What If Marvel were to scrap the MCU's Phase 4?

[Nomads1]

Honestly, seeing the Endgame closed the door on 10 years of great storytelling and on the contracts and use of some of the MU's best proprieties, and being totally and completely underwhelmed by everything that has come out of Marvel Studios (Movies and TV series), as well as what is being announced to come down the road, I can't help but wonder if it wouldn't be better to close that door and take a look at other great proprieties and storylines that have been overlooked so far.
I will leave out F4 and X-Men, since it's still not clear how those propreties will fit in.
Seeing how most of the first 3 phases of the MCU have dealt with home threats and threats from out there (space), I would go on this new phase with threats that come from beneath, from the Underworld to be more specific. Of course there would be some different flavours of films, but the theme would permeate through them. The characters I'd foccus would be:
1- Son of Satan - Daimon and Satanna could be the central characters of this new arc, with Satanna maybe even spinning of to her own film. However, I would foccus on a less corruptuble and corrupted take on Hellstorm. While he would fight fire with fire, he'd never oose sight of his humanity, and what he's fighting for.
2 - Namor - Atlantis could and should be knee deep in old misticism. The story of Namor would be tangencial to the main story-line, eventually mixing things up a bit. Namor is a powerhouse that would greatly serve our heroes, if he feels like it.
3 - Blade - Of the new characters announced, Blade would be one that would be at home here, in his war on vampires. I hope it's different from the Wesley Snipes take, though (as perfect as it was then).
4 - Adam Warlock - Warlock would take the Surfer's traditional place, as that incorruptable mesianic figure brought by science to fight ancient evil.
5 - Captain Britain - Dipped in Magic, clothed in science. Scientist Brian Braddock is recruited by Merlin and imbued with incredible ancient powers to serve as a last line of defense againt evil.
6 - Midnight Sons - The team film to join everyone else. That name is way too cool to be left unused.

So, there you have it, a role of minor Marvel stars with the potential to shine as bright as the major players. Of course, Marvel has already wasted some shots that would fit very well here, such as Iron Fist and Ky'lun. As for the story line, it would be the set-up for an all-out battle for the throne of Hell between guys like Mephisto, Satan, Satanish, Belasco, etc..., and you could introduce all kinds of players such as Firebird, Pip, Stingray, Puma, Jenniffer Kale, Man-Thing, Hannibal King, Dr. Druid, etc...
So, if you were Marvel, and you could scrap phase 4, how would you go on?

Peace

[CosmiComic]

I'd rather see everyone planned to appear than almost any of those characters you mentioned.

[Tofali]

I don't like majority of characters in Phase 1 - 3 in the comic book but Marvel Studio manage to entertain me enough to like their movies. I'll give the benefit of the doubt to Marvel to start the process again of making me like things that I usually wouldn't give a second thought in the comic. It's going to be uncomfortable.

[CosmiComic]

I don't like majority of characters in Phase 1 - 3 in the comic book but Marvel Studio manage to entertain me enough to like their movies. I'll give the benefit of the doubt to Marvel to start the process again of making me like things that I usually wouldn't give a second thought in the comic. It's going to be uncomfortable.

It's funny you say that because the ones they use in the MCU seem to be ones I like the most in Marvel Comics, but not necessarily because they're in the MCU

[Reviresco]

It's funny you say that because the ones they use in the MCU seem to be ones I like the most in Marvel Comics, but not necessarily because they're in the MCU

How long have you been reading comics? The MCU characters (or soon to be MCU characters) are the ones that get all the comics and love in the comics, so it's no surprise that readers of the last 15+ years would like them more. Non-MCU characters are lucky to get cameos, wall paper roles, and the occasional trademark saving mini-series. They don't get their own plotlines and consistent care.

[Reviresco]

Honestly, seeing the Endgame closed the door on 10 years of great storytelling and on the contracts and use of some of the MU's best proprieties, and being totally and completely underwhelmed by everything that has come out of Marvel Studios (Movies and TV series), as well as what is being announced to come down the road, I can't help but wonder if it wouldn't be better to close that door and take a look at other great proprieties and storylines that have been overlooked so far.
I will leave out F4 and X-Men, since it's still not clear how those propreties will fit in.
Seeing how most of the first 3 phases of the MCU have dealt with home threats and threats from out there (space), I would go on this new phase with threats that come from beneath, from the Underworld to be more specific. Of course there would be some different flavours of films, but the theme would permeate through them. The characters I'd foccus would be:
1- Son of Satan - Daimon and Satanna could be the central characters of this new arc, with Satanna maybe even spinning of to her own team. However, I would foccus on a less corruptuble and corrupted take on Hellstorm. While he would fight fire with fire, he'd never oose sight of his humanity, and what he's fighting for.
2 - Namor - Atlantis could and should be knee deep in old misticism. The story of Namor would be tangencial to the main story-line, eventually mixing things up a bit. Namor is a powerhouse that would greatly serve our heroes, if he feels like it.
3 - Blade - Of the new characters announced, Blade would be one that would be at home here, in his war on vampires. I hope it's different from the Wesley Snipes take, though (as perfect as it was then).
4 - Adam Warlock - Warlock would take the Surfer's traditional place, as that incorruptable mesianic figure brought by science to fight ancient evil.
5 - Captain Britain - Dipped in Magic, clothed in science. Scientist Brian Braddock is recruited by Merlin and imbued with incredible ancient powers to serve as a last line of defense againt evil.
6 - Midnight Sons - The team film to join everyone else. That name is way too cool to be left unused.

So, there you have it, a role of minor Marvel stars with the potential to shine as bright as the major players. Of course, Marvel has already wasted some shots that would fit very well here, such as Iron Fist and Ky'lun. As for the story line, it would be the set-up for an all-out battle for the throne of Hell between guys like Mephisto, Satan, Satanish, Belasco, etc..., and you could introduce all kinds of players such as Firebird, Pip, Stingray, Puma, Jenniffer Kale, Man-Thing, Hannibal King, Dr. Druid, etc...
So, if you were Marvel, and you could scrap phase 4, how would you go on?

Peace

I've been fairly happy with what's been released for Phase 4 by Marvel Studios so far, but have enjoyed Wanda, Vision, Bucky and Falcon, Black Widow, and Loki in the comics. I wasn't thrilled with the announcement of the Eternals and some of the other TV shows -- there are other characters I'd rather see, some of which listed.

I LOVE the idea of doing a Horror / Supernatural phase, and would love to see all those characters you listed. I think we would need Doctor Strange, also.

[CosmiComic]

How long have you been reading comics? The MCU characters (or soon to be MCU characters) are the ones that get all the comics and love in the comics, so it's no surprise that readers of the last 15+ years would like them more. Non-MCU characters are lucky to get cameos, wall paper roles, and the occasional trademark saving mini-series. They don't get their own plotlines and consistent care.

I've read them on and off since the late 90s but only systematically in the last 5-10 years, although I was generally aware of the some of the major events during the 00s/10s as they happened. I was actually more familiar with DC in the beginning.

I know pre-00s comics had more focus on the X-Men, but even within the comics, I found the whole "fictional bigotry" thing overused and tired, despite liking characters like Beast, Nightcrawler and Wolverine. Avengers seem more dynamic. Although it may be due to them getting more attention, as you pointed out.

personally, I think both Avengers and X-Men should get support. one shouldn't be above the other

[Citizen Kane]

They should have stopped at Endgame, honestly. The next Avengers is supposed to be based off of Secret Invasion, I believe? Secret Invasion should have been what Avengers: Age of Ultron was, and they still could have used that movie as Ultron's origin. Nothing coming out of Marvel at the moment seems to have any real direction as to where they want to take the overarching plot. It just seems as though every MCU show and movie right now are just things that are happening and not anything that's building up to a conclusion.

My fanfic: I'm thinking that Ultron gets used by Stark due to the Secret Invasion, and Ultron brutally removes the Skrull from the planet by using Sokovia as a projectile to destroy the Skrull command ship. Avengers fight Ultron at the end of the movie for his war crimes, but Ultron escapes and "realizes" humanity is the barrier stopping him from saving the Earth. Ultron makes a deal with Thanos to retrieve the Infinity Gems on Earth, but is then betrayed when he hands them to Thanos. Ultron decides to help the Avengers retrieve the gems, and he ends up sacrificing himself to stop Thanos.

[CosmiComic]

Not everything has to build up to a conclusion. Some things just are. There's plenty of material left in the comics to be adapted

[Citizen Kane]

Not everything has to build up to a conclusion. Some things just are.

Well, that's not true. Every story has a beginning, middle, and an end. If you're not building up to a conclusion in a story, is it even a story? But I get what you mean—you're talking about the film universe and how every movie doesn't need to be building up or towards an overarching cross-movie plot—sure. However, the MCU was created with an overarching plot in mind, and now that it's done, the recent releases have felt hollow, in comparison.

[Nomads1]

I've been fairly happy with what's been released for Phase 4 by Marvel Studios so far, but have enjoyed Wanda, Vision, Bucky and Falcon, Black Widow, and Loki in the comics.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same. Too formulaiac, too much of a political agenda for my tastes, and, IMHO, not enough respect for the characters and for the source material.

I wasn't thrilled with the announcement of the Eternals and some of the other TV shows -- there are other characters I'd rather see, some of which listed.

I wasn't either. Like the Eternals in comics (Heck, it's Jack Kirby at his purest. What's not to like?), but the trailer bored me to tears, and, while I can't be 100% sure it's real (so I won't get into it), the leaked summary I've seen of the script seems terrible, spitting all over the source material to "twist expectations" (which, IMHO, nowadays is code for gender or race swap, sometimes both). To no one's surprise, the Black Widow's movie didn't rock anyone's world. The rythm of the TV shows has been, IMHO, awful, and it really has deliverd very little, compared to what it promised and what it has the potential to deliver. I still haven't been able to force myself to watch Loki beyond the third episode, and that was the series I was most psyched to watch (I know. Many say that's when it heats up, but the drag of it was too much for me). However, my greatest disappointment was what has been shown to us of The Master of the Kung Fu. Little known to the normies (and to many who actually read the comics) Shang-Chi, at it's hight, was an expionage thriller that could rival with James Bond at it's best, and they've, once more, wasted all that potential to give us yet again another formuliac movie. I honestly wish Marvel would try something as risky as paying more respect to the source material.

I LOVE the idea of doing a Horror / Supernatural phase, and would love to see all those characters you listed. I think we would need Doctor Strange, also.

In a supernatural themed saga? Sure he would, but in my fantasy world I wanted to break completly from the previous phases of the MCU. I also kept away from Ghost Rider, another that would be perfect for this, because with seen the hot-rod version in Agents of SHIELD, and I still have nightmares about the Nicholas Cage version (and not the good kind).

Peace

[CosmiComic]

Well, that's not true. Every story has a beginning, middle, and an end. If you're not building up to a conclusion in a story, is it even a story? But I get what you mean—you're talking about the film universe and how every movie doesn't need to be building up or towards an overarching cross-movie plot—sure. However, the MCU was created with an overarching plot in mind, and now that it's done, the recent releases have felt hollow, in comparison.

Yeah, I was more referring to a cinematic universe. And I've heard a lot of the reverse complaints about how there's too much set up. Honestly, I don't buy either complaint

Unfortunately, I can't say the same. Too formulaiac, too much of a political agenda for my tastes, and, IMHO, not enough respect for the characters and for the source material.

I don't see what you're talking about tbh. What political agenda is there?

[Holt]

I was wondering how long before the true "identity politics" reasoning behind the initial post came out. Yeah, ngl, I'm way more interested in what we're getting than just about anything up there.

Nothing coming out of Marvel at the moment seems to have any real direction as to where they want to take the overarching plot.

There's actually a very obvious direction that at least some of the future properties are headed. If there isn't some sort of Secret Wars movie within the next decade I'd be absolutely shociked.

[BlueElf94]

Unfortunately, I can't say the same. Too formulaiac, too much of a political agenda for my tastes, and, IMHO, not enough respect for the characters and for the source material.

I wasn't either. Like the Eternals in comics (Heck, it's Jack Kirby at his purest. What's not to like?), but the trailer bored me to tears, and, while I can't be 100% sure it's real (so I won't get into it), the leaked summary I've seen of the script seems terrible, spitting all over the source material to "twist expectations" (which, IMHO, nowadays is code for gender or race swap, sometimes both). To no one's surprise, the Black Widow's movie didn't rock anyone's world. The rythm of the TV shows has been, IMHO, awful, and it really has deliverd very little, compared to what it promised and what it has the potential to deliver. I still haven't been able to force myself to watch Loki beyond the third episode, and that was the series I was most psyched to watch (I know. Many say that's when it heats up, but the drag of it was too much for me). However, my greatest disappointment was what has been shown to us of The Master of the Kung Fu. Little known to the normies (and to many who actually read the comics) Shang-Chi, at it's hight, was an expionage thriller that could rival with James Bond at it's best, and they've, once more, wasted all that potential to give us yet again another formuliac movie. I honestly wish Marvel would try something as risky as paying more respect to the source material.


In a supernatural themed saga? Sure he would, but in my fantasy world I wanted to break completly from the previous phases of the MCU. I also kept away from Ghost Rider, another that would be perfect for this, because with seen the hot-rod version in Agents of SHIELD, and I still have nightmares about the Nicholas Cage version (and not the good kind).

Peace

How do you define "respecting the source material"? I'm not asking a rhetorical question here, but statements like this tend to mean different things to different people.

[Citizen Kane]

There's actually a very obvious direction that at least some of the future properties are headed. If there isn't some sort of Secret Wars movie within the next decade I'd be absolutely shociked.

I'm not sure what Kang the Conqueror or the Skrull have to do with The Beyonder or the Beyonders. All Marvel has done so far is introduce the multiverse, and that seems to be paving the way for Annihilus' entry into the MCU, if anything.