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Credit: Marvel Studios / 20th Century StudiosLooks like there might be Mutants in the MCU sooner than expected!
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As it turns out, there’s now physical evidence backing up our previous report of specific X-Men links in the upcoming Captain America sequel.
Following the aftermath of Avengers: Endgame in 2019, when Sam Wilson, Steve Rogers’ best friend, was entrusted with the iconic Vibranium shield, he embarked on a journey with Bucky Barnes, AKA the Winter Soldier (Sebastian Stan). The duo joined forces in the Disney+ series Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) to fight crime on the streets once again.
Together, they coped with the loss of their friend and the world’s beloved symbol, Captain America, while forming uneasy alliances with Helmut Zemo AKA Baron Zemo (Daniel Brühl), to tackle looming threats of terrorism. Now, in Captain America: New World Order, which features Harrison Ford as Thaddeus Ross/Thunderbolt Ross/Red Hulk, recast after William Hurt’s passing last year. The storyline is rumored to concern Thunderbolt Ross’s ascent to the Presidency as President Ross, and his transformation into the Red Hulk. Previous rumors also indicated a plotline revolving around an X-Men-adjacent metal — although the exact details of the plot have remained a mystery — perhaps until now.
The new Captain America Marvel movie, and how it links to X-Men
Scheduled for release on May 3, 2024, the upcoming addition to the Captain America franchise, titled Captain America: New World Order, is set to bring about a subtle reboot to the beloved superhero brand. This is due to the departure of Chris Evans, who portrayed Steve Rogers, the original Captain America. In his stead, Sam Wilson (Anthony Mackie), previously known as the Falcon (whose mantle is also being passed onto a new Avengers inductee) in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), will be officially assuming the role of Captain America, complete with the iconic shield. Don Cheadle (War Machine/James Rhodes AKA Rhodey), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier), Emily VanCamp (Power Broker/Sharon Carter), and Wyatt Russell (US Agent/John Walker) will return, alongside the Incredible Hulk/Bruce Banner’s (Edward Norton, later Mark Ruffalo) ex-lover, Betty Ross (Liv Tyler) from The Incredible Hulk (2008), the daughter of aforementioned Thunderbolt Ross. The first Black Super Soldier, Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly) is also slated to debut on the big screen after his Falcon and the Winter Soldier appearance.
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Now that Marvel Cinematic Universe is starting on their massive Multiverse Saga project, and departing from Phase Four into Phase Five (and ultimately to Phase Six), the acquired 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios) intellectual properties finally fall under Marvel Studios’ purview. This is where the X-Men franchise comes in — as several characters have already shown up in mainline MCU products, including Professor X/Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart) in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022), , and even Fox’s Quicksilver/Peter Maximoff (Evan Peters) showed up in 2021’s WandaVision, as a variant-of-sorts of Wanda Maximoff’s deceased brother Pietro Maximoff/Quicksilver, portrayed by Aaron Taylor Johnson in the MCU (who’s now jumping ship to Sony’s Spider-Man Universe — it’s all pretty wild).
How are the X-Men going to show up in the MCU?
Well, it all ties into the X-Men-centric element of Adamantium from the Marvel Comics — the iconic metal that’s been infused into Wolverine/Logan/James Howlett’s (Hugh Jackman) skeleton (and character-defining claws). As Marvel news source Thunderbolt News shares, a new set photo from Captain America: New World Order has surfaced via Atlanta Filming’s Instagram account. In the photo, a set that looks like an island can clearly be seen, which is more than likely the “island” made from the Celestial Tiamut’s body left after the events of Eternals (2021) — AKA, the “home of Adamantium”:
An island is currently being built on the set of ‘CAPTAIN AMERICA: NEW WORLD ORDER’. 🏝️
It was previously reported that the Celestial Tiamut would be transformed into an island that would be the home of Adamantium in the #MCU.
An island is currently being built on the set of ‘CAPTAIN AMERICA: NEW WORLD ORDER’. 🏝️
It was previously reported that the Celestial Tiamut would be transformed into an island that would be the home of Adamantium in the #MCU. pic.twitter.com/riADJ9gKbk
— Thunderbolts News (@thunderbnews) April 25, 2023
With Adamantium-wielding Wolverine himself slated to join Deadpool/Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) in Disney-produced Deadpool 3 — this is very likely how the MCU’s own brand of X-Men will come to play in the Marvel Studios movies. The island is otherwise known as Genosha in the comics, and becomes a “mutant paradise” of sorts after Magneto/Erik Lehnsherr takes control.
All the puzzle pieces seem to be falling in place now, as much of Falcon and the Winter Soldier actually took place at a well-known Marvel Comics X-Men story location — the South-East Asian nation of Madripoor — which strengthens that Captain America and X-Men connection even further.
Are you excited to see the X-Men come to the MCU? Share your thoughts in the comments below!