A Note About Timelines
Before we even get started, we have to make a few things clear. The first is that, for simplicity’s sake, we will be referring to the multiple chains of events that take place across the X-Men films as different “timelines.” Now that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has taken a dab hand to talking about the concept of the multiverse—and the myriad ever-evolving realities of the Fox X-Men films are now a distinct reality within themselves, as we got to see in The Marvels’ post-credits scene—what is an actual chronological timeline, and what is a divergent reality of its own, have become blurred.
There is a real possibility that, given the tweaks and changes between them, the MCU might reveal that the events of the X-Men films’ soft reboot starting in First Class occupy a distinct reality different to the one introduced in 2000’s X-Men. But given the interplay between those films, and then the addition of stories like Logan and the Deadpool films, it’s just easier to talk about them with a persistent chronological through line as if they are just branching timelines for a singular reality. We might find out in Deadpool & Wolverine! But that also brings us back to how we’ll be referring to these timelines. From what we can gather, we’re going to be playing with at least five distinct timelines of continuity we’ll detail as follows:
Timeline A: The continuity established in the first three X-Men movies (X-Men, X2, and The Last Stand), as well as X-Men Origins: Wolverine and The Wolverine, and seen in Days of Future Past as well as at the post-credits sequence of The Marvels.
Timeline B: The continuity of the X-Men “prequel” films First Class, Days of Future Past, Apocalypse, and Dark Phoenix. We’re going to make the assumption that a good chunk of the history of timelines A and B are the same until a moment in Days of Future Past—Mystique choosing whether or not to assassinate Bolivar Trask, the designer of the Sentinel Program—creates a split between them.
Timeline C: This is the near-future dystopian continuity that serves as the backdrop for Logan. Although the film stars Hugh Jackman as Wolverine and Patrick Stewart as Professor X, enough here is different that it’s easier to contain it as its own timeline. Deadpool & Wolverine’s director, Shawn Levy, has said the events of Logan are very important to the new movie, to boot. Just as a completely random aside, we’re going to slot The New Mutants into this timeline, for reasons we’ll get into later—there’s enough connections, but the movie is standalone enough it could potentially be linked to other continuities or exist as its own separate thing.
Timeline D: This is the continuity of Deadpool, Deadpool 2, and parts of Deadpool & Wolverine. Although the Deadpool films have links to both Timelines A and B, they are mostly through metatextual nods rather than explicit story elements, so once again, it’s easier to contain these films in their own timeline.
Timeline E: This is the “Sacred Timeline” of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s prime reality, Earth-616. The awakening of mutantkind is largely a mystery in this timeline, but it becomes important here as it’s where firstly the events of The Marvels takes place, and secondly it’s where, presumably, at least some elements of Deadpool & Wolverine will take place, connected by the extra-temporal-reality space occupied by the Time Variance Authority.
Don’t worry, we’ll label each event with what timeplace it occurs in, as well as what movie it is portrayed in. Without further ado, let’s start at the beginning, shall we?
