Death is coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but while some of the original team will be bowing out in continue to avoid superhero fatigue. As the Avengers is the flagship of the entire MCU, keeping that team an integral part of the franchise is essential from both a storytelling and box office perspective. Here's how the films have set the stage for the next generation of Avengers leads.This Page: What Avengers Replacements Need
What Made The Original Avengers Line-Up So Good?
The Avengers not only changed Hollywood with its record-breaking box office run, but the film demonstrated what the MCU could be capable of when it draws together characters and stories from different solo franchises into one event film. It's a formula that Marvel has continually tinkered with ever since, combining nearly all its marquee heroes for Captain America: Civil War, bringing Iron Man into Spider-Man: Homecoming and infusing the Hulk into Thor: Ragnarok, for instance.
But there's something extra special about The Avengers. Sure, a part of that air stems from the novelty of it being the first time fans had seen something like this on the big screen, but writer/director Joss Whedon integrated the various narrative threads in a way that felt more natural than even the Marvel Studios likely could have hoped. Although it could have used more diversity, the few ultimately selected as the first Avengers serve as the perfect balance of the various types of stories that would comprise the MCU as a whole.
Before Iron Man hit theaters, the idea of a multifaceted shared universe where literally anything can happen had never been attempted. So Marvel had to be strategic about how they ushered moviegoers (especially those with little to no knowledge of the comics) into a place where a powerful purple cosmic being coming to Earth just felt like a natural progression of what had come before. So, with each of its headlining Phase One heroes namely Iron Man, Captain America and Thor Marvel introduced moviegoers into a different aspect that would later develop into a major component of the MCU.
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Naturally, the most grounded of these three came first, with Iron Man opening the door to stories exploring science and technology (an arena also occupied by Captain America: The First Avenger to bookend the story to date, reflecting Cap's own adjustment from the simpler era of his heyday to the more morally complex modern day in Marvel's first foray into the political ramifications of superheroism.
What Avenger Replacements Need
So where does that leave the MCU, as far as new Avengers leads? Well, with the Big Three potentially eyeing the exit doors in either Infinity War or its untitled sequel, new additions would have to ensure that the scientific, cosmic and political sides of the MCU remain in play going forward. This would give the franchise the ability to continue building on its own canon, an especially vital approach since a straight-up MCU reboot likely isn't in the cards.
Moreover, incoming heroes should also be able to bring something new to the table, finding new wrinkles it can weave into the fabric of the MCU and heretofore untold stories it can reveal. Take, for instance, how 20 movies planned for after Avengers 4), just as it has in the comics.
Thankfully, Marvel Studios has expertly laid out its long-term plans. It should serve as no surprise, considering how the Avengers lineup has consistently changed on the page, that Marvel is playing the long game here. In fact, the studio already has an ana place for each of the three new Avengers leads as well as exciting possibilities for new additions to the lineup, ensuring continuity even if Iron Man, Captain America and Thor permanently depart the franchise.
Who Are The New Avengers?
The Avengers worked not just because of the characters involved, but the dynamic they had. It would thus make sense for the similar archetypes to exist going into the newer versions. That makes it no accident that the new team being built to already fill key roles.
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Spider-Man has already been heavily tied to Iron Man in the MCU, with its most famous hero.
On the political side of things, Captain America's parallel may be Wakandan warrior king T'Challa (who naturally debuted in Captain America: Civil War). The rich tale at the heart of mid-credits scene will continue to center on the world stage and Wakanda's role on it. As in the comics, Black Panther will be forced to balance his responsibility to his people with his ability to enact change on a global scale. This will enable films to continue the political commentary (and all the murky morality that entails) of Cap's adventures.
And finally, there's Captain Marvel. Although yet to be introduced, her Kree origins root her in the cosmic similar to the God of Thunder (the Captain Marvel movie will even involve the Kree-Skrull war). This side of the MCU has become increasingly prominent in both Thor's adventures and, of course, the Guardians of the Galaxy sub-franchise, and so Carol Danvers is the right pillar for that.
What's so interesting here is that while each character fits a broad role, there's room for overlap to ensure the gang in Avengers 5 and onwards aren't just reskins. Through Shuri, T'Challa has access to tech that would make Tony wince, Captain Marvel's cosmic stories are grounded clearly in reality, while Spider-Man may be the most versatile comic book character ever.
The Rest Of The New Avengers Roster Expand The Scope
With the above in mind, it's easy to see how Spider-Man, Black Panther and Captain Marvel are being positioned to lead the Avengers, but these three heroes alone don't constitute a full roster. Even the original Big Three were ed by other heroes who accentuated prevalent themes and pushed the dynamic forward (Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye). That's where other characters will come into play. Some ing players like Falcon, Scarlet Witch or even Hulk could stick around, but our money is more likely on fresher characters like Ant-Man, the Wasp or Valkyrie being added into the fold.
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Of course, there's one character we've purposely neglected to mention thus far: Doctor Strange. He's something of an anomaly, one of the major new-age heroes yet one without a key parallel. Yes, he's got the swagger of Stark, but his magic powers see him taking up a whole new area of the MCU. And that's what makes the whole situation so interesting; it can evolve. Not just repeating what came before, the presence of new variables like Doctor Strange can - like his 2016 movie did to the movies - can expand the scope.
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Until we get official word on what new characters will be ing the MCU post-2019, all we can do is speculate about which might the Avengers. With the Disney/Fox deal still very much a factor, we could wind up with some of the X-Men or Fantastic Four popping up or long-rumored additions like Namor and Nova. Regardless of what ing players the lineup, audiences should have plenty to look forward to with Spider-Man, Black Panther, Captain Marvel and Doctor Strange leading Earth's Mightiest Heroes into battle.
