The full script for a proposed X-Men movie from 2016 has surfaced online, revealing an abandoned Beast spin-off called Fear The Beast.

20th Century Fox

The complete script for a proposed X-Men movie has appeared online, detailing one of the X-Men movies that never came to be during the franchise’s time under the control of Fox. The X-Men franchise started with a hugely successful run of movies before it turned its attention to a prequel set of films and then began to fall apart towards the end of its run. Somewhere in the middle of the franchise’s last years, X-Men: Fear The Beast was written and pitched just after the release of X-Men: Apocalypse, and now fans can read what might have been with the entire script being available online.

The X-Men are now heading into the MCU under the guidance of Marvel Studios. However, their legacy was mostly seen at Fox until Disney’s merger with the company brought the mutants home. Between X-Men: Apocalypse and X-Men: Dark Phoenix, it was the best thing to have happened for the franchise, as the last entries were poorly reviewed and big flops at the box office. Whether X-Men: Fear The Beast would have fared any better is unclear, but the fact it was rejected due to Fox having bigger plans, including Dark Phoenix, for the franchise makes its rejection a little ironic.
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According to the script, the story of Fear The Beast would have seen Hank McCoy, aka The Beast, taking on a completely different beast in the form of the monstrous Wendigo. McCoy would have been aided by Professor X and Wolverine, which it seems was one of the things that saw the movie pushed aside because Dark Phoenix writer-director Simon Kinberg didn’t want the characters used in a way that would interfere with “wider plans.”

Related: Exclusive: Kelsey Grammer Will Boycott Disneyland if He Can’t Return as Beast in the MCU

Could X-Men: Fear The Beast Ever Be Made?

It is very unlikely. The X-Men will be coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe “soon.” Exactly how soon is unclear, but a big first step will be Deadpool 3 in 2024. However, it is expected that a complete integration of the X-Men in their new forms will not happen until after the completion of the Multiverse Saga’s story. That means that there are a lot of new roles coming to the MCU in the next few years as Marvel Studios attempt to fill some very big boots if they are bringing the likes of Professor X, Storm, Cyclops, and Jean Gray to the MCU.

Recently, original Beast actor Kelsey Grammer commented on the possibility of reprising his role in the future. In a tongue-in-cheek response, he said, “If they don’t ask me to return to the role of Beast, I’ll never go to Disneyland again. I’d love for them to do that. I want to do that.” While Grammer is not expected to appear in the MCU in any meaningful capacity, a new actor could take over the role of Beast, who was also played previously by Nicholas Hoult.

While these appearances are nice little additions for fans, it does not take away the fact that, at some point, Kevin Feige will have to recast these and other roles. That is going to come with a lot of pressure and a lot of extreme opinions from fans.