Time has a funny way of offering perspective. Just a few years ago, Marvel’s Cinematic Universe was at the top of the food chain. Avengers: Endgame had done the impossible, proving that serialized storytelling across dozens of films could actually work. The successful integration of Spider-Man, who had been the property of Sony Pictures for over 30 years, only added to Marvel’s omnipotence. Though the company had sold off its most popular characters in the ‘90s, the rise of Marvel Studios proved that the safest hands were always its own.
So began the arduous process of bringing those discarded heroes back into the fold, starting with Disney’s acquisition of Fox in 2019. With the rights to the Fantastic Four and the X-Men safely back with Marvel, audiences could look forward to a much-needed reboot. But the wait hasn’t been without a few setbacks. Superhero fatigue has chipped away at Marvel’s once-untouchable reputation, and as the franchise struggles to keep its interconnected universe interesting, it also has to keep fans invested. The former Fox properties may be the key to redemption — in just a few weeks, the Fantastic Four will return to the big screen yet again, while Thunderbolts director Jake Schreier has been chosen to helm a new X-Men movie.
