The Skrulls are apparently all set to make their cinematic debut in X-Men: Dark Phoenix, a new report suggests. The fourth installment from the current mutant saga marks the directorial debut of long-time X-Men film producer, Simon Kinberg. While it will see the return of James McAvoy as Professor X, Michael Fassbender as Magneto and Jennifer Lawrence as Mystique, Dark Phoenix will put Sophie Turner’s version of Jean Grey at the forefront. Mining story beats from the quintessential X-Men comics run, it will delve into her journey to become the Dark Phoenix, which was previously hinted during X-Men: Apocalypse’s final battle.


Not much is know about the film’s specific plot points and how it will fit in the bigger X-Men film canon, but it sure is being hyped up by people involved in it. Turner promised fans that it will revolutionize the superhero genre, while comic book writer, Chris Claremont compared it to James Bond‘s Casino Royale and Lawrence called it her best X-Men experience.


A new intel from an industry insider Jeremy Conrad suggests that the Skrulls are officially confirmed for the upcoming X-Men film. On his website, Manabyte, he shared that he recently “received confirmation from a long-time source that they are indeed in X-Men: Dark Phoenix.” Based on his article, it seems like his tipster was able to watch a part of the flick considering that the source also offered impressions on it saying “it was better than Apocalypse but not as good as Days of Future Past.”


Until confirmation from the people involved in the project comes, it’s best to take this intel with a healthy grain of salt. However, this isn’t the first time that the Kinberg-directed flick was rumored to introduce the extraterrestrial race, which could be saying something. Back in October, a fairly detailed scene description revealed that Professor X, Magneto, Jean Grey and Cyclops will be ambushed by the Skrulls in what would be an alien invasion. Jessica Chastain’s “Smith” being described as “an otherworldly shapeshifter who comes into contact with Phoenix” also corroborates with the story.


Further, Disney being in the process to acquire 21st Century Fox’s film and TV assets, leading to rights of the X-Men and Fantastic Four eventually returning to Marvel Studios, makes this news more intriguing. While we’re unsure what will happen to the existing Fox/Marvel branch once the buyout is finished, the fact that MCU’s Captain Marvel has already confirmed the Skrulls to be villains makes us wonder if this is nothing but a coincidence or intentional. Both Dark Phoenix and Captain Marvel are period films set in the 1990s incorporating a plot point involving the Skrulls taking over the planet.


It’s a good narrative opportunity to merge separate franchises and it’s difficult not to think about the possibility especially after it’s teased that X-Men: Dark Phoenix will include a massive twist in the end. Otherwise, it’s probably another case of Quiksilver having two incarnations given that the shape-shifting aliens are co-owned by Marvel Studios and Fox.