X-MEN: 10 Biggest Mistakes 20th Century Fox Made With The Franchise That Marvel Studios Must Avoid

X-MEN: 10 Biggest Mistakes 20th Century Fox Made With The Franchise That Marvel Studios Must Avoid

Avengers: Doomsday will likely bid a final farewell to the original "X-Men Universe," and with a reboot looming, now may be a good time to revisit what didn't work about 20th Century Fox's mutant movies.

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - Jun 12, 2025 01:06 PM EST
Filed Under: X-Men

The X-Men franchise launched in 2000 and was a game-changer in more ways than one. Not only did it kickstart Kevin Feige's Hollywood career, but it proved that superheroes could work on screen, ushering in the likes of Spider-Man and, eventually, Iron Man

Following the Disney/Fox merger, Marvel Studios is tasked with rebooting the X-Men franchise, and that's obviously exciting for many reasons. However, 20th Century Fox did a lot wrong, and while the future is now looks bright, the past was full of mistakes.

It's those we're taking a look at today as we delve into some of the original X-Men franchise's biggest blunders. The hope now is that Marvel Studios won't repeat past mistakes when that reboot happens.

To take a look at the undeniable disasters the MCU must avoid, click the "Next"/"View List" buttons below. 
 

10. Wolverine's Botched Origin Story

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Revealing Wolverine's past in the pages of Origin proved predictably controversial in 2001, but the story was well-received by fans...well, for the most part, anyway.

However, his early years passed in the blink of an eye in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. While a creative opening credits sequence effectively showcased James Howlett's history with war, his childhood deserved to be more than just glossed over in a matter of minutes. 

Wolverine’s big screen origin story became a convoluted mess, and it only got worse when the movie tackled Weapon X. This take had the character actually agree to let them experiment on him, and he didn’t lose his memory until he was shot by what fans dubbed a "magic bullet." In the MCU, Marvel Studios should just keep it simple, stupid.  
 

9. Cyclops' Portrayal

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Cyclops' laughable death scene in X-Men: The Last Stand came as almost a relief after the previous movies butchered the character. The leader of the X-Men was turned into the stereotypically possessive and unlikeable boyfriend of Jean Grey, and his sole obsession with not letting Wolverine get his claws on her ultimately made him a bore to watch. 

James Marsden was a great choice to play Scott Summers, but the brave leader of the X-Men being turned into a jealous and petty whiner didn't do him justice, and made fans resent these movies. 

Tye Sheridan was another solid fit for the role, but X-Men: Apocalypse and Dark Phoenix didn't exactly make up for past mistakes. The portrayal of the character was better, but not much, and he still wasn't exactly the fearless hero from the source material fans wanted to see on screen.
 

8. Magneto's "Brotherhood Of Evil Mutants"

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Unfortunately, each version of this team that we saw in the original trilogy of movies was made up of either C-list characters that no one really cared about or very poor interpretations of those that fans did. Ultimately, everything seemed to boil down to Magneto and Mystique (which is perhaps why their relationship became such an integral part of X-Men: First Class).

However, the way that the likes of Sabretooth and Toad were handled was disappointing from the start, so perhaps that was just a sign of things to come? Either way, the prequels did little to make this right, and just watered down the Brotherhood fans hoped to see from the comic books.

It’s a shame the movies never decided to explore the relationship between Magneto and his children, and Brotherhood members, Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver; what a missed opportunity. We need a proper version of this team ASAP.
 

7. Wolverine's (Missing) Costume

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The lack of Wolverine’s classic blue and yellow costume in the admittedly grounded world of the X-Men movies isn’t a huge surprise, but the decision to give both him and the rest of the team such bland costumes (lacking in any sort of personality) still stings if you're a comic book fan.

As if to emphasise how dull and generic these black leather suits were, X-Men saw Wolverine actually borrow one of Cyclops’ outfits, and nothing really improved until 2016's Deadpool. Ironically, it was Marvel Studios' Deadpool & Wolverine that finally made this right. 

Ultimately, the main franchise never really embraced superhero costumes. The likes of The Wolverine and X-Men: Apocalypse teased them, but it never went any further than that, and Marvel Studios hopefully intends to embrace how these mutants look on the page.
 

6. The "First Class"

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2011's X-Men: First Class served as a reboot, of sorts, for the X-Men franchise, and Matthew Vaughn’s take on these characters would prove to be one of the best yet. However, as it was also a prequel to the original trilogy set in the 1960s, the director was restricted as to who he could use as members of the "First Class" of mutants.

As a result, we were left with mostly B-List characters like Banshee, Angel, and Havok instead of the classic line-up (Cyclops, Jean Grey, Angel, Beast and Iceman).

However, exploring the relationship between Professor X and Magento was so fascinating that it is relatively easy to forgive this, but this timeline just became more convoluted as time went on, especially when we started jumping from decade to decade. We should have just stayed in the 1960s. Now, it's time for the OGs.
 

5. The Cure

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Instead of focusing on "The Dark Phoenix Saga," X-Men: The Last Stand also decided to cram in elements of Joss Whedon’s superb Astonishing X-Men run. It did that story absolutely no justice, and the fact that there was a mutant cure became little more than a convenient plot device, which still didn’t end up serving much of a purpose.

As if to show this, they depowered Rogue, Mystique and Magneto, but ended the movie by giving the latter back his abilities. What was the point of this Cure, then? It was yet another frustrating part of one of the worst X-Men movies, and something X-Men: Days of Future Past didn't even bother addressing with the return of some familiar faces.

Continuity never really mattered in these movies, and that was never more evident after this disaster. The Cure was an intriguing concept introduced in Astonishing X-Men, but it's best left on the page moving forward.
 

4. The Juggernaut

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"I’m the Juggernaut, bitch!" is not only one of the most cringe-worthy lines ever uttered in a movie, but also a good indication of just how badly Brett Ratner did with this character in X-Men: The Last Stand. Regardless of whether it’s the ridiculous costume or that dreadful dialogue, the iconic villain was completely wasted, and he has become little more than an internet meme since.

There are many characters that the X-Men franchise has failed to get quite right during their transition to live action, but this is perhaps the worst example. Juggernaut at least has a personality in the comics, and his role in The Last Stand boiled down to something of nothing.

It's a shame considering he’s the kind of villain who could, and should, have a future on screen. Deadpool 2 didn't do any better beyond making him look a little more comic-accurate, and we'd like to see this character redeemed in a future MCU movie (even if it takes a while).
 

3. "The Dark Phoenix Saga"

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As we mentioned, "The Dark Phoenix Saga" is a classic comic book arc, and while it was always unlikely that it would be faithfully adapted to the big screen (part of the story did take place on the moon), what we got in X-Men: The Last Stand was a major disappointment.

The likes of Professor X and Cyclops were killed off with little to no thought or significance, and Jean Grey’s return from the dead as the Dark Phoenix only ended up boiling down to her being manipulated by Magneto and intensely staring at people.

Writer Simon Kinberg shared years talking about regretting his decision...and then f***ed it up all over again with Dark Phoenix. The movie deservedly bombed and proved itself a dismal end to this franchise. This story can be rebooted, but it shouldn't be for a very, very long time.
 

2. Pointless Cameos

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Colossus was a victim of the X-Men franchise’s bad cameo habit early on, but movies like X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine went really crazy with the Easter Eggs, throwing in pretty much anyone and everyone just for the sake of it, even if it didn’t make sense.

The later movies did the exact same thing; for proof of that, you need only look at how the likes of Psylocke and Archangel were treated in X-Men: Apocalypse (you can add Jubilee to the list, too).

There’s nothing wrong with having lesser-known characters make an appearance, but Fox even started promoting the big screen debut of mutants who had seconds of screentime, and while some were later redeemed, like Colossus in Deadpool, the vast majority were totally wasted. Moving forward, do right by them, or leave them on the page.
 

1. Old Man Logan

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Logan was a terrific film, but it wasn't the "Old Man Logan" adaptation many fans were hoping for. When Hugh Jackman uttered those words at Comic-Con, it was clear Fox couldn't adapt it faithfully (given how many Marvel Studios characters were in the comic books). Even so, the movie ended up being little more than a story featuring an older version of Wolverine.

This is easy to forgive in many ways, as James Mangold's Logan really was great. However, it was undeniably disappointing that when Wolverine did draw his final breath, it was at the hands of...a clone?! What a missed trick not to bring Sabretooth back and revisit their brotherhood.

Just like Joker didn't adhere to the source material, that was also the case with Logan, and it is what it is. While this was a great, albeit temporary ending for Jackman's tenure as the character, it arguably wasn't the perfect one. Perhaps a redo is in order in the MCU's Multiverse?
 

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Lisa89
Lisa89 - 6/12/2025, 1:59 PM
Listening to @JoshWilding would be the BIGGEST mistake they could possibly make.
Malatrova15
Malatrova15 - 6/12/2025, 2:23 PM
@Lisa89 - he Is the soul of this site
vectorsigma
vectorsigma - 6/12/2025, 2:02 PM
There is one thing that marvel should avoid. Not use them anymore.

But the ship has sailed
Nomis929
Nomis929 - 6/12/2025, 2:02 PM
Only 10 ????? For years I've been pointing out countless thing that FOX did wrong with this franchise that the MCU should avoid in their reboot.

It'd be a challenge to find 10 things they did right.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 6/12/2025, 2:03 PM
This franchise was the epitome of laying the railroad tracks down, while on the train. Very little room for error
grif
grif - 6/12/2025, 2:07 PM
top 3 mistakes.

magneto was the threat in every movie
most of the movies sucked
the continuity was shit
ModHaterSLADE
ModHaterSLADE - 6/12/2025, 2:10 PM
I didn't mind the team lineup for First Class since the movie was pretty enjoyable overall. They really nailed the casting for young Xavier and Magneto.
MCUKnight11
MCUKnight11 - 6/12/2025, 2:12 PM
Not giving anyone besides Logan anything to do.
Not using other villains besides Magneto.
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TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 6/12/2025, 2:27 PM
@MCUKnight11 - I mean they did use other villains such as Sebastian Shaw ,William Stryker ,Apocalypse etc.

Whether they used them well is a different thing.

Also it was more or less indeed the Xavier ,Magneto ,Wolverine (and weirdly Mystique) show
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 6/12/2025, 2:16 PM
Yup that pretty much sums it up.

As far as Phoenix goes though, if they made the next Saga the Phoenix Saga and ended it with Dark Phoenix, then it would be 20 years after the last Dark Phoenix movie. And more than 30 years after the first attempt. I'd say that's enough distance.
MyCoolYoung
MyCoolYoung - 6/12/2025, 2:25 PM
@ObserverIO - ain’t no way that much time would have passed wtf does time goes
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 6/12/2025, 3:02 PM
@MyCoolYoung - Dark Phoenix was 2019. These Sagas usually last around 10 years. Secret Wars is December 2027, might be delayed, might be a 2-parter, etc. The new Saga will start in 2028 at the earliest, probably 2029, ten years after that is 2039, which would be 20 years after Dark Phoenix and 33 years after X-Men: The last Stand (2006).
harryba11zack
harryba11zack - 6/12/2025, 2:18 PM
"Pointless Cameos"
well u clearly don't watch marvel movies
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 6/12/2025, 2:31 PM
@harryba11zack - User Comment Image
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 6/12/2025, 2:25 PM
Cyclops needs to be front & center imo in the MCU version,

Hell , you could even position him as the third part of the Xavier & Magneto story in that his philosophy as the films progress start oscillating between one or the other until he lands somewhere in the middle which is where I feel from what I’ve read that he is now.

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MCUKnight11
MCUKnight11 - 6/12/2025, 2:29 PM
@TheVisionary25 - He, Storm and Wolverine should be the new trinity during the Mutant saga.
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Apophis71
Apophis71 - 6/13/2025, 9:29 AM
@MCUKnight11 - I'd keep Wolverine out of Xmen films completely this time around, use him on another team instead and/or his own solo films cept for phase capping crossover/teamups to remove any chance of retreading the love triangle stuff and thus allow Cyclops more room to breathe without all of that. I WANT a more source accurate recast of Wolverine, but there are ample other places he could work better to my mind than in the actual Xmen films least for the next two phases anyway.
KennKathleen
KennKathleen - 6/12/2025, 2:32 PM
"What a missed trick not to bring Sabretooth back and revisit their brotherhood."


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I agree with all 10.
dragon316
dragon316 - 6/12/2025, 2:34 PM
I’m juggernaught bitch I never cringed hear that I have yet feel emotion cringe in my life probably never will word cringe will never have me feel that emotion ever it’s useless lazy word express emotion ?si=ZnIdE6_Fpaqaql0X
TheJester187
TheJester187 - 6/12/2025, 2:44 PM
Omega Red! And no bullshit costumes. And stop with Mystique I’m so sick of them using her like she’s important in X-Men lore. Move on. And how the butchered Sabretooth is sick. Bryan Singer is a bitch.
SummersClan
SummersClan - 6/12/2025, 2:44 PM
My main issue with the Fox-men has always been that they never truly felt like the X-men. By that I mean the actual team itself is almost never the stars. They were generally in the periphery. Most actual members only existed as glorified special effects reels or exposition machines. It would've been more accurate to call the films "Professor X v. Magneto: Dawn of The Wolverine" since they were at the heart of pretty much every film. Sure, Xavier and Magneto are tremendously significant characters to the mythos. One is the mentor while the other is the on and off archnemesis, but they are ultimately not the actual stars of the property - the X-men team is.


Let's not get started on Wolverine. Sure, he is a maintstay X-men, but he is not the one central protagonist of the series (of which there's never truly been one), to the point he became the one character who in which the entire universe's fate hinged on. Wolverine is the most popular X-men, no doubt about it, but that's why he has solo films to capitalize on that popularity. That's always been the best compromise.


I've made my peace with the leather costumes. We all know those will be the one thing they never do again and haven't really been a thing for years. The days of being scared to adapt the source material are long gone. We got a frickin Superman film with his trunks and Krypto and a Fantastic Four film with an actual giant man Galactus. The sky's the limit for the new X-men.


And making Mystique the leader of the team at any point was...disgusting. Team Rebecca Romijn.


All in all, Fox-men is a series defined by ups and downs. I appreciate it for introducing a whole generation to the X-men, but it desperately needs to be put to rest for something new that better reflects the Team.

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AnthonyVonGeek
AnthonyVonGeek - 6/12/2025, 3:19 PM
The biggest mistake was giving Bryan Singer so much control. He gave us X-Men in leather that made them look like they were part of an s&m orgy. He made Cyclops a joke, had Wolverine constantly getting beat up by women and made the villains seem dumb. Plus the first dvd release had a behind the scenes video where Singer basically ran up to teenage boys to talk to them while ignoring everyone else. Creepy.
GirshwinDavies
GirshwinDavies - 6/12/2025, 3:39 PM
Absolutely tf not. First Class and Logan were top notch
DannyBrandy20
DannyBrandy20 - 6/12/2025, 5:12 PM



I'd like to see comic accurate Sabretooth vs Iron Fist in live action

Also Cyclops, Gambit, Rogue, Storm, Jubilee, and Juggernaut need to be done right

Old Man Logan too, not the half assed boring version we got. They've could've used Blob (he ate Wasp in one comic) as Hulk replacement for the movie with but no

DocSpock
DocSpock - 6/12/2025, 5:28 PM

Be kind to me my friends:

This was Josh's best top 10 list in a long time, and I fully agree with almost all of it.



Astroman
Astroman - 6/12/2025, 7:48 PM
This list, like the Foxmen movies, has too much Wolverine stuff. I don’t need his origin or an Old Balls version in any X-Men movie. Also, Tye Sheridan was many things, but a solid choice for Cyclops he was not.
BlackStar25
BlackStar25 - 6/13/2025, 11:20 AM
With the amount of content that sat in FOX's lap...its a miracle that the MCU got it back

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