Summary
- Kevin Feige’s dreams of incorporating X-Men into the MCU may be realized in Avengers: Secret Wars, paving the way for the debut of the MCU’s X-Men.
- Speculation suggests that Taylor Swift could appear as Dazzler in Deadpool 3, a character Feige has expressed interest in. This could lead to her introduction in Avengers: Secret Wars.
- Avengers: Secret Wars presents the best opportunity for the MCU to set up the X-Men, opening the door for future stories involving the official X-Men team in the MCU’s Phase 7 or beyond.
Kevin Feige’s X-Men movie dreams could be made reality during the MCU’s Avengers: Secret Wars. Mutants have been slowly making themselves known in the MCU since Disney’s acquisition of Fox returned the iconic Marvel Comics characters to Disney and Marvel Studios in 2019. So far, only Kamala Khan’s Ms. Marvel and Namor have been confirmed to be mutants in the main MCU continuity, though a variant of Patrick Stewart’s Professor X was also seen during Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. More mutants will soon be introduced in 2024’s Deadpool 3, paving the way for the debut of the MCU’s X-Men, and Kevin Feige’s own favorite mutant hero.
Recent speculation has suggested that pop superstar Taylor Swift could appear in Deadpool 3 as the mutant Alison Blaire, a.k.a. Dazzler. Though nothing has been confirmed, Fandango’s Erik Davis shared a post concerning the rumor on Twitter, and revealed that, “many years ago [he] asked Kevin Feige if he were to ever direct his own Marvel movie, which character would he want to focus on. He said Dazzler. He’s a big fan.” While this could reinforce the idea that Dazzler may appear in the MCU, a solo project featuring the musical mutant wouldn’t make sense in the Multiverse Saga, but one upcoming project creates the perfect opportunity for her introduction.
Secret Wars Can Deliver Kevin Feige’s Dazzler Movie
Although a Dazzler-centric solo film might not be the best idea for the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, Phase 6’s Avengers: Secret Wars’ suspected storyline means that Dazzler, and a host of other prominent X-Men, could make their debut appearances. Avengers: Secret Wars is expected to be adapted from Marvel Comics’ 1984 and 2015 Secret Wars events, both of which involved the majority of the Marvel Universe’s heroes and villains in epic crossover adventures. For the live-action MCU, many have theorized that this means characters from other Marvel movie franchises could appear in the MCU, which may include the X-Men from 20th Century Fox’s now-defunct franchise.
Making her live-action debut, Dazzler appeared in 2019’s X-Men: Dark Phoenix, portrayed by Halston Sage. This opens the door for the character to return in Avengers: Secret Wars, particularly if Kevin Feige himself favors Dazzler and wants to bring her into the MCU. A debut in Avengers: Secret Wars could lead to a solo project featuring the lesser-known X-Men hero in the MCU’s Phase 7 or beyond, though whether Taylor Swift, Halston Sage, or another brilliant actor will portray the character in the MCU’s future is unclear. With Dazzler potentially making her way to the MCU in Avengers: Secret Wars, the other members of the X-Men could follow suit.
Why Secret Wars Is The MCU’s Best Opportunity To Set Up The X-Men
By bringing Fox’s X-Men heroes into Avengers: Secret Wars, Marvel Studios can also set up future stories involving the MCU’s official X-Men team. While Kevin Feige teased the development of mutant-centric projects at SDCC 2019, nothing has yet been announced for the MCU’s imminent future, so many are suspecting that mutants will be at the core of the MCU following the conclusion of the Multiverse Saga. Since Avengers: Secret Wars is the final film in the Multiverse Saga, the 2027 crossover film will be the perfect vehicle to introduce the MCU’s X-Men, and this could start with little-developed heroes such as Dazzler.