Expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

Marvel Comic Universe cast members mill about in crowd in front of wall with various MCU titles on it
Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons

Kyran Cates

Reporter

I’ve never been much of a Marvel fan, but after the announcement of 12 upcoming TV shows, that might have to change.

On Jan. 15, Marvel released the first two episodes of “WandaVision” on Disney+, a seemingly lighthearted sitcom following the hijinks of Wanda and Vision as a happily married couple…with superpowers.

If you saw “Avengers: Endgame” in 2019, you might be wondering how Vision makes an appearance. Without giving away too much, it seems the show is more about Wanda’s trauma than it may appear. “WandaVision” is the first of many Marvel TV shows streaming on Disney+. Let’s get into the list of superhero series you should keep an eye out for over the next two years.

At the top of my list of to-see Marvel TV shows is “What if…?”, set to release this summer. “What if…?” will explore how events in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) may have played out in alternate timelines; what if Peggy Carter had taken the super-soldier serum instead of Steve Rogers? What if it was actually Loki who wielded Thor’s hammer? With 23 confirmed episodes and an extensive cast of superheroes, I can only imagine the wild tales bound to take place.

Next on my list is “She-Hulk”, which will dive into the life of Bruce Banner’s cousin, Jennifer Walters who gains Banner’s Hulk powers through a blood transfusion. Not much is known about this series quite yet, but Tatiana Maslany, best known for her role on “Orphan Black”, will be starring as She-Hulk. While it’s unfortunate that most female superheroes in the MCU still have their gender specified in their names, I hope Marvel will take this expansion as an opportunity to produce more feminist content. No release date has been announced for “She-Hulk” yet, but it’s expected to hit Disney+ in 2022. Without a doubt, I will be listening for more updates on this developing “Hulk smash”.

Next up, we have “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier”. Originally, this show was set to be released in August 2020, but since filming was delayed due to COVID-19,  it is now finally set to release on March 19, 2021.

Following the story of the mismatched duo, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” will bring the audience on an adventure around the world. Filled with action and set after the events of “Avengers: Endgame”, these six episodes will test our heroes in many ways. Make sure to tune in to see where this series will take them.

While “I Am Groot” is still in its early stages, many audience members are already thrilled to see Baby Groot returning to their screens. Another show with very limited information, “I Am Groot” will be a series of shorts featuring new characters, and anchored by Baby Groot himself. We’ll have to wait for more details on this show, but Marvel is smart to capitalize on Groot’s cuteness factor in this developing set of narratives.

Wrapping up the end of my list are several self-explanatory releases, as well as a few new heroes and storylines.

Certain to make waves upon their release, “Loki” will start streaming in May 2021, “Ms.Marvel” is scheduled to air in late 2021, and “Hawkeye” is planned for 2022. Additionally, Marvel will be releasing: “Moon Knight”, “Secret Invasion”, “Ironheart” and “Armor Wars” all with premiere dates to be announced.

Although some of these final shows sound promising, unless they contain some new and exciting perspective I’ve missed, I doubt I will find myself compelled to tune in.

That being said, feel free to watch any of the shows mentioned in this article, and let me know what you think. Marvel Studios has been a prosperous company for many years now, but these upcoming TV shows mark a new and exciting era of at-home superhero streaming. If you haven’t already, get a subscription to Disney+ and join in on all the excitement.