Some thought that Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness would answer this. But, as those who’ve watched the Benedict Cumberbatch-led sequel will attest to, Patrick Stewart’s “return” as Charles Xavier was more of a brief cameo. A few months and a Ms. Marvel season finale later, it appears that we’ll see mutants in the MCU soon. Warning: the following graphics will include Ms. Marvel spoilers. Consider yourself warned. The latest MCU show to hit Disney+ introduced Kamala Khan to the general MCU audience. Unlike her comic book counterpart, who is an Inhuman, Khan is a supernatural being that is original to the MCU known as a djinn. However, in the season finale, Khan talks about her genes more. Specifically, he mentioned that there’s something “like a mutation” inside her. We could chalk this up as a “throwaway line” that could mean anything. But, what really seals the deal is the quick soundbite of the theme song of the X-Men: The Animated Series. This leaves the door wide open for mutants to head to the MCU in the next two years. Most likely, the X-Men won’t be part of the MCU until later in Phase 5. For now, Disney is slowly integrating its new FOX properties into its streaming platform and movie slate. The X-Men ‘97 series reboot will premiere on Disney+ by next year followed by The Fantastic Four film, which will be the final movie of Phase 4 of the MCU.
Regardless of what will happen, the MCU appears to be using mutants as the entry point for the next generation of superheroes after the current successor-centric theme. The worst-case scenario is that the MCU will not revisit Khan’s revelation until The Marvels hits theaters next July. In the meantime, audiences can check out Thor: Love and Thunder, which is a certified box office hit despite the mixed critical reviews.
