Peyton Reed In Talks To Bring X-Men To The MCU In New Movie
Peyton Reed, who has worked on all three Ant-Man films, is reportedly in talks to direct an X-Men movie. According to an unnamed source, Marvel is keen on getting Reed involved in rebooting the franchise for the MCU. Work on the scripts has already begun, as the studio would like the project to hit theaters after the upcoming Avengers film.
Fassbender Back As Magneto?
The source adds that Peyton Reed would like Michael Fassbender to return to the X-Men franchise as Magneto. They have already discussed the possibility during a meeting in London that is said to have went very well. The director is rumored to be excited about working with Fassbender’s version of Magneto and would also like to collaborate with the actor on other upcoming projects.
A Guy’s Allowed To Change His Mind
Interestingly, Peyton Reed previously shut down the idea of directing an X-Men movie. “I mean, it would have to be the right thing,” the filmmaker said when asked about the possibility during a 2023 interview. “I’m not an X-Men guy. [Quantumania screenwriter] Jeff Loveness, he’s an X-Men guy. I love X-Men, and I love watching X-Men movies. I don’t want to make an X-Men movie.”
Reed Started With Comedies
If the latest reports are to be believed, it seems like Peyton Reed has had a change of heart about working on an X-Men movie. Although he has a long history in television, Reed only directed four feature films before Ant-Man (2015).
None of the movies Peyton Reed worked on before 2015 were in the action or superhero genre. The four films (not counting TV movies), which focused on lighthearted stories, include the teen comedy Bring It On in 2000, the Renée Zellweger-led romantic comedy Down with Love, The Break-Up, starring Vince Vaughn and Jennifer Aniston, and Yes Man with Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel.
Bringing The X-Men Home
The integration of the X-Men into the MCU was made possible by Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2019. This allowed Marvel to regain the film rights to characters like the X-Men, Deadpool, and the Fantastic Four. The expanded roster of superheroes and villains creates new avenues for storytelling for directors like Peyton Reed within the X-Men franchise and broader MCU.
Confirmed Returning Mutants
Audiences have already been treated to sneak peeks of mutants in various Marvel Studios productions. Patrick Stewart revisited his portrayal of Professor X in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, in an alternate reality different from the main MCU timeline. The Disney+ series Ms. Marvel strongly hinted at the possibility of the MCU’s rendition of Kamala Khan being a mutant.
Several X-Men characters are set to appear in the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine film. Lady Deathstrike and Azazel are confirmed to make a return, alongside Pyro and Toad. Additionally, Sabretooth’s return is speculated. These characters will join Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine in their multiverse-spanning adventure.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Peyton Reed’s potential involvement in the upcoming X-Men movie could give the relaunch of the franchise a much-needed boost. Given his vast experience with various genres, the filmmaker could seamlessly merge established lore with fresh ideas. While the proposed partnership between Reed and Marvel Studios holds much promise, his involvement is yet to be officially confirmed.
Although Marvel Studios’ X-Men movie does not have a release window, Deadpool & Wolverine will hit theaters on July 26, 2024.
Source: Small Screen
