8 MCU Movies Released At The Wrong Time
Some MCU films might have had a bigger impact or avoided some of the biggest mistakes if they came out at a different time. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is divided into sagas, each of which is divided into periods consisting of a group of films that are relatively related to each other by plot, theme, or place in the MCU timeline. However, MCU projects are also prone to delays and need to introduce characters in time for team-ups and crossover events, or simply keep them in development until the studio sees the time is right. Certain feature-length releases have stood out above every MCU movie released so far, but others have failed to reach critics and audiences’ expectations. Whether an MCU entry is a hit or a disappointment depends on many factors behind the scenes, but their timing and relation to the projects that came before and after also influences their reception. As meticulously planned as the MCU may seem, there have been several times when Marvel Studios could have moved a movie’s release in order to do the project justice and make the franchise more streamlined.
Iron Man 2
The third MCU release, Iron Man 2, continues Tony Stark’s journey right after revealing his double life to the world. But beyond cementing Iron Man as a hero and establishing an eventual partnership with the Avengers, Iron Man 2 doesn’t offer anything particularly groundbreaking. If Marvel Studios had waited to release Iron Man 2 until after The Avengers, Tony Stark’s MCU character arc might have had more time to develop, allowing Iron Man 3 to conclude Stark’s solo trilogy closer to the end. his death in Avengers: Endgame. Given the current situation, Iron Man 2 seems to have missed the opportunity to focus more on the main character of the Infinity Saga.
Ant-Man & The Wasp
2018’s Ant-Man and the Wasp followed Scott Lang as an established hero. But like Iron Man 2 did with Tony Stark, the Ant-Man sequel didn’t do much to take the hero in a fresh direction. Ant-Man and the Wasp did give Hope van Dyne her own superhero persona and set up Avengers: Endgame by leaving Ant-Man trapped in the Quantum Realm, but failed to stand out among hard-hitting Phase 3 entries like Thor: Ragnarok and Black Panther. Had the Ant-Man sequel waited to come out until after Avengers: Endgame, Ant-Man and his allies could have starred in a more unique story that didn’t let them be overshadowed by bigger titles.
Black Panther
Black Panther made a huge cultural impact beyond the MCU and the superhero genre. Instead of solving an issue, a different release date for Black Panther could have taken T’Challa’s solo movie to new heights. Had Marvel Studios released Black Panther earlier, T’Challa could have had more time to establish himself as a key MCU hero in the Infinity Saga, and he could have interacted more with characters like Iron Man and Captain America before Avengers: Endgame concluded their journey. Crossover events like Captain America: Civil War could have also raised their stakes a little more with an experienced Black Panther audiences were already acquainted with.
Captain Marvel
Captain Marvel marked a key point in Marvel Studios’ history as the first female-led MCU movie. However, Captain Marvel’s first solo film would benefit from an earlier release date not only because of the long-awaited milestone for the series, but also because an earlier introduction would allow Carol Danvers to blend in. easier with MCU. Released between Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel left little room for Carol Danvers to mingle and interact with the Avengers before the Infinity Saga ended – an issue highlighted by her long absence. she is between Captain Marvel. Setting in the 1990s and the plot of Avengers: Endgame in 2023.
Black Widow
2021’s Black Widow has an even bigger release date problem than Captain Marvel. As a founding member of the Avengers, Natasha Romanoff was the perfect candidate to be the MCU’s first female protagonist. Yet, not only did Marvel Studios wait far too long to give Black Widow her own movie, but the film also came out two years after the character’s definitive death. Given that Black Widow takes place between Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, its most logical release date would have been 2017, exactly between the release dates of those movies, back when Black Widow’s ultimate fate was still unknown.
Eternals
Eternals’ independence from the rest of the MCU gives it the flexibility to release at almost any time. However, Eternals’ late 2021 release date puts it in a difficult position. The Infinity Saga has ended and the narrative underpinnings of the Multiverse Saga are still unclear. After WandaVision, what will happen? and Loki season 1 teased the MCU’s new overarching storyline, and after Black Widow and Falcon and the Winter Soldier revisited known characters, Eternals‘ relatively self-contained story raised questions about the Eternals’ role in the franchise. With Ikaris gone and the team divided, the Eternals’ MCU future is even more uncertain than it was before their debut.
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
While Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness fits within the main themes of the Multiverse story and the advanced character arcs of Doctor Strange, Scarlet Witch, and America Chavez, it does touch on important aspects of multiverse too soon. None of the seven following Phase 4 and 5 titles expanded on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ ideas, and neither of the three main characters received solid plans for their future afterward. In fact, WandaVision had set up an extensive multiversal story for Scarlet Witch, but the Doctor Strange sequel summarized what could have been at least a two-movie-long character arc by making a full-fledged villain who redeemed herself in record time.
Iron Man 3
Iron Man 3 suffered from Iron Man 2’s early release, as it wrapped up much of Tony Stark’s character several years before his MCU series finally ended. Released in 2013, Iron Man 3 preceded Iron Man’s second appearance in Avengers by two years. As a result, Tony Stark destroyed his armor and abandoned his obsession with Iron Man, only to return to more advanced weapons soon after. Had Marvel Studios released Iron Man 2 after Avengers: Age of Ultron and Iron Man 3 after Captain America: Civil War, Tony Stark’s transformation across the MCU‘s Iron Man trilogy would have seemed more organic.