Marvel Movie Boss Weighs In On When X-Men Will Join The Cinematic Universe

When rumors started swirling that the Walt Disney Company was considering buying 21st Century Fox--and with it, the movie rights to the X-Men franchise--many Marvel Cinematic Universe fans could barely contain their excitement. At long last, the potential of integrating the X-Men into the MCU seemed possible.

Now with the acquisition actually happening, you might be wondering about the likelihood of Wolverine or Professor X showing up in Avengers: Infinity War as a special surprise. According to Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, though, fans shouldn't hold their breath.

Speaking to Vulture, Feige claims that the plans for the next several movies are already in motion, and the deal between Disney and Fox isn't even finalized at this point. With that in mind, his team hasn't even started figuring out where any new characters would fit into the MCU. "We're not thinking about it. We're focusing on everything we've already announced," he says. "If and when the deal actually happens, we'll start to think more about it. Until then, we have a lot to do."

As it stands, Feige is putting his attention on the next five MCU films, which will take the company through the middle of 2019 and the end of Phase Three. After that, following the fourth Avengers movie, it's expected that there will be some major changes to the franchise of films. While nothing has been officially stated, some of the MCU's stars are believed to be moving on.

That's the major finishing line Marvel Studios is looking to cross at this point, as Feige says, "I'm hoping to deliver on everything we've promised thus far."

Still, should the acquisition become finalized, weaving the X-Men into the MCU is bound to happen. When it does, you can likely expect Marvel to treat it with as much care as it does the rest of its movie superheroes.

"For years, predating the history of Marvel Studios itself, people asked me about superhero fatigue and if it was a fad or a phase," Feige says. "I say, if they're all different, if they're all special, nobody will get tired of these things before we at Marvel Studios will, since we live and breathe these things 24 hours a day. You make films like Thor: Ragnarok, like [Spider-Man:]Homecoming, like Guardians of the Galaxy, certainly like [Black] Panther, and the upcoming Infinity War to keep it interesting and change it up. And we will continue to do that."

The next MCU movie, Black Panther, hits theaters on February 16. Meanwhile, Deadpool 2 is the next film in the X-Men franchise heading to the big screen. It premieres on May 18.