As we approach the climactic moment just weeks from now, the anticipation over the release of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is almost palpable. This is the movie, they say, that could jolt the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) out of its recent spate of box office sorrows and lackluster ventures. The hopeful whisperings suggest, perhaps somewhat theatrically, that Disney might have discovered 2024’s ‘golden goose’ tucked away in its cinematic arsenal.

The prospects of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ are not only golden in a financial sense, but one also wonders if Disney’s acquisition of Fox and its subsequent attainment of the X-Men rights might satiate those long-starved fan cravings.

Within the MCU, we’ve had our fair share of spice with mutants like Namor, Kamala Khan, and Professor X adding to the flavor. Yet, mention of the X-Men has been more like a dash of salt, frugal and measured.

In an intriguing turn of events, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is set to end these minimalistic references and promises to dish up a hearty serving of cameos from the stalwarts of the erstwhile Fox X-Men fraternity. Commence the fan theories and popcorn-munching anticipation, please!

We’ve known for a while that the MCU’s revamping of the X-Men is in the pipeline, with Michael Lesslie entrusted with the weighty task of penning down the script for this upcoming film. The murmurs have also been rife with speculation about Deadpool and Wolverine possibly striding onto the future MCU battlefield.

While Feige has deftly sidestepped confirming any such rumors, he has subtly suggested that the dawn of the X-Men era in the MCU will rise with the release of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’. And so, July 26 has been marked out in bold on enthusiasts’ calendars, as that is when this new chapter of mutant madness commences.

This is not a solitary instance where ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ has been associated directly with the X-Men’s live-action reboot. Alex Perez, a recognized industry insider, has hinted that the movie seems to be a key piece in the jigsaw puzzle of MCU mutants’ future.

Perez states, somewhat cryptically, “Too early to tell, but from what I understand, the MCU iteration of the X-Men will be introduced post-Secret Wars. And there’s a reason for that, which will be explained in Deadpool and Wolverine.”

Previous reports suggest that ‘Secret Wars’ is designed to reboot the MCU by enfolding the Fantastic Four and X-Men into the current cinematic universe. All the while discreetly phasing out certain other elements.

So, as the countdown to July 26 begins, and Pluto’s return to Capricorn is upon us, the stars seem to have aligned for ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’ The question is – will it hit the jackpot or crash and burn? Feel free to share your thoughts below!