The official joining of the X-Men to the MCU has been a foregone conclusion. Ever since Disney purchased Fox for a whopping $71.3 billion, fans have been itching to see Marvel’s marvelous mutants show up alongside the likes of Tom Holland’s Spider-Man and Anthony Mackie’s Captain America. While the studio had hinted at Charles Xavier and the X-Men with a few cameos, it was not until Ms. Marvel s final that the phrase “mutation “ ” was finally uttered by the superhero franchise.
In the final moments of the Iman Villani-led series, it was revealed that Kamala Kahn is actually a mutant, with a few notes of the X-Men ’97 theme music playing in the background. This was Kamala’s first reference to X-Men in the Prime MCU Universe.
But, what was it like to finally get permission from Kevin Feige of Marvel Studios to show that mutant twist? The Ms. Marvel creative team has answered that exact question.
Feige plays the Mutant Card
In a series of interviews, Ms. Marvel showrunners Adil El Arbi, Bisha K. Ali and Bilall Fallah addressed the Mutant Easter egg at the end of the show and what it was like working with Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige on such a big MCU moment.
Speaking with The Wrap, El Arbi said that moment was “the last thing [they] read” so it was “a best-kept secret.” When leading into the moment, the director revealed that Kevin Feige had one request, telling him to “just shoot [the scene], put the little music on, and that’s it:”
” It was our last read. That was the best kept secret. It was a well-kept secret until the final script was published. Then, everyone knew. We would then ask the producers and they would not answer. Kevin Feige replied, “Just shoot this and put some music on. That’s all.” It is our hope to be part of the “Ms. Marvel, because Marvel would love to see some “X-Men flavor there. “
In the same interview, El Arbi noted the importance that X-Men theme has for him and the Ms. Marvel team, saying X-Men: The Animated Series was their “introduction [to] Marvel” as kids:
“That was our way of introducing Marvel to children. This is the animated “X-Men”, and the “Spider-Man” show. It was still cool. “
Speaing with TVLine, El Arbi and Fallah expanded on this by adding that they “didn’t even know about [the Mutant inclusion] until [they] suddenly had a script.” The pair hope that they get to help create the next step in Kamala’s story but know that ultimately “Kevin Feige has the master plan. “
In a conversation with Inverse, head writer on the show Bisha K. Ali acknowledged the significance of the X-Men theme in the series, noting the “emotional, visceral impact” it had on her “as a nerd from that generation:”
“As someone who grew up in that generation and where the music has an emotionally charged, visceral effect, it makes me happy. It’s not clear what the song means to me beyond our little show. My only knowledge is that it’s our show. It’s exciting to learn as much about the fans as I am. “
From Ms. Marvel to Mutant
While the Ms. Marvel inclusion of the mutant character has some fans a bit miffed, it’s hard to not get excited when you hear those familiar notes in XMen: The Animated Series . You can be as passionate or detached about Kamala’s status as a Mutant. But the fact that this theme is being returned to life is special. Kevin Feige seems to know exactly that.
Feige is a comic book lover who has proved time and again his supremacy. Whether it was the meticulous planning it took to get to Avengers: Endgame or seeing Tony Stark when he looked at Robert Downey Jr. back in the early 00s, this man has a knack for this kind of work.
He knows how important the X Men motif is to many. He has even helped to greenlight a whole series of sequels to his iconic Saturday morning cartoon.
It’s likely that Ms. Marvel won’t be the last time fans hear this nostalgic tune. Kevin Feige is likely to see that happen.
Ms. Marvel can be streamed in full on Disney+ right now.
