Marvel Reunites

While Marvel has created a fantastic Cinematic Universe, starting in 2008, but it was not whole. Sony held the rights to Spider-Man, which Marvel has since re-purchased. And FOX holds the rights to the X-Men and several others. But with a deal announced in December, that might be changing.

There's still plenty to sort out, and of course there's still a chance the deal gets blocked. But if all goes according to plan, the proposed merger between FOX and Disney would leave the Marvel universe whole, and with some interesting opportunities.

And considering that Hugh Jackman has taken his final bow as Wolverine and the MCU as we know it will end following the next two Avengers films in 2018 and 2019, it's fair to start wondering what this merger could mean for the future. You know, aside from them being able to tell you Quicksilver and The Scarlet Witch were the progeny of Magneto, as they were in the comics.

Here's a few things to consider as this merger gets closer.

1. What remains of the current MCU? While it might make sense to re-boot Captain America, Iron Man, Hulk, Thor and their buddies, what about "Guardians of the Galaxy?" That franchise still seems to have some legs and could, potentially, live on its own. What about "Black Panther," which is just hitting theaters in February, and "Spider-Man," which finally is starting to get it right? Is there a way to continue you those even with the larger world of the MCU broken? I sure hope so.

2. What about the Marvel shows on Netflix? Sure, we get references to remind us they exist in the same world, but they've been largely disconnected from the bigger film narratives, unlike "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," which seems poised to end its run anyway. I'd like to think that there is a way for the better elements, like Jessica Jones and Daredevil, to continue in some way if Netflix still has room for them.

3. What happens to the FOX properties? I really enjoyed the first season of the "Runaways" and "Legion," and I'm curious about where "Dark Phoenix" ends up. And what about "Deadpool?" The answers to the show question seems more obvious, as that would be easy enough to let continue. As for the cinematic worlds, that seems less clear, especially if Marvel wants to re-boot the universe in some way.

4. Can Marvel do for The Fantastic Four what they did for Spider-Man? The Fantastic Four have, arguably, been one of the most important and famous Marvel properties. And FOX has tried to get it right in a cinematic sense twice, and it has fallen limp twice. But after seeing what Marvel Studios was able to do in finally nailing Spider-Man, it's fair to wonder if they can do the same thing with The Fantastic Four. Some don't care, but I'd be curious to finally see a good version of this group of heroes on the big screen.