X-Men producer confirms Kevin Feige, Marvel will take over series from Fox

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Disney buying 20th Century Fox gives them access to a wealth of movie and TV properties, perhaps one of the most sizeable being the film and TV rights to the X-Men series. While adding that massive library of characters might seem like too much for one studio and person to oversee and incorporate into a shared, ongoing cinematic universe, X-Men movie producer Lauren Shuler Donner is completely ready to hand over the wheel to Kevin Feige and Disney-owned Marvel Studios, who she confirmed will be taking over the whole franchise.

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Shuler Donner was speaking at TCA about the future of Fox’s current slate of X-Men projects now that Disney will be taking control of the property, and it was then she said she had full confidence in Feige’s storytelling abilities and that under him the characters are in good hands.

“Kevin (Feige) and I started the first movie, he worked for me, he has a great story sense when it comes to weaving each world together, I trust him and I trust where he will take it.”

Feige cut his teeth working on the first X-MEN movie back in 2000 with Shuler Donner, and she was asked if she might continue that working relationship with him over at Marvel Studios.

 “I don’t know, I don’t think so, certainly in name credit, it’s up to Kevin (Feige). I don’t know what Kevin is thinking, I think he’s still dealing with the wealth of characters and trying to make sense of it all.”

Also of much discussion in the fan community has been the prospect of the long-gestating GAMBIT movie with Channing Tatum, as well as the future of the character Wolverine. The former has been in development hell for years, with the movie cycling through directors and writers, and while it’s currently slated for a March 2020 release there has been no news on any sort of production start. As for Wolverine, Hugh Jackman finished his run as the character in 2017’s LOGAN, and since then there have been rumblings of a recast/reboot of the character, but nothing has come from such talks. Now its Marvel’s business, with Shuler Donner saying, “it’s all in Disney’s playground and they get to decide.”

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How the X-Men series will be incorporated into the already thriving MCU has been a hot topic of discussion ever since this whole deal with the purchase started, as it seems just throwing the mutants in there would be a bit confusing. Where were they when Loki's forces were attacking, or when Ultron was unleashing hell? Feige has a lot to think about, and though we may not see the X-Men make an appearance in the MCU for some time, we now have to start accepting that world is going to get a whole lot bigger. 

The next X-Men movie, DARK PHOENIX, is in theaters June 7, and AVENGERS: ENDGAME arrives April 26.