Guided by President Kevin Feige, Marvel Studios has created the immensely popular Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for over a decade, leading to Marvel Entertainment being acquired by The Walt Disney Company for a staggering $4 billion. A pivotal moment in this journey was the introduction of the iconic character Tony Stark, portrayed by Robert Downey Jr., in the 2008 blockbuster film Iron Man.
Credit: Marvel Studios
The release of The Avengers in 2012 further solidified the original six Avengers as modern legends. However, the grand narrative, known as the Infinity Saga, reached its conclusion in Phase Three with the unforgettable films Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019), directed by the Russo brothers, Anthony and Joe Russo. Now that Chris Evans as Steve Rogers has passed on the Captain America mantle, and Iron Man has sacrificed himself for the greater good, the Marvel universe has room for new heroes.
What is She-Hulk?
Credit: Marvel
The 2022 series She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, penned and developed by Jessica Gao and directed by Kat Coiro and Anu Valia, features Tatiana Maslany, a newcomer to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, in the role of Jennifer Walters/She-Hulk. Walters, a defense attorney, experiences a transformative change into She-Hulk after an extraordinary accident involving her cousin Bruce Banner, also known as the Hulk, portrayed by Avengers star Mark Ruffalo.
Credit: Marvel Studios
In addition to its comedic undertones, the lawyer-themed series incorporated familiar characters from Marvel Studios, including Wong, portrayed by Benedict Wong, and Emil Blonsky, also known as the Abomination, portrayed by Tim Roth. Alongside Jennifer Walters, Nikki Ramos, played by Ginger Gonzaga, and Mallory Brook, played by Renée Elise Goldsberry, offer support in her legal endeavors.
Introducing a unique challenge for the newly-transformed superhero is social media influencer Titania, portrayed by Jameela Jamil. Making a return to the MCU, Charlie Cox reprises his role as Daredevil/Matt Murdock, marking his first appearance since Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) and his acclaimed solo Netflix Marvel series, Daredevil (2015). This return sets the stage for the forthcoming soft reboot, Daredevil: Born Again.
Credit: Marvel Studios
The She-Hulk Controversy
From the outset, it faced criticism from groups accusing Marvel Studios of becoming the “M-She-U” or being perceived as “woke” due to the increased inclusion of female superheroes. However, once the much-anticipated show premiered on Disney+, the narrative shifted to disdain for its unclear direction and messy writing.
Credit: Marvel Studios, 20th Century Studios/Fox
Additionally, several “cringe-worthy” moments went viral, including heavily criticized CGI quality, a scene of She-Hulk twerking with Cardi B, and the introduction of the K.E.V.I.N. supercomputer “AI.” This AI was intended to be a tongue-in-cheek meta jab at the Kevin Feige-led Marvel Studios machine, reminiscent of the style seen in the Deadpool film series.
Credit: Marvel Studios
Is Marvel Giving in to “Anti-Woke” Trolls?
Recently, Hollywood and Marvel insider ThwipT shared that Marvel Studios has changed their plan for the Disney+ (Disney Plus) show She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. According to these new reports, it appears that Disney and Marvel are scrapping the She-Hulk series from the streaming platform, pulling their She-Hulk Season 2 order, due to “poor reception” of Season 1:
She Hulk originally planned to have a S2 but due to poor reception it’s probably not going to happen
#Marvel #MCU #DisneyPlus
She Hulk originally planned to have a S2 but due to poor reception it’s probably not going to happen #Marvel #MCU #DisneyPlus
— ThwipT (@ThwipT_) November 28, 2023
Members of the public have responded to this with mixed reactions — some are upset at this move, claiming to be “done” with Marvel if She-Hulk truly is canceled. Users like Glen Cornhill cite the cancelation of “A list characters” as a major issue for them:
I’m done with Marvel if it’s cancelled TBH, you can’t cancel A list characters again and expect the audience to keep watching. It was bad enough with the Hulk, not doing that again. At least the comics are doing well.
I’m done with Marvel if it’s cancelled TBH, you can’t cancel A list characters again and expect the audience to keep watching. It was bad enough with the Hulk, not doing that again. At least the comics are doing well.
— glen cornhill ???️ (@CornhillGlen) November 28, 2023
Meanwhile, others like @SamusHusband rejoiced at this news. They “thank[ed] god” for this change, instead noting that Marvel “botched” the potential of the She-Hulk series with such a prominent and promising character from the Marvel comics:
thank god, i still wonder how they managed to botch the series that much ,there is so much to do with she hulk and somehow they did what they did.
thank god, i still wonder how they managed to botch the series that much ,there is so much to do with she hulk and somehow they did what they did.
— SamusHusband (@SamusHusband) November 28, 2023
It definitely seems as though Marvel and Disney are getting ready to prune the branches of the MCU Multiverse. Considering the lackluster response to their recent movie outings, as well as the complaints of superhero fatigue after their expansive foray into Disney+ streaming, it really appears as if Disney is getting a bit trigger-happy with the reworks and changes behind the scenes.
This comes in the wake of news like Disney firing the entirety of the Daredevil: Born Again creative crew and scrapping the majority of their pre-existing footage and story for a total rework.
More changes are surely to come, as the Marvel box office has been suffering lately, and Disney and Feige plan to cut down on the amount of MCU content flooding the market, to combat fatigue.
Do you think Marvel is giving in to “anti-woke” sentiments? Would you watch She Hulk Season 2? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Marvel Studios has reportedly decided to cut a major Marvel series from the MCU, leading to intense reactions from fans. Read More