The enormity of Disney’s acquisition of the 20th Century Fox film studio cannot be overstated. One of history’s biggest and most lauded movie studios is no longer independent, and is now simply a subsidiary of a larger conglomerate. Not to mention the fact that this acquisition will result in thousands of jobs lost as Disney looks to cut down on overlap. It’s sad, ultimately, and even though there are some interesting creative possibilities on the horizon, it’s important not to overlook the human and artistic cost of such a deal.
Much of the creative conversation surrounding Disney’s acquisition of Fox has been related to the Marvel Comics characters and properties that Fox had licensed. Until now, Fox has been producing films based on theX-MenandFantastic Fourfranchises as an independent entity, free of Marvel Studios’ creative oversight or having to fit into the overarching MCU plans. There are both positives (Logan) and negatives (Fantastic Four) to that, and we’re now about to see what happens when Marvel Studios has control overallof it.
But for those salivating at the idea of a rebooted Wolverine showing up at the end ofAvengers: Endgame, it’s best to cool it for a bit. WhileRyan Reynolds’ Deadpool is the only character expected to carry over from the Fox movies without being rebooted, Fox has two Marvel Comics adaptations still to release this year. There’sDark Phoenix, which is the next film in the mainX-Menfranchise and marks the directorial debut of franchise writer/produdcerSimon Kinberg. And then there’sNew Mutants, the horror/teen-focused adaptation directed byJosh Boone.
All signs point toDark Phoenixserving as the swan song for theX-Menfranchise as we know it, which began all the way back in 2000 withBryan Singer’s admittedly groundbreaking first film. Disney-owned Fox will likely letDark Phoenix’s release go by as planned, with the film poised to hit theaters this summer, but since deals for the principal actors—namelyMichael FassbenderandJames McAvoy—are up and the franchise is showing signs of aging, Marvel Studios is likely to reboot theX-Menseries once that’s over with.
As forNew Mutants,THRreports that not only is the film said to be troubled, but long-promised reshoots to give the film more of a horror tone haven’t even happened yet. The trade notes that while the film has a theatrical release date of August 2nd, it could end up on a streaming platform like Disney+ or Hulu, the latter of which Disney now holds a serious stake in thanks to the Fox deal.
But don’t expect reboots of anything in the immediate future. THR reports that any new Marvel Comics adaptations of Fox-held characters/properties produced by Marvel Studios won’t arrive until 2021 at the absolute earliest, owing to the length of time a traditional development process takes. Moreover, the future of previously announced Fox-Marvel adaptations likeX-ForceorMultiple Manare in doubt, as Feige will only now get a chance to check out the scripts, speak to the filmmakers, and decide how to proceed. Laws regarding the Disney acquisition mandated that Disney/Marvel could not become actively involved in these projects until the deal officially closed.
Further complicating matters are complex deals wrapped up with producers relating to theX-Menfranchise. THR says series producerLauren Shuler Donneris said to have a deal that calls for her to receive an executive producer on any and allX-Menmovies whether she’s actively involved (she’s been with the franchise since the originalX-Men), and THR notes that Kinberg could have a similar deal. Before a new film can be developed and released, Disney and Marvel Studios will have to untangle those deals or buy them out.
It should also be noted that Marvel Studios has been working these last couple years as if the Fox dealwon’thappen, and thus has plenty of projects in development. While Feige and Marvel won’t announce their upcoming slate until after the release of this summer’sSpider-Man: Far from Hometo keep spoilers under lock and key, the studio has been quietly developing a number of films, and THR says theBlack Widowmovieand theChloe Zhao-directedThe Eternalsmovieare expected to start shooting this year, likely for release in 2020. TheShang-Chimovie, whichjust landed a director, is expected to follow close behind, while sequels toBlack Panther,Doctor Strange, andGuardians of the Galaxyare all in active development.
All of this to say, while the Disney-Fox deal is now closed, it’s going to be a few years until fans can see the X-Men the Fantastic Four get rebooted. Marvel Studios has plenty ready to get in front of cameras in the meantime, and beyond all of this, the folks actually working at 20th Century Fox—the same people responsible for groundbreaking comic book adaptations likeDeadpoolandLogan—are now in fear of losing their jobs. So, you know, it’s important to maintain a little perspective about the whole thing.
