Avengers and X-Men crossover: Disney boss hints at BIG plans for merged Marvel universe

In a wide-ranging new interview, the top boss at Disney said current Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige is brimming with ideas on how to bring the worlds together.

In June, the Walt Disney Co took over most of 21st Century Fox’s properties – including the X-Men.

Fans have been speculating ever since on how they could join in with the Avengers under the Marvel Studios umbrella, and now Iger has coyly implied wheels could be in motion.

Asked by The Hollywood Reporter if Feige will take charge of all the Marvel heroes, he said: “I think it only makes sense.

“I want to be careful here because of what’s been communicated to the Fox folks, but I think they know.

“It only makes sense for Marvel to be supervised by one entity. There shouldn’t be two Marvels.”

Asked outright if, for example, Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool could become an Avenger, he said: “Kevin’s got a lot of ideas. I’m not suggesting that’s one of them. But who knows?”

The MCU is bulging with superheroes already as it stands – but next year’s Avengers 4 is expected to bring about something of a clearout.

Multiple actors behind the most high-profile headliners have contracts that are thought to be on the verge of expiring – and Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans and Chris Hemsworth are among those heavily rumoured to be making their exits as Iron Man, Captain America and Thor respectively.

Plus, Feige has made no secret of the fact that the end of Avengers 4 will usher in a new era for the MCU – could that era include the X-Men?

Iger’s interview also saw him addressing the recent disappointing performance of Star Wars spin-off Solo.

The film came out just five months after The Last Jedi, and was in the shadow of Avengers: Infinity War when it released in May.

“I made the timing decision, and as I look back, I think the mistake that I made — I take the blame — was a little too much, too fast,” he said.

“You can expect some slowdown, but that doesn’t mean we’re not going to make films. J.J. [Abrams] is busy making [Episode] IX. We have creative entities, including [Game of Thrones creators David] Benioff and [D.B.] Weiss, who are developing sagas of their own, which we haven’t been specific about.

“And we are just at the point where we’re going to start making decisions about what comes next after JJ’s

“But I think we’re going to be a little bit more careful about volume and timing. And the buck stops here on that.”