Where are (Spoilers) in the MCU’s Dimension 616 after Multiverse of Madness?

THIS ARTICLE CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS, FOR THE NON-SPOILER REVIEW. CLICK HERE.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness is now out for the world to see. Even from trailers, we know Charles Xavier is in the film. For those of us that have seen the film, we also know Reed Richards is in the film. The rules for the multiverse have been written. There’s a version of each character for their respective universe. With that being said, where are the X-Men and the Fantastic Four in universe 616? I have a theory on where each may be placed, and I hope you will follow along with me on this weird journey.

In Multiverse of Madness, we saw the Illuminati for the first time onscreen. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the OG comic book members. Instead, it’s a more stylized MCU version that gets completely wiped out by Wanda Maximoff during the events of the film. The scene overall was great fan service that ended up holding little weight in the film. HOWEVER, it did make me question where those characters may be in the MCU universe 616. Clearly, the implication of the film is that there’s a John Krasinski and Patrick Stewart somewhere around there right? So let’s go ahead and dive in.

The X-Men? Where Art Thou?

Given what we know about the new X-Men ’97 cartoon, I’m going to go out on a limb and say that it’s canon. Beau DeMayo, head writer of the series, has recently hinted that it likely will be canon. If so, then we all know how the original cartoon ended. Charles Xavier left Earth, going to a completely different planet. This makes me think the X-Men are in seclusion. No, it wouldn’t explain where the other millions of mutants are, but it would explain them being MIA for about 25 years in the MCU. Marvel usually does a pretty good job with managing lore, so hopefully, we get something more in-depth. Charles being off-world, and the mutants being secluded is definitely a good start though.

Fantastic Four? Where Art Thou?

We know Kang the Conqueror and Reed Richards are relatives. We also know that the Fantastic Four and Kang are set to appear in Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania. That being said, WHERE are the Fantastic Four? Moreover, have they gotten their powers yet? Dr. Strange mentions that the Reed Richards in his universe went missing in the 60s. Does that include the entire Fantastic Four? Where did they go missing? My theory involves the four trapped in one of the smaller pocket dimensions of the Quantum realm. Or, they could have been kidnapped by Kang the Conqueror. If that’s the case, a Qauntumania film involving Ant-Man freeing the Fantastic Four from the clutches of Kang would make for an entertaining story. Moreover, you honestly cannot have Kang the Conqueror without the Fantastic Four, given his origin.

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These are all just theories, of course. We don’t even know if Kransiski and Stewart will be reprising their roles in future MCU installments. Krasinski’s return makes a lot of sense given Jon Watts’ recent exit, seeing as he would most likely also direct the film if set to star in it. Moreover, Stewart was very hesitant to return given a recent interview where he spoke about it. His return as Charles on Earth 616 is not likely. That begs the question… Who would be Charles on Earth 616? There are plenty of unanswered questions… We will slowly, but surely get answers as time passes and the MCU continues to grow exponentially. Until then, we will theorize and speculate as to a family of MCU fans.

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness opened a massive gateway that can introduce several characters that we have been waiting on to appear. As fans continue to clamor for their favorites to show up, this film told us they are on their way. Spider-Man, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four are among Marvel’s biggest fan favorites. Bringing them into the MCU will do wonders for this gigantic cinematic universe, and give the fans more of what they want. Fans have been hoping for the arrival of Marvel’s first family, and mutants. It seems like it is right on the horizon. The journey has been long, but we are here.