Marvel Studios Reportedly Developing X-MEN Spin-Off Movies Including ALPHA FLIGHT and X-FORCE
Marvel Studios has some big plans for its mutants, and it sounds like the upcoming X-Men reboot could be just the beginning. A new report claims that two additional mutant team movies are in development, including Alpha Flight and X-Force, with one potentially serving as the introduction of the MCU's new Wolverine.
With X-Men hitting theaters in 2028, Marvel is preparing to make mutants a major part of the MCU's future. There's plenty of room to expand beyond Professor X's famous team, especially with characters like Wolverine and Cable and groups like X-Force and X-Factor waiting to get their shot.
According to insider Daniel Richtman, Marvel is already exploring some of those possibilities. "I hear that an Alpha Flight movie is indeed in development," he wrote, "as well as an X-Force movie." Richtman added, "They really want multiple mutant projects [in the] next Saga."
Of the two projects, Alpha Flight might be the more interesting, particularly because it could introduce Wolverine before he ever joins the X-Men.
Another insider, known as That REDACTED Guy, recently claimed that Marvel intends to debut Logan in Alpha Flight rather than the main X-Men movie. If that turns out to be true, Kevin Feige and his team could be taking an approach that follows Wolverine's comic book history more closely.
For those unfamiliar with Alpha Flight, the Canadian superhero team made its debut in Uncanny X-Men #120 in 1979. Created by John Byrne, the group was originally assembled by the Canadian government and has featured heroes including Guardian, Vindicator, Northstar, Aurora, Sasquatch, Puck, and Shaman.
Wolverine has strong connections to the team through Canada's Department H, making Alpha Flight a natural place to introduce the character and explore his past before bringing him into the X-Men.
It's a pretty fun and interesting idea, especially since Wolverine is such a major character. Giving Logan his own introduction outside the main team movie could allow Marvel to establish a new version of the character without making him the immediate focus of the reboot.
Meanwhile, an X-Force movie could bring a very different kind of mutant team into the MCU. The group is known for taking a more aggressive approach to its missions, and characters like Cable could help give the franchise something distinct from the traditional X-Men adventures.
Richtman also claims Marvel hasn't abandoned its plans for the Young Avengers or Champions, with the studio reportedly still interested in finding a way to "do something" with the younger heroes following 2027's Avengers: Secret Wars.
As for the main X-Men movie, Jake Schreier, who directed Thunderbolts, is set to helm the reboot, which reportedly features a sizable cast of familiar mutant characters.
Kit Connor will play Scott Summers, with Sadie Sink as Jean Grey, Inde Navarrette as Rogue, Asa Germann as Angel, Maya Boyd as Storm, and Christopher Abbott as Professor Charles Xavier.
The cast also includes Ben Wang possibly as Ice Man, Samara Weaving as Emma Frost, and Adam Driver as Nathaniel Milbury, a name comic book fans will recognize as one of Mister Sinister's aliases.
Of course, the Alpha Flight and X-Force projects remain unconfirmed, but Ryan Reynolds has been rumored to be working on these projects.
Still, introducing Wolverine through Alpha Flight could be an interesting move. Rather than squeezing Logan into an already crowded X-Men movie, Marvel could give him a proper introduction while bringing an entirely different superhero team into the MCU.
The question is whether fans would be excited to see Wolverine make his debut alongside Alpha Flight or would rather see him join the X-Men right away.
X-Men is currently scheduled to hit theaters on May 5, 2028.