Rebooting theMarvel Cinematic Universeis more complicated than fans might think, according to Marvel executive Brad Winderbaum. Ever since Marvel announced thatAvengers: Secret Warswould be the final film in the Multiverse Saga, fans began theorizing that the studio would use the sequel to reboot the Marvel Cinematic Universe. A reboot seemingly allows the Fantastic Four to be fully integrated into the MCU, providing an explanation for the mutants and a pathway for the X-Men, while also getting rid of the shackles of continuity that might be keeping new fans from jumping into the MCU if they haven’t already.
While speaking with Screen Off Script, Marvel’s Brad Winderbaum was asked about the possibility of an MCU reboot and if that idea has even been considered. While Winderbaum, who heads up streaming, television, and animation for the studio, says that such a call is ultimately up to Kevin Feige, he notes the problems with trying to reboot shared universes in the past. Winderbaum specifically cites DC’s various attempts to do it over the years:
“I’m a comic fan, I’ve read comics since I was 12 years old and I’ve seen what happens at comic companies when things get full reboots right? The truth is that everytime there is a full reboot in, you know DC in particular, but you can’t really fully reboot anything, the classics always come back around. It’s a very difficult thing to do to a living, breathing fictional universe to just start from scratch because of all the fan investment and love for the stories that have come so far.”
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Winderbaum is referencing DC’s 1985 reboot,Crisis on Infinite Earths, and 2011’s New 52 initiative. Both were company-wide reboots that tried to remove years of DC continuity that was seen as a barrier for new fans who wanted to get into DC Comics. While these attempts started off strong and introduced new key elements to DC mythology – likepost-CrisisBatman Year Onebecoming Batman’s new default origin, or New 52 elements in Aquaman and Suicide Squad informing the DCEU takes on those characters – the continuity those stories wiped away always ended up coming back due to fan demand. Marvel’s only apparent attempt at a major reboot,Secret Wars, isn’t a reboot. It just restores the Marvel Universe after it was destroyed at the start of the miniseries, but with Miles Morales transitioning from the Ultimate Universe to the main Marvel Comics timeline.
An MCU Reboot Would Be a Mistake
The idea of rebooting the MCU on the surface sounds like an easy win, but it can’t help but feel like a mistake.Marvel Studios has just introduced a new batch of exciting new characterslike Shang-Chi, Moon Knight, Ms. Marvel, She-Hulk, Werewolf by Night, and the potential Young Avengers, all of whom have barely gotten the chance to shine. Combine that with the Fantastic Four finally arriving, Daredevil making his big MCU return, andnow the X-Men on the horizon– why would they toss all of that out for a reboot? While it seemingly provides a short-term solution in giving audiences a clean slate, a reboot risks alienating the fans who have invested so much in the series while also throwing out the exciting stories the shared universe history opens up.
While the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t need a full reboot, it could use a good creative reset. Long-running series likeDoctor WhoandPokémonare great examples of franchises that maintain their full continuity. They also provide new jumping-on points for audiences with new characters and set-ups, resetting the status quo to make each franchise era feel distinct.The Multiverse Saga started that way with new potential franchises likeShang-ChiandEternalsbeing a reset for the franchise. Still, Marvel Studios never built on those characters the same way they did with Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor for the Infinity Saga. Hopefully, afterAvengers: Secret Wars, characters like the Fantastic Four, the X-Men, and the Young Avengers can kick off a new era for the franchise, one that will coincide with the series' 20th anniversary in 2028.
Source:Screen Off Script
Avengers: Secret Wars
