10 Reasons Why Legacy Characters Are The Future Of The MCU

9. Ongoing Storylines

With familiar side characters adopting the main role, and continuity between films being preserved, the MCU can retain the ongoing story threads running through each. It's much more rewarding (and less of a slap in the face) for longtime fans - which by this point is a heck of a lot more people than just those who read the comics. It's only in an ongoing, over-arching story that we can experience old villains making meaningful comebacks; just picture a fourth Captain America film where the Red Skull finally does return, only to be greeted with Bucky Barnes or Sam Wilson rather than his old nemesis Steve Rogers. Whomever wore the cowl would be seriously put through a trial by fire, with the true conflict coming from figuring out if they were worthy or not to wield the shield - especially having been faced down by Captain America's deadliest enemy. The plot writes itself, and it's only one that can exist based off a bedrock of pre-existing movies and storylines.