10 Ways The Marvel Cinematic Universe Proves That Dreams Do Come True

10. All The Best Bits Of The Mythos Are Coming Together

Doctor Strange Benedict Cumberbatch
Marvel Studios

One of the best things about having a shared visual universe is the fact that you can traverse pretty much anywhere you fancy. In Marvel's case, this has led to films and shows diversifying beyond the usual Avengers-centric roots of the MCU's early days and actually delving into the gritty elements of its mythos, as well as the more bizarre and mystical. We now have a universe where Star-Lord and the Guardians Of The Galaxy are vying for control of the Infinity Gems against Thanos whilst The Punisher is enacting vigilante justice on the criminals of New York City. It works... somehow. But it's part of the magic that makes the MCU so great: representing the true diversity of its source material as best it can.

Indeed, the MCU is a testament to the fact that comic books thrive when they're not walled-off, insular, and without consequence. The inter-connected nature of these films, characters and events is one of the many reasons why Disney's superhero extravaganza works so well, in that it refuses to succumb to a monotone, bleak and unedifying vision of its heroes championed and thankfully lambasted by critics in Zack Snyder's most recent efforts over at DC.

Marvel's heroes may have a slight disposition for the humorous, but they're anything but non-entities. Each character has their own story to be told in a new and exciting environment, and the primacy of diversity has ensured that the MCU remains a rich and interesting source of entertainment and misadventure.

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Content Producer/Presenter

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.