Marvel Studios is reportedly developing an X-Men series for Disney+, which suggests that the MCU will be addressing a major issue that caused one 2021 movie to receive a huge amount of criticism. Following Avengers: Endgame and the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, the added workload of the expanded MCU meant that several Phase 4 projects weren’t of the high quality that Marvel’s audience had become accustomed to. In recent years, however, Marvel has been making a concerted effort to redeem its stellar reputation, and the debut of the MCU’s upcoming X-Men team will continue this.
The creative overhaul of Marvel Studios’ TV show production for Disney+ means only the very best projects are actually getting made, and a new report by insider Jeff Sneider suggests that one of these upcoming projects will explore the MCU’s mutants. The development of an X-Men TV series alongside Marvel Studios’ X-Men reboot movie is very exciting, especially since this could prove that Marvel was listening to criticisms back during Phase 4. An X-Men series would be perfectly primed to directly address one huge issue with 2021’s Eternals.
Eternals Received Criticism For Rushing Its Character Development In Phase 4
Eternals Released As Part Of Phase 4 In November 2021
Chloé Zhao’s directorial debut in the MCU was one of Marvel’s most ambitious projects ever. Eternals explored several millennia of the MCU’s history, explained more about the Celestials and their role in the cosmos, and introduced a wide array of new superpowered characters to the franchise. The ten titular Eternals were central to the Phase 4 movie, but the movie received criticism for not giving each of them enough time for growth. The curse of Eternals’ short runtime is that the huge cast felt underdeveloped, which contributed to some of Eternals’ biggest critiques.
Eternals Member | Actor |
|---|---|
Sersi | Gemma Chan |
Ikaris | Richard Madden |
Ajak | Salma Hayek |
Kingo | Kumail Nanjiani |
Phastos | Brian Tyree Henry |
Thena | Angelina Jolie |
Makkari | Lauren Ridloff |
Druig | Barry Keoghan |
Gilgamesh | Don Lee |
Sprite | Lia McHugh |
Eternals has recently been receiving some retrospective admiration, but its character development issues are still very prevalent. The likes of Makkari, Thena, Druig and Gilgamesh get little screen-time and next to no impactful exploration, which is a real shame, as these are some of Marvel’s most powerful and exciting characters ever brought to screen. Eternals’ criticisms have seemingly spurred Marvel to avoid putting a sequel into development, leaving the titular team’s future uncertain, so Marvel surely wouldn’t want to repeat this major mistake.
Marvel’s X-Men Series Will Give Audiences Their Dream Eternals Project
An X-Men Series Would Gradually Develop The MCU’s Mutants
Following its release in November 2021, many viewers theorized that Eternals may have worked better as a long-form TV series on Disney+. This would have given each member of the Eternals team plenty of time to grow and develop over the course of a full season, with nothing feeling rushed and all unanswered mysteries being addressed. It seems Marvel Studios may have listened to this idea, as the reported X-Men series is perfectly set up to pull this off, gradually developing each member of the MCU’s X-Men team before they finally join forces as fully-fledged heroes in a reboot movie.
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The MCU’s Latest X-Men Report Makes My Hopes About The Marvel Team’s Introduction 1 Step Closer To Becoming Reality
Marvel’s first X-Men project reports are promising for the MCU’s mutantkind, especially considering how a mutant show would fit into the franchise.
Marvel Animation has already pulled this off with the X-Men ’97 revival series, in which no member of the team feels forced, rushed or unnecessary. Everyone has their time to shine, and this will surely be repeated in the upcoming X-Men series, whether it releases before or after a feature film focused on the mutant superhero team. While the future is uncertain for the Eternals after Phase 4, the foundations are being laid for mutants to be handled with more care, and the development of an X-Men series proves this is the case.