The Multiverse Saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is set to conclude in 2027 with the blockbuster film Avengers: Secret Wars. Marvel Studios president, Kevin Feige, has confirmed that the X-Men will be central to future projects, particularly following the success of Deadpool and Wolverine, which is expected to gross over $1 billion after its release in the summer of 2024. As of now, they have begun developing this new phase, including at least one animated series that will premiere on Disney+.
Specifically, according to information from The InSneider, Marvel Studios is developing a movie titled X Academy, focusing on younger characters. This source also indicates that X Academy may be released prior to the MCU’s X-Men reboot film. It is also likely to serve as an external narrative, providing additional information about characters and plotlines from the main X-Men project.
In Marvel’s comic canon, “New X-Men: Academy X” is a series centered around younger mutants who live and learn to control their powers at the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. This will likely serve as the main inspiration for the MCU’s animated project.
The decision by Marvel Studios to bring the X-Men to the small screen is a bold move and is not without its challenges, especially in the context of the current trend of reducing the number of long-form series while focusing on stories that can be explored across multiple films. X Academy will follow a group of young mutants at the Xavier School. This, combined with the X-Men being central to the next phase of the Multiverse Saga, allows for the potential of a long-running film series, with these younger characters growing into prominent roles by the end of the series, ready to ascend to the big screen. Iconic X-Men characters, such as Wolverine or Charles Xavier, may also have cameo appearances in X Academy as a way to connect this series with other films in the larger narrative of the Multiverse Saga.
Interestingly, X Academy is quite similar to another project by Marvel Studios – Strange Academy. This series will focus on Wong and his journey mentoring young sorcerers, alongside other characters.
It is worth noting that the uncertainty surrounding the X-Men franchise is likely why Strange Academy is not in Marvel Studios’ future plans. As mentioned earlier, with the X-Men becoming a crucial part of the MCU after Avengers: Secret Wars, prioritizing projects that focus on younger characters makes more sense.
Source: ScreenRant
