After years of being in the Fox Universe, the X-Men are back with Marvel Studios. While their run with their former home was splendid enough, fans are elated over the possibilities and the narratives their inclusion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe will lead to. After already teasing their appearance in The Marvels and with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine returning in Deadpool 3, X-Men fans have much to look forward to.
And it seems they are eagerly following through with Disney’s plan to rev up the MCU as per the viewership records of the newly released X-Men ’97. While the series continues to cause mayhem, fans believe the mutants will finally save the falling MCU.
X-Men ’97’s Record-Breaking Run on Disney+
The X-Men have always been one of the most favorite team-ups of Marvel fans. Long before the Avengers took over the box office with their feats in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the X-Men were the staple of many Marvel fans.
And now it seems their time is back seeing the incredible records that X-Men ’97 is setting. The follow-up of X-Men: The Animated Series, the show has been widely well-received and currently ranks at the top when it comes to the highest-rated Marvel TV shows on Rotten Tomatoes (via X).
Furthermore, within the first five days following the animated show’s release a whopping 4 million views were registered. If this wasn’t great enough, the original series experienced an incredible rise in streaming equalling 522% ever since the premiere of the new X-Men show (via ComicBook.com).
With the MCU struggling to replicate its chart-topping success, these numbers are enough to prove that Marvel Studios might have found a way out of their box-office predicament in the form of the mutants.
As many of the X-Men featured in the show are expected to make their live-action debut in the upcoming Deadpool & Wolverine (see The Direct), the movie can play a vital role in the future of the superhero universe.
Fans Believe The X-Men Can Save the MCU
While many mutants have already been present in the live-action world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the inclusion of the X-Men is a grand event and the team’s arrival could mark a new era for the MCU. With many mutants rumored and confirmed to make an appearance in the upcoming Deadpool 3, fans believe that the mutants can save the MCU.
X-Men are truly the MCU’s future. https://t.co/p5zYWgyB5z
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) March 26, 2024
If the MCU comes anywhere close to this show, we're in good hands
— Shane (@QuietLion84) March 26, 2024
Yet some fans are worried that Marvel Studios might take the mutant saga onto a similar path as the Avengers and end up ruining them by creating fast-paced storylines in the live-action:
This almost scares me bc now Disney is gonna want to rush the fuck out of them in live action
— Frank (@FRVNK_C) March 26, 2024
It certainly feels like the pendulum is swinging back towards the X-Men being the driving force at Marvel, as they were before the Avengers took that role
— Jay Boaz (@JBotography) March 26, 2024
They will ruin it by going down the same path they have been after end game
— RayRod (@Rayrod07) March 27, 2024
While fans are hopeful and worried, there is no denying that the X-Men will bring a fresh and exciting perspective to the superhero franchise. With the success of X-Men ’97 and the anticipation surrounding their future appearances in the MCU, it’s clear that the X-Men are still as beloved as ever by fans around the world. But only time will tell how the MCU and the mutants will fare in the future.
X-Men ’97 is now streaming on Disney+, while Deadpool & Wolverine will be released on July 26, 2024.
