Warning: Spoilers for Spider-Man: Brand New DayThanks to Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has a great opportunity to improve upon the first-ever X-Men/Spider-Man storyline in the source material. As two of the most recognizable properties associated with Marvel Comics, it should go without saying that Spider-Man and the X-Men have a long and storied history together. Spider-Man and Marvel’s Merry Mutants have crossed paths in various mediums, with their relationship dating all the way back to their earliest days in the 1960s.
Their respective 1990s cartoons, several video games, and a long list of crossovers in the comics have found ways to bring the X-Men and Spider-Man together, whether it’s for a fight, a team-up, or both. Based on that history, their popularity, and their overall relevance, it won’t be a surprise if the MCU takes a similar path and allows its incarnation of the X-Men to meet Spider-Man too.
Bettering the odds of that scenario is the fact that the MCU has already allowed one of its flagship X-Men characters to debut in a Spider-Man movie. Played by Sadie Sink, Jean Grey turned out to be the real force behind the threat Tom Holland’s character was working to defeat in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But by the end of the movie, they had managed to find common ground. By building on this dynamic they formed, a future MCU installment can add a worthwhile twist on a classic moment in Spider-Man and the X-Men’s shared history.
Jean Grey Stopped Spider-Man’s First-Ever Fight With The X-Men
Spider-Man first met the X-Men in the pages of X-Men #27, where a very brief guest appearance from the character led to saw Beast and Iceman inviting Peter to join the team (at Professor X’s behest). Not long after Spider-Man politely turned them down, they met again, this time under less friendly circumstances. In X-Men #35, Spider-Man got caught in the middle of a conflict between the X-Men and Factor Three, an evil organization of mutants led by the now-forgotten Marvel Comics villain, Mutant Master.
A key ally of the X-Men, Banshee was investigating Factor Three independently, and tried to deliver a warning about them to the X-Men. Unfortunately, his choice of words led to a violent misunderstanding; “Beware the spider” convinced the X-Men that Spider-Man was their enemy (as opposed to a spider-like robot), thus paving the way for a four-on-one battle. Cyclops, Angel, Iceman, and Beast rallied against Spider-Man, who had no idea why they were really fighting.
The fight reached a point where an enraged Spider-Man was ready to take a decidedly more aggressive approach. The only thing that stopped the battle from taking a turn for the worse was Jean Grey, who had used her psychic abilities to find out who their real adversary was. Thanks to a timely, telepathic interruption from Jean, who argued that Spider-Man was innocent, the X-Men admitted their error to Peter, helping to avoid a situation where they would meet as enemies later.
An Adaptation Of Spider-Man’s First X-Men Battle Would Make Even More Sense In The MCU
If Marvel were to bring Spider-Man and the X-Men together in the MCU, some version of this storyline taking place is hardly outside the realm of possibility. The choice of villain would likely differ of course, but superhero team-ups being born from misunderstandings and in-fighting is a tried-and-true formula that both the comics and the movies have often turned to. It’s evidently what Marvel is looking to do with Avengers: Doomsday, which has teased an Avengers vs. X-Men showdown.
So if a crossover were to happen, the X-Men and Spider-Man coming to blows at one point or another does feel like a real possibility. And its in this particular situation where Spider-Man’s personal experiences with Jean Grey could be turned to his advantage. In Brand New Day, Jean viciously targeted Peter until she conversed with his memory of Aunt May, as this was what made her realize that she and Spider-Man have more in common than she ever thought.
The emotional connection that she formed with Peter in Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s ending could be a huge difference-maker in any potential conflict that he has with the X-Men in the MCU’s future. Not unlike her comic counterpart, she could intervene on his behalf, but making this decision significantly more meaningful is that there would be a strong, narrative setup for Jean to take Spider-Man’s side. If that were to happen, Marvel could use it as the basis of an epic team-up between Spider-Man and the X-Men.
How And When A Spider-Man & X-Men Meeting Could Happen
There’s certainly room for such a storyline to unfold in the MCU’s nature, but the exact time and place relies heavily on what exactly Marvel has planned for its X-Men lineup. Barring any surprise reveals, Spider-Man won’t be in Avengers: Doomsday, and isn’t expected to appear again until Avengers: Secret Wars, which is also said to feature Sadie Sink. Reports indicate Marvel is putting together a cast for its upcoming X-Men movie, but for now, it’s unclear if their MCU debuts will happen in that film, or if they will show up in Secret Wars first.
If the latter is the plan, Spider-Man could theoretically meet (and fight) the X-Men in Secret Wars. Alternatively, he could meet the X-Men after they’ve already enjoyed their own movie, possibly within the story of a fifth Spider-Man film. Having Spider-Man mingle with characters outside his own corner of the Marvel Universe has been a consistent strategy for his solo movies, so the next one repeating that with the X-Men doesn’t seem implausible.
Spider-Man appearing in the first X-Men movie is a scenario that shouldn’t be ruled out either. Marvel Studios head Kevin Feige recently told Variety that Peter would resurface in an adaptation of “another franchise created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby.” If Feige wasn’t referring to the Avengers series of films, the X-Men would be the next most sensible option. And the X-Men are no strangers to adventures in outer space, Spider-Man’s next confirmed destination.
Regardless of when it happens, it would give Marvel a great opportunity to lean on the beautifully crafted dynamic that Peter cultivated with Jean in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Heading in that direction would be a remarkable way of paying off Marvel’s surprising decision to introduce its take on an X-Men icon as an opponent for Spider-Man.
- Release Date
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July 29, 2026
- Runtime
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145 minutes
- Writers
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Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers
- Producers
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Avi Arad, Kevin Feige, Louis D’Esposito, Amy Pascal, David Cain