A few weeks ago, we heard rumors that 20th Century Fox had “no plans” for creating a crossover between their two big superhero franchises: X-Men and Fantastic Four, though the teams were likely to share the same cinematic universe. Now, in a recent interview with Screen Crush, producer and screenwriter Simon Kinberg (who’s acting as a shepherd of these comic book properties for the studio) said that, at this point in time, a shard universe isn’t in their plans.
Kinberg points to logistical problems as a reason that we won’t be seeing the Fantastic Four meet up with the mutants on the big screen, saying the following:
“Well, it’s complicated. Because none of the X-Men movies have acknowledged the notion of a sort of superhero team — the Fantastic Four. And the Fantastic Four acquire powers, so for them to live in a world where mutants are prevalent is kind of complicated, because you’re like, “Oh, you’re just a mutant.” Like, “What’s so fantastic about you?”
[Screencrush:] “We have powers … just like that team down the street.”“Right, right. Exactly, “So, I guess we’ll go to school now. We’ll go to Xavier’s school.” No, it is, they live in discrete universes.”
As disappointing as that may be for fans of these characters, Kinberg brings up some interesting points. Up until now, the X-Men franchise has been completely focused on the titular team, and throwing the Fantastic Four into the mix certainly wouldn’t fit in the universe that those characters inhabit. With people like Magneto tossing stadiums around, or mutants like Sunspot able to light his body aflame a la The Human Torch, what makes the Fantastic Four relevant?
Of course, this doesn’t mean we won’t see a crossover somewhere down the line, especially if the newly rebooted Fantastic Four strikes a chord with audiences. In any case, it’s nice to see Kinberg approaching the idea of a cinematic universe from a creative standpoint, not just a business one.
Tell us, are you disappointed that the X-Men won’t share the screen, or same continuity, with the Fantastic Four? Let us know in the comments below!
