10 Problems The MCU Desperately Needs To Fix

2. The Looming Inevitability Of Departing Cast Members

No matter the MCU's success, it's only inevitable that major cast members are going to want to move onto other things eventually, if they don't age out of their roles first.

It's been speculated for years that Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans in particular are nearing the end of their MCU tenures, and with them both surviving Thanos' dusting in Infinity War, it'd be incredibly surprising if both of them made it out of Avengers 4 intact.

Phase Four will likely represent a major turning point for the MCU, as the longest-tenured actors make their exits and the franchise is forced to pivot towards its younger stars.

While there's no doubting that the likes of Thor, Black Panther, Doctor Strange, The Hulk and Black Widow could carry the MCU to a point, the absence of Iron Man and Cap will nevertheless leave a huge void which they could struggle to fill.

Once upon a time, it was widely believed these characters would simply be recast when the actors eventually bailed, but that doesn't seem to be the case now. As such, we may see the MCU taking some bolder gambles on more fringe heroes - such as Nova - and it remains to be seen whether they can successfully compensate for these A-lister absences.

Given that Downey Jr. is rightly credited with helping the MCU become as popular as it is, Phase Four could mark the beginning of some awkward growing pains for the franchise.