For years, Marvel fans have debated whether ‘Agents of SHIELD’, ‘Agent Carter’, and other ABC shows are part of the official Marvel Cinematic Universe timeline. These shows, produced under the now-defunct Marvel Television division, have always been in a gray area when it comes to canon status.
Now, a recent comment from Marvel Studios’ Head of TV, Streaming, and Animation, Brad Winderbaum, has reignited the discussion. However, his answer wasn’t very clear.
Marvel Studios Is Struggling To Fit Marvel-ABC Shows Into MCU Canon
Speaking with ScreenRant during a press tour, Brad Winderbaum acknowledged that he enjoys the challenge of trying to “square those ABC shows with the canon.” While that might sound promising, it also suggests that Marvel Studios hasn’t fully decided where these shows fit in.
Related: Marvel Executive Brad Winderbaum Explains Why An Avengers TV Series Is Implausible
Fans who have spent years trying to make sense of how ‘Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.‘ and ‘Agent Carter’ connect to the greater MCU are very frustrated. The fact that Marvel Studios is even considering these shows in their official timeline is exciting. However, at the same time, it’s another case of Marvel giving vague responses rather than outright confirming their status.
Moreover, ‘Agent Carter’ seems like an easier fit for the Sacred Timeline. The show takes place in the late 1940s (after the events of Captain America: The First Avenger). So, its connection to the greater MCU is more straightforward. Peggy Carter’s presence in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ and the return of Edwin Jarvis in the same film were already strong indicators of the show being canon.
However, ‘Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ is a much bigger challenge. The show started as a direct MCU tie-in, referencing the events of ‘The Avengers’, ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’, and ‘Avengers: Age of Ultron’. But as time went on, the show increasingly became its own thing.
By the time it ended with its seventh season, the show had essentially distanced itself from the main MCU. That’s why Marvel Studios now faces a tricky task. It’ll be much harder to explain how the show’s version of events lined up with the MCU’s own rules.
Brad Winderbaum Confirms ‘Daredevil’s Place In The MCU Canon
Interestingly, Brad Winderbaum’s comments on Marvel-ABC shows came alongside his remarks about ‘Daredevil’. He stated that he feels “confident” saying the original Netflix ‘Daredevil’ series is part of the Sacred Timeline. That’s a major statement, considering that Marvel had previously been ambiguous about the status of the Netflix Marvel shows.
In case you missed it: Marvel TV Head Brad Winderbaum Compares ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ To ‘Game Of Thrones’
“I think that I personally would be confident in saying the Netflix Daredevil series is part of the Sacred Timeline,” he stated. However, this also raises a big question. If Daredevil is canon, does that open the door for the other Netflix shows (Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, The Punisher) to be integrated as well?
Additionally, if ‘Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ and ‘Agent Carter’ are being reconsidered, could we see Marvel reworking its approach to past TV projects? Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios’ president, has hinted that the Sacred Timeline isn’t set in stone. “As we move forward and dive deeper into the Multiverse Saga, you never know when timelines may just crash or converge,” he wrote.
