Marvel Is Getting Rid Of All The Original Avengers
Disney CEO Bob Iger says by Phase 6 of the MCU, an entirely new team of Avengers will be assembled.
To say Phase 5 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is off to a rough start would be an understatement. Although Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania opened to a stellar $106 million, the film suffered the biggest second weekend drop of any MCU flick. The company previously announced it would be scaling back its Disney+ shows in an effort to focus on quality over quantity, and now Coming Soon (via IndiWire) is reporting that Disney CEO Bob Iger is looking to bring in “a whole set of different Avengers” for Phase 6 of the MCU.
Iger made the announcement during Morgan Stanley’s 2023 Technology Media and Telecom Conference on Thursday. After reminding folks that Marvel has a catalogue consisting of 7,000 characters with “a lot more stories to tell,” he revealed that fans will see an entirely new group of Avengers show up in the next phase of the MCU. Although he admitted the studio has seen a great deal of success with its sequels, he clearly believes it’s time to shift gears to ensure Marvel’s upcoming slate of films remains fresh and exciting.
The news that Marvel plans to introduce a new team of Avengers comes right on the heels of reports that the long-awaited sequel The Marvels is being pushed back from its July 28 release date to November 10. Initially, it was assumed that the film’s postponement was to allow more time for post-production. A series of new rumors, however, suggest that some behind-the-scenes drama involving Brie Larson is the primary reason for the sequel’s delay.
The 33-year-old actress joined the MCU in 2019’s Captain Marvel before reprising the role later that year in Avengers: Endgame. According to rumors, Brie Larson is extremely unhappy with the title of the upcoming Captain Marvel sequel. She allegedly feels the movie’s title, The Marvels, takes the spotlight off her as the leading lady.
Whether these rumors turn out to be true or not remains to be seen, but one thing that is certain is that Marvel could really use a break. Ever since Avengers: Endgame, which served as the epic conclusion to both Phase 3 and the Infinity Saga, the studio has struggled to captivate fans. The latest Marvel movie, Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania currently tying Eternals as the lowest rated film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe on Rotten Tomatoes.
Paul Rudd’s latest outing as Ant-Man has been criticized for its discombobulated story and appalling visuals. The threequel has been in theaters for nearly a month, and it has yet to earn $200 million domestically. Globally, Quantumania has grossed $456 million, which is extremely disappointing for a MCU feature.
Next up for Marvel is the hotly anticipated Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, which is scheduled to arrive in theaters on May 5, 2023. The film will serve as the final installment in James Gunn’s wildly popular superhero trilogy. With Marvel looking to explore entirely new characters, as well as introduce a new group of Avengers in Phase 6, it’s unknown if the latest Guardians movie will mark the final MCU appearances by the team.
