It is common knowledge that the MCU has been struggling to attract its loyal audience for some time. Faced with this observation, Marvel is considering a solution that is audacious to say the least.
Marvel director Kevin Feige has revealed that the sixth Avengers installment, scheduled for May 7, 2027, will mark the end of the list of currently announced upcoming Marvel films. However, in a recent interview with Variety, he claimed that the MCU has only scratched the surface of the storytelling potential of Marvel comics. A reflection that could lead to a radical approach…
A radical solution for Marvel and its MCU
Kevin Feige has indeed suggested that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) could undergo an overhaul after Avengers: Secret Wars, in the form of a “soft reboot”. This approach would aim to clarify the chronology and eliminate superfluous elements. But that’s not all. The immense potential of the comics could justify a reboot in order to streamline the universe, and above all, reintroduce emblematic figures who have previously left the franchise.
Joanna Robinson, author of MCU: Marvel Studios Reign, mentioned during a podcast that “Secret Wars” could be that pivotal point. Quoting Feige, she explains that Marvel plans to “prune” unnecessary elements and maintain or bring back characters that were thought to be lost forever. An intriguing passage from his book recounts a meeting with Feige during which he showed a 1988 poster depicting a multitude of Marvel heroes, indicating the host of characters that could be introduced to the MCU.
A viable solution?
One of the main motivations for such a reboot would be the need to consolidate the timeline, particularly following Marvel’s acquisition of the rights to characters formerly at Fox, such as the X-Men and the Fantastic Four. Given Marvel TV’s mixed reception, it would be wise to reconsider their strategy. A reboot would offer the opportunity to highlight successes while revisiting icons such as Iron Man, T’Challa or Thanos.
Warning, the following may contain spoilers: If Feige’s approach aligns with that of the comics, Secret Wars would be the logical choice for a reboot, given the major upheavals of this saga, notably the destruction of the multiverse. We could therefore, in fact, imagine a return to the spotlight of the first glories of the MCU. As a reminder, the plot takes place on Battleworld, a planet made up of fragments of different realities and eras of the Marvel Universe, all merged into a single world by Dr. Doom, who proclaimed himself God of this new reality.
With the ever-changing landscape of the MCU and the introduction of new heroes, a reboot, even a subtle one, seems to be the solution to preserve the coherence of this universe while offering new adventures to fans. It is true that since the end of Avengers, Marvel’s popularity has continued to plummet. It is clear that the charisma of Miss Marvel or even Antman is clearly not up to that of Captain America or Iron Man. And this can be understood, because on the DC side, we observe a bit of the same problem when we move away from the adventures of Batman and Superman.