Marvel has already taken its ambitious shared-universe model and expanded it from film to television (and entered the realm of streaming with Daredevil‘s Netflix debut this weekend). Now, however, they may begin experimenting with a new medium altogether: animation. According to Marvel’s Vice President of Animation Development and Production, Cort Lane, animated tie-ins to the larger MCU may be on the horizon.
During Emerald City Comic-Con last weekend, Lane was asked by a fan about the possibility of seeing animated projects set in the MCU. Lane’s response was a non-committal but promising statement saying that while he couldn’t announce anything, “things are in the works.”
What “things” Lane is alluding to are a complete mystery, but he did point toward Daredevil as a “proof-of-concept” for projects that tie into the larger world that Marvel has created. On one hand, it makes complete sense that the studio would try to conquer the animated realm next. However, that sort of endeavor comes with its own set of hurdles, especially when you consider the slew of animated Marvel Comics shows already airing on Disney XD.
A shared animated universe certainly can be done – DC and Warner Brothers are currently succeeding on that front with multiple direct-to-video animated features – but reconciling that with a slate that already includes shows like Avengers Assemble, Ultimate Spider-Man, Hulk and the Agents of S.M.A.S.H. and soon, Guardians of the Galaxy, is where things get tricky.
If anyone can find a way to do it though, it’s Marvel. The studio has already paved the way for the shared universe model in film and television and have been met with nothing but success along the way. Now that Daredevil has premiered on Netflix, to widespread praise, launching animated tie-ins to the MCU on Netflix is likely a viable option. Or, perhaps they could make animated films instead of television shows. Disney’s Big Hero 6 was a huge hit last year and it’s easy to imagine how much more successful it could have been had it featured some Iron Man or Captain America cameos.
Tell us, would you like to see animated projects that tie into the MCU? Let us know in the comments below.