The Marvel Cinematic Universe did not become a cultural juggernaut by being safe. It gambled with characters that casual viewers hardly knew, believed in casting that appeared strange on paper, and created something that had never been seen before.
Ironically, the same success has now turned out to be the greatest hindrance for Marvel. With ‘Avengers: Doomsday‘ on the horizon, the MCU is caught between nostalgia and necessity, and it cannot have both indefinitely.
Marvel’s Next Phase Won’t Work Until Old Heroes Truly Step Aside
Marvel has been relying on the same faces to stabilize the ship over the years. Old heroes come back when the excitement wanes. Nostalgia becomes more vocal when box office figures are shaky. It works, temporarily. However, it also conveys a very strong message: the franchise is not yet completely confident in its future. And that indecisiveness is beginning to appear. The emotional appeal of the original Avengers cannot be denied. To many fans, Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth.
However, that emotional attachment has been turned into a creative crutch. Whenever Marvel revives them, in cameos, variants, or multiversal twists, it postpones the natural shift. ‘Avengers: Endgame’ was lightning in a bottle. It is impossible to copy it. The issue is that the MCU continues to orbit it nonetheless. The teasers, rumors, and reactions surrounding ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ already demonstrate that fans are fatigued.
Related: Doctor Doom Changes The Game For MCU’s Most Overlooked Hero
It’s clear that they want something new, but they will only turn up when the old heroes are in the limelight. Marvel is in a self-inflicted loop. Disappearance is not enough. These characters do not require silent exits or indeterminate futures; they require endings. Definitive ones. Not because fans desire them to be gone, but because stories must have an ending so that they can be replaced by growth.
Newer heroes will never be successors; they will always be substitutes to Iron Man, Steve Rogers, and Thor, as long as they are alive. The casting of Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom further brings out the problem. It is daring, intriguing, and openly nostalgic. Marvel is aware that he appeals to fans. However, by continuing to use the same faces in new ways, the MCU runs the risk of making reinvention seem like a reiteration.
Marvel Can’t Build Its Future While Clinging To Its Past
The frustrating part of this moment is that Marvel does not lack promising characters. Kamala Khan has already demonstrated that she is capable of bearing the heart of the franchise. Kate Bishop and Yelena Belova are chemically, humorously, and emotionally grounded. Shuri, Ironheart, and Wiccan are incredibly different tastes of heroism, and Spider-Man is evergreen. These characters do not have to substitute the Avengers by imitating them.
In case you missed it: ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ Could Finally Pay Off Thor’s Most Teased Rivalry
They should be allowed to fail, develop, and surprise audiences, as Iron Man and Captain America did. However, that can only happen when Marvel does it wholeheartedly and not half-heartedly. There’s also a financial misconception at play. Not all Marvel films have to cost or make a billion dollars. Smaller stories, street-level heroes such as Daredevil, and younger teams can work with smaller budgets and more distinct identities.
Put the X-Men in the mix after ‘Secret Wars,’ and Marvel has plenty of star power without having to hang on to the past. In case ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ and ‘Secret Wars’ are the real end of an era, Marvel should take advantage of it. Let legends fall. Let the torch pass cleanly. The MCU did not make it this long by resisting change, and it won’t survive the next decade without finally choosing it.
