Whether we wanted it or not, “Dark Phoenix” is the end of the main “X-Men” movie series as we know it. It was inevitable as soon as it became clear that the Disney-Fox merger was gonna happen — we all knew that this series would have to wrap up before Kevin Feige and co. could bring the X-Men into the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And so now “Dark Phoenix” is here, and the franchise that began the current wave of superhero madness in Hollywood is just about over (with only the “New Mutants” horror spinoff left to go).
But don’t expect a reboot into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the near future. Since the merger between Disney and Fox became official, fans have been wondering when to expect Fox characters like Wolverine and the X-Men joining the MCU, which has been set up at Disney. Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige said during the “Avengers: Endgame” press junket that “it’ll be a while” before we see the integration of the X-Men.
So with one of the longest-running movie franchises ever now coming to a close, and with the X-Men tabled for a little bit before Marvel brings them into the MCU, “Dark Phoenix” is a bit of a momentous event.
Obviously, since there aren’t any more movies planned for this version of the “X-Men,” the film wouldn’t have a standard post-credits scene teasing the next film. But it could theoretically have an extra scene after or during the credits just to give the series a longer sendoff — “Dark Phoenix” is, after all, the work of writer/director Simon Kinberg, who has been involved with these movies for more than a decade now.
But if you’re hoping for any extra content after the credits, you’ll be disappointed. “Dark Phoenix” does not have a mid- or post-credits scene. Once the credits start rolling, the movie is over, and so you won’t risk missing anything by heading to the bathroom or just leaving if you have to.
Based on the famed “X-Men” comics arc of the same name, “Dark Phoenix” follows Jean Grey (Turner) as her telepathic and telekinetic powers are heightened following a solar flare. However, the rise in those powers also creates an evil alter ego, the titular Dark Phoenix, which threatens to destroy both the X-Men and humanity.
Written and directed by Kinberg, the film also sees the return of James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Alexandra Shipp, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Evan Peters to the cast, with Jessica Chastain also starring.
Dark Phoenix is the last movie in Fox's X-Men franchise, but does it have a post-credits scene offering any extra footage or setting up another film?
Fox's Dark Phoenix is the last movie in their X-Men franchise, but does it have a post-credits scene offering any extra footage or setting up another film? Twentieth Century Fox launched their mutant superhero franchise in 2000 with Bryan Singer's X-Men, initially encapsulating a trilogy that completed with 2006's X-Men: The Last Stand. Then, Fox kicked off a prequel series with X-Men: First Class in 2011, paving the way for X-Men: Days of Future Past to rewrite the timeline. It also gives them the opportunity to adapt The Dark Phoenix Saga for the second time, with the comic storyline serving as inspiration for both The Last Stand and Dark Phoenix.
However, Fox's latest mainline X-Men movie will also be its last. In March, the Disney-Fox deal was finalized and the X-Men movie rights officially went to the Mouse House. Although Disney and Marvel Studios' plans for the mutant characters hasn't been made public yet, it's expected they'll reboot the X-Men in order to bring them into the Marvel Cinematic Universe without the baggage of the confusing X-Men movie timeline. As such, Dark Phoenix serves as the final installment of Fox's X-Men franchise, in addition to adapting one of the X-Men comics' more well-known storylines.
Now that Dark Phoenix is hitting theaters around the world, fans can see the movie for themselves, and they may be wondering whether they need to stick around for an extra scene or tease after the credits. Dark Phoenix does NOT have a post-credits scene, nor any other kind of tease or Easter egg after the credits. While it's always worth watching the credits to see who's involved in the making of a movie, fans shouldn't expect a post-credits scene after Dark Phoenix.
Though Marvel Studios can perhaps be credited in the rise in popularity of credits scenes to connect movie franchises and cinematic universes, the X-Men movies have used them since The Last Stand. The franchise has typically used credits scenes to either set up future installments or resolve a storyline from that movie. So while there may not be any other X-Men movies planned in this franchise, a post-credits scene could have been used to further resolve the Dark Phoenix ending.
Still, with only The New Mutants left to release, Dark Phoenix is a lame duck tentpole, operating as the final installment in the franchise - but it wasn't crafted to be a concluding chapter. Whether it resolves everything in the X-Men franchise up to this point will be left for the fans to debate. And with The New Mutants currently scheduled for an April 2020 release date, there's still one more Fox X-Men movie to look forward to. However, many fans are likely already looking further ahead to the X-Men joining the MCU in the coming years. While that's still years away, fans checking out Dark Phoenix now should simply know not to expect a post-credits scene with the final Fox X-Men film.