As the six original Avengers continue to leave and be replaced in the MCU, Earth's Mightiest Heroes can never be the same again in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 2012's The Avengers marked a shift in the power dynamics of cinema as Marvel Studios began a dominating run of films anchored by its premiere team of heroes, who would periodically band together to unite each phase of films. While the team will reunite again, it can't be the same as it once was.
2019's Avengers: Endgame was the final movie to focus on the original six Avengers — Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye — as some of them would not be returning after the film. The Avengers: Endgame ending, with Iron Man and Black Widow dead, alongside a retired Captain America, made it clear that a time of change was coming to the MCU. Now, all three remaining original Avengers seem set to end their tenure with the team, with or without a replacement. Thor now has a daughter, Hulk has Skaar and She-Hulk, and Hawkeye has Kate Bishop.
The MCU's New Avengers Can't Replicate What The Original Team Had
The original Avengers team of the MCU slowly came together, with some first interacting in their solo movies before they assembled to become the MCU's premiere team. After Joss Whedon's The Avengers, the crew continued to be closely related with more team-ups in individual movies, such as the classic Captain America-Black Widow dynamic in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The level of interaction between the characters prior to another Avengers movie led to a tight relationship between the team. The current state of the MCU, with several movies and series, leads to character appearances being spread out and not enough relationship-building between different heroes.
The original MCU Avengers also had something that the new team will not be able to replicate. Each of the individual of the team got to have a plot line focused on them in both of the first two Avengers movies. Avengers: Endgame also managed to do that. The movie did so by cutting back on the number of heroes that appeared for the majority of the movie, while the previous film, Avengers: Infinity War, was more spread out in focus. Now, the MCU has grown too big to have Avengers movies focusing on just a few heroes.
It's Ok The MCU Can't Repeat The Original Avengers
Trying to copy what worked with the original Avengers would be a mistake, as the MCU and wider cinematic landscape have changed since the team was introduced. It appears as if the MCU is already trying to do things differently as multiple teams — such as the Thunderbolts — begin to emerge. Feige has talked about Daredevil and Spider-Man's place with the street-level heroes, and the MCU likely ends up with multiple Avengers squads. With different types of Avengers teams popping up, Marvel will be taking a fresh approach to the franchise, and the MCU Avengers will never be the same.
