Do you think superhero cinematic universes will ever have an end?

[a user]

The Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe, specifically?

 

[Kuwolski]

I think it seems inevitable at some point. Maybe not in the next decade, but eventually there will be the need to renew certain characters and start over.

 

[KRYPTON INC.]

Look at the home media of super heroes and you'll get your answer. New continuities will replace older ones. I feel it's inevitable. On film or TV/streaming shows they will have reboots that do not follow the established histories from prior versions.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

People will age, they won't be able to keep up telling the same continuous story far longer.

 

[Boy Scout]

Not a permanent end, but yes, I think we’ll eventually live to see the MCU’s popularity wane.

 

[Milk Tray Guy]

There'll always be superhero movies, but as far as connected universes go I think it'll go in cycles. They'll reach natural conclusions, rest for a few years, then relaunch.

 

[The Joker]

Simple answer is not as long as they keep making money.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

They'll be rebooted or recasted. DCEU seems to be headed for a pseudo-reboot now in that they are changing directions, expelling the cancerous Snyder influences, and downplaying the larger universe connections. Marvel is either going to recast their characters or they will reboot 10-15 years down the road. Between the X-Men and Fantastic Four they have enough to keep going for awhile, but once the big X-Men are done they'll be running out of their popular characters. So even if they have a break for awhile, you can count on characters like Cap, Iron Man, Thor, etc. to be back by that point.

 

[DACrowe]

I don't think they'll be as prolific as they are right now. I actually think the next decade will see some drop-off in popularity. But I also don't see the MCU altogether stopping for a very long time. Meanwhile, I think we're definitely at the end of Fox X-verse next year, but for different reasons. And if Aquaman doesn't work, I could see Wonder Woman being the last remnant of the DCEU while WB just focuses on Batman movies unrelated to Zack Snyder's terrible foundations.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Meanwhile, I think we're definitely at the end of Fox X-verse next year, but for different reasons.

The Fox-verse is dead, but that's entirely due to the buyout and nothing more. It would still be around if it wasn't for that.

 

[Darkprime]

I do think the MCU will get an end game. Whether its galactus or something. It will probably end at phase six. After that they'll reboot and instead of it being a cinematic universe they might do what if stories. Or just reboot and do MCU 2.0.

 

[a user]

And if Aquaman doesn't work, I could see Wonder Woman being the last remnant of the DCEU while WB just focuses on Batman movies unrelated to Zack Snyder's terrible foundations.

"Wonder Woman" was a smashing success, tho. Don't get rid of her. :'(

 

[DACrowe]

Ha, I don't think they will. I'm just saying, if Aquaman isn't a success, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman will be all that's directly left of the Zack Snyder era, even though she works because Patty Jenkins thankfully reinvented her.

 

[Sithborg]

Feige is not going to be in charge forever. Actors come and go.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

Cinematic Universes are just a modern trend. Ten years ago, reboots (Batman Begins, Casino Royale) were the hottest thing. Everything has it's time.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Cinematic Universes are just a modern trend. Ten years ago, reboots (Batman Begins, Casino Royale) were the hottest thing. Everything has it's time.

Marvel is likely to keep at it longer because they are the only ones who have so far been successful at it. Every other attempt at creating a larger cinematic universe by other studios has largely ended in failure. Eventually they will catch on to that fact and stop doing them.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

Exactly. It's crazy really how the other studios have become so obsessed with creating cinematic universes. The Universal Studios Dark Universe makes sense, as they have a huge amount of mythology, iconic status, and it has a precedent in House of Dracula, House of Frankenstein etc. But it's still failed twice - with Dracula Untold and The Mummy. The DCEU makes sense as well, in that they have the same wealth of material to draw on as the MCU. Other than that, I can't see any of the other ones suceeding.

 

[Kevin Roegele]

...

 

[jolldan]

 

[SPO2 Dalisay]

So the big question is are Captain America and Ironman so important that you break continuity with your next wave stars to replace Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. and reboot with the next generation still running and cut the foundation from their story? Being supernatural, biological science it is easier to recast Cap while Tony would be expected to continue aging and recasting and de-aging him would be the end of the MCU.

 

[Zarex]

So the big question is are Captain America and Ironman so important that you break continuity with your next wave stars to replace Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. and reboot with the next generation still running and cut the foundation from their story? Being supernatural, biological science it is easier to recast Cap while Tony would be expected to continue aging and recasting and de-aging him would be the end of the MCU.

My preference is that Marvel Studios focus on other characters for a while and after an appropriate mourning period let other characters pick up the shield and put on the suit. Recasting long established core characters like Rogers and Stark is awfully tricky in an interconnected cinematic universe, especially if you are planning on going younger with the replacements for Evans and Downey Jr.

But time travel, magic and miracle devices are all established in the MCU, so a Secret event of some sort that reforms continuity and brings twenty something versions of Steve and Tony into the present is always a possibility.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

So the big question is are Captain America and Ironman so important that you break continuity with your next wave stars to replace Chris Evans and Robert Downey Jr. and reboot with the next generation still running and cut the foundation from their story? Being supernatural, biological science it is easier to recast Cap while Tony would be expected to continue aging and recasting and de-aging him would be the end of the MCU.

Yes, they are. Having the ability to continue using the biggest characters is way more important than continuity. Certain characters are too big not to use, and if that means recasting or rebooting, so be it.

Legacy characters almost never work either. Audiences and fans want the real thing, not some "new" character in the same outfit.

 

[SPO2 Dalisay]

Yes, they are. Having the ability to continue using the biggest characters is way more important than continuity. Certain characters are too big not to use, and if that means recasting or rebooting, so be it.

Legacy characters almost never work either. Audiences and fans want the real thing, not some "new" character in the same outfit.

I still don't think that Ironman is a Batman or Superman, to reboot from RDJ might force you cut off the story of the Hugh Jackman replacement. And what if he proves as popular as the original movie Wolverine, do you start over with a cave in Syria instead of Afghanistan with a model of armor that seems of little use in face of mutants or just roll forward with a 60 something year old Stark played by a new actor?

 

[Zarex]

Yes, they are. Having the ability to continue using the biggest characters is way more important than continuity. Certain characters are too big not to use, and if that means recasting or rebooting, so be it.

Legacy characters almost never work either. Audiences and fans want the real thing, not some "new" character in the same outfit.

We've had this discussion before and it's simply not true. There are dozens of examples of legacy characters that have equalled and in many cases exceeded the popularity of their predecessors, including Barry Allen, Hal Jordan, Johnny Storm, Ray Palmer, Carol Danvers, Kamala Khan, America Chavez, Jamie Reyes, Scott Lang and Hope Van Dyne.

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

The only time it tends to work is if the original character wasn't that popular to begin with (most of the ones named by Zarex) or obvious elseworld stories like Batman Beyond.

The truly iconic characters like Peter Parker, Clark Kent, and Bruce Wayne are almost impossible to replace. Tony Stark is now definitely in that category. Steve Rogers probably is too. Replacing them will not work. This isn't to say they might not attempt it. But it won't work and they'll be forced to reboot.

We're never going to agree on this unless one of us is proven wrong.