The Mutant Saga gets pitched as the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 7 in a new artistic infographic as audience members are proposing where Marvel Studios should go after The Multiverse Saga. The MCU is still dealing with the multiverse as Marvel Studios attempts to outdo The Infinity Saga with several upcoming Marvel movies and Disney+ shows focusing on new and established heroes. However, projects released in the MCU Phases 4 and 5 have so far received uneven critical and commercial responses.
The Multiverse Saga hasn't even entered Phase 6 yet, but some are already looking ahead to what the MCU should do in Phase 7. M14Hpitched through a new TikTok video that the next arc should be The Mutant Saga, as they lined up multiple shows and movies in the MCU timeline that would focus on the X-Men characters. The line-up also includes hypothetical sequels for Fantastic Four, The Marvels, and Captain America, as well as a new Scarlet Witch project for Elizabeth Olsen, with Phase 7 looking as follows:
Why Phase 7 Would Be The Natural Time To Do The Mutant Saga After Multiverse Saga
The idea of having The Mutant Saga directly after The Multiverse Saga would be coming at the proper time, given the state of the MCU. Even though the MCU is still profitable and popular, it can't be denied that some of the hype has died down after The Infinity Saga as Marvel Studios has begun focusing on the next generation for their franchise. With the pandemic and the ongoing Hollywood strikes, The Multiverse Saga is struggling with some of its momentum, and it may be a good point for Marvel Studios to consider if it might be time for a bigger shift.
While Marvel Studios is expected to reinvent the X-Men in the MCU, another mutant team from Fox's X-Men franchise also deserves redemption.
Given how the MCU has already begun introducing a handful of mutants, The Mutant Saga would be the organic direction for Marvel Studios and start beginning to build out another side of the franchise. The X-Men coming to the MCU has been an exciting prospect for years, especially once the rights reverted back to Marvel Studios when Disney bought 20th Century Fox. Seeing how the MCU would tackle the X-Men could be the breath of fresh air that Marvel Studios have been looking for while not making the Avengers the only center point in this continuity.
Why The Mutant Saga Is The Best Choice For The MCU's Next Big Story After The Multiverse Saga
The lower than expected box office and reviews of recent MCU movies like The Marvel and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania compared against the success of X-Men '97 certainly suggest there's merit in focusing on the X-Men and other mutant characters going forward in the franchise. Indeed, the next saga focusing on these figures could potentially solve a host of problems the franchise has been facing - as keeping things centered on one group of heroes would also potentially combat complaints that there are currently too many story threads for viewers to keep up with without watching every MCU release.
The chances of this path placing the X-Men front and center seem decidedly possible.
While what's next for the Marvel Cinematic Universe after the Multiverse Saga is currently still too far away to properly ascertain, the franchise has proved itself skillful in terms of course correcting as it navigates a relatively uncharted course through the media and movie landscape. As such, the chances of this path placing the X-Men front and center seem decidedly possible, even if this may ultimately be decided more by reactions to X-Men related releases like the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine movie.
How Marvel Is Already Setting Up The Mutant Saga For The MCU
The suspicions that the Multiverse Saga will lead into a Mutant Saga have only increased as this era of the timeline has gone on. In fact, these hopes have been actively stoked, with releases like Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk: Attorney At Law and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse Of Madness increasingly setting up mutants in the MCU, and even directly introducing some figures who appear to be MCU mutants into the franchise - including a variant version of Professor X played by Sir Patrick Stewart.
The Marvels continues this X-Men trend by bringing back Kelsey Grammar's Beast, and Deadpool & Wolverine is set to bring more familiar faces back than ever, with Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, Tyler Mane's Sabretooth, Dafne Keen's X-23, and of course Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool all confirmed to make appearances in the Phase 5 film. In a Deadpool & Wolverine press conference, Kevin Feige mentioned that, "everything post-Deadpool & Wolverine will be the mutant era coming into the MCU", truly underlining how the franchise is set to bring figures like the X-Men fully into its fold, and what it means for the future.
With X-Men '97's success ensuring the X-Men and mutantkind are experiencing an upsurge in on-screen popularity - and that audiences are even more hopeful for the MCU to follow suit with its own X-Men stories - the stage is primed perfectly for a Mutant Saga to take center stage following the Multiverse Saga. With audiences having eagerly anticipated the mutant heroes for the franchise's entire timeline, it's hard to imagine an overarching storyline that's better for the Marvel Cinematic Universe than celebrating these iconic characters and the stories that define them.
Every Mutant Already In The MCU
There have already been a number of mutants featured in the MCU over the course of its current history, both in the sacred timeline itself and in the broader scope of the MCU multiverse. Obviously, Marvel Studios will eventually have a big focus on mutants, and they have already started planting the seeds for their full introduction into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Kamala Khan: Though she is an Inhuman in Marvel Comics, the MCU decided to make Kamala Khan a mutant. This is an interesting change, because it showed a willingness to make main universe characters into mutants before they were widely incorporated. It also makes it seem like the MCU might shy away from introducing the Inhumans.
Namor: Namor finally appeared in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, squaring off against the Wakandans over vibranium deposits. He joins Kamala as one of the few mutants to officially be confirmed in the MCU's main universe.
Mr. Immortal: She-Hulk: Attorney at Law has references to several mutants, including Wolverine, but Mr. Immortal actually makes an appearance in the show. He isn't confirmed to be a mutant, but is one in Marvel Comics, making him a surprising addition to the MCU's mutant roster.
Professor X: Professor X appears in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but is from another universe, leaving the matter of who will be the MCU's main Professor X still seemingly open. Part of the Illuminati, this version of Professor X is killed by Wanda Maximoff.
Beast: Much like Professor X and the rest of the mutants that have appeared in the MCU since, Beast is from another universe. In The Marvels end-credit scene, Monica Rambeau wakes up in another universe where her mother is alive and Beast is her doctor. Nothing has come out of this scene for the MCU yet, but could play an important part in introducing more mutants into the sacred timeline.
Deadpool: The Wade Wilson that audiences know is not part of the MCU, but during the events of Deadpool & Wolverine he does travel to the sacred timeline occasionally. With the immense success of the film, it is only a matter of time before he comes back to the MCU.
Wolverine: Much like Deadpool, Wolverine made his way into the MCU via Deadpool & Wolverine. He survives the events of the movie and goes on to live in Deadpool's universe, which makes him likely to appear alongside Wade Wilson again at some point in the MCU.
X-23: The end of Deadpool & Wolverine confirms that X-23 survived the void and joined Logan in going to Wade's universe. She is a fan favorite character and although her return to the MCU doesn't seem as likely as Deadpool or Wolverine, it could be a good move for Marvel Studios to make.
Gambit: At the end of Deadpool & Wolverine, it is revealed that Gambit survived in the Void. Channing Tatum has expressed interest in playing the character for the MCU, so it is possible he could return once more, this time in the main universe.
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