MCU seeks a new direction after dominating pop culture for nearly two decades. Since 2008, the Avengers have been the central force of Marvel’s cinematic universe, but now, in 2026, experts point out that the team may be exhausting its potential. With the upcoming film Avengers: Doomsday on the way, the debate about the need for a deep renewal in the MCU, which is experiencing ups and downs in box office and critical reception, is growing. The solution, according to an analysis by the portal CBR, lies in definitively giving space to the X-Men, a group with epic stories still not faithfully explored in cinema.
The relevance of the topic is huge for the Brazilian audience, eager for superheroes and one of Marvel’s largest markets outside the US. The moment is crucial because the franchise needs to reinvent itself to survive another two decades, and the mutants offer a viable path. Thus, the change would not only be in characters but in tone, allowing for narratives more focused on science fiction and social conflicts, something fans have longed for since the comic book days.
The Problem of Nostalgia and the Mutants’ Chance
The main obstacle to this renewal, however, is Marvel’s apparent dependence on nostalgia. Avengers: Doomsday, for example, is expected to bring back the original cast from Fox’s X-Men films, such as Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. This decision, seen by many as a desperate move, could harm the introduction of a new mutant team in the MCU. Despite this, the animated series X-Men ’97 on Disney+ proves that there is talent within the studio capable of honoring the essence of the characters. Therefore, hope remains alive for fans.
Meanwhile, the Avengers continue with announced films, but the feeling is that their cycle as absolute protagonists has come to an end. Heroes like Iron Man and Captain America have already concluded their journeys, and forcing their legacy could tire the audience. On the other hand, the X-Men have a vast roster of characters, going far beyond Wolverine, which would allow for decades of new stories. Adapting classic comic book sagas, such as ‘Mutant Massacre’, with the precision and respect seen in the best moments of the MCU, would thus be the necessary refresh.
Thus, the future of Marvel in cinema seems to depend on a bold choice: continue in the comfort of the known or embrace the unknown with the mutants. If the studio can balance respect for the original material with innovative narratives, as it did initially with Iron Man, the MCU may not only recover but enter an even more golden era. Brazilian fans, always loyal, eagerly await to see in which direction Marvel will go.
