Forget New York, Planet Earth, and the entire multiverse for a moment, the MCU is in need of a rescue right now. While things are certainly not as dire as certain corners of the fandom like to make out — the immaculate Guardians 3 just came out in May, guys — it’s certainly true that Marvel‘s success rate is a little lower these days. I’ve already discussed my deep-rooted concerns about the franchise’s upcoming movie releases, so let’s instead turn our attention to what’s on its way from the studio to streaming.
Unfortunately, our intrinsic trust in Marvel’s Disney Plus endeavors suffered a major blow this past summer with the release of the Secret Invasion finale – the single worst-reviewed Marvel Studios production of all time. Thankfully, Loki Season 2 looks set to be a big step-up from its predecessor, but even the God of Mischief can’t save a flagging franchise on his lonesome. It’s really all on the next phase of the MCU’s small-screen adventures to restore our faith to its former heights.
Not counting any rumored releases or those that are in a state of existential limbo, there are eight Marvel Studios TV series scheduled to hit Disney Plus. But which ones have a chance of earning glory and which ones are just the same old story?
8. What If…? Season 2
Despite having perhaps the most star-studded cast of any MCU project outside of an Avengers flick, What If…? season 1 is rarely pegged as anyone’s favorite Marvel Disney Plus show, simply by nature of its anthological, multiversal nature which means that — all in all — its stories feel inessential to the overall narrative of the MCU. It sounds like we’ve got some fun new universes to visit in Season 2, expected to arrive around Christmastime, but it’s unlikely to interfere with the ongoing flow of the franchise too directly, much like the Watcher himself.
7. Wonder Man
Be honest, you totally forgot Wonder Man existed, didn’t you? And, you know what – I don’t blame you. Actor-turned-superhero Simon Williams has a cult fanbase from his decades-long comic book history, so he’s a worthy addition to the MCU, but I can’t help but wonder if this show is simply going to be She-Hulk 2.0 as Simon’s career as a movie star is bound to result in a lot of meta-humor, with Marvel no doubt poking fun at itself. That said, who knows, maybe Wonder Man himself — as played by Aquaman‘s Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, remember — will turn out to be an integral player in Secret Wars and I’ll have egg on my face.
6. Echo
You have to feel sorry for Echo. Reduced from six episodes to five and then planned to be dumped all in one go on Disney Plus this November, Disney clearly has no faith in this show to succeed. Thankfully, it’s now coming in January instead, which should allow it to stand outside of the shadow of The Marvels and Loki. And you know what – it deserves it. Not only is it the first solo Marvel project for a person with disabilities it’s also partially a prelude to Daredevil: Born Again (more on that later) and a key part of the growing street-level corner of the MCU. I’m telling you — don’t listen to that echo chamber — this one could be epic.
5. Ironheart
Sadly, Dominique Thorne’s grand Marvel debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever didn’t exactly go according to plan, as fans widely criticized Riri Williams’ role in the sequel as feeling contrived and awkward. So it’s really all on her own show, Ironheart, for the actress and character to make her impact on Earth-616 99999. We really shouldn’t be underestimating this one as Riri is essentially carrying the torch of Iron Man himself, the brand that launched the entire franchise. With Armor Wars tie-ins a likelihood, and even a Mephisto role rumored, Ironheart could be the perfect streaming treat for those missing Tony Stark.
4. X-Men ’97
X-Men ’97 is an outlier for the MCU’s upcoming Disney Plus slate, and that very reason is what makes it so deceptively exciting. This continuation of the beloved X-Men: The Animated Series is the first Marvel Studios production to be set on a whole other universe and thereby retconning that to exist in the MCU’s multiverse. Think about it, now that it’s opened the doors the possibilities are endless. Marvel could technically revive all your favorite Marvel shows from the past and fold them into its wider canon. ’97 will no doubt be mostly self-contained, but the larger implications of its mere existence are mind-blowing.
3. Spider-Man: Freshman Year
We all love Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, of course, but fans have had issues with how Marvel has messed with his origins story so much. So be thankful for the upcoming Spider-Man: Freshman Year, an animated series which will finally deliver what we’ve been waiting for since 2016 — a depiction of how Peter became 99999’s Spider-Man. A second season, titled Sophomore Year, has even already been commissioned. This one’s been delayed a little — not just because of the strikes, like everything else — but it’s still happening, and Spidey lovers everywhere should be grateful for it.
2. Daredevil: Born Again
And here it is, the — I don’t think it’s controversial to say — most highly anticipated upcoming Marvel streaming series of them all. The reason? Fans have been waiting a full five years and counting at this point to have a new full season of Charlie Cox as Daredevil, so the hype for Born Again is truly astronomical. Plus, at a whopping 18 episodes, the reboot has a big chance to face up to the issues and limitations of previous Disney Plus shows — which generally come in at a mere six episodes — and be the finest Marvel series ever made since, well, Netflix’s Daredevil. So, yeah, no pressure, Marvel.
1. Agatha: Darkhold Diaries
Hold on, don’t burn me at the stake just yet. Yes, I’m saying it — Agatha: Darkhold Diaries has the capacity to be even better for the MCU than even Daredevil: Born Again. For starters, WandaVision was the triumphant opening gambit for Marvel’s streaming shows and you could argue no other series since has managed to capture the zeitgeist in quite the same way. But Kathryn Hahn returning as the marvelous Ms. Harkness surely stands a decent chance at coming close. And then we have the Young Avengers of it all, with Joe Locke strongly believed to be playing Wiccan, who may or may not be getting his own spinoff (of a spinoff) afterward. It’s true, no Marvel series can wave its wand and save the MCU single-handed, but Agatha has a shot at casting some fresh magic over the multiverse.
Published: Sep 29, 2023 11:37 am