Although much remains up in the air after the topsy-turvy year Marvel had in 2023, there were two things we thought were indisputable fact: the Kang dynasty is over and The Marvels is the MCU’s biggest flop.
And then we started hearing that the studio could potentially simply recast Jonathan Majors rather than replace the character, and now even The Marvels might manage to avoid its ruinous reputation if things continue. Although that big ol’ Disney Plus shake-up we knew was coming? Oh yeah, that’s still happening…
The Marvels arrives on digital to untold positivity and acclaim… no, really
Although Marvel’s still holding out on when we can expect it on Disney Plus, The Marvels is finally out there on digital, and the reactions to its VOD release are practically diametrically opposed to what the film faced when it hit theaters in November. Fans are flocking to social media to praise the chemistry of its three leads, its action scenes and general fun, comic book vibe. That’s not exactly going to undo the damage caused by its disastrous box office haul, but at least The Marvels looks to become a cult favorite among the MCU fandon. That’s more tan can be said for something like, say, Thor: Love and Thunder.
Tatiana Maslany comes clean on She-Hulk season 2 chances: “Disney was like ‘no, thanks'”
If you’re thinking the MCU’s TV lineup needs a rethink after middling releases like Echo and What If…? season 2, then just know that Marvel is way ahead of you. Last year, we learned that the studio is re-strategizing how it approaches its streaming content from top to bottom, which means we’ve got a lot of changes ahead. And we’re starting to see them already. Tatiana Maslany has admitted that we’re highly unlikely to ever get a She-Hulk: Attorney at Law as Marvel has pretty much passed on it at this point due to the first run’s exorbitant budget. Personally, though, I still think there’s a fantastic future for Shulkie in the franchise.
The Bear takeover of the MCU threatens to continue, but Jeremy Allen White is staying far away
Are you happy for The Bear‘s success this awards season? Well, that’s good, because the cast of the Hulu “comedy” have got even bigger things ahead of them as the MCU looks to be snapping up Mr. Beef’s entire staff. Ayo Edebiri is set for Thunderbolts, rumor has it Ebon Moss-Bachrach could be the Thing, and now Matty Matheson has admitted that it’s a dream of his to join the Marvel universe as well. It looks like self-confessed MCU-aphobe Jeremy Allen “I deliberately tanked my Kevin Feige meeting” White could be left out in the cold as his former fellow sandwich makers become superheroes.