Even though Avengers: Endgame was mostly about closing the book on the first three chapters of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was made clear from the beginning that it would be the start of something new as well.
The highly anticipated fourth phase of the MCU has been subject to rumour and speculation for years now, and so far - especially when Endgame is taken into account - all indications point towards it being a radically different era for Disney's superhero franchise. New heroes will be introduced, while franchise stalwarts Chris Evans (Captain America) and Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man) have both absented the spotlight, perhaps for good.
It makes the future so exciting to contemplate, and given the boundless energy Endgame displayed, it's clear that the only way is up. The Russos marshalled a true celebration of the MCU - warts and an all - in a near flawless display of energy. Now, the torch falls to other filmmakers to ensure that energy persists in phases four, five and beyond.
It's a whole new world, but there are certain films that can capitalise on it best. Here's what Marvel should make to keep the energy going.
WhatCulture's very own resident movie guy, Ewan has been working in the content creation biz for over 10 years now, having started as a freelance contributor to WhatCulture Gaming all the way back in 2015. After graduating with a First-Class Honours in History from Northumbria University in 2017 (where he won a prize for a totally killer dissertation on the Watergate years), Ewan took on the role of Comics Editor at WhatCulture and quickly developed WhatCulture Comics into one of the biggest superhero-focused channels on YouTube. He followed this with a brief hiatus at Screen Rant in 2021, where he worked across the Gaming and Film sections as a writer and editor, before returning to WhatCulture as a Senior Content Producer / Presenter in 2023. He started his own podcast, We Love Dad Movies, in 2022, and has contributed several written pieces to the Eisner-nominated comics website Shelfdust as well.
In his current role, Ewan incorporates his love of cinema, comic books, and history into written pieces and video essays for WhatCulture's Film & TV channel, as well as WhatCulture Gaming and WhatCulture Horror, with a particular focus on nineties-era Dad Movies, old school Westerns, and Golden Age Hollywood Noir. John Carpenter is his fave, and he thinks Batman Beyond should never have been cancelled. If that's your vibe, you'll probably like his stuff.
