The 1960s-inspired Fantastic Four has just made their first steps to the big screen a few days ago, and I'm very impressed by Marvel's progress. Kevin Feige, the President of Marvel Studios, doesn't seem so.

Two Avengers films will be released in December 2026 and 2027, respectively. Avengers: Doomsday will feature Sam Wilson as Captain America, the strong Chinese superhero Shang-Chi, the tiny/large hero Ant-Man, the trickster villain Loki, the OG Avenger, Thor, the Thunderbolts/New Avengers, Wakandans, Fantastic Four, and the iconic X-Men from the original trilogy from 2000 to 2006. Robert Downey Jr., who played Tony Stark/Iron Man in the Infinity Saga and the last four Avengers films, is set to return as Victor Von Doom, aka Doctor Doom. He will appear in both Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

While the upcoming Avengers films are getting millions of Marvel fans hyped (and will make Disney tons of money), there are confirmations that the MCU could be getting a soft reboot after Secret Wars, meaning there will be tons of recasts, including the beloved Tony Stark and the X-Men, the introduction of new characters, and the development of a new MCU storyline. Kevin Feige says that it won't be a full reboot because there will be some characters from the original MCU still integrated in the new reboot. But what led to this decision?

1. Marvel's Rule of Quantity over Quality

Image Credit: Marvel Studios from Wikimedia Commons

As a Marvel fan myself, I can say that Phases 4 and 5 were an absolute mess when it came to providing adequate quality and good storylines (WandaVision, Loki, and Wakanda Forever are excluded from this, though.) After seeing a computer-generated She-Hulk twerking with Megan Thee Stallion, a MODOK that looks like he can be the star of a Little Caesars commercial, Marvel releasing 4 movies and 7 shows in 2022, and Marvel underpaying and overworking millions of talented VFX artists to the point where they deliver less of their value, I can confidently say that Marvel Studios did not know what to do with their franchise after Avengers: Endgame.

You'd think that after releasing a movie with the biggest superhero impact, making 2.79 billion dollars worldwide, and killing off the two characters that made the Marvel Cinematic Universe the GOAT of superhero franchises, you would stop and save yourself from alienating longtime fans. Marvel didn't really have that mindset.

Kevin Feige broke his silence during an interview with Variety by saying,

For the first time ever, quantity trumped quality. We spent 12 years working on the Infinity Saga saying that's never going to happen to us. We always had more characters than we could possibly make because we weren't going to make a movie a month. Suddenly, there's a mandate to make more, and we go, 'Well, we do have more.'

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2. Introducing a Fresh Storyline to New Fans

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The Marvel fandom is growing and shifting every day. It's even garnering fans of the younger generation. With the younger fans and some longtime fans wanting new storylines with powerful characters such as Franklin Richards, The Beyonder, and the X-Men, a soft reboot can be a safe way to introduce them. While I'm not suggesting that Marvel should just remove the MCU's Founding Fathers' legacy (The Avengers) to appeal to fan service and make room for the new characters, a little reboot can be a good alternative to keep new fans informed and grateful for both the past and future.

3. A Potential 2028 X-Men Movie

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Speaking of the X-Men, Disney and Marvel Studios have announced that they have added an untitled movie slate for December 2028. It is rumored to be an X-Men movie since the X-Men is the team that is most wanted in the MCU, the Multiverse Saga ending with Secret Wars, and since Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox (the film/television company that owns the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Deadpool) in 2019.

This movie will not be the first time the X-Men are in the MCU. The characters from the X-Men franchise that are expected to appear in Avengers: Doomsday and potentially Secret Wars are Professor X/Charles Xavier, Magneto/Erik Lehnsherr, Remy LeBeau/Gambit, Raven Darkhölme/Mystique, Kurt Wagner/Nightcrawler, Hank McCoy/Beast, and Scott Summers/Cyclops. Professor X made his debut in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Gambit in Deadpool and Wolverine, and Beast in The Marvels post-credit scene.

There was also an X-Men animated show called X-Men '97 that was released in 2024 and is now available on Disney+.

4. Avengers: Secret Wars

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Avengers: Secret Wars is going to be the last movie of the 6-year Multiverse Saga and the last MCU movie before the upcoming reboot. I have to say, I'm pretty hyped. The movie will be inspired by the Secret Wars comic series and will be the biggest crossover event in Marvel.

We could see evil versions of heroes, conflicts spanning multiple universes, and more character quantity than Doomsday. Doctor Doom will show up in Secret Wars, and the two upcoming Avengers movies could split into two parts like Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame. However, this is not officially confirmed yet by the Russo Brothers or Feige.

In conclusion, the soft reboot may look bright for the future of the MCU and could give new fans a chance to fully experience the 17-year franchise in a new era. Marvel is undeniably growing full of fans and superheroes every day, and though I may not be 100% on board with this reboot decision, it is necessary to keep their agenda strong and expand the multiverse.