What Mutant Characters Can Marvel Use?

[Infinight888]

So, Marvel was clearly able to use Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in Age of Ultron, which leaves me wondering what the criteria is for their use of mutants. Is it because the characters were part of The Avengers that they were allowed to be part of the MCU?

If so, does this means any mutants featured as a major part of another comic book can be used in Marvel properties as Inhumans or something else?

I assume Marvel owns the right to use any mutants not heavily associated with the X-Men by default, such as Molly Hayes from the Runaways or Madame Web (well, she would technically be Sony, but I see little difference given the recent deal).

If so, could Marvel also potentially use Rogue in their universe, since she debuted in an Avengers comic and has an origin heavily tied to Ms Marvel's? What about Beast who was a member of The Avengers for a time. I actually find these characters doubtful, as they're part of the core X-Men team, but then there's Moonstar who, while being a major character in The New Mutants, has also been a Valkyrie off and on.

Does anyone have any idea what the criteria is for Marvel to use mutants, beyond making them not be mutants?

 

[DrCosmic]

Honest answer: no one knows. The closest you'll see is a statement from Feige saying the twins are some of the very very few characters who this applies to.

Educated Guess: It's absolutely because Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch are important parts of the Avengers franchise, and also happen to be important parts of the X-Men franchise. Molly Hayes would also fall under this exception, because she is an essential part of the Runaways franchise. Madame Webb as well. Keep in mind, none of these people can be mutants in the Marvel/Stan Lee sense, the movie rights to that idea are with Fox. Of course, they can be mutants in the literal real life Darwinian sense, but a story about people with genetic disorders instead of super powers doesn't sound so interesting.

Debut issue is not a factor. Black Panther and the Inhumans both debuted in Fantastic Four comics, but they are with Marvel. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch definitely debuted in X-Men comics, but they are available for Marvel as well. Rogue isn't really a part of the Avengers franchise, so she wouldn't be in the deal.

Beast has a better chance, because he did have some important classic years/storylines with the Avengers. Still, unlike QS, and SW, he is not evenly split, Beast is a founding X-Man and all his Avengers legacy boils down to his hanging out with Wonderman. He is, overwhelmingly, an X-Men character. Even if Marvel could use him, without being a mutant, what is Hank McCoy, really? Under that restriction, even an MCU Hank McCoy would look foolish next to the Fox-Men one(s).

 

[MMMMM...Pancakes]

I'm assuming Typhoid Mary falls under the Daredevil umbrella of characters as far as movie rights go. So that's another mutant there.

Beast could be in the "blurred" area between Marvel and Fox.

I'd like Fox and Marvel to cut some kind of deal where they can fit the characters into the MCU, though that could get ugly.

With Fox owning the rights as is, means we get more superhero movies per year and of all of the groups of Marvel characters, the X-Men makes most sense on their own. So I'm fine with it for now and I am very pleased with Fox's last 3 X-films and excited for Apocalypse and Deadpool.

I do want F4 back though.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

Scarlet Witch
Quicksilver
Namor (rights may belong to universal though?)


Beast would be the real question. He's a pretty integral Avenger. So is Wolverine I guess, so idk.

 

[Tg11]

Scarlet Witch
Quicksilver
Namor

But in all likelihood Wolverine and probably Storm because of her connection to Wakanda

 

[metaphysician]

I suspect Beast is *not* part of the middle ground, sadly. He may have been a part of the Avengers for some runs, even fun memorable runs. He still has spent the vast majority of his existence as an X-character, member of X-teams and participating in X-storylines. Its just not the same deal as with Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, who pretty much left the X-Men 40 years ago and scarcely have looked back since.

As for Typhoid Mary, I'm sure she can't be a mutant, but I'm equally certain Fox can't use her at *all*. Just because Fox has the right to the mutant concept doesn't mean they have the right to every single character who ever was a mutant. If you didn't originate in X-comics, didn't appear in X-comics, and never had anything to do with X-comics? Your not an X-Men character.

 

[Angryfantasyfan]

Marvel Studios trademarked The New Warriors last year, so I assume founding members Marvel Boy/Justice and Firestar can be used.

 

[starscream22]

I'm assuming Typhoid Mary falls under the Daredevil umbrella of characters as far as movie rights go. So that's another mutant there.

Beast could be in the "blurred" area between Marvel and Fox.

I'd like Fox and Marvel to cut some kind of deal where they can fit the characters into the MCU, though that could get ugly.

With Fox owning the rights as is, means we get more superhero movies per year and of all of the groups of Marvel characters, the X-Men makes most sense on their own. So I'm fine with it for now and I am very pleased with Fox's last 3 X-films and excited for Apocalypse and Deadpool.

I do want F4 back though.

Yeah she was mentioned in an episode of SHIELD once as well.

 

[Gingervitus]

My thoughts on this:
They can't use ANY "mutant" characters, hence why Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch are now "enhanced people". Plus to be fair the characters in the movie aren't Quicksilver and Scarlett Witch, they are Wanda and Pietro Maximoff. They are never called those names in the movie and any chance of them of having Magneto as a father died with... well their father apparently dying haha. I think if they go the enhanced root they could definitely get away with a lot, I think the more appropriate question might be who can't they use, my guess would be the big names:
Cyclops
Wolverine
Jean Grey
Professor X
Magneto
Pretty much anyone who was in First Class/Days of Future Past are the only super off limits for now.

 

[Mike Murdock]

Yeah she was mentioned in an episode of SHIELD once as well.

To be fair, they were referring to the real Typhoid Mary the comic book character is named after. That being said, there is no doubt Marvel can use Typhoid Mary. Simply enough, Marvel isn't banned from using mutants (although they are banned from using the word mutant), they are banned from using X-Men characters. That means Moira McTaggert (a human) belongs to Fox while Typhoid Mary (and Bushwacker, apparently) belong to Marvel. The key is who are they most associated with. Most mutants are associated with X-Men because that's where mutants are most relevant, but sometimes, Marvel introduces characters with no origin story beyond "they're a mutant" to save time and the character just isn't an X-Men character. Those belong to some other studio.

Molly Hayes was an example asked. She's clearly associated with the Runaways so Marvel can use her with them. I don't think she's really associated with the X-Men at all, so I doubt Fox could use her even if she is a mutant.

However, the test is who they are most associated with, which is very wishy washy. Rogue and Mystique have connections to Carol Danvers. I'd like to think they're shared. But I'm pretty confident in saying they're not. They're more associated with X-Men. It's a rare character, imo, that's equally associated with two franchises. I've heard people strongly argue that Wilson Fisk is exclusively with Daredevil. I think Spider-Man and Daredevil should both have the rights to use the character, but I can't even guarantee they're split.

 

[Fincher]

Firestar's a vague case because she was introduced in a Spider-Man show but as a former X-Men, then later became associated with the X-Men, then later was associated with The Avengers.

 

[Tg11]

The only mutant characters that I think Marvel can realistically use are the Inhumans and that is probably about it

 

[XtremelyBaneful]

well they're not mutants anymore once marvel uses them, are they

 

[Mike Murdock]

The only mutant characters that I think Marvel can realistically use are the Inhumans and that is probably about it

Ouch, this comment is painful on several levels. The Inhumans are not mutants, which is the bigest reason they can use them. The only Inhuman mutant I can think of is Luna, who they probably can use but it might be difficult to fit her in.

But, as others have said, they can use plenty of mutants as long as those mutants weren't created for or primarily appeared in the X-Men comics.

 

[Dasher10]

Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Firestar, Typhoid and Whirlwind are the biggest names on the list of mutants Marvel can use.

I think I heard something about Taskmaster being at Fox since he's over with the X-Men due to his connection to Deadpool but I'm not certain about that. I think there's a very good chance he's shared like Quicksilver since he's also tied to Captain America.

 

[metaphysician]

I seriously doubt Fox has Taskmaster, given he wasn't created as a mutant and wasn't created in X-Men comics. Its virtually certain that "at one point or another was retconned into being a mutant" is not good enough for Fox to have control, and if "spent a decent chunk of time as a cast member" was good enough, they'd have Carol Danvers.

 

[MMMMM...Pancakes]

I bet Marvel has Big Bertha, Flatman and Squirrel Girl. GLA would be interesting to see in live action, to say the least.

Alpha Flight, have no clue. Maybe Marvel, maybe Fox.

 

[MbJ]

Department H was mentioned in Agents of SHIELD but that's not conclusive.

 

[Silver Surfer]

Molly Hayes

 

[Gamma Goliath]

I really wish beast could be in the mcu

 

[Raiden]

Since QS and SW have been reconned in the comics as not mutants, but creations of the High Evolutionary, does that mean they're no longer mutants in the movies as well? Or is Marvel barred from reconning any mutant into a non-mutant for the purpose of movie rights?

 

[Gamma Goliath]

Yeah i dont think it works that way. I think those movie deals were based on the characters standings and affiliations as the were at the time, not as they are now. If that were the case namor would be xmen property.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Molly Hayes

We know Marvel has her because before the Runaways movie got shelfed they had made it as far as casting calls and she was one of the characters they were looking for.

 

[Hellion]

We know Marvel has her because before the Runaways movie got shelfed they had made it as far as casting calls and she was one of the characters they were looking for.

That film will always be the ultimate what-if! I was so excited and following it in 2010...

...I think it would do well as for Television, please Marvel!?

 

[MbJ]

Since QS and SW have been reconned in the comics as not mutants, but creations of the High Evolutionary, does that mean they're no longer mutants in the movies as well? Or is Marvel barred from reconning any mutant into a non-mutant for the purpose of movie rights?

It doesn't work that way. They were still mutants when the contracts were made.

If Marvel retconned Wolverine and Storm into Inhumans tomorrow and went before a judge claiming this no longer made them X-Men characters, he'd probably laugh in their faces.