Everything You Need to Know About the Messy ‘X-Men’ Timeline

(We spoil your entire ending of “Dark Phoenix” right here and have spoilers for the remainder of the “X-Men” film franchise as properly)

It’s been an extended journey for the “X-Men” film franchise from its starting with the unique movie again in 2000 to the primary sequence finale in “Dark Phoenix.” Seven films in the primary sequence, plus three “Wolverine” films and two “Deadpool” flicks. And now that Disney has acquired 20th Century Fox, it’s all coming to a detailed as these characters will inevitably be rebooted and added to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Despite the truth that we all know that “X-Men: Dark Phoenix” is the final one among these, it ends on a considerably ambiguous notice. Yes, the spinoff “New Mutants” is within the works. And sure, a 3rd “Deadpool” movie starring Ryan Reynolds is a digital certainty. But the “Deadpool” movies are just about their very own factor, connecting to the “X-Men” movie sequence normally simply to make jokes. “New Mutants,” so far as we are able to inform, received’t function any character from the opposite Fox “X-Men” movies. And as for post-“Dark Phoenix,” since Disney now owns 20th Century Fox, Marvel virtually actually intends to introduce the primary X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe sooner or later, and it’s positively not gonna be this model.

So it’s time to say goodbye to a franchise that kicked off almost 20 years in the past — and extra importantly, to a loopy timeline constructed up over time that makes it arduous as hell to nail down what the story even is.

That issue stems from two components: The proven fact that “X-Men: Days of Future Past” included an in-universe smooth reboot of the franchise utilizing time journey, a la the JJ Abrams “Star Trek”; and the sequence’ common lack of concern with sustaining its continuity because it started doing prequels with “First Class.” All we are able to say with absolute certainty is that the primary continuity might be every little thing besides the “Deadpool” movies and “Logan.”

Also Read: All 57 Marvel Movies Ranked, Including ‘X-Men: Dark Phoenix’

So let’s speak in regards to the time journey factor first, because it’s the largest difficulty that throws folks off. The unique movie timeline, in chronological order, previous to “Days of Future Past,” went like this: “First Class” -> X-Men Origins: Wolverine” -> “X-Men” -> “X2” -> “The Last Stand” -> “The Wolverine.” There are loads of bizarre continuity points amongst these films, however these movies made up one lengthy story.

The body story of “Days of Future Past,” set in an apocalyptic future through which the sentinel robots have destroyed the world of their quest to get rid of all mutants, takes place on the finish of that timeline, a number of years after “The Wolverine.” In that horrible future, they ship Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) again in time to 1973 to attempt to forestall that robotic apocalypse from taking place, and he succeeds.

The internet impact there’s that every little thing that passed off after 1973 was wiped from historical past, and the next a long time have been very totally different from what they have been within the unique “X-Men” films. The occasions of “Apocalypse,” for instance, occurred as a result of the existence of mutants turned widespread a lot sooner than it had within the earlier timeline, and that in flip set in movement the chain of occasions that introduced En Sabah Nur (Oscar Isaac) again to wreak havoc on the world.

Also Read: All 12 ‘X-Men’ Movies Ranked, From Worst to Best (Photos)

Likewise, Jean Grey’s complete Dark Phoenix state of affairs occurred in a different way after Wolverine’s journey by means of time. The prerequisite situation for Jean to go Phoenix is that she has to both die or be put in a state of affairs the place she’s going to die — within the outdated timeline that occurred in 2003 on the finish of “X2,” and within the new timeline that occurred in 1992.

So to be completely clear: not one of the occasions of the unique three “X-Men” films are going to happen after “Dark Phoenix.” By going again in time…