pressure on Marvel Studios to recast the X-Men with strong performers, as audiences have grown to love Fox’s various X-Men teams.After recent updates for the casts of other MCU projects, includingThe Fantastic Four, Agatha All Along,andBlade, however, there’s no doubt that Marvel Studios will bring powerhouse talents in forX-Men,repeating one of the best aspects of Fox’sX-Menfranchise.
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1Professor X & Magneto Must Still Be At The Core Of The MCU’s X-Men Stories
Professor X & Magneto Are At The Heart Of Fox’s Highest-Rated X-Men Projects
Professor X and Magnetoare at the core of every good X-Men story, so they must be reinvented for the MCU. Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr’s philosophical battle sums up the entire allegory of the X-Men perfectly, as Xavier believes that humans and mutants can co-exist peacefully, while Lehnsherr believes mutants to be superior.The rivalry between the old friends was key to Fox’sX-Menfranchise, and is something that will surely be revisited in the MCU.
The fact that the friendship and rivalry between Professor X and Magneto has been such a massive focus throughout Marvel’s history means their MCU debuts are likely imminent. Manyactors have been suggested to take over as Professor Xand Magneto in the MCU, but no casting choices have yet been confirmed. These legendary mutants are expected to be crucial to the MCU’sX-Menstories, just as they were for 20th Century Fox.
Marvel’s X-Men
Marvel’s X-Men is the tentative title for the future debut of the legendary Marvel mutant superhero team in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
