10 X-Men Movie Moments The MCU Can Do Better

Introduction

Fox's X-Men franchise had some very disappointing moments, but Marvel Studios can repeat these moments better once mutants and the X-Men are more established in the MCU. Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox back in 2019 meant that the rights to mutants and the X-Men reverted to Marvel Studios, allowing a whole host of new characters from Marvel Comics to be brought into the MCU proper.

Storm hitting Toad with lightning in X-Men

This effectively canceled Fox's two-decade-long X-Men franchise, though 2024's Deadpool 3 is expected to briefly revisit the now-defunct film series. While there were many powerful and exhilarating moments in Fox's superhero film series, there are many moments that audiences would be happy to forget. 20th Century Fox's mutant-centric franchise kicked off with 2000's X-Men, and grew exponentially since then with a trilogy of spinoffs starring Hugh Jackman's Wolverine, prequels and reboots starting with 2011's X-Men: First Class, and two TV shows, The Gifted and Legion. The X-Men franchise introduced dozens of complex characters from Marvel Comics to mass audiences, and helped to revolutionize the modern superhero film era, paving the way for Marvel Studios to develop the MCU. There is certainly a lot to love about Fox's X-Men franchise, but with mutants and the X-Men coming to the MCU soon, Marvel Studios will have the chance to fix the many mistakes made by Fox.

Darwin dying in X-Men First Class

10. Storm Strikes Toad With Lightning (X-Men)

2000's X-Men featured Halle Berry's debut as Storm, a mutant with the ability to control the weather. Storm is one of Marvel Comics' most powerful characters, and was the first major female character of African descent in any American comic publication, so deserved far more recognition in Fox's X-Men franchise. One of the most cringe-worthy moments in X-Men, which depicts Storm blasting Toad with a bolt of lightning, is symptomatic of a greater problem for Storm which must be fixed in the MCU. Marvel Studios' handling of Thor's lightning-based powers provides hope that the MCU's version of Storm will actually be an incredibly powerful and significant hero.

The New Mutants cast

Marvel Studios' handling of Thor's lightning-based powers provides hope that the MCU's version of Storm will actually be an incredibly powerful and significant hero.

Anna Paquin as Rogue in X-Men The Last Stand

9. Darwin Is Killed Off (X-Men: First Class)

Marvel Comics' Darwin has the ability to adapt to survive under any circumstances, which made it confusing in X-Men: First Class when a simple ball of energy killed him. Edi Gathegi's portrayal of Darwin was strong, but he didn't have any opportunity to show off his talents before being killed off, even though Darwin is key to many storylines in Marvel Comics. Marvel Studios should do Darwin more justice, especially since he is pivotal to stories involving the X-Men, X-Factor, and the mutants' island home of Krakoa - which many suspect will be used to debut mutants and the X-Men in the MCU's future.

Hugh Jackman's Wolverine getting adamantium claws in X-Men Origins Wolverine