The MCU’s Comeback Might Be Doomed Despite Its Recent Success

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has come back roaring with Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps after mightily struggling in the movie department over the last two years. Both films follow the uninspiring and overstuffed Captain America: Brave New World, the nostalgia bait free-for-all known as Deadpool and Wolverine, and the frustratingly over-edited The Marvels. Although the MCU notably triumphed at the box office with Deadpool and Wolverine, the franchise’s recent inability to deliver critical and commercial hits has emerged as a major concern. Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps seemingly put those worries to bed thanks to their self-contained stories that excel through heartfelt relationships between superheroes rather than overly heavy plot or random cameos. 2026’s Avengers: Doomsday promises to bring all of the Multiverse Saga’s plot points to a head before concluding in Avengers: Secret Wars.

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Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps are outstanding additions to the MCU’s film catalog, which now contains 37 titles. Despite this bout of success, it’s difficult to get on the “MCU is back” train while Avengers: Doomsday looms. The central team of anti-heroes in Thunderbolts*, comprised of Yelena Belova (Florence Pugh), Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan), Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian (David Harbour), Ava Starr/Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen), John Walker/U.S. Agent (Wyatt Russell), and Bob Reynolds/Sentry (Lewis Pullman) is set to play a prominent role in Doomsday following their introduction as the New Avengers. Meanwhile, Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic (Pedro Pascal), Sue Storm/Invisible Woman (Vanessa Kirby), Johnny Storm/Human Torch (Joseph Quinn), and Ben Grimm/The Thing (Ebon Moss-Bachrach) are set to lead the Fantastic Four in the battle against Doctor Doom (Robert Downey Jr.). Doomsday is the MCU’s make-or-break project and most important movie since 2019’s Avengers: Endgame. However, this impending clash of universes and superhero teams threatens to destroy the franchise’s recent wins.

The MCU Has Regained Some Footing With Thunderbolts* & The Fantastic Four: First Steps

After lukewarm releases such as Captain America: Brave New World, Deadpool and Wolverine, and The Marvels and disastrous endeavors like Thor: Love and Thunder and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the MCU has finally produced a pair of gems back to back. Both boasting Rotten Tomatoes critic scores in the high 80s and audience scores in the 90s, Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps are certified standouts in the MCU, and for good reason. Thunderbolts* emphasizes the power of found family as its main characters unexpectedly converge as pawns of Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and form a team bond through their shared dark pasts. The Fantastic Four: First Steps centers on family in a more literal sense, chronicling the titular group’s race to protect Sue’s newborn baby, Franklin, and stop Galactus (Ralph Ineson) from consuming their world.

Thunderbolts* and First Steps rely more heavily on emotional set pieces rather than action spectacles, and that greatly influences their success. From Yelena’s reckoning with her present loneliness and her heartwarming friendship with Bob to Reed and the others’ rallying around Sue as she gives birth to their newest family member, Thunderbolts* and First Steps are brimming with poignant character moments and satisfying emotional payoffs. The heroes’ connections come across as real and believable, and their actors deliver comedy and raw emotion with incredible poise. Ditching the multiverse also helps Thunderbolts* and First Steps, as their grounded stories never waver from their focus on human connection in challenging times. Even though Thunderbolts* underperformed at the box office, failing to reach the $200 million domestic mark, its triumph as a standalone superhero film cannot be ignored. Thunderbolts* and First Steps stand as two of the MCU’s best movies since Avengers: Endgame, and their similar qualities strongly factor into their greatness.

Avengers: Doomsday Threatens to Ruin the MCU’s Recent Success

The Avengers, Thunderbolts/New Avengers, Fantastic Four, X-Men, and presumably more will cross paths in Doomsday as the film introduces Doctor Doom as the MCU’s next big bad. An overcrowded cast and a potentially messy plot that lacks the solid foundation of the Infinity Saga are significant problems, but the worst disservice of all could be done to the Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four. It’s extremely hard to fathom how these characters, as individuals and as teams, will be done justice amid this high-stakes, universe-altering narrative overflowing with different personalities from every corner of the MCU. There’s little chance Doomsday replicates the character-driven, emotionally impactful stories of Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which wouldn’t be as much of a letdown if it weren’t the aforementioned teams’ second on-screen appearances.

Thunderbolts* and First Steps lay compelling groundwork and set up their characters’ future, but it’s hardly adequate to launch them into an event such as Doomsday. The Thunderbolts need more time to flesh out their identity as the New Avengers, and the Fantastic Four could use at least one more solo venture before meeting a swarm of new faces. Doomsday has a ton on its plate, meaning it could be light on individual character development. It’s a shame that the Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four face smaller spotlights compared to their amazing solo films. The MCU’s unorganized and lackluster lead-up to Doomsday, combined with the desperation of Downey Jr., director duo Joe and Anthony Russo, and the Fox X-Men’s return, indicates a disaster in the making. Doomsday could easily undo the MCU’s recent success and deny the Thunderbolts and Fantastic Four the second outing they deserve after their excellent team debuts.

The Fantastic Four: First Steps is now playing in theaters. Avengers: Doomsday opens in theaters on December 18, 2026.