Credit: Inside the MagicIs this enough to save the MCU?
Related: New ‘Hulk’ Movie Reportedly Scrapped for Something Bigger
Avengers: Endgame (2019) signaled the exit of numerous pivotal figures from Marvel Studios’ core Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) Avengers lineup. Particularly noteworthy was Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man/Tony Stark, who made a significant sacrifice for the greater good, while Chris Evans’ Captain America/Steve Rogers opted for retirement after passing on his iconic Vibranium shield to Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson/Falcon.
Upon the debut of The Walt Disney Company’s streaming platform Disney+ (Disney Plus) under the leadership of then-CEO Bob Chapek, the media conglomerate swiftly moved to add to its library of Disney+ Original programming. A central aspect of this new streaming service was to feature Marvel television offerings, as the superhero studios veered away from their exclusive agreement with Netflix (which included characters such as Charlie Cox’s Daredevil/Matt Murdock from the “street-level” Defenders), instead concentrating on bringing the Marvel cinematic universe directly to home viewers.
Related: Disney To Reportedly Wipe Entire Marvel Disney+ Slate Clean
Unfortunately, this approach has proved to be more of a setback than a boon. Disney now faces reports of “superhero fatigue” and underwhelming box office returns from what was once their flagship franchise, the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Now, it appears the tide may be turning as Marvel Studios’ X-Men ’97 executive producer and Head of Streaming, Television and Animation is coming out with the MCU’s newest approach.
Marvel’s New Approach
In light of reports indicating Disney CEO Bob Iger’s intent to streamline the sprawling MCU by reducing the tendency to simply throw money at the issue, recent reports suggest that Disney is planning a substantial reduction in the quantity of MCU content, with a complete shift in focus towards animated Marvel TV projects and a revitalization of their live-action approach.
The Hollywood Reporter (THR) recently interviewed Marvel producer and Streaming head Brad Winderbaum, who opened up about the upcoming Marvel Studios Animation series, X-Men ’97 amid the larger changes happening over at Disney and the MCU:
We finally said it out loud. Flash forward now to Disney+, where we are actually laying out the timeline with tiles on a screen, all of a sudden we’re like, ‘We should just do it. Let’s do it.’ It was also spurred by the redevelopment of Daredevil: Born Again, once we started to really lean into some of the mythology and backstory that was established in those Netflix shows.
The fan reaction to this has been surprisingly positive, with members of the public now excited over this news and the new changes Winderbaum, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, and Disney implementing into promising new shows like X-Men ’97 (debuting March 20, 2024) and the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again.
Users on X (formerly Twitter) responded to the news, with users like Marvelous Gamer finding all of this “incredibly reassuring”:
Daredevil Updates: Brad Winderbaum says that the work done on ‘LOKI’ and ‘X-MEN ’97’ influenced the decision to do a creative overhaul on ‘DAREDEVIL: BORN AGAIN’
““Frankly, a lot of that [Daredevil: Born Again reinvention] was influenced as much from Loki as it was from our X-Men ‘97 experience. It’s about honoring what came before in order to find a new arc for these iconic characters.”
(via: https://hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/x-men-97-kevin-feige-1235855253/)
@Mar_DC767620022: Reading this is honestly incredibly reassuring. This helps squash any doubt I had left. The creative overhaul really was the best thing that could have happened to MCU Daredevil. 🙏
Reading this is honestly incredibly reassuring. This helps squash any doubt I had left. The creative overhaul really was the best thing that could have happened to MCU Daredevil. 🙏
— Marvelous Gamer (@Mar_DC767620022) March 18, 2024
Others like @Colleen_Wing_ are praising Winderbaum for “carrying” Marvel Studios:
Brad Winderbaum carrying Marvel Studios fr
Brad Winderbaum carrying Marvel Studios fr
— Colleen Wing (@Colleen_Wing_) March 19, 2024
Meanwhile, Owen H. (@OH_squire) makes an intelligent point — that even if not everything in the MCU is for everyone, audiences will respect quality:
his is a good way to think and act, that being said, not every piece of content will always be universally loved by fans, but if it has a certain level of quality they will respect it.
This is a good way to think and act, that being said, not every piece of content will always be universally loved by fans, but if it has a certain level of quality they will respect it.
— Owen H.✨️ (@OH_squire) March 19, 2024
With a huge reshift to focus on quality over quantity, it seems like fans are beginning to change their minds about the future of the MCU.
Marvel is heading into the rest of the Multiverse Saga’s Phase Five without Jonathan Majors’ version of Kang the Conqueror. Having to rethink their strategy going forward, the MCU will see “Marvel Jesus” AKA Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool/Wade Wilson and Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine/Logan/James Howlett join the main Marvel universe from the Fox X-Men Universe in Deadpool & Wolverine AKA Deadpool 3.
The new X-Men ’97 series has mysteriously lost its creator, Beau DeMayo, a Marvel Studios veteran who worked previously on Moon Knight (2021) and the in-production Blade movie script, just a week before the show’s highly-anticipated debut. The series also appears to have also undergone serious changes behind the scenes, akin to 2023’s Loki Season 2 and the upcoming Daredevil: Born Again.
At the end of the day, only time will truly tell whether these changes will actually “save” the Marvel Cinematic Universe as we know it.
What do you think about these changes to the MCU and shows like X-Men ’97? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
More on X-Men ’97
Pitched by X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997) producer and director Larry Houston and executive producer Brad Winderbaum, Marvel Studios is officially continuing the beloved series with all-new episodes in 2024.
Beau DeMayo was revealed as the head writer and executive producer, alongside Jake Castorena as supervising director and Charley Feldman as supervising producer. Additionally, Houston and the original series’ showrunners, Eric and Julia Lewald, were brought on board as consultants for the revival. They assist in addressing any potential issues that may arise and offer suggestions for elements they would like to incorporate into the new series.
Continuing from the events of X-Men: The Animated Series, the X-Men navigate new challenges after the loss of their leader, Professor X. The series introduces a revamped cast, including Ray Chase as Cyclops, Jennifer Hale as Jean Grey, and Cal Dodd reprising his role as Wolverine, alongside other familiar faces like Alison Sealy-Smith as Ororo Munroe/Storm, Lenore Zann as Rogue, and Matthew Waterson as Erik Lehnsherr/Magneto. Identifying as non-binary, the character of Morph is played by JP Karliak, joined by George Buza as Henry McCoy/Beast, AJ LoCascio as Remy LeBeau/Gambit, Holly Chou as Jubilation Lee/Jubilee (taking over from Alyson Court), Isaac Robinson-Smith as Bishop, Adrian Hough as Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler.
Christopher Britton portrays Nathaniel Essex, also known as Mister Sinister, while Gui Agustini embodies Roberto da Costa, or Sunspot. Ross Marquand lends his voice to Professor Charles Xavier, Gil Birmingham portrays Forge, and Eric Bauza voices both the Sentinels and Master Mold. Catherine Disher takes on the role of Valerie Cooper, a doctor with her own agenda, while Chris Potter voices Nathan Summers, also known as Cable. Todd Haberkorn portrays Henry Gyrich, Lawrence Bayne brings Carl Denti, or X-Cutioner, to life, and Ron Rubin voices Robert Edward Kelly, the president. Alyson Court stars as Abcissa. Anniwaa Buachie and Jeff Bennett join the cast in undisclosed roles, while Theo James has been cast as an undisclosed “fan-favorite” character. Additionally, the Hellfire Club members Emma Frost and Sebastian Shaw will make appearances, alongside Bolivar Trask voiced by Gavin Hammon.
The ensemble faces fresh adversaries while grappling with personal growth and alliances. With an array of returning characters and newcomers like Bishop from a dystopian future, the series promises to explore dynamic storylines while retaining the essence of the original series, exciting fans eagerly awaiting its premiere.