2024: A Year of History-Making Moments for the Marvel Cinematic Universe
While 2024 may have been a relatively slow year for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), there were still several history-making moments that left a lasting impact on the franchise. The year saw the release of just one MCU movie, Deadpool & Wolverine, which broke financial records and changed the franchise’s fortunes.
The year began with Marvel Studios’ first Marvel Spotlight show, Echo, which centered around one of the franchise’s most formidable and recognizable villains, Kingpin. While productions under this banner are intended to be watchable without prior MCU knowledge, Echo’s connection to Daredevil: Born Again rounds the corner.
One of the highlights of the MCU’s Disney+ offerings was Agatha All Along, which made some significant changes for the universe to consider. The show was stacked with mysteries from the jump, with one of the biggest surrounding the true identity of Aubrey Plaza’s Rio Vidal. Just as the clues suggesting Rio Vidal was Death incarnate were becoming insurmountable, Agatha All Along episode 7 confirmed this to be the case. While it wasn’t entirely unexpected, the implications of Death’s involvement in the MCU cannot be overstated.
Death is one of Marvel’s most powerful cosmic beings, with functional omnipotence. Her meddling in the events of Agatha All Along also suggests that she might be pernicious in future MCU installments. Agatha’s recognition that fighting Rio was a futile endeavor in Episode 8 hints at just how significant her powers are, confirming that the MCU has just introduced its latest most unimaginably powerful character.
Another significant development in 2024 was the introduction of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. The announcement that Deadpool’s latest sequel would also feature Wolverine was met with confusion, given Wolverine’s tenure in Fox’s X-Men franchise reached a perfect and poignant conclusion with his death. However, expectations that the multiverse would provide were vindicated as Deadpool & Wolverine spotlighted “Worst Wolverine,” a variant wracked with guilt over the tragic circumstances of his timeline. The movie ended with this variant supplanting Logan on Earth-10005, ostensibly securing him as an official part of the MCU.
Deadpool & Wolverine also officially made Deadpool part of the MCU, with Ryan Reynolds’ character considering himself to be “Marvel Jesus.” The movie expertly navigated the implications of the multiverse to secure Deadpool as part of the MCU. The use of Cable’s Time-Travel Device allowed Deadpool to interact with the Sacred Timeline, with Happy Hogan’s rejection causing him to spiral into a slump. Years later, the TVA attempted to recruit Deadpool into the MCU, and he returned to his own timeline, seemingly happier than ever.
In conclusion, 2024 was a year of significant developments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The introduction of Death, the reintroduction of Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, and the official entry of Deadpool into the MCU are just a few examples of the many history-making moments that have shaped the franchise’s future. As the universe continues to evolve, fans can expect even more exciting developments in the years to come.