Kevin Feige says X-Men are an "important" part of the MCU's future, but don't expect to see them for years

We've known the X-Men are on their way to the MCU for some time, with references to mutants scattered throughout Marvel Phase 4 – and Marvel Phase 5 upping the ante, with Beast showing up in The Marvels post-credits scene and Deadpool and Wolverine crossing over to the mainline universe.

But, according to Marvel boss Kevin Feige, the X-Men are set to be a key part of the future… though it might be a little while until we see them.

"When we were preparing for Avengers: Endgame years ago, it was a matter of getting to the grand finale of our narrative, and then we had to start all over again after that. This time, on the road to Secret Wars, we already know very well what's going to happen. Be the story until then and beyond," Feige told Omelete during D23 Brazil (H/T Bleeding Cool's translation from Portuguese). "The X-Men are an important part of that future."

No specific X-Men project has been confirmed just yet, but, by the sounds of things, we'll start seeing them in earnest after Avengers: Secret Wars. That movie is slated for 2027, so it will probably be a few years until the X-Men truly arrive in the MCU. Secret Wars is also preceded by Avengers: Doomsday, which will see Robert Downey Jr. return, though not as Iron Man – he'll be playing Doctor Doom. The Russo Brothers will also be back to direct both movies.

"Why would we come back if we didn't feel like we had a story that had that possibility of being on an equal footing with Infinity War and Endgame unless there's a kernel there for an idea that's really explosive?" Joe Russo recently told us of the new Avengers movies.

Next up for Marvel is Captain America: Brave New World, which is released on February 14, 2025. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming Marvel movies and shows, or plan a marathon with our guide on watching the Marvel movies in order.