Since Avengers: Endgame, Marvel Studios has been consistently facing diminishing returns. Following the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, many fans felt they had reached a satisfying ending and were ready to move on. It didn’t help that Marvel decided to kick it into high gear instead of taking a few years to let anticipation build. Shortly after Endgame, Marvel announced a litany of shows that would be releasing on Disney+ over the next several years. While some projects found success, others failed to meet expectations, and audiences increasingly voiced concerns that MCU’s quantity was beginning to outweigh its quality. With all of these issues coalescing during the COVID-19 pandemic, general audiences seemed to just drift away from Marvel movies.
Although recent films like Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps have received critical praise, they still underperformed at the box office. Marvel Studios is in dire need of a win, and Avengers: Doomsday is poised to be just that. The Russo Brothers are returning to direct, Robert Downey Jr. is playing the Doctor Doom, and the original X-Men cast is making its long-awaited MCU crossover. Marvel is putting everything they have into Avengers: Doomsday, and, if successful, it could save the franchise. However, with so many characters crossing over in a run time of just three hours, it is possible that this film doesn’t live up to the hype. If Marvel wants Avengers: Doomsday to save the franchise, these are the 5 things it absolutely needs to get right...
Character Interactions
If the Russos have shown us anything from their tenure in the MCU, it is that they know how fun it is for the audience to watch beloved characters meet for the first time. In Captain America: Civil War, we got to see the hilarious first encounter between Paul Rudd's Ant-Man and Captain America. Avengers: Infinity War was the first time the Guardians of the Galaxy met Earth-bound heroes. These interactions are often comedic, such as Rocket Raccoon insisting that he would steal Bucky's bionic arm. They can also lead to impactful bonds between characters that reveal where they are in their story arc. Tony Stark spent a lot of time alone with Nebula, who never had a caring father figure. Shortly after that, Tony became the father of a little girl of his own. From the X-Men to the Fantastic Four and the large assortment of Avengers, there are so many characters that will appear in this film. It will be fascinating to see Cyclops, Captain America, and Mr. Fantastic all formulating a plan as the respective leaders of their teams. Will Thor have an emotional reunion with his seemingly deceased brother, Loki? How will the former Avengers feel about this team of New Avengers that has overtaken their original base? Avengers: Doomsday's vast cast of characters can be utilized for much more than just grand battle scenes. We need to see conversations that help endear us to newer characters while reminding us why we still love the older ones.
The X-Men Need A Moment To Shine
The record for Marvel's best-selling single issue of a comic is held by the X-Men. This team is so popular that when Marvel was scrambling to make money in the 1990s, it sold off the film rights to the X-Men. Those films would go on to set the precedent for modern superhero team movies. On top of that, these films had an amazing cast of veteran stars mixed with up-and-coming talents. Although the later films suffered from major production issues that resulted in subpar movies, the cast and the characters they played were always an absolute highlight. It is amazing that we are going to see so many of the original actors return to reprise fan-favorite characters. Rebecca Romijn as Mystique, James Marsden as Cyclops, Alan Cumming as Nightcrawler, Patrick Stewart as Professor X, and so many more are confirmed to appear in Avengers: Doomsday with fully updated costumes. It would be lunacy to have such a remarkable team at your disposal and not give them a scene that shows them all using their powers in glorious fashion. A scene like this may already be confirmed with one trailer seemingly showing a battle between the X-Men and the Sentinels, which results in the destruction of the X-Mansion. Despite it being an Avengers film, the X-Men undoubtedly deserve their moment in the limelight, as we haven't seen them all together since 2014.
Doctor Doom Must Be Intimidating
Victor Von Doom is undeniably Marvel's most iconic villain, and yet he has never been given a proper portrayal in film. In the comics, this super-genius sorcerer is the sole ruler of his own country, Latveria, and he is so vastly powerful that even the Avengers cannot question his authority. This is the same character who famously reshaped the universe in his own image and ripped the spine out of Thanos. Robert Downey Jr.'s performance as Doctor Doom is yet to be fully seen aside from a voice over, but regardless of the emotional depth he brings to the character, he must be frightening above all else. The Avengers should need to team up with the X-Men and the Fantastic Four out of necessity because they simply cannot match Doom's might. Early in Avengers: Doomsday, Doctor Doom needs to demonstrate his power by either killing an established character or effortlessly defeating a team of superheroes. There should be an inherent sense of fear and dread whenever Doom shares a scene with a beloved character, because it should always feel possible that he could kill them at any moment. This character, although iconic, has not appeared in any previous MCU films, so he needs to be introduced early on and established as an extremely formidable threat from the moment he appears on screen.
Newer Characters Cannot Be Dismissed
The Russo Brothers have made it clear that this film heavily builds off the story of Avengers: Endgame. They have even announced a theatrical re-release of Endgame with additional scenes that will apparently add context to the upcoming movie. This is great for casual audiences who stopped watching Marvel movies in recent years, but what about the die-hard fans who have consistently kept up with the MCU and fallen in love with the characters introduced after Endgame? Florence Pugh's Yelena, Simu Liu's Shang-Chi, and Hailee Steinfeld's Kate Bishop all made their debuts after Marvel's peak popularity, but that doesn't make them any less compelling. These characters have fascinating powers, interesting dynamics with the original Avengers, and talented actors giving everything they have in each performance. If Avengers: Doomsday simply pushes the newer cast aside in favor of capitalizing on nostalgia, it will feel cheap. While a movie with a cast this large cannot possibly give everyone equal screen time, this new generation of heroes has earned its place in the MCU and deserves a few moments in the spotlight.
An Ending Leads That Into Avengers: Secret Wars
Everyone remembers the moment at the end of Avengers: Infinity War when half of the heroes faded into dust and Thanos retired to a peaceful farm after completing his mission. It seemed that all was lost, but audiences knew there was more story to be told, making fans even more excited for Avengers: Endgame. When two major films are designed to tell one cohesive story, the first installment needs to leave audiences eager for what comes next. We know that Avengers: Doomsday will connect to Avengers: Secret Wars because the comic event on which Secret Wars is based features Doctor Doom as its primary antagonist. We have no idea what Doomsday's story will entail, but whatever happens must naturally escalate into Secret Wars. If the ending is bland, unsatisfying, or leaves little anticipation for the future, audiences simply will not return as excited to see how the story unfolds. Obviously, Marvel should not simply repeat the formula of Infinity War and Endgame. However, in this instance, it is imperative that Avengers: Doomsday ends by leaving fans eager for the next installment.
Everything is in place for Avengers: Doomsday to become Marvel Studios' biggest success in years. The Russo Brothers are back, Robert Downey Jr. is returning, and heroes from across Marvel's cinematic universe are finally sharing the screen. However, with great expectations also comes the possibility of great disappointment. If Marvel can deliver on these five key areas, Avengers: Doomsday could succeed and it will restore faith in the MCU. Regardless we will be excitedly seated in theaters on December 18th to see if the film can live up to the hype!
