The Path to the X-Men Joining the Marvel Cinematic Universe Just Got a Lot Clearer

In the Marvel comic books, the X-Men and Avengers are longtime allies and occasional foes. But for two-and-a-half decades the two groups of superheroes haven't been allowed to share the big screen. That's all about to change, thanks to the Disney-Fox merger.

In 1993, a financially strapped Marvel sold the rights to the X-Men to 20th Century Fox. It was the first deal in a fire sale that would end with Marvel also ceding rights to the Fantastic Four to Fox and Spider-Man to Sony.

In the Marvel comic books, the X-Men and Avengers are longtime allies and occasional foes. But for two-and-a-half decades the two groups of superheroes haven't been allowed to share the big screen. That's all about to change, thanks to the Disney-Fox merger. In 1993, a financially strapped Marvel sold the rights to the X-Men to 20th Century Fox. It was the first deal in a fire sale that would end with Marvel also ceding rights to the Fantastic Four to Fox and Spider-Man to Sony.