(Image source: 20th Century Studios)
It's already confirmed that some cast members from 20th Century Fox's "X-Men" film series will return to battle in the upcoming "Avengers: Secret Wars." However, whether their roles will hail from the timelines we're familiar with remains uncertain. Since "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" and "The Marvels," Marvel Studios has consistently brought back several veteran "X-Men" actors for cameos, but their characters have consistently been depicted as variants from alternate realities.
While it's almost a given that "Secret Wars" will follow this established approach, new leaks and early spoilers further bolster this speculation.
(Image source: 20th Century Studios)
Alex Perez, a prominent media insider known for breaking news on the Marvel Cinematic Universe's future, recently took to X to reveal that the "X-Men" universe featured in "Secret Wars" will be a variant reality. This particular universe will have experienced events similar to those depicted in the original "X-Men" trilogy and "X-Men: Days of Future Past." This narrative choice, Perez explained, aims to allow audiences to engage with the story without needing extensive prior knowledge or rewatching previous films.
Perez further elaborated that humans and mutants coexist peacefully in this variant universe. He hinted that this hard-won peace was achieved through a significant sacrifice, one that will be deeply intertwined with the overarching themes of "Secret Wars" and the challenges confronting superheroes across the multiverse.
Intriguingly, this pivotal sacrifice might also be connected to Halle Berry not returning for "Secret Wars." Noted scooper MyTimeToShineHello recently dropped a bombshell, reporting that Berry's absence is due to her character, Storm, being canonically deceased within the film's narrative. Unless the script undergoes a significant rewrite and reshoot, Berry is unlikely to reprise her role in "Secret Wars." If the reports of Storm's death prove accurate, it raises the compelling question: could her demise be the very sacrifice that forged peace in this variant X-Men reality?