There has been growing speculation over a potential ‘Avengers reboot’. This would involve Marvel bringing back the original members of the Avengers for a future movie. However, as Marvel fans will know, Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) were both killed off in Avengers: Endgame. In a dramatic finale, the 2019 film concluded the original Avengers franchise. The deaths of Iron Man and Black Widow were shocking and had a huge impact on fans. Marvel fans will also recollect that Captain America (Chris Evans) also had a shocking departure from the Avengers. In Endgame’s finale, Captain America chose to travel back in time to reunite with his long-lost love, Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell). Endgame was met with a vast amount of critical and commercial success. It even broke the record for highest-grossing movie in history.

Because of this, many fans associate Endgame with the metaphorical conclusion of the MCU. Over the past few years, Marvel has continued to produce content, but many fans confer that the MCU has significantly reduced in quality. After Endgame, there has been an obvious decline in Marvel’s content, albeit with the odd exception, such as Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3. While Endgame received an impressive score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, Secret Invasion only received 54% - a clear dip for Marvel. The past few years prove that Marvel’s fan-base has lost its commitment, resulting in the MCU being met with an onslaught of criticism. In order to rectify Marvel’s recent failings, there has been speculation over a potential Avengers Reboot, but why would this ultimately end in disaster?

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What Is Known About the Avengers Reboot?

Variety reported that there has been growing speculation over an Avengers reboot. The article, written by Tatiana Siegel, reported that:

However, the article proceeds to state that “the studio hasn’t yet committed to the idea” and reveals that Marvel would face significant financial issues in attempting to bring back the original Avengers cast. Nonetheless, Variety highlights the fact that there is a clear potential for the Avengers to return. This is largely because of the MCU’s multiverse – a topic which has been the focus of Marvel’s fifth phase.

In another reality, both Iron Man and Black Widow could still be alive. Marvel’s fifth phase explores the concept of alternative universes overlapping, which results in a clear opportunity for Iron Man and Black Widow to return in the MCU. There would also be an alternative reality in which Captain America did not reunite with Peggy, which would then introduce the hero’s return to the MCU.

While Variety asserts that an Avengers reboot is only a possibility, the concept of an original Avengers reunion has evoked strong reactions from fans. Over the past few days, fans have taken to social media to express their opinions about the possibility of an Avengers reboot. While some believe that reviving the original members would save the declining state of the MCU, others insist that it would be a recipe for disaster. Ultimately, there are an abundance of reasons why an Avengers reboot wouldn’t work out for Marvel.

Why Are Fans Unhappy About A Potential Avengers Reboot?

In total, there were four Avengers movies with the original cast. Endgame provided a definite ending for many characters. While the deaths of Iron Man and Black Widow were undeniably devastating, the characters were at least given a conclusion. Ultimately, the Avengers films appeared at the right time. By the time Endgame arrived, the MCU fandom had tripled in size since the first Avengers movie. The anticipation for the supposedly ‘final’ Avengers chapter was unavoidable. Endgame paved the way for the next chapter of the MCU, which would introduce a new overarching plot-line and an abundance of new characters.

It's unlikely that Marvel will ever be able to replicate the contagious buzz associated with Endgame. Because of this, many fans are in agreement that an Avengers reboot seems like a cheap resolution to Marvel’s abundance of problems.

While an Avengers reboot seems like a plausible outcome, many members of the original cast have denied their return to the MCU. At a fan convention earlier this year, Chris Evans stated that “there’s more Steve Rogers stories to tell”, but ultimately the character’s return “doesn’t feel right”. While the MCU cast are renowned for concealing secrets, Chris Evans’ thoughts about returning to the MCU seem pretty definitive. The Captain America actor proceeded to admit that he was:

Ultimately, it appears that Evans agrees that the original Avengers films have ran their course. While the four movies came out at the perfect time, their success is going to be a challenge to replicate, especially due to the declining state of the MCU.

Earlier this year, another MCU actor spoke out about the possibility of her character returning to the MCU. Speaking with her MCU co-star, Gwyneth Paltrow on The goop Podcast, Scarlett Johansson shot down rumours about Black Widow’s return. In the Podcast, the Black Widow actor told Paltrow that:

Although Black Widow made a comeback to the MCU for the 2021 prequel, Black Widow, Johansson ultimately dubbed this revival as a “unique experience”. While there is a clear potential for an Avengers reboot, it seems like the cast aren’t on board. However, Robert Downey Jr.’s return to the MCU hasn’t been completely ruled out, which leaves the possibility of an Avengers reboot up in the air. However, many fans confer that Iron Man’s return will ultimately open a can of worms.

An Avengers Reboot Would Take Away Value From The Characters’ Deaths

In 2019, the deaths of Iron Man and Black Widow had a shocking impact on the MCU. By killing off two central characters, the stakes were raised for the MCU’s future. Fans were devastated by the characters’ deaths, particularly because they had been a part of the MCU for such a long period of time. Black Widow was first introduced to the MCU back in 2010, while Iron Man’s first film was released in 2008, marking the beginning of the MCU. Because of this, the deaths of Iron Man and Black Widow successfully delivered an impactful shock factor, resulting in Endgame’s celebrated reception.

Following the deaths of Iron Man and Black Widow, fans seemed to be more engaged with the characters than ever. After the release of Endgame, audiences took to social media to express their shock at losing two central MCU figures. Because of this, the movie had a successful reception with fans and generated a vast amount of discourse surrounding Endgame’s events. In order to avoid spoilers, fans rushed to cinemas to watch Endgame, resulting in the movie’s record-breaking opening weekend.

The Avengers movies and all other MCU titles are available to stream on Disney Plus.

However, if Iron Man and Black Widow return for an Avengers reboot, the impact of their deaths would be non-existent. The possibility of Iron Man and Black Widow’s return has left fans with an overarching question: ‘What would be the point of their deaths if they return a few years later?’. At the time, Iron Man and Black Widow’s deaths were hugely significant. An Avengers reboot would not only trivialize these characters’ deaths but would also make the entire plot of Infinity War and Endgame seem pointless.

In the summer, Marvel faced criticism from fans for this same problem. In Secret Invasion, it was unveiled that James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes (Don Cheadle) is being impersonated by a Skrull (a shape-shifting alien). However, the Disney Plus series never specified how long Rhodey has actually been a Skrull for, jeopardizing some of the character’s most memorable moments in the MCU.

By reviving Iron Man and Black Widow, an Avengers reboot would tarnish the characters’ memorable involvement in Endgame. This would consequently repeat the same criticism which was targeted at Secret Invasion’s treatment of Rhodey.

The MCU Is Already Too Complicated

Another point of criticism is aimed at the fact that the MCU is already too complicated. Marvel’s fourth and fifth phases both focus on the multiverse and are collectively known as ‘The Multiverse Saga’. This is because phase five’s central villain, Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors), is able to move between different universes. However, the negative reception of both Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness may prove that the MCU has bitten off more than it can chew.

Many fans confer that Marvel’s content began to decline when it introduced the multiverse. Following this introduction, Marvel’s content has become hard to keep up with, and often hard to follow. As a result of this, Marvel’s recent releases have come under fire for feeling too much like ‘homework’. The multiverse is associated with an extensive amount of knowledge and has certainly overcomplicated the MCU. Because of this, the return of the original Avengers in parallel universes would be far too complex and would leave fans with an abundance of questions, such as ‘Did the events of Endgame actually take place?’

If Iron Man, Black Widow and Captain America are all revived because of the multiverse then this would be feeding into the MCU’s previous criticisms. While some fans would be overjoyed to see their favorite characters return to the screen, the original Avengers movies ought to be treated as a closed chapter.

Marvel already has plans for its sixth and seventh phases, which are se to end with Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. However, based on fan reactions, it certainly seems like the MCU would be better off if it moved away from the original Avengers.

MCU

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is a sprawling movie and television franchise that weaves together individual stories of superheroes including Captain America, Thor, Spider-Man, Hulk, Black Widow, and many more. The first film in the franchise, Iron Man, was released in 2008. The MCU has garnered critical praise and financial success, earning billions at the box office and becoming a cultural phenomenon.

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