Avengers: Doomsday Star May Have Just Exposed the MCU’s Real Problem
One Avengers: Doomsday star’s comments expose what the MCU‘s biggest problem is, and it’s not the one you’d expect.
Sebastian Stan will reprise his role as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier in Avengers: Doomsday, in theaters on December 18, 2026. While appearing at the Cannes Film Festival, Stan spoke about his future in Marvel, which has come into question since he signed on to play Harvey Dent in DC’s The Batman: Part II.
Judging by his comments, Stan hopes to remain in the MCU for years to come.
“It’s sort of like having a sibling you’ve never known you had, who you’ve spent 15 years with,” Stan said about playing Bucky via X. “There’s been a comfort there returning every few years, which hopefully I’ll keep doing.”
What is the biggest problem Marvel faces after Avengers: Doomsday?
Contrary to popular belief, superhero fatigue is not the biggest problem facing the MCU after Avengers: Doomsday. While superhero fatigue is a real thing, Marvel has taken steps to combat the issue by reducing the number of films and shows it releases per year.
Fans are still going to flock to the theaters to see their favorite superheroes in action. Marvel’s two new releases this year, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday, will each make at least $1 billion at the box office, and that’s on the conservative side.
Rather, Marvel has encountered a star problem, particularly in Phases Four and Five. At the beginning of the MCU, Marvel introduced new heroes, made the actors into big stars, and then teamed them up in an Avengers movie. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, and Jeremy Renner all became stars in the MCU — fans showed up in waves to see their characters in movies.
The trend would continue with the characters in Spider-Man, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Black Panther. Diversity became the MCU’s biggest strength, as each character felt unique.
Marvel certainly tried to make new stars with Moon Knight, Shang-Chi, the Eternals, the Marvels, the New Avengers, and the Fantastic Four. Some worked, while others didn’t. It wasn’t enough to change Marvel’s approach going forward.
Avengers: Doomsday is supposed to set up the MCU’s future. It’s difficult to believe that the movie has been completely reconstructed to rely on legacy rather than new blood. Hemsworth, Evans, and Downey are all back. Marvel even brought back the Russos to direct. Avengers: Doomsday might turn out to be a great movie, but where does Marvel go after that if it doesn’t trust new characters to lead the next phase? That’s the problem that must be solved.
Originally reported by Dan Girolamo for SuperHeroHype.
Source: Comingsoon.net