Fantastic Four and X-Men can team up with Avengers thanks to Disney takeover

Wolverine, Mr Fantastic, The Thing and The Human Torch could be entering an MCU near you: all the characters are returning to Marvel after Disney (who owns the comic book company) confirmed their takeover of Fox.

In a deal worth $52.4bn (£39bn), Disney has bought the bulk of 21st Century Fox’s movie and TV studio, which includes franchises like Avatar, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men. The House of Mouse now also owns TV shows such as Modern Family and The Simpsons, a move the animation predicted in 1998 episode.

Disney announces it has reached a deal to acquire 21st Century Fox, as predicted by a Simpsons episode that first aired on November 8, 1998. pic.twitter.com/kzloJQHeM8

— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) December 14, 2017

Marvel Entertainment had previously sold the rights to its most famous comic book characters to Fox (and Spider-Man to Sony) before the company decided to make their own movies in the mid-2000s. This left them to make films with heroes considered ‘second-tier’ at the time e.g. Iron Man and Captain America.

But now all the characters are under the Disney umbrella, meaning The Avengers and The X-Men will meet on screen, according to Disney boss Bob Iger. “We have the opportunity to expand iconic franchises for new generations of fans just as we have done with Marvel and Star Wars… We’re also looking forward to expanding the Marvel Cinematic Universe to include X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool,” he told Disney investors and financial media yesterday (via Deadline).

So, if the MCU were to incorporate the X-Men then how would it happen? Fox has still got a few X-Men films set for release (including Dark Phoenix, Gambit and next year’s The New Mutants), which could perhaps hint at connections to Marvel plotlines before a big superhero mash-up in phase four of the MCU (after Infinity War 2).

It’s also possible that the likes of Jennifer Lawrence and Sophie Turner (who play mystique and Jean Grey) could return to their characters in the MCU. However, considering how the seismic events in X-Men films have had no mention in the Marvel Universe, it’s possible all the mutants could get rebooted (yes, again).

And although Hugh Jackman told Screenrant he wouldn’t play Wolverine in the MCU, fans really really want to see Logan fight alongside/against the Avengers.

Disney owning Marvel means they’re definitely bringing back Wolverine. That’s too big of a name for them to completely ignore.

— Mary Ellen Pleasant stan account (@404SAGE) December 14, 2017

This Fox Disney deal is a win win for nerds. We finally get Wolverine in an Avengers movie and get one step closer to living in the future from the Terminator movies.

— Mike Lawrence (@TheMikeLawrence) December 14, 2017

Dear Disney,

Hulk vs. Wolverine.

Sincerely,
Everyone

— Vile Sith Knight ⚔️ (@douglashufford) December 14, 2017

There’s also another fan-favourite superhero that’s just joined the MCU: Deadpool. And although you may be worried Disney will dilute the Merc With A Mouth into a more family-friendly superhero, keep calm: the company has already said Deadpool 2 will remain an R-Rated movie (certificate 18 over here).

“[Deadpool] clearly has been and will be Marvel branded. But we think there might be an opportunity for a Marvel-R brand for something like Deadpool,” Iger told The Hollywood Reporter. “As long as we let the audiences know what’s coming, we think we can manage that fine.”

A whole new woooooooorld pic.twitter.com/yxMATP9DHx

— Deadpool (@WadeDubyaWilson) December 15, 2017

Now that Disney have the rights to Deadpool, i want this to happen pic.twitter.com/502WnOoxpC

— dan (@I_r_Dann) December 14, 2017

Deadpool actor Ryan Reynolds also gave his take on the merger, making a joke about Disneyland’s Matterhorn ride…

Apparently you can’t actually blow the Matterhorn. pic.twitter.com/2bEAAcZrUv

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) December 14, 2017

Time to uncork that explosive sexual tension between Deadpool and Mickey Mouse. https://t.co/iUEXofWpRu

— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) December 6, 2017

Plus, Anastasia has now joined the ranks of Cinderella and Snow White. The eponymous 1997 movie musical was originally released under the Fox banner, now owned by Disney.

DOES THIS MEAN ANASTASIA IS NOW FINALLY A DISNEY PRINCESS?!?! ? #21stCenturyFox pic.twitter.com/LEYSdQqDsU

— Teoh Lander-Boyce (@teohlb) December 14, 2017

RIP "Me Being Able to be a Snob and say 'Anastasia isn't a Disney, it's a Fox movie," 1997-2017. pic.twitter.com/QdNqjHcVHM

— Keith Maultbay (@KeithMaultbay) December 14, 2017

We’ll leave it up to you to decide whether the takeover means Deadpool is a Disney princess too…

We should be talking about how Deadpool finally gets to be a Disney Princess. #Deadpool

— SammTheUnicorn (@SammTheUnicorn1) December 15, 2017

Deadpool is my favorite Disney princess

— jojo🤍 (@sweetenerjodi) December 14, 2017

So, is the merger a good move overall? Will it allow fans to see even more of their favourite characters? Or is the merger making a Disney monopoly? Twitter’s not sure…

Conflicted on Disney’s Fox takeover. Wary as a creative who realizes such monopolies may be negative, but loooooove it as someone who can’t wait for the Avengers and X-Men to get together.

— Jonathan Fournier (@JonFour) December 14, 2017

Disney now owns:
- X-Men
- Fantastic Four
- Deadpool
- The Simpsons
- Avatar
- Modern Family
- Star Wars: A New Hope
- Family Guy
- This Is Us
- Homeland
- Empire
- X-Files
- American Horror Story
- Fargo
- It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia
- Your soul.

— Hanna Ines Flint (@HannaFlint) December 14, 2017

Well, Disney owns the Simpsons now.

They just need to buy Star Trek, GI JOE, Transformers and DC Comics to basically have 100% control over my childhood entertainment.

Oh and the Last Starfighter. pic.twitter.com/Ke0qacnsEb

— Omeed (@Omeed) December 14, 2017