Credit: Inside the MagicAre you ready to say goodbye to the original Avengers?
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Following the sacrifice of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man/Tony Stark and the retirement of Chris Evans’ Captain America/Steve Rogers, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has moved forward with a different era after the Infinity Saga — the Multiverse Saga.
Currently, Marvel Studios is grappling with accusations of “superhero fatigue” and the firing of Kang the Conqueror actor Jonathan Majors, Marvel Studios is set to shake everything up, once again.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) boldly ventured into the realm of streaming television by featuring prominent actors from its vast array of Marvel films in new Marvel television content. The Multiverse Saga’s Phase Four, eagerly anticipated by fans, commenced in 2021 with the premiere of WandaVision on Disney+ (Disney Plus).
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Why is Disney Abandoning Marvel’s Original Avengers Franchise?
The latest collaboration between Marvel Studios and Coca-Cola brands to produce limited-edition Marvel character packaging in the form of collectible cans and bottles featuring beloved characters has made The Walt Disney Company and Marvel Studios’ intentions for the future of the MCU fairly clear.
The new Marvel-Coke collab (via Scott Gustin) and its associated marketing rather explicitly feature currently more “obscure” Marvel Comics and Marvel Television heroes — from the Disney+ (Disney Plus) realm of new-wave Marvel TV like the Super Skrull from Secret Invasion (2023), the Netflix Marvel heroes like Daredevil‘s (2015-2018) Daredevil/Matt Murdock (Charlie Cox) and Elektra Natchios (Elodie Yung), and even 20th Century Fox (now 20th Century Studios) heroes from the X-Men franchise, like Cable (Josh Brolin), Wolverine/Logan/James Howlett (Hugh Jackman), and Negasonic Teenage Warhead/Eloise Phimister/Ellie Phimister (Brianna Hildebrand) from the Deadpool franchise.
Interestingly, the more popular original Coca-Cola bottle and can designs will feature several more of these “obscure” heroes not formerly prominently featured in Marvel marketing, while Coca-Cola Zero Sugar will feature more well-known Marvel characters like Thanos (Josh Brolin), Doctor Strange/Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), and Groot (Vin Diesel):
Coca-Cola: Blade, Cable, Colossus, Daredevil, Deadpool, Elektra, Juggernaut, Kingpin, Loki, Moon Knight, Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Wolverine, Nick Fury, Storm (US Only), Super Skrull, War Machine
Coca-Cola Zero Sugar: Ant-Man, Black Panther, Black Widow, Captain America, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, Groot, Hulk, Iron Man, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, Rocket, Scarlet Witch, Shang-Chi, Star- Lord, Thanos, Thor
On top of that, the new commercial advertising this collaboration has driven this home even more—with barely a hint of the original six Avengers from the 2012 The Avengers film that put heroes like Tony Stark/Iron Man, Steve Rogers/Captain America, or Thor Odinson (Chris Hemsworth) on the map. Here, blind lawyer Daredevil surprisingly takes center stage instead of someone expected, like Iron Man.
Evidently, the heroes Marvel is now pushing to Marvel fans are Deadpool/Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) and the X-Men, Anthony Mackie’s Sam Wilson version Captain America (and former Falcon), and Matt Murdock/Daredevil. It’s clear that this isn’t a coincidence, as this is entirely Kevin Feige’s “street-level” plan and attempts to distance from the Avengers. Discussing Film shares the new Marvel-Coke ad with these superheroes at the forefront:
Marvel and Coca-Cola’s collab ad has been released.
Marvel and Coca-Cola’s collab ad has been released. pic.twitter.com/h1xNcmpaKb
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 8, 2024
Feige is clearly set on giving everyone a break from the large-scale, cosmic-level stories of MCU years past, refocusing the cinematic universe on more “grounded” stories.
Currently, the known plan is to bring heroes like Daredevil and Spider-Man together as the main leaders of this “street-level” team, alongside Sam Wilson’s Cap. The big baddies of the street-level team appear to be Vincent D’Onofrio’s terrifying Wilson Fisk/Kingpin, joining the MCU straight from the Netflix-era of R-rated Marvel Television as Daredevil’s arch-nemesis with an anti-vigilanteism “Mayor Fisk” storyline set in New York City, as well as Harrison Ford’s Thaddeus Ross/Thunderbolt Ross likely to become Red Hulk — and President of the United States — taking over the role from the late William Hurt.
All of this will likely go down in Tom Holland’s Spider-Man 4 and Captain America: Brave New World — before they torch everything Multiverse-related in Avengers: Secret Wars, that is.
The Marvel universe is set to properly settle into this new storyline with Deadpool & Wolverine, AKA Deadpool 3, in theaters this summer, and Daredevil: Born Again on Disney+.
Are you excited about the MCU’s new direction? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!