Marvel’s ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ Could Be the Key To Bringing the X-Men to the MCU
Disney’s purchase of Fox has opened the door for some major franchises to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) in the near future. The studio has been secretive about when it plans to launch franchises like X-Men and the Fantastic Four, but Marvel’s upcoming Falcon and the Winter Soldier might be a good launching point for introducing new characters. If a new Marvel leak is correct, the series could be the bridge to bringing the X-Men into the MCU at a later date.
How will Marvel handle introducing the X-Men?
There has been a slew of speculation about how Marvel will introduce the various characters that make up the X-Men universe. But most of the inside information suggests that the studio is going to slowly introduce characters over multiple projects, a move that would eventually lead to a standalone film.
Marvel insider Daniel Richtman, for example, recently claimed that the studio is going to introduce Wiz Kid in the film, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. It is unclear how that will happen or what the part entails, but it does suggest that X-Men characters won’t be introduced all at once.
It also opens the door for Marvel to introduce some new faces on the small screens. The studio is launching a bunch of new shows on Disney+ over the next two years, and some of these projects will have a direct impact on the MCU.
Will ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ introduce mutants?
Marvel has not confirmed the reports surrounding Falcon and the Winter Soldier, which is due to hit Disney’s streaming platform this August. But an inside source claims that at least one X-Men character will appear on the show.
According to We Got This Covered, sources say that Marvel will be introducing a villain named Omega Red in Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The character is a well-known adversary of the X-Men, which could mean more characters are in the works.
If this is true, then it sounds like we are going to be introduced to a few X-Men characters sooner than expected. Disney purchased Fox last year, and most fans did not expect Marvel to do anything with the new franchises until Phase 5 at the earliest.
That said, we already have confirmation that Deadpool 3 is under development. No word yet on when the film will premiere in theaters, but Marvel clearly did not waste any time bringing Ryan Reynolds over to the MCU.
Which characters might appear in ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’?
Aside from villains, Marvel fans have speculated that Falcon and the Winter Soldier will feature one of X-Men’s most iconic characters in Wolverine.
What’s interesting about his theory is that the show might actually have a connection to Wolverine. Sources claim that producers are taking the characters to Madripoor, an island that has been featured in X-Men comics in the past.
In fact, Wolverine’s former romantic interest, Tyger Tiger, runs Madripoor, which might be a major clue about Marvel’s plans for introducing the character.
This, of course, is all speculation and fans will ultimately have to wait until the show’s premiere to find out. Luckily, the series is due to hit Disney+ by August of 2020, so fans don’t have that long to wait.
Marvel teases upcoming shows
In the meantime, Marvel recently released a teaser trailer for its upcoming shows on Disney+. This includes a quick look at Falcon and the Winter Soldier, Loki, and WandaVision.
The trailer did not reveal any huge spoilers about the shows, but we do know that Anthony Mackie will be appearing as the new Captain America in the series.
Chris Evans passed down his mantle in the final scenes of Avengers: Endgame. Although there has been some speculation that Evans could eventually reprise the role, it looks like Marvel is moving full steam ahead with Mackie.
Marvel has not commented on the reports surrounding the introduction of the X-Men into the MCU. The next film in the studio’s lineup is Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow, which opens in theaters in May.
