If you've been keeping tabs on the Disney and Fox deal at all, you may already know that the deal still isn't a certainty, yet. However, it's a little bit unnerving to hear someone like Marvel's President Kevin Feige say he's still our of the loop regarding properties like the Fantastic Four and X-Men. At the recent Produced By press conference, that's exactly what happened, though. Per Kevin Feige:
Sounds like Kevin Feige has about as much knowledge as the rest of us, thanks to his comments at Produced By (via FandomWire). Regardless, you have to think he and the other key players at Marvel have at least looked at what pieces they could potentially have down the line in a year or two and how that could play out in the MCU (or not) as a whole. If the Fantastic Four or the X-Men, or heck Deadpool, were brought into major storylines down in the future it could be a bit of a nightmare to explain where they've been during the events of Infinity War, but it could also open up a whole new world of storytelling for the brand, including potential crossovers.
Still, even though we've been talking about the deal and its possibilities, there's a chance Disney and Fox do not merge. Comcast has been reportedly circling around the deal like a hungry shark, and reportedly has a plan in the works with different linguistics that could top Disney's offer in some ways. The Fox and Disney deal hasn't been voted on yet, either, and the companies supposedly aren't doing that until next quarter; we've heard the good shareholders at Disney and Fox are scheduled to vote on the issue come July 10th. On the bright side, reports have indicated it has been the recommendation at both companies to vote "yes."
So, if all goes well, Disney should land some excellent Marvel characters, some exciting sports options for its new streaming service, plus a huge backlog of Fox content that could make sense for other streaming options. We've talked about how the X-Men could join the MCU and how The Fantastic Four could eventually be introduced, but it's all still theoretical at this moment.
Kevin Feige has previously spoken in the past about being outside-the-loop until the t's are crossed and the i's are dotted, but it's also convenient timing for Marvel, which is currently looking at the endgame for Phase 3. We know a little bit about what is coming in Phase 4, including the Spider-man: Homecoming sequel, but a lot is being kept under wraps, presumably until Avengers 4 hits theaters and hopefully blows our minds. It makes sense as to why Marvel might be holding back on announcing upcoming titles from an Avengers-related perspective, but it also makes sense from a merger related perspective, as well.
Hopefully, the answers will be forthcoming sooner rather than later. One thing's for certain: Kevin Feige will know before we do, eventually.