Marvel Studios and 20th Century Fox appear to have a cordial relationship.
According to the Deadpool writers, both sides were able to swap certain Marvel characters between each other’s movies.
During a Q&A, Rhett Rheese and Paul Wernick said Marvel and Fox came to terms over the use of Negasonic Teenage Warhead in Deadpool. While the character is a Marvel property, the Fox incarnation has different powers from the comic version. Reese and Wernick love the character and lobbied to include her. As part of the deal, Fox had to alter her abilities in the film.
As James Whitbrook reports, “Kurt Russell’s (character) in the new Guardians movie was the character that Fox swapped with Marvel to (change) Negasonic Teenage Warhead’s powers.”
In exchange for Negasonic, Marvel got to borrow Ego the Living Planet for Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. Fans may recall Marvel once made a similar offer to Fox, in which the latter could extend their Daredevil film rights in exchange for Galactus.
Fox’s ownership of Ego is an interesting fact, because his first appearance is in Thor #132. He is not a Fantastic Four villain, but he’s a recurring foe of the Silver Surfer. Presumably, this is why Ego is under Fox’s ownership, as part of the 1990s purchase of the Fantastic Four film rights.
Although the X-Men aren’t joining the MCU, this could be a sign of good things to come. Perhaps there is no bad blood between Marvel and Fox at all. In fact, Kevin Feige got his start on the first X-Men movie, so it is possible both sides are on good terms.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 is coming out on May 2, 2017. A Deadpool sequel is aiming for a 2018 release.
