What the MCU’s X-Men and Brotherhood Will Look Like

What will the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants look like under Disney? How will the Marvel Cinematic Universe form each group, and will they retain similarities to Fox’s former illustration? Will the same leaders come to represent both? With the Fox/Disney merger now part of the distant past, rumors surrounding the X-Men introduction into the MCU remain plentiful. However, Kevin Feige has quite the challenge ahead. For over a decade, Fox envisioned the comic book material — took liberties when necessary — to lure audiences back to the theater (time and again) to see Wolverine, Professor X, Magneto, and more take center stage. 

Kevin Feige must live up to the expectations set by Disney’s predecessor, while also straying from Fox’s depiction to avoid mimicry. While Fox is responsible for a handful of narrative blunders and timeline inconsistencies, the cast was impeccable. 

Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart, Famke Janssen, and more brought these characters to life, and now Feige and Co. must decide whether they will recast the same mutants in the spotlight or choose a different set of core characters. Based on available information, predicting the mutant characters destined to come forward under the MCU becomes possible. Let’s start with the Brotherhood of Mutants. 

Who will be at the center of the MCU’s Brotherhood of Mutants? 

Based on recent insider reports, Rogue will join the MCU as an adversary in Captain Marvel 2, laying the groundwork for a very different group of villainous mutants to form the Brotherhood. 

If the MCU uses Rogue’s introduction to emulate the comics, Mystique won’t be far behind her daughter, Rogue. Why? Mystique is told (via her romantic, future-seeing partner) that Captain Marvel will try to kill her daughter (Rogue), which leads to some narrative entanglements between the three characters. 

The above story will likely serve as the basis for the MCU to bring Mystique’s Brotherhood into the MCU instead of Magneto’s (capitalizing on a different comic book saga as an origin point). So, who is in Mystique’s Brotherhood of Mutants? The team includes Pyro, The Blob, Avalanche, Destiny, and Rogue. Meaning, the mutants fans are not as familiar with from Fox could finally receive their chance to shine on the silver screen. 

Who will come forward as the primary X-Men in the MCU? 

If recent insider reports are accurate, Professor X will feature in the MCU, but not as the leader of the X-Men. Rather, Storm will likely come to lead the group, following an introduction in Black Panther 2.  

Storm and Black Panther could begin their famous comic book romance, and Storm could be shown as headmaster of Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters, emulating the comics, and bringing to life the confidante dynamic between Storm and Xavier.

The above narrative would also further cement Storm’s leadership potential (heavily displayed in the comics) that Fox largely ignored. Professor Xavier may be working in a different, parallel universe as part of The Illuminati (with an introduction scheduled for The Multiverse of Madness). 

As for other X-Men to expect, reports suggest that Beast could appear in She-Hulk, Magik could come to play in Doctor Strange 2, and Psylocke could feature in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. In short, both the Brotherhood and the X-Men may feature some fo Fox’s memorable mainstays, without relying on the same storylines, with the same characters at the center.