On July 14, 2017, Hugh Jackman sent out a selfie that seemed seismic for Marvel fans.
Ultimately, it was a short-term false alarm that turned out to be ahead of its time.
Thats what it says on the statues plaque.
Credit: Marvel/Disney; Alan Markfield/Fox
But was there a hidden dimension to this message?
Fans were giddy with the possibility.
Was he in Anaheim to reveal Wolverine was joining the MCU?
As it turns out … no.
The significance almost defies description.
It paid $7.6 billion for Pixar in 2006.
What fans want to know now is: What does this mean for the characters and stories they love?
They legally were not allowed to begin making plans.
I havent had formal talks with Disney.
Now they can start planning for the future.
But the past is obdurate.
Things still need to settle.
In the short term, dont expect Wolverine inAvengers: Endgame, which is out April 26.
And dont expectIron Manto suddenly turn up in FoxsX-MenfilmDark Phoenix, out June 7.
But beyond that…?
In the comics, she and TChalla were married.
The film license Fox owned would have restricted that before, but now the barriers are down.
Doctor Doom fighting the Avengers, who are joined by the Fantastic Four?
Wolverine (perhaps played by someone new) finally slashing his way into an MCU movie?
(As Amy Poehlers Leslie Knope declares: Kids are not gonna like this!)
With Disney and Fox united, anything is possible.
But the question still stands: Whats likely?
It felt like not this is the end necessarily, but this is it for them.
That doesnt mean there are no movies after that.
It means the movies after that will be changed.
(Or as Tony Stark declares in the firstEndgametrailer: Dont feel bad about this.
Part of the journey is the end.)
Deadpoolis a new, vibrant franchise, so well most likely see Ryan Reynolds raunchy anti-hero continue as-is.
Plus, he doesnt play well with others, so he may continue to exist in his own meta-plane.
So, we may never see Wolverine and Walt become PARTNERS as Jackman tweeted.
Instead, expect to see what fans always say they want: something fresh, something new.
Marvel Studios often takes its cues from the past.
Hints from the earlier movies.
Sometimes the best that we can do is to start over.
