Chadwick Boseman’s Black Panther created a massive impact when he debuted in Captain America: Civil War. His magnetic and royal presence garnered universal praise from critics and audiences which increased further with his solo Black Panther film. He was a strong contender for leading the future of the MCU after Avengers: Endgame. But his untimely demise proved to be a major setback for the studio and the future of the character.
The MCU is currently in a dismal condition with several projects being underwhelming and not reaching people’s expectations of the franchise after something as epic as Avengers: Endgame. A new book chronicling the history of the franchise ( including the highs and lows) has been released. The book details how Marvel Studios were planning to put Boseman’s T’Challa and two other characters to be the leaders of the MCU moving forward after Avengers: Endgame.
The MCU’s Next Trinity Was Black Panther, Spider-Man and Captain Marvel
Recently a book that chronicles the entire history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe called MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios, written by Dave Gonzales, Gavin Edwards, and Joanna Robinson was released. The book included everything including the meteoric rise of the MCU in the 2010s, an all-time franchise high in 2019 with Avengers: Endgame, and the current dismal condition of the franchise.
The book reveals an interesting plan that the studio had regarding who would be replacing the holy trinity of the MCU Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, and Chris Hemsworth after the Infinity Saga. The studio had planned for Chadwick Boseman‘s Black Panther, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man, and Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel to be the face of the MCU moving forward. The writers wrote in the book saying, (via Bounding into Comics)
“He (Chadwick Boseman) appreciated that Robert Downey Jr. took the time to say, as Boseman put it, ‘Hey, you’re here. Here’s what I can bestow upon you or impart to you,’” he had “particularly valued spending time with other members of the new class, like Tom Holland and Captain Marvel star Brie Larson; they all expected that the success of Black Panther was a harbinger for their future.
The departure of franchise anchors like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, and Scarlett Johansson had already taken its toll, as had the shocking loss of Chadwick Boseman, but other MCU stalwarts were heading for the exits. The Guardians of the Galaxy cast went on a farewell tour.
Brie Larson grew disillusioned, and Marvel tussled with Sony in a custody battle over Tom Holland. And Chris Hemsworth, one of the last remaining original Avengers, received alarming news in 2022: genetic testing revealed he has a predisposition for Alzheimer’s disease, which forced him to contemplate the end of his time playing Thor.”
The non-existence of a definitive leader and focus of the current MCU is one of the major criticisms that people have been pointing out. Unlike how the Infinity Saga was spearheaded by Downey Jr, Evans, and Hemsworth, there doesn’t seem to be any clear major character that keeps all the narratives connected and every project felt random and pointless.
Chris Evans Does Not Want to Reprise His Role Any Time Soon
Chris Evans ended his magnificent tenure as Captain America with an emotionally satisfying ending in Avengers: Endgame. But fans continue to wish for the actor’s return. (also due to the deteriorating state of the MCU) Evans addressed this aspect and expressed how he had a great time playing the character and didn’t want to tarnish its reputation by hastily making a comeback. He told GQ,
“I’ll never say never, just because it was such a wonderful experience. But I’m also very precious with it. It’s something that I am very proud of. And like I said, sometimes I can’t believe it even happened. And I wouldn’t want the black eye if it felt like a cash grab or if it didn’t live up to expectations or if it just felt like it wasn’t connected to that original thing. So, no time soon.”
The MCU is currently airing its second season of Loki on Disney+. The Marvels is also coming up for release on November 10, 2023. It remains to be seen whether the MCU can rise back to its glory with both these and the other announced projects in Phases 5 and 6.
