Summary
Marvel Studios and theMCUgained access to all its mutant characters in 2018 when Disney bought Fox. While this move meant that theMCUwould soon be able to bring its own version of the X-Men to the big screen, it seems that the studio is having some trouble saying goodbye to some old versions of the characters. Fox’sX-Menmovies began in 2000, and the franchise spawned over 12 films in 2 decades. As such, some of the stars of these movies made a big impression on fans.
Patrick Stewart reprised his role of Charles Xavier for a cameo inDoctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, Hugh Jackman is putting on the claws again as Wolverine inDeadpool 3in 2024, andThe Marvelshas an unexpected appearance in a mid-credit scene. Therefore, it seems that Marvel Studios is not ready to say goodbye to these leads, and fans can hopefully expect to see some more old favorites show up in the franchise in the future.
6Gambit
Can Channing Tatum Finally Get His Due?
The character of Gambit has had a difficult ride in Fox’sX-Menfilms. He did make a brief appearance inX-Men Origins: Wolverine, but the character had too little screen time to make a real impression. Gambit was then supposed to receive his own solo film with Channing Tatum in the role, but sadly, the project was canceled as part of the Disney merger.
This means that one of the most popular X-Men in the comics isyet to have any real big screen attention.While that meansMarvel Studioscan start with a fresh slate moving forward with the character, it would be nice to see Channing Tatum suit up as Gambit before then to find out what his version of the iconic mutant would’ve looked like. Perhaps there is a small chance fora cameo inDeadpool 3.
5Cable
A New Character With More Story To Tell
Cable made his movie debut inDeadpool 2in 2018 and acted as the villain of that film. However, the film also sees the mutant from the future later team up with Wade Wilson and become the straight man in their comedy dynamic. With Deadpool now under the Disney umbrella, there is a big question mark over what is going to happen with the franchise moving forward. Fans know thatDeadpool 3is coming in 2024 with Wolverine in the lead, but where does that leave Cable?
Josh Brolin did a good job playing the character, and his dual role of Thanos in the MCU leaves the character open to some more of Deadpool’s meta and fourth-wall-breaking humor. His time travel device also means that Cable easily fits the current multiverse concept. Let’s hope that Hugh Jackman’s role as Wolverine in the next film doesn’t mean that Cable has to be forgotten.
4Jean Grey
One Of The Franchises First Leads
Jean Grey is one of the few characters that theX-Menfranchise has explored twice in its run. Fans saw Famke Jenson take on the role of the telekinetic mutant in the original trilogy, and then a younger version of the character was played by Sophie Turner in the prequel series. However, the first version of the character has ties to Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine. Therefore, it would make more sense for Famke Jenson to reprise her role in the MCU.
Logan was tortured when he was forced to kill Jean when she was taken over by the Phoenix Force. This means thather appearance has more storytelling potentialmoving forward with these versions of the X-Men.
3Colossus
Deadpool’s Original Tie To The X-Men
When the firstDeadpoolmovie was released in 2016, Fox did not know if the franchise would be a hit. That is why the movie had very few links to the successfulX-Menfranchise. There were a few jokes and nods, but there was no way the studio could make Deadpool canon in the X-Men universe until they knew the character would be a hit. As such, only Colossus and a new mutant called Negasonic Teenage Warhead were introduced to tie the movies together tangentially.
Colussus was a big hit with fans of the film, and he even showed up in the sequel as the mutant tasked with bringing Deadpool into the X-Men. Even though Wolverine is around for the nextDeadpoolmovie, things wouldn’t feel right if Colossus didn’t also return to the franchise.
2Cyclops
The Leader Of The X-Men
Cyclops is the leader of the X-Men and Professor X’s star pupil in the comics. However, the character took a bit of a back seat in the originalX-Menfilms and was even killed off early in the third movie. The character fared a bit better in the prequel series, but many fans would agree that movie-goers have yet to see a true representation of the mutant on the big screen. Although Marvel has a chance to play this character better with a reboot of the team, it would be cool to see one of the other versions of Cyclops once more.
Imagine the X-jet landing in a future movie and everyone sighs when it is revealed to be piloted by Cyclops. The character can then go on to surprise fans by acting as the natural-born leader he is supposed to be.
1Magneto
One Of The Leads In The Franchise
Fans of theX-Menfranchise were incredibly lucky that they got a proper send-off to Wolverine and Professor X in 2017’sLogan. Then, they get to see them pop up one last time as both Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart have reprised these roles in the MCU. However, many fans would also argue that Ian McKellan’s Magneto is just as integral to theX-Menfranchise as these two characters, and he is yet to have his swansong.
If Marvel has plans to use the old version of Fox’sX-Menagain, it would only be right that Ian McKellan should return to the screen too. Magneto may be a villain, but he is still one of themost iconic faces in superhero cinema. Even a quick cameo would give fans a chance to say goodbye to the complicated mutant.
