It Won’t Be The Same
When it comes to fandoms, people are particular about what they want. There’s a reason that even though new Avengers have been introduced throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the focus of the team-up films remained on the originals (Captain America, Iron Man, Black Widow, Hawkeye, Thor and Hulk) for the most part.
There are a multitude of characters that could replace any of those figures – with some even being better and more powerful heroes. The question is, though, do fans want to watch something labeled “Avengers” without Captain America and Iron Man? It isn’t really the same without the main members.
Marvel Studios head honcho, Kevin Feige, isn’t giving away too much about the future of this part of the MCU, stating that the studio will announce its plans after Spider-Man: Far From Home. It’s obvious, though, that the team-up spectacles won’t be going away, with the likes of The Eternals and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 on the horizon. But how long can Marvel stray away from another Avengers movie, which have become practically synonymous with printing money? Even if it isn’t with the same cast, it’s too tempting to resist as this cash cow hasn’t been milked dry just yet.
There isn’t a lack of current Avengers to assemble a brand new team, either, so there are definitely possibilities beyond New Avengers. That said, it’s never going to be the same and it could result in a negative reaction from the fans – something that Marvel Studios isn’t too familiar with.
X-Men & Fantastic Four
There is one thing that could interrupt the inevitable release of another Avengers movie, though: Disney’s acquisition of Fox, which includes properties such as Fantastic Four and X-Men. With a bunch of new fan favorite characters under the Marvel Studios umbrella, there isn’t a need to rely on the same heroes over and over again.
Feige and his collaborators can now create “mini universes” within the MCU while expanding this world even further. Forget about just dropping Wolverine and Deadpool in other Marvel films for fan service, because it could be even larger and more impactful than that. It isn’t outside of the realm of possibility to consider potential X-Force, X-Factor and X-Men movies all being interconnected and serving as the focus of an entire phase of MCU. That’s how massive and expansive the world of Professor Xavier’s mutants could be if Marvel chooses it.
Additionally, everyone knows that Marvel Studios is salivating at the prospect of introducing the Fantastic Four into the MCU. As one of the most vital and beloved properties in Marvel Comics, most people feel that the First Family’s forays onto the big screen haven’t done them any justice (or been any good). With the rights back in the hands of Marvel, you shouldn’t bet against seeing the famous four teaming up with the likes of Spider-Man as they battle Doctor Doom and Galactus. There’s a huge potential for this team to be the new leaders of the next phase of the MCU, and this should certainly excite longtime fans of the group.