In a conversation that probably made half the internet scream and the other half take a nervous multiversal Xanax, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige confirmed that the X-Men will finally be getting their own proper MCU movie after the 2027 multiversal mayhem known as Avengers: Secret Wars. But that is not all as he says Secret Wars will reset the MCU but won’t reboot it, which means a great many things, including a brand-new Tony Stark.
Secret Wars, which will be directed by Jake Schreier (the guy who directed Thunderbolts*), will introduce the official arrival of Professor X’s band of super-powered outcasts into a new MCU era. According to reports and cast lists, the Fox-era X-Men will be front and center here, though we expect many will be killed off in overly-dramatic and Shakespearean ways as a proper send-off before we get a proper X-Men MCU film with its own cast of adolescent mutants.
So what we are saying is, don’t get too attached to Sir Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, and their geriatric super squad, because this is most assuredly their last hurrah before passing the torch. They’ll all be reprising their roles in Avengers: Doomsday (2026), aka Multiverse: Endgame 2, Electric Boogaloo and a few will likely show up in Secret Wars the following year. Then, once the dust settles and Dr. Doom is defeated, plans will start to be made public regarding a new cast to occupy the roles of Xavier’s gifted and Xavier himself.
And because the MCU is a snake that must eat its own tail to survive, Feige also dropped the biggest bombshell of all: new versions of Tony Stark and Steve Rogers are coming. That’s right. At some point down the line, Marvel is going to do the unthinkable and recast Iron Man and Captain America. As to how they are going to do this, we don’t quite know just yet. All we know is that this is a reset, not a reboot. Because there is a difference.
Feige made it clear that the word “reboot” is terrifying to him and the studio, likely only reserved only for Warner Bros. press releases every time a Justice League movie flops. No, what Marvel is doing is a reset. As in: Disney is wiping the timeline(s), keeping what they like, pruning what they do not, and casting fresh-faced actors who can be locked into 12-picture deals and won’t ask for Robert Downey Jr. money.
Now before we all riot about getting a new Stark and Iron Man, Feige gently reminded us that recasting iconic characters is a time-honored tradition. Just ask James Bond, Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, or one of the many other iconic characters that have lived in film for decades. “David Corenswet is awesome,” he said, referring to the new Superman, which was excellent, by the way, while implying that whoever eventually suits up as Tony Stark will do the role justice and that it will all be fine. Just remember how mad some were about Heath Ledger and look how that turned out.
So what’s next? Deadpool and Wolverine may not be done breaking the fourth wall and stabbing each other in the face. When asked about a follow-up to 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, Feige gave the classic Marvel answer: “We’ll see.” Which roughly translates to “We’re doing it, we’ve already written three post-credit scenes, and Ryan Reynolds just bought his own film studio with his Aviation Gin money.”
In the end, Marvel is doing what it always does: betting on the fact that we’ll show up anyway. And let’s be real: we totally will.
