Anyone who was a big fan of comic books in the 1990s or even early 2000s will tell you that the X-Men were one of, if not the biggest franchises in the world. They had multiple comics being published, numerous animated series, and a successful live-action film franchise. The X-Men were everywhere, but then, almost overnight, it seemed, they were phased out, and The Avengers became the go-to superhero team for audiences. Characters like Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Ant-Man became icons, and expressions like "Avengers assemble" became part of the public lexicon. In 2019, it felt like the entire world was waiting to see Avengers: Endgame, a movie that made more in its opening weekend than any X-Men film did in its entire domestic run.
