6 storylines that the Marvel Cinematic Universe should have handled better

Interest in the Marvel Cinematic Universe seems to be waning with every year. Following the conclusion of the Infinity Saga, the various films have drawn in smaller and smaller box office hauls, and the different flicks and television series seem to be of most interest to those invested in Marvel and its wider world and less the general public. To this end, as a fan of all things Marvel, I've decided to pinpoint a few comic storylines that the MCU has either directly attempted to adapt or taken inspiration from and highlighted why it is they deserve to have a second chance at adaptation.

Avengers: Age of Ultron wasted one of Marvel's greatest villains

There are various rumours and reports that state that James Spader will return as Ultron in the upcoming Vision Quest series, but the truth of the matter is that it's too late for that version of the character now. Ultron has been and gone and we've seen him rise and fall once in cinema already meaning there's not much room for a second try. However, I wish we could get a re-hash of Age of Ultron because the comic source material is so much more complex and brutal than what the film offered. We're talking a narrative where iconic heroes are slain, where timelines are altered, and ultimately the Marvel Universe as we know it was shaken up significantly. It's a night and day story to the rather toned-down adventure that Joss Whedon delivered, even if Spader was an excellent casting as the ruthless artificial intelligence.

Captain America: Civil War never really felt like much of a war

In the comics, the Civil War storyline has huge sweeping effects. Sure, you can argue that the film adaptation left a big mark, but it was also a much more reserved take on the story, one where a handful of heroes found themselves at odds with one another. The comic source material is far different, with an actual war breaking out between the heroes we know and love, between Iron Man and his allies fighting for better restrictions on superhumans, while Captain America and others fought to protect the rights of the super-enabled. There are shades of this in the film, but the live-action version lacks the same gravity, brutality, and sweeping effects as the comic original.

Thor: Ragnarok took the sting out of Planet Hulk

I actually really enjoyed Thor: Ragnarok and thought that as a Thor film, it was a fun and entertaining ride. However, there's no denying that this film shares inspiration from Planet Hulk, and for comic fans that's quite a tough pill to swallow. The 'big guy' has been treated badly by Marvel Studios for years, and this is perhaps one of the key turning points in that cycle of abuse, as Planet Hulk should've been a standalone film based on Bruce Banner and his alter-ego and not a Thor movie. We should have seen how Hulk incited a rebellion on the planet of Sakaar and literally turned the world inside out in a revenge-fuelled mission to free the oppressed. Instead, it became a lighter and more jovial cosmic adventure revolving around Thor, Hulk, Loki, Valkyrie, and a host of other quirky Taika Waititi-stylised aliens. Again, it was a fine movie, but Planet Hulk deserved so much more.

Secret Invasion... I mean, wow. Can we just forget this ever existed?

For one, Secret Invasion as a TV show was just abysmal, perhaps the worst piece of entertainment that Marvel Studios has produced to date. There was so much wrong with this never mind the fact that it basically completely ruined the excellent comic, which could have supported its very own Phase in the wider MCU. From a story about heroes not being able to trust themselves or the person next to them, a wide-spanning event that massively changed the Marvel Universe landscape in the comics, to a series that ruined the arcs of beloved characters, introduced nonsensical plot points, and essentially phoned-in a story that could have featured the necessary story developments to make Carol "Captain Marvel" Danvers a core pillar of the MCU. Everything mentioned on this list can be improved to pay better homage to its source material but they are somewhat entertaining projects all the same but not this one. Everything about Secret Invasion should be scrubbed from the annals of time.

Gorr the God Butcher was thematically all wrong

There's no denying that every adaptation tends to tone down the gravity and weight of the comic source material, and while that does mean it loses some of its charm, it's understandable to make the end product more accessible to watch. For many storylines, this can work but for the Gorr the God Butcher arc of Thor's journey, a decision should have been made to deliver a brutal and more authentic film. If Deadpool and Wolverine can be rated as it is, then there is no reason why Thor: Love and Thunder couldn't have trended in the same way and delivered a depiction of Gorr as fearful and cruel as he is in the comics. Instead, we get a toned down and humorous adventure that felt completely out of place, even despite Christian Bale's best efforts as the brutal Necrosword-wielder.

The Kang Dynasty was put down before it could truly take shape

Look, there were extenuating circumstances that meant that Marvel Studios had to pivot away from its plans to use Kang the Conqueror as its next big baddie in the MCU, and frankly unless the Marvel casting team conducted intrusive and extensive, and likely illegal, investigations into every star they signed up, there's no way of knowing what was going to happen with Jonathan Majors. So a degree of leniency can be applied on this front in that regard. But still, the direction the narrative was progressing with Kang wasn't exactly gripping before the Majors debacle, with Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania proving to be a bit point of concern for the usage of the villain, and that's a sad affair because Kang is a major problem in the comics and deserves his place in the MCU. Marvel should stop rushing through each of its major villains, because Kang can shine, should shine, and needs to shine, and there is hope it could happen due to the more minor place that Majors' Kang held in the MCU.

Are there any other storylines that you think the MCU should have handled better?