Let’s face it; theMCUis at a bit of a crossroads. Their last few movies haven’t been terribly well-received,Secret Invasionhas had mixed reviews, and their upcoming projects seem either too far off or too meh.
What they need is to take a peek over the fence at DC and see how they are completely changing their strategyfrom a DCEUto a DCU under James Gunn. Full pivot, complete restart. It just might work.
The Mess Marvel Made
Everyone has said it, and everyone knows it: Marvel has seen better days. Their first few phases built beautifully to the crescendo that wasEndgame,but since then, we’ve all been snapped into a post-Thanos universe where the heroes aren’t exactly who we want them to be.
Now, this may be the fault of the stories, the actors, the characters, the producers… the list goes on. But the fact is that Marvel desperately needs someone to throw them a life vest and drag them safely to shore. They need to regroup, examine what they’ve done, and think about where they go next.
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Some have said the studio is already mapped out for the next ten years with movies, TV shows, and other properties. However, if a property isn’t working, there is no reason to keep heading down the path. Sometimes cutting losses and reconsidering direction is the best way to go.
Marvel has found itself tangled in a space where everyone wants to go back to the pre-snap era, where everyone was Iron and threw shields and hammers. The fact is that relying on this nostalgia is hurting the brand, and continuing the story feels like leaving the party so late that the hosts have actually sold the house and moved.
Right now, the project everyone is talking about, albeit quietly,isDeadpool 3. But even that is based more on an existing character that many believe will either be stomped into PG mode by the studio or just barely glimpsed going forward.
But Marvel can salvage their brand with a radical shift. One that DC has already taken steps to do on its own.
What the Revamped DCU Means For DC
The death ofZack Snyder’s DCEUwas a long time coming. His plan was sour, and for most people, his vision was far too dark. Now, Warner Bros. and DC pulled the rug on his entire plan, let it die with the abysmalThe Flash, and are moving to something new.
Now, James Gunn has not just been tapped to create a new concept. He’s been given the reins, fresh horses, and as much freedom as he wants to stomp around looking for new characters in the DC archives.
This was both a creative and financial necessity. The DCEU was a mess from the get-go, and Warner Bros. saw the writing on the wall beforeJustice Leagueeven hit theaters. The problem was they had a well-financed steam train that needed time to slow down.
Now, James Gunn has cast a new Superman, written a script, mapped out the first chapter of his DCU, and named it Gods and Monsters. He is a man with a singular vision and an understanding of how the world needs to work. Is it a huge pivot for Warner Bros.? Of course, it is. Will it pay off? Just by virtue of audience curiosity, it has a fighting chance.
Why Marvel Wouldn’t Lose Out
Consider the fact that Marvel has told its story. It was great. It was epic. It was too long. But now, they are at a crossroads. They can take everything up until now and add in some kind of twist at the end ofLokiseason 2 that destroys the multiverse. Then, like a universe being reborn, we are in the new, one true timeline. But in this one, none of our heroes exist.
A fresh start. A beautiful breath of fresh air and a new crop of superheroes. Marvel doesn’t lose out because they can take any characters they have yet to use and make them central to the story. They’ve done it in the comics, so why not do it everywhere else?
How Do They Completely Restart?
Unlike the DCU, Marvel should not start their story over with the same characters. Forget Iron Man and Thor.Captain America? Never happened. Instead of theFirst Avenger, we start with the first family: The Fantastic Four.
Start in the 1960s with a different look to SHIELD, a space race, and a group of four young people looking to prove themselves. Starting the MCU from here could be gold. Their adventures are modeled after science fiction adventure films of the time, likeFantastic VoyageandFlash Gordon. Stylized and retro. Model it the same wayCaptain America: The First Avengerwas itself modeled after the serials of WWII. Much like Captain America, these heroes are somehow lost in time on some type of adventure.
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Just as they disappear, the world is stunned to find mutants living among them. This is the radical shift in society. Perhaps they’ve been here longer than anyone thought, and some have infiltrated governments around the world. They are this new universe’s Hydra, though some are willing to fight back. These are the start of the X-men.
Years later, the older X-men are established, and the world feels safer, but a new threat appears from space. It is Galactus, devourer of worlds, and the only hope to save him comes with thereturn of The Fantastic Four.
The story writes itself! And nobody got hurt doing it. The same characters will be introduced, audiences will get a fresh take on the Marvel canon, and money will be made by all the people who make it. In a post-DCU Marvel shakeup, everyone wins.
