Summary
Marvel Studios and itsMarvel Cinematic Universehave been an authority in Hollywood, but even the mighty can make mistakes. However, mistakes are one thing, learning from them is another. And it seems theMCUis, wisely, in the stages of the latter.
The word from Disney is that the company has decided to cancel three upcoming Disney+ shows:Nova,Terror Inc., andStrange Academy. This move shows that Kevin Feige and his team want to refocus and balance the MCU’s movie releases. For fans who have longimagined how these shows could fit into the larger MCU projects,these cancelations are akin to dashed hopes. But they eventually represent a return to Marvel’s core values of character-driven narratives and flawless storytelling. The choice shows a dedication to avoiding the problems of Phase Four when viewers found it challenging to commit to overwhelming content.
Marvel’s Recent Decision Hurts
The death-before-birth of these three shows hurts not only because of the stories they promised, but also because some were in active development and even had showrunner(s) attached.Nova, in particular, has been a long-awaited project, because fans were eager to see Richard Rider’s journey from a human to a cosmic hero. The series was expected to look into the aftermath of Thanos' destruction of Xandar and follow up on Nova Corps (who can forget that beautiful combat display of their pilots inGuardians of the Galaxy?). Barely three months ago,the series announced a showrunner in Edward Benero. Now it’s all for naught.
Terror Inc. was set to give the MCU a more horror-focused tone. The show would have focused on the mysterious and ethically questionable figure of Terror, a mercenary with superhuman skills connected to his capacity to absorb and possess his enemies' body parts. It is — or was — billed as a more mature plot that lovers ofDaredevilwould relish.
Wong fans wear the same mourning clothes as fans of the other two shows. As the spiritual successor to Doctor Strange, the magician was meant to train a new generation of wizards inStrange Academy, a show that would expound on the complicated nature of magic and the responsibilities that surround applying it. There was little movement forward other than its early development stages, so there are little to no resources Marvel Studios has expended on the project.
Why Nova, Terror Inc., and Strange Academy?
The MCU Is in Its Mid-Course Correction Phase
While the studio has not provided detailed explanations for the decision, some insights from Marvel executives and industry reports shed light on the reasoning behind the decisions. Marvel Studios Head of Streaming, Television, and Animation,Brad Winderbaum, says thatNova’s shelvingis a result of the studio’s desire to avoid oversaturating the MCU with too many cosmic stories. Marvel executives felt that the cosmic side of the universe was already represented well by projects likeGuardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3andThe Marvels,and that introducingNovaat this time was redundant at best.
Strange Academymay have possibly complicated the multiverse concept more than it already is. Given that the Multiverse saga is still learning to walk — after falling multiple times — adding another show on that topic is not the brightest of ideas.Besides, what would it do thatDoctor Strange in the Multiverse of MadnessandLokihasn’t?
By now, it’s no news that the Marvel Cinematic Universe, for the past few years at least, has had a quality problem.Captain America: Brave New Worldstrugglingto keep afloat at the box office tells fans all they need to know about the current state of the franchise. Kevin Feige and his team have returned to the drawing board, especially after the departure of Jonathan Majors as Kang. Bringing back Robert Downey Jr. as Doctor Doom inAvengers: Doomsdayand setting in motion plots forAvengers:Secret Warsare two steps in the course correcting direction. Axing the upcomingTerror Inc., Strange Academy, andNovaTV shows is a third.
It’s not just quality though; it’s a quantity problem as well. Marvel Studios are hard-pressed to respond to the increasing disapproval of their overly full roster of content. With too many projects competing for viewers' attention, not least the scores of Disney+shows, the MCU further weakened its brand after the initial post-Avengers Endgameflops. Fans were excited by the approach at first, but it quickly causedviewer fatigue within the MCU. It was challenging to keep up with the high volume of content, and several projects came across as half-baked. Disney Chief Bob Iger has long acknowledged this, but the new update withStrange Academy, Terror, Inc.,andNovais further proof of affirmative action of his company prioritizing quality over quantity.
Some Shows Are More Deserving of This Move
If any show needs to be booted out, it shouldn’t beNovaorTerror, Inc., (sorry, Wong fans).There’s no justification forIronheartorVision Questexisting.Wonder Mantoo. The show has already been filmed and packaged for a December release, so there’s no striking off here. But, if given a choice betweenNova,Terror, Inc,andWonder Man, many fans would likely pick the former two.
James Gunn’s DCU Should Watch Closely
The DCU TV Show Line-up Should Remain Under Three at a Time
James Gunn’s DCU began with a TV show (Creature Commandos) and will see at least three others debut in the first chapter of “Gods and Monsters.” These projects —Peacemaker,Lanterns,Waller— have every reason to be included in the line-up. What doesn’t is a plethora of needless TV shows about characters or lore that even staunch DC fans couldn’t care less about. Even a series aboutViola Davis' Amanda Waller is questionable, with regards to fan appeal.
Davis' character can surely command presence, and the actress herself is among the G.O.A.T. conversations. But Gunn risks making the same mistake Feige is trying to correct. The now-defunct DCEU is also a witness, in some respects.Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinnwas made on the shaky presumption that the Clown Princess of Crime, Harley Quinn, was strong enough to carry her own movie. At a time when calls for a directMan of Steelsequel and a Flash and Cyborg solo outing were loud. It famously backfired.
