Could DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE’S Absent X-Men Hint at an AVENGERS: SECRET WARS Return?

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As a longtime fan of the X-Men franchise, I must say that the timeline of Earth-10005 is more convoluted than a spider’s web after a windstorm. With its multiple Wolverines and the potential for an alternate ending to Logan, it feels like we’re navigating through a labyrinth of mutant mayhem.

The movie featuring Deadpool and Wolverine is essentially a humorous tribute to the Marvel Universe of the 20th Century Fox. It boasts cameos from characters like those seen in the 2005 Fantastic Four, 2003’s Daredevil, and others. Moreover, it includes minor mutant characters who never made it into an X-Men film, such as Channing Tatum’s portrayal of Gambit. However, despite this nostalgic farewell to the era of Fox films, you might wonder where the main X-Men were. Apart from footage in the credits, we don’t see any of them. Could it be that their absence hints at potential future appearances?

There Were No A-List Fox X-Men Living in the Void in Deadpool & Wolverine

In the movie crossover titled “Deadpool & Wolverine“, various characters from the X-Men film series inhabit a realm known as the Void, all under the control of Cassandra Nova. This includes Juggernaut, Azazel (from X-Men: First Class) and Lady Deathstrike (from X2). Notably, Pyro (featured in both X2 and X-Men: The Last Stand) is present. Interestingly, Wolverine frequently mentions Charles Xavier, Magneto, Cyclops, Storm, Jean Grey, and Beast, yet none of the original X-Men appear to intervene in their supposed 25-year imprisonment. Given that Kevin Feige provided a fitting conclusion for Aaron Stanford’s Pyro and Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, one might expect him to extend the same courtesy to the cast of X-Men, especially considering his first Marvel screen credit was in 2000’s X-Men.

The Original X-Men Actors Could Play All-New Variants in Secret Wars

It seems our current hypothesis is that the pairing of Deadpool and Wolverine might signify a heartfelt goodbye to the Fox-produced Earth-10005 timeline of X-Men films, but not the final appearance of the original cast from these movies. This assumption arises due to the reappearance of Kelsey Grammer as Beast/Hank McCoy in The Marvels, especially since this scene took place within the X-Mansion. It’s likely that we will see the original X-Men actors again, portraying mutants in an uncharted timeline filled with these powerful beings. However, these mutants may appear quite familiar to us, as they will be played by their original actors once more.

The Original X-Men Actors Might Still Play Their Original Versions

Despite Wade and Logan saving Earth-10005 from the Time-Ripper, it’s possible that this could be the same timeline as the X-Men we see in “The Marvels”. To clarify, let’s do some mutant chronology: The revised, more hopeful timeline of “Days of Future Past” happens in 2023. In 2028, the tragic Westchester Incident occurred, where a younger Charles Xavier unintentionally killed around 600 people, including most of the original X-Men. The events of “Logan”, which take place in 2029, follow soon after. Given this sequence, it’s plausible for those very same X-Men to emerge.

The Confusing Timeline of X-Men’s Earth-10005

In the year 2024, as depicted in the storyline, Deadpool and Wolverine transpire. This implies that on Earth-10005, the X-Men are thriving at this very moment. Consequently, there exist two Wolverines in this universe – one spending time with Deadpool’s crew and another associated with the X-Men who eventually meets his end in the movie Logan. However, if the X-Men of Earth-10005 appear in Secret Wars, they will not experience the events portrayed in Logan, effectively altering that film’s narrative. The timelines of these superhero universes can be quite perplexing, but it’s also possible that Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige decides to stick with Earth-10005 as is.

Classic X-Men Actors Have All Hinted at a Return

Besides the reappearance of Grammer as Beast, there are other indications that the original X-Men cast might make a comeback one last time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Patrick Stewart has suggested he could return as Professor X, even though he didn’t appear in Deadpool and Wolverine. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t be part of something else in the future. Other actors like James Marsden, Famke Janssen, and Halle Berry have been tight-lipped about a potential X-Men return as well. Since they weren’t in Deadpool and Wolverine either, it seems there might be other projects in development for them too.

It seems fitting to us that the characters from the Avengers: Secret Wars storyline would come back for one last hurrah, especially if Battleworld is made up of remnants from other dimensions as suggested in the comics. Among these realities, there should be one where the X-Men exist. If Hugh Jackman reprises his role as Wolverine, it would be fitting for him to make his final stand alongside his original team members. This includes Patrick Stewart as Professor X, James Marsden as Cyclops, Famke Janssen as Jean Grey, Anna Paquin as Rogue, Shawn Ashmore as Iceman, and Kelsey Grammer as Beast. Why not add Channing Tatum as Gambit to complete the cast of the X-Men; The Animated Series in live-action? And of course, they should all don costumes reminiscent of their classic comic book outfits, making it a sight worth paying for.

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2024-08-01 23:34