Former Fox Marvel Characters Phase 4 Can Use (Besides X-Men)

Marvel can use the X-Men now, but there several other characters previously owned by Fox who can appear in Phase 4 of the MCU. The historic Disney-Fox deal brought hundreds of heroes and villains back home to Marvel Entertainment, including two of Marvel's biggest properties - the X-Men and the Fantastic Four. Putting them under the same roof as the Avengers, Spider-Man, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and Doctor Strange presents new opportunities that previously weren't available in the MCU.

Marvel fans have long wished for this to happen, because it means that characters like Wolverine, Cyclops, and Jean Grey can finally be represented in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, opening the door to team-ups with established MCU heroes. As Marvel and Disney have a full plate for the next few years, it's unlikely that a Fantastic Four or X-Men movie will be made until 2023 at the earliest. That being said, there's no reason why Marvel can't use individual characters associated with both brands. Some are holding out hope that Marvel has a place for Wolverine, Magneto, and Storm in Phase 4, whether it be through a cameo in a Disney+ series or something a bit more significant.

There's a great deal of hype surrounding the X-Men, but there are other recent additions to Marvel's library of characters - courtesy of the Disney-Fox deal - that Marvel can now use, who are also unconnected to the X-Men. The most important of these would be Marvel's First Family. Since Marvel has confirmed plans for Fantastic Four, Mr. Fantastic, Human Torch, the Thing, and Invisible Woman are likely to be saved for Phase 5. Even so, Marvel still has a large selection of characters that it gained it from Fox which it may not need to hold back for Fantastic Four.

Doctor Doom

Doctor Doom may sound like a character Marvel would like to put in Fantastic Four as the main antagonist, but since he was used in Fox's movies already, Marvel could decide to use someone else, such as Annihilus or Namor the Sub-Mariner. If so, that would free up Doctor Doom to fight a different character in the MCU, and there's plenty of comic book precedent for that to occur. After all, Doom has clashed with nearly all of Marvel's biggest characters at one point or another.

As the ruler of Latveria and a top scientist, Doom could set his sights on Wakanda and its Vibranium in Black Panther 2. Many are theorizing that T'Challa and his people will be threatened by Namor and the underwater of city of Atlantis, but it could be that Marvel has a different surprise villain planned for Black Panther 2. Doctor Doom is one of the greatest villains in the Marvel Universe, and for this reason he would make a for a challenging adversary for any Marvel superhero. If Doom leads the forces of Latveria in an assault on Wakanda, Black Panther and his people could be in serious trouble. The dictator, known for his clever schemes and resourcefulness, would certainly be capable of formulating an effective plan to get his hands on Wakanda's Vibranium.

Silver Surfer & Galactus

Years ago, it was reported that Marvel wanted the rights to Silver Surfer and Galactus so badly that they were willing to let Fox keep Daredevil, but this deal never happened. Now, Marvel finally has access to the two characters, who together make up an important part of the cosmic side of the Marvel Universe. Galactus, a nearly unstoppable entity that feeds off of planets, and his reluctant herald, the Silver Surfer, could make appearances in Phase 4. Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi has confirmed that Silver Surfer won't be in Thor 4, but he (and Galactus) could make a cameo in a different upcoming movie, such as Captain Marvel 2. Either character would fit, since there's a good chance it will take place in outer space.

Super Skrull

A Fantastic Four character that would make even more sense than Silver Surfer or Galactus in Captain Marvel 2 is Super Skrull, a villain who had the combined powers of Mr. Fantastic, Invisible Woman, the Thing, and the Human Torch. Of course, he can't acquire his comic book accurate abilities until after he meets the Fantastic Four, but he could be encountered in Captain Marvel 2 by Carol Danvers as Kl'rt, the name he was known by before his transformation into Super Skrull. Working Kl'rt into the film may not be too difficult, especially since the Skrulls are likely inclusions. The ending of Captain Marvel and Spider-Man: Far From Home definitely made it feel that audiences haven't seen the last of these shapeshifting aliens.

Wyatt Wingfoot

Introduced during the Silver Age of Marvel Comics, Wyatt Wingfoot was one of Marvel's first Native American characters. Wyatt, who used to be college roommates with the Human Torch, was a longtime friend of the Fantastic Four who accompanied them on their adventures, despite not being a real superhero. It was through the Fantastic Four that Wyatt met and fell in love with She-Hulk, who was an off-and-on member of the team. Due to their romantic relationship, Wyatt made frequent appearances in She-Hulk's comic during the 1980s. Their comic book romance makes Wyatt a strong candidate to be her main love interest in Disney+'s She-Hulk TV series.

Kang the Conqueror

For a while, there was confusion over who actually owned the rights to time-traveling villain Kang the Conqueror. A descendant of Reed Richards who hails from the future, Kang originated as an enemy of the Fantastic Four, but quickly became one of the Avengers' biggest villains with his arsenal of futuristic weaponry. Kang's hatred for Earth's Mightiest Heroes goes all the way back to the mid 1960s. Their rivalry with Kang escalated to a new level when he murdered a member of the Avengers, Swordsman, in the 1970s. Regardless of his deep connections to the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn said years ago that Fox owned him. That's no longer the case though, thanks to the Disney-Fox deal.

Unfortunately, it's too late for audiences to watch Kang fight the MCU's first generation of Avengers, but he could be pitted against some of its newer heroes. Marvel could begin setting up a major Kang arc in Phase 4. The best time to use him would be in Loki, which is confirmed to involve time travel. While traveling through the time stream, Loki could briefly cross paths with Kang the Conqueror. An appearance from Kang in Loki has been rumored, and it would be an excellent way to set up the MCU's next big threat.

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