Imagine, if you will, an entirely new X-Men film franchise set in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Uhhh, this post might qualify as fan fiction.

Let's pretend that we live in a better world where Fox is able to put aside its ego and work with Marvel on an X-Men movie franchise that is more faithful to the comics and fits into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

For the X-Men to make sense in the context of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, let's say the X-movies take place a few years ahead of the timeline of the rest of the Marvel films. This way the movies can subtly lay clues for what's to come in other MCU movies while existing off to the side, and in a future where normal humans are horrified by the idea of mutants. We meet the X-Men at the Xavier School, and they've existed for at least a few years, and mostly operate in secret.

John Cassaday / Marvel Comics

The movie should hinge on the love triangle of Jean Grey, Cyclops, and Wolverine.

This drawing by Frank Quitely captures the ideal dynamic of these three characters — "good girl" Jean is drawn to the sexy, badass Wolverine, but is still involved with her long-term boyfriend Cyclops. Cyclops should be uptight and angsty, but also be a believable romantic rival of Wolverine — commanding, intense, sexy in a nerdy way.

Frank Quitely / Marvel Comics

Olivier Coipel / Marvel Comics, Sam Santos / Getty

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