Key Takeaways:
- 20th Century Fox had plans for an X-Men vs Fantastic Four film, inspired by the Civil War storyline from the comics.
- The film would’ve involved a conflict provoked by the Human Torch and led to a Superhero Registration Act.
- The script also foreshadowed a fight between Mr. Fantastic and Wolverine.
X-Men: First Class screenwriters Zack Stentz and Ashley Edward Miller were onboard for this film. - Although the official title remains undisclosed, it’s unlikely to surface due to Fox’s absorption by Disney.
The Secret Marvel Universe You Never Knew
Before Marvel Studios claimed Deadpool, the X-Men, Daredevil, and The Fantastic Four, 20th Century Fox was harboring a secret project: an ensemble movie that featured all these characters. Had the project seen the light of day, we’d have been witnessing two superhero franchises running parallel, stemming from the vast Marvel Universe.
The Crossover That Could Have Been
If things had materialized, Fox’s superhero universe would have shadowed the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Fox secret project centered around a major film comprising X-Men and Fantastic Four. The script was being penned by X-Men: First Class screenwriters Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz.
The proposed blockbuster was set to adapt the Civil War storyline, immortalized in the third Captain America film. However, instead of pitting Captain America against Iron Man, it proposed The Fantastic Four locking horns against the X-Men.
Origins of Conflict and Expected Storylines
The Human Torch, portrayed by Chris Evans in Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer, ignited the main conflict in the story. After violently disrupting New York whilst battling Molecule Man, the government would introduce a Superhero Registration Act.
This act would pit the two teams against each other, imploding from internal struggles and external threats. Daredevil and Deadpool would also recover significant parts in the film. Anticipations were set high with expected fight scenes including a notable showdown between Mr. Fantastic and Wolverine.
Built for Sequels
Similar to the trend Marvel Studios had set, the film was designed to fuel sequels. Following a reconciliation between the two iconic teams, a post-credits scene would introduce the Skrulls, hinting at a Secret Invasion storyline for the following movie.
The Remarkable Team Behind the Project
X-Men: First Class screenwriters Zack Stentz and Ashley Edward Miller were working on this intriguing Marvel crossover. Stentz openly spoke about their secret project on the Fatman Beyond podcast with Kevin Smith.
The Unfortunate Fate of The Marvel Crossover
Before reaching a fruition stage, the would-be revolutionary film met its doom. The official title was always kept under wraps by Fox and remains a mystery. The merger of Fox with Disney further dampened hopes of this film ever being produced.
The Unfulfilled Promise
The once-possible movie promised to create a superhero universe running parallelly alongside MCU. It would’ve featured an exciting clash between the existing cast of The Fantastic Four like Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Ioan Gruffudd, Michael Chiklis, and the X-Men from Days of Future Past.
Such a movie might have offered daring storylines, never-before-seen team-ups, and tense conflicts. Unfortunately, like many fascinating, ambitious projects in Hollywood, this secret Marvel crossover ultimately remained a vision unfulfilled. With Disney absorbing Fox, any hope of seeing this movie has almost vanished, forever leaving us with “what could have been” scenarios.
