There’s no rule that says too many writers taking a crack at a script can only end in disaster, but there’s enough evidence littered throughout Hollywood history to suggest that it’s a regular problem. Some fans already have their knives out for The Marvels as it is, and they might be getting a little sharper after it was confirmed no less than four names will be credited on the screenplay.
To put that into perspective, that’s one more than Captain Marvel, which found itself dragged over the hot coals of criticism for a screenplay that could best be described as somewhat underwhelming. Not just that, but only a solitary feature in Marvel Cinematic Universe history has ever named more than four scribes on a single movie, so make of that what you will.
Initially, WandaVision alum Megan McDonnell was announced as the sole writer tasked to crack the story, but that number has since quadrupled after director Nia DaCosta, Loki staff writer Elissa Karasik, and Robot Chicken veteran Zeb Wells were added to the lineup in an official capacity.
The latter is the most recent addition, but he’s got some Marvel pedigree having done plenty of comic book work in the past, so it makes more sense than you might initially think. For the record, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is the MCU’s only big screen installment to exceed The Marvels’ total, with the script and story credits being split between Chris McKenna, Erik Sommers, Paul Rudd, Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari.
That doesn’t mean there’s any need to be worried, though, seeing as a superhero sequel hailing from the minds behind WandaVision, Loki, Robot Chicken, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and the recent Candyman sequel is nothing if not an eclectic bunch.