The MCU isn’t pretending to adapt Marvel Comics stories anymore

Over a decade into the MCU, Marvel Studios is finally at the point where they can stop pretending to simply “adapt” comic book stories. That may seem to undermine the very idea of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but looking ahead to their future slate, it’s clear Marvel is blazing a fresh trail – one that even the most experienced comic book reader will be surprised at.

Of course, Marvel movies are intrinsically based on comic books, bringing some of the biggest names in the medium to the big screen. However, even in the early days things were different. As Avengers: Infinity War co-director Joe Russo observed, “I think that Marvel jumped off with this cinematic experiment that they started 10 years ago with a narrative that diverts from [the comics].” Indeed, 10 years and 20 movies later, they’ve built up to the point that the differences are unavoidable.