Late last month, Disney purchased the bulk of Fox’s assets and forever changed the cinematic landscape. Granted, the fruits of this historic merger haven’t – and won’t – be seen for a while, but once everything is finalized, things will never be the same again for a handful of Hollywood’s biggest franchises. Of course, that includes the X-Men and The Avengers, who will now be crossing over at some point in the future.
Now, seeing mutants intermingle with Avengers is something we’ve taken for granted in comics and animation because it happens all the time. Given that, the fact that it’s yet to occur in live action cinema is what fans have found to be maddening. But now, with Disney having purchased Fox, it seems like the future is home to limitless possibilities, and that’s something which greatly excites Lauren Shuler Donner.
Speaking at a TCA panel this week, the X-Men producer was asked if she’s open to a crossover between the two properties, and had this to say:
“Sure, why not? For me, I think Bob Iger is one of the smartest men in the country. Alan Horn’s an old friend. Kevin Feige was my intern and assistant and then my associate producer on the first X-Men. Kevin and I started the X-Men together, so for me, if we work with Kevin, I’m happy.”
Donner’s comments here, though not revealing, also somewhat echo what X-Men composer and editor John Ottman said a while back, when he stated that Kevin Feige is the only one capable of bringing together both franchises.
Nobody is more passionate about these characters. Everything Kevin touches turns to gold, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Marvel’s mutants.
You could say that Feige has the Midas touch. After 10 years and a ludicrous amount of box office revenue, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become Hollywood’s biggest outlet for competent, expertly crafted superhero movies. So let’s just hope that continues long into Phase 4 when the X-Men and other long-time Marvel characters begin to enter the fold.
