This X-Men Ending Makes Zero Sense 6 Years Later, Given All We Know About Avengers: Doomsday

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The upcoming movie is poised to rejuvenate the Marvel Cinematic Universe, taking full advantage of the multiverse concept for maximum excitement. By bringing together different realms of Marvel characters, the primary universe depicted will be based on the films produced by Fox. This means that the original cast from the first two movies in this series will return, and it will not reference the penultimate and most debated entry.

The movie “Dark Phoenix,” which was Fox’s second adaptation of the classic “Dark Phoenix Saga,” was met with significantly more criticism than its predecessor, X3: The Last Stand. Additionally, it established a narrative that didn’t align well with the subsequent events in the earlier films. Since Doomsday ignores this entirely, there’s a chance that the most disliked X-Men movie could become even more irrelevant.

Why Dark Phoenix Was the Most Hated X-Men Movie Ever

2019 saw the release of Dark Phoenix, which is widely considered as nearly the final installment in the primary X-Men series, save for one more. The movie primarily stars characters from the films X-Men: Days of Future Past and X-Men: Apocalypse, continuing the timeline initiated by X-Men: First Class within a prequel context.

Simultaneously, it featured the extraterrestrial D’bari race and depicted the Phoenix force as an alien entity rather than a split personality of Jean Grey (as seen in X3: The Last Stand). Regrettably, it wasn’t just another unsatisfying adaptation of the original tale but was predominantly a dull and uninteresting film. Consequently, it served as a lackluster farewell to the X-Men while also leaving them in a nonsensical status quo.

As a devoted fan, I must admit that I was left feeling underwhelmed by “Dark Phoenix.” The actions, characters, and storytelling were all subjects of criticism, and it seemed to lack the vibrancy one might expect from a film with such a rich source material. It felt like a movie struggling to find its footing in an era where the Marvel Cinematic Universe dominates.

The film’s scope was confounding, introducing aliens but falling short of the cosmic grandeur that the “Dark Phoenix Saga” from the comic books embodies. In retrospect, it may have been wiser to avoid revisiting such concepts within the Fox X-Men continuity, as elements like aliens and cosmic lore were arguably aspects that even the original Ultimate Universe had mostly moved past.

The movie “Dark Phoenix” primarily revolved around the connection between Tye Sheridan’s character Scott Summers/Cyclops and Sophie Turner’s Jean Grey/Phoenix. However, their romantic involvement lacked depth, leaving viewers with an incomplete picture of their relationship. As a result, the emotional impact of Jean Grey’s storyline was also weakened. The film further suffered from unconvincing dramatic moments and underwhelming action sequences, ultimately leading to its failure at the box office.

How Avengers: Doomsday Is Bringing In Fox’s X-Men

It’s worth mentioning that the upcoming film “Avengers: Doomsday” will delve into the multiverse and include characters from both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the X-Men films from Fox, along with the cast of the forthcoming “Fantastic Four: First Steps,” which is set in a different universe within the MCU. Although details are scarce about his potential involvement, some familiar faces from the original X-Men movies, dating back several decades, are returning to reprise their roles.

There’s been a lot of discussion about where this is headed, considering the current path of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). At the moment, many fans think that the follow-up to Avengers: Doomsday might be used to restart the shared universe. This would allow for a fresh take on the X-Men, who could now be part of the main Marvel Universe, and the same goes for the Fantastic Four.

It’s quite possible that if this scenario holds true, “Avengers: Doomsday” and its follow-up could serve as a parting gesture for both the present Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the Fox X-Men film series. Interestingly, it appears that only the older X-Men characters will receive this farewell, as their younger counterparts from the prequel trilogy seem to be missing from the picture. This applies to the X-Men depicted in “Dark Phoenix,” who, given their storyline, don’t align with the future portrayed in other movies.

Doomsday. This seems to suggest that Fox’s earlier decision (one of their biggest mistakes) regarding these films and their characters is being disregarded entirely.

Why Avengers: Doomsday Is Right to Ignore Dark Phoenix

One could contend that failing to involve the cast from the prequels of the X-Men films for future projects might be seen as a missed chance, given their dedicated fanbase. However, it’s indisputable that after the Deadpool movies and the adult-oriented, R-rated 2017 Wolverine film Logan, the Fox X-Men movie series experienced its peak in reception and popularity with X-Men: Days of Future Past.

For maximum impact, it seems that a touch of nostalgia could be beneficial, as the current lineup of MCU heroes may not yet match the fame and appeal of the original X-Men cast from Phases 1-3. To generate more enthusiasm for upcoming battles against teams like the Thunderbolts/New Avengers and Sam Wilson’s Avengers, it might be wise to include these classic X-Men characters in one last adventure before they bid farewell.

It’s more likely that fans will feel a stronger sense of nostalgia for the original X-Men cast from Bryan Singer’s films than the newer cast of prequel films. Therefore, it would not make sense to take any other approach. Unfortunately, this means that Dark Phoenix, which is unlikely to be followed up on in any way, is even more disappointing. This situation presents a missed opportunity to delve deeper into this world and see what happens after the events of Dark Phoenix. The timeline could have been set apart from the future of the main X-Men movies, similar to how the upcoming Fantastic Four will exist in an MCU-adjacent universe.

As a devoted fan, it’s not hard to understand why people are disappointed with the movie’s reception and lack of recognition. Frankly, the downbeat finale for what was once a blockbuster franchise felt like a letdown. I’m hoping that the upcoming film, Doomsday, will provide a more satisfying conclusion to the Fox version of X-Men. This could open up opportunities for a Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) take on our favorite mutants, potentially leading to a much more warmly received adaptation of the “Dark Phoenix Saga” in the future.

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2025-05-30 05:43