Introduce the X-Men to the MCU

[Android 17]

The people in this thread who don't understand that "Black" and "Jewish" are not mutually exclusive identities and that Nazi Germany also falsely imprisoned, murdered, and sterilized its Black population should sit this discussion out. You quite literally do not have the range for it, even with an internet's worth of information at your fingertips.

You making too much damn sense my friend. EXACTLY.

[yogaflame]

To be fair, people of color like the Romani and even Black Germans were also sent to camps during WW2 as well, so you could definitely go more ethnic with Magneto and still be historically accurate, but I would definitely keep the Jewish part.

I also think Xavier should be a white American, and I would like to see his father's history as some sort of government scientist explored more as well. Originally it was seen as nuclear science, hence the 'children of the atom' moniker the X-Men used to have, but I think later writers aimed it more towards genetics. Beast's father was also specified as having been exposed to radiation in his work. Anyways, Xavier's father, Cain's father, Destiny, and Sinister were all implicated in this secret government science, and I think that angle being explored more, and Charles Xavier's own experience in the military before meeting Magneto or founding the X-Men should be explore more as well, as it has obvious relevance to how he runs his own paramilitary squad with advanced stealth aircraft and deep underground bases. I also liked his relationship with Fred Duncan of the FBI, and seemingly having high level government clearance/connections, as was strongly displayed in the original run and even early Claremont days.

I would not race bend Xavier. I would just tell Storm's story well and feature more of the established diverse X-Men characters who aren't featured as much in adaptations. All white cast plus Storm in the background does not work. Xavier in a supporting role, with Storm, Thunderbird, and Sunfire in featured roles with actual histories, emotional arcs, and feats of power, alongside Scott, Jean, Wolverine is okay. Add Nightcrawler, Kwannon, and Xorn and we're cooking with gas. Sprinkle in Infectia, Manifold/Gateway, and Haven(I would make her a mutant straight up, not just Adversary's empowered shell), and we're golden.

[davetvs]

You making too much damn sense my friend. EXACTLY.

The handful of us who can be counted on to do so reliably owe it to the rest.

[Android 17]

There is nothing wrong with having Professor Xavier being a black man in the MCU. In fact it makes it even more poignant to me.

You have a older black man with one of the most powerful minds in the world, who has experienced racism and prejudice all because of the color of his skin and because of his mutant powers and instead of being malicious, he still finds the good in EVERYONE and has a dream to live in peace together. He's empathetic and seeks out everyone he can to help and foster them to realize his dream.

Giancarlo or any other black actor could pull that off marvelously.

[superjosh]

If Steve and Bucky can be around since WWII, so can Magneto.

That's why I mentioned that the character will have to be significantly changed.

My personal opinion would be that if they wanted to go with a Prof X/Magento that was more MLK/Malcom X, I'd be absolutely fine with that. I would prefer that over a Magneto that has a super convoluted origin, for example: de-aging (which actually did happen in the comics lol). That would be too much for a single movie so then you'd have to do a period movie first, then some whacko de-aging storyline, blah blah blah.

[yogaflame]

As for Magneto and his age, I would use something like cryogenic freeze. Like, circa 1955 or 1960, when he was like, 30, his powers having only recently strongly manifest due to his starvation during puberty, soon after the situation with Anya and all that, maybe during his Nazi hunting era, he was caught unawares either by SHIELD/HYDRA and sealed away. About 10 years ago(from whenever the movie comes out/takes place), he was released from that cryogenic storage(by whom?), but amnesic. He ends up in Israel working at a hospital when he meets young Charles, also about 25 or 30 and their friendship develops and somehow Charles accidently unlocks his memories and they split ways over how to deal with humanity. Then he takes about 10 years off camera so to speak refining his abilities, building his secret undervolcano/asteroid/arctic bases and then collecting his own team of mutants(the Brotherhood or Acolytes or MLF) before instigating an initial attack against humanity(ala X-Men # 1) where Xavier's fledgling team of X-Men must counter him(I would tell this story in a D+ series, centered around Cyclops).

So we have like a 40 year old, charismatic terrorist/messiah type character Magneto leading his team against the X-Men, but I wouldn't do that until later(Maybe in a MLF/Acolytes/Brotherhood series). First I would do 3 D+ shows setting things up. Wolverine focused first, with cameo of kid Magneto in WW2 with Captain America, lots of SHIELD Nick Fury and Red Room Black Widow, CIA Team X, sneak in some of the Xavier's dad stuff in here too. Then Storm's, where we see the fear and hatred themes explored, and mutants benefits to humanity first appreciated when she brings rains to the droughted lands, alongside more Xavier hints and Shadow King, Apocalypse set ups. Then would be Cyclops's, where we see his origin setting up the Shi'Ar, Sinister, and anti-mutant hysteria when a local news crew captures him blasting a construction site, him running away from the orphanage and being picked up by Diamond Jack, and then recruited by Xavier, and becoming the leader of the original team. After all those projects set everything up you bring them together on the big screen for Giant Size X-Men/Children of the Atom, where Storm and Wolverine(+ new friends from around the world) save Cyclops's team from Krakoa. But I would not do Magneto as the first big bad in the new MCU movie.

[Jackraow21]

There is nothing wrong with having Professor Xavier being a black man in the MCU. In fact it makes it even more poignant to me.

You have a older black man with one of the most powerful minds in the world, who has experienced racism and prejudice all because of the color of his skin and because of his mutant powers and instead of being malicious, he still finds the good in EVERYONE and has a dream to live in peace together. He's empathetic and seeks out everyone he can to help and foster them to realize his dream.

Giancarlo or any other black actor could pull that off marvelously.

As long as Hugh Jackman plays Wolverine until he’s 95 years old I don’t care if they have Dave Chappelle play Xavier.

I kid… Hugh will get re-retired after Secret Wars. Until then, though, I will enjoy having the GOAT back interacting with the rest of the MCU.

[mugiwara]

The people in this thread who don't understand that "Black" and "Jewish" are not mutually exclusive identities and that Nazi Germany also falsely imprisoned, murdered, and sterilized its Black population should sit this discussion out. You quite literally do not have the range for it, even with an internet's worth of information at your fingertips.

There are plenty of Marvel characcters that can adress anti-black racism. Some already have, to some extent, in Black Panther and FATWS. I don't see many people asking to make Sam Wilson half jewish so he can adress antisemitism too.

[Android 17]

There are plenty of Marvel characcters that can adress anti-black racism. Some already have, to some extent, in Black Panther and FATWS. I don't see many people asking to make Sam Wilson half jewish so he can adress antisemitism too.

But how can one be 'half Jewish' when Judaism is a religion and not a race?

Some of you are being obtuse just for the hell of it, I'm convinced.

[GoingGreen]

Magneto is THE Marvel character being a reminder of the holocaust.
He was in camps because he was jewish, not because of skin color.
That's what some people want to erase or to dilute, because the "shut up already with your holocaust" mentalit rises its ugly nose again.

The people in this thread who don't understand that "Black" and "Jewish" are not mutually exclusive identities and that Nazi Germany also falsely imprisoned, murdered, and sterilized its Black population should sit this discussion out. You quite literally do not have the range for it, even with an internet's worth of information at your fingertips.

To be fair, I don't see black exclusion in the mugiwara's post, but rather seeking representation through the most common representation of the Holocaust victim. Magneto not representing one victim, but all victims. And while black Jewish people and non-white non-Jewish people, people with disabilities, LGBT+ people, etc etc were all victims, the largest demographic of Holocaust victims were Jewish and white - to inordinate proportions. So while it's not out of the question for a non-White actor to portray Magneto and still be historically accurate as a Jewish victim of the Holocaust, it would deviate from representing the vast majority of the population of victims.

[jwatson]

It's just always funny to me how it never matters when it's whitewashing happening. Like not word. You can be from Africa, it could be at the start of civilization and they would be like... you know what nevermind.

[KurtW95]

The people in this thread who don't understand that "Black" and "Jewish" are not mutually exclusive identities and that Nazi Germany also falsely imprisoned, murdered, and sterilized its Black population should sit this discussion out. You quite literally do not have the range for it, even with an internet's worth of information at your fingertips.

How wonderful. You attempt to minimize the suffering of the Jewish people who look white to you. I'll make sure to let the the people who died in the Holocaust and have been facing record antisemitism lately know that they weren't and aren't under threat.

How did Monet and Sunspot look when they were introduced? Quickly. What is Sunspot's origin story? Quickly.

Sunspot is indeed half black and half white. And he was harassed because of it in Brazil as a child . I am not arguing in favor of white washing him.

And Monet's father is half black and half white. Cartier's father has been in a number of stories and was a friend of Charles. His second wife was black. Monet's mother was from a Berber royal family. These are all facts you should know if you've read the comics she's appeared in.

[Havok83]

GE also said that he wouldn't want to play the character in a wheelchair because he doesn't feel old enough to need one. Which is weird because he somehow doesn't know that Charles was paralyzed and not there because of his age. Not to mention the fact that Stewart was a few years younger than he is now when the first movie was filmed.

And really. Enough with the talk of raceswapping too. Characters should look how they look in the comics.

to be fair, Charles has probably spent more time out of the wheelchair than in it within the books I dont think he necesarily needs one in the films

[superjosh]

How wonderful. You attempt to minimize the suffering of the Jewish people who look white to you. I'll make sure to let the the people who died in the Holocaust and have been facing record antisemitism lately know that they weren't and aren't under threat.

You are projecting your own ridiculous thoughts into their statement. The term not being mutually exclusive means both can be occurring at the same time. The original post did not minimize anything.

[Thirteen]

There is nothing wrong with having Professor Xavier being a black man in the MCU. In fact it makes it even more poignant to me.

You have a older black man with one of the most powerful minds in the world, who has experienced racism and prejudice all because of the color of his skin and because of his mutant powers and instead of being malicious, he still finds the good in EVERYONE and has a dream to live in peace together. He's empathetic and seeks out everyone he can to help and foster them to realize his dream.

Giancarlo or any other black actor could pull that off marvelously.

Not so sure about "ANY other black actor"....