Over the past 10 years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become the most successful movie franchise in history, having made nearly $15 billion since the release of Iron Man.
The franchise has brought a number of heroes from Marvel Comics, some who are well known like Iron Man and Spider-Man, and some who were more obscure like Ant-Man and the Guardians of the Galaxy.
Marvel Studios have managed to put out a great number of movies that audiences almost always seem to enjoy.
However, though the MCU movies may be based on Marvel Comics, they don’t always follow the comics beat for beat. Rather than following the story arcs of the comic-books, most MCU movies simply take the characters and the names of the comics, and then create their own stories.
Take, for example, Avengers: Age of Ultron. While the movie did feature Ultron as the primary antagonist, the movie itself seemed to have very few elements from the comic-book arc Age of Ultron.
Though the changes the MCU has made to their movies isn’t always detrimental, there have been a number of changes that really seem to grind people’s gears.
While the stories of the movies usually entertain and don’t irritate fans (with the obvious exception of Iron Man 3), it is the changes made to the characters and the Avengers themselves that seem to create the most negativity.
With that in mind, here are the 10 Things The MCU Got Wrong About The Avengers (And 10 Things It Got Right).
Got Wrong: The Original Line-Up
When the Avengers first braced the screen in 2012, they were a team of six heroes: Captain America, Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye. However, when the Avengers first teamed up in the comics in 1963, they had a bit smaller of a roster.
The five founding Avengers in the comics were Iron Man, Thor, Hulk, Ant-Man, and the Wasp. At the time, Captain America was still frozen in ice and wouldn’t be part of the team for quite a while.
Additionally, Black Widow and Hawkeye were not nearly prominent enough heroes in the comics to become part of the initial team-up.
What irritates people most about this was the exclusion of Ant-Man and the Wasp. While Marvel Studios did try to come up with a way to introduce them in The Avengers, they were cut in early drafts of the script because they made the story too over-crowded.
Got Right: The Leadership Dynamics
Who is the leader of the Avengers? Well, it depends on who you ask, and this is exactly how it was intended.
While Captain America is generally regarded as the true leader, considering that he literally has “Captain” in his name, Iron Man will also take up the mantle on occasion, considering that he is the main source of funding for the superhero team.
This was a fantastic element of the comics, particularly in the Civil War story arc, and it is something that fans are happy to see on screen as well.
The bashing heads of Steve Rogers and Tony Stark has been an important element of the MCU since The Avengers in 2012, and culminated to become the central plot of Captain America: Civil War in 2016.
Got Wrong: Black Widow And Hulk’s Romance
Avengers: Age of Ultron did a lot of things wrong, but the most prominent screw-up on the part of director Joss Whedon was the out-of-nowhere romance between Natasha Romanoff and Bruce Banner.
The off-putting romantic plot between Black Widow and Hulk never occurred in the comics at all. Natasha may have had relationships with many other Avengers, such as Hawkeye and Daredevil, she and the Hulk never had any emotional connection.
All of the comic writers knew that she and Banner were simply not compatible.
This romantic plot was completely made up by Joss Whedon for Age of Ultron, and it really did not work. It drastically changed the reserved, untrusting characteristics of Black Widow, and instead made her a damsel in distress whose entire story arc was based on romance, which isn’t who she’s supposed to be at all.
Got Right: Spider-Man Growing Up In A Superhero World
One huge element of Spider-Man in the comics was that he lived in a world where he was not the only superhero. He always had a bar above him that he would need to rise to, which is what made him such an interesting character to follow.
This was an element that no Spider-Man movie managed to capture until the web-slinger entered the MCU.
The MCU Spider-Man grew up in a superhero-dominated universe, with the events of The Avengers being a childhood memory.
This is one specific element that has made Spider-Man one of the MCU’s best heroes, both in Captain America: Civil War and Spider-Man: Homecoming, when he had Tony Stark as a mentor.
We will see more of this element of Spider-Man when he finally teams up with the reunited Avengers in Avengers: Infinity War.
Got Wrong: Everyone Being Funny
Comic-books are often fun to read, so it would make sense that a number of the comic-book Avengers like Tony Stark and Spider-Man crack the occasional joke. However, after this element was brought successfully to the table in the first Avengers, Marvel has since taken it to an unhealthy level.
Movies like Avengers: Age of Ultron and Thor: Ragnarok became over-saturated with humor from seemingly every character on-screen. While the humor from Tony Stark and Hawkeye was certainly accurae, it felt completely unnatural seeing heroes like Captain America and Thor trying to be the funny characters.
This overdose of comedy has managed to take away from a lot of serious moments in movies starring the Avengers. While Thor: Ragnarok was certainly fun, the comedy which replaced the emotion at every spot in the movie made it significantly less memorable.
Got Right: The Combined Storylines
Something that comic-books can do that movies typically cannot do is show plots of separate characters in their own series that interconnect with the stories of the other characters.
Movie series typically work in a straightforward manner, with each one starring the same characters and telling the same subsequent story. The Avengers changed all of this.
Since the release of The Avengers, it has seemed that every movie starring Earth’s Mightiest Heroes has been part of an entangled web, each movie somehow affecting the next.
By the time we got to Avengers: Age of Ultron, it seemed that each character was in a different state of mind since the first Avengers, with their own solo movies all having some affect on the team-up.
This is something that most people assumed movies could never do, yet the MCU got it perfectly right.
Got Wrong: Ignoring The Defenders And Other Heroes
In the comics, the Avengers will regularly team up with the other heroes in their universe. The members of the Defenders specifically are actually rather close to the Avengers, with many of them being friends.
This is a dynamic we have not seen in the MCU. Despite the Defenders being prominent heroes in the universe, the Avengers have yet to recruit or encounter them, let alone acknowledge them.
This also goes for the heroes and characters in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., who have proven themselves prominent members of the MCU.
It is sad to know that iconic comic-book interactions between characters like Captain America and the Punisher, and Spider-Man and Daredevil will likely never be seen on screen.
Additionally, this means that the Inhumans, who are beloved characters in the comics, will likely never redeem themselves and brace the screen again after the failed reception of their TV series.
Got Right: Various Levels Of Threat
While some of the most famous Marvel comic-book events have involved world-threatening phenomenons, many other memorable stories have had much weaker threats, with the stakes still being high. Civil War was certainly a good example of a low threat with high stakes.
This is something the movies have undoubtedly been able to capture. While the Avengers movies themselves have had world-threatening foes, the solo adventures of the Avengers themselves have been varied.
The final fight of Captain America: Civil War may have had no global threats to it, but it still managed to be one of the most captivating finales of any MCU movie.
This helps make the MCU stand out from the DC Extended Universe, considering that practically ever movie in the DCEU to date has had a world-threatening final battle, which has started to make the final battles of each released movie feel less and less important.
Got Wrong: The Lack Of Villain Teams
For years, Marvel fans have been asking for supervillain team-ups in the MCU. In the comics, supervillains will regularly form into teams in order to take down the teams of heroes. Unfortunately, this is something the movies have not picked up.
Sometimes Marvel villains work together, like the Mandarin working for A.I.M. in Iron Man 3 and Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch serving as minions for Ultron in Avengers: Age of Ultron, but there has yet to be a true supervillain team in the MCU.
This is something that DC is apparently beating Marvel to the punch at.
The post-credits scene of Justice League seemingly set up the Injustice League down the road for the franchise. Hopefully, the MCU will introduce something like this in Phase 4.
Got Right: The Headquarters
In the comics, the Avengers have had a various number of HQ’s over the years, with the most notable being Avengers Tower and Avengers Mansion. While we have yet to see Avengers Mansion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the series did cleverly set up Avengers Tower.
Since the “birth” of Avengers Tower in The Avengers, the building has actually become symbolic in the franchise.
The tower is regularly visible in the background of movies like Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Spider-Man: Homecoming, and even the posters and promotions of the Marvel Netflix shows.
Hopefully, we will someday see Avengers Mansion become the next Headquarters for the Avengers, and become just as iconic. It is likely that Avengers Mansion will be the next HQ in line for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes after the one in upstate New York.
Got Wrong: Almost Everything To Do With Vision
The MCU got a couple things right with Vision, such as making him an android created by Ultron. Besides that, though, the comic-book Vision and MCU Vision are both very different.
In the comics, Vision was born from the brainwaves of Wonder Man, which explained how he could have feelings and emotions. When Vision was first created in the MCU, however, he was born from JARVIS, who was nothing more than a computer.
While this worked as a decent origin story for the android superhero, it failed to explain how Vision later managed to have feelings and emotions in Captain America: Civil War.
This is one part of Vision that will never make sense in the movies, and likely will never be explained. As badly as we want to see his romantic plot with Scarlet Witch on screen, it will feel off-putting considering how much more illogical it will be than it was in the comics.
Got Right: Most Of The Costumes
One complaint about previous superhero movies and shows, specifically X-Men and Smallville, is that they did not do the physical appearances of their characters justice. Wolverine never dressed in his yellow suit and the less we talk about the Smallville version of Aquaman, the better.
With that in mind, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has, for the most part, blown these movies and shows out of the water with their costume design.
Marvel Studios isn’t afraid to have Captain America regularly run around in his red, white, and blue outfit, and Thor’s variety of capes and armor seem to go all out.
While some characters like Scarlet Witch and Hawkeye may not have nearly as vibrant of outfits as they do in the comics, for the most part, the Avengers’ wardrobes have been just as colorful and well-designed as they were on the pages.
Got Wrong: Secret Identities
A large element of the comics that never really found its way to the MCU is the existence of secret identities. Almost every member of the Avengers in the MCU has a public identity, which isn’t entirely the most accurate.
For example, in the comics, Iron Man actually had a secret identity, which was a huge part of his character.
Tony Stark didn’t utter the famous line “I am Iron Man” to the press until decades after the debut of his character. Until then, Iron Man was always described as Tony Stark’s bodyguard.
The absence of secret identities in the MCU actually caused a bit of an issue when adapting Civil War to the screen, considering that the comic arc was actually a fight over whether or not identities needed to be kept secret.
The movie changed this argument so it could make more sense, but the issue of secret identities being mostly absent is still prevalent.
Got Right: Hawkeye’s Intense Skill
At first glance, Hawkeye seems like the weakest Avenger, but upon further analysis, it becomes clear that he is quite possible the most talented and skilled member of the team.
Though he has no magic abilities or advanced technology, Clint Barton still manages to keep up with the rest of the Avengers simply based on his training with a bow.
This is something that the comics portrayed beautifully, and the movies managed to do a great job with as well.
Even though many people have made the movie version of Hawkeye into a joke, true Marvel fans accept and praise how great of a character Hawkeye has panned out to be on screen.
In fact, Hawkeye’s mysterious role in Avengers: Infinity War is actually one of the most discussed topics of the movie.
Got Wrong: Black Widow’s Accent
Since her debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Iron Man 2, Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow has managed to sell a whole lot of tickets for Marvel Studios, in addition to being a truly interesting character.
Despite not having her own solo movie just yet, Black Widow is one of Marvel’s most popular characters. Unfortunately, there’s one big thing about her that just doesn’t hold up.
In the comics, in previous TV series, and in the video games, Black Widow has always had a Russian accent.
In the MCU, however, she has an American accent. This not only contradicts her accuracy to the comics, but it also contradicts her upbringing as a Russian assassin.
While it is theorized that her American accent is actually just a cover, this is never explained or shown at all.
Got Right: The Tension Between Vision And Scarlet Witch
If you have never read about Vision and Scarlet Witch in the comics, and was wondering “Are these two going to be a thing?” while watching their interaction in Captain America: Civil War, then you undoubtedly thought right.
In the comics, Scarlet Witch and Vision not only have a weird android / mutant romance, but they actually get married and have kids.
Whether or not we will see their relationship get this far in the MCU remains to be seen, but there is certainly something going on between Vision and Scarlet Witch in the movies that is pleasing to a lot of fans.
We will undoubtedly see more of this forbidden romance in Avengers: Infinity War, as some of the trailers and TV spots have shown. It seems that Scarlet Witch will be taking it upon herself to protect her android crush from Thanos’s goons.
Got Wrong: The Pronunciation Of T’Challa
One of the newest Avengers in the MCU, Black Panther, has become one of the MCU’s most popular heroes, with Black Panther becoming the most successful superhero solo movie of all time.
As great as Black Panther is, though, there’s one thing about the Wakandan King that the MCU got very wrong.
At one point in the comics, the writers clarified how Black Panther’s name is actually pronounced, when T’Challa himself says that the “T” in his name is silent.
However, this did not stop Marvel Studios from having his name be pronounced with the “T” in both Captain America: Civil War and Black Panther.
In defense of the decision for T’Challa’s name pronunciation in the MCU, other Marvel media have also made this mistake, including video games and TV shows.
Got Right: The Team’s Feelings About The Hulk
In the comics, a lot of people don’t trust Bruce Banner or the Hulk– and for good reason. In fact, the entire Planet Hulk story arc was caused when Tony Stark, Doctor Strange, and a number of other heroes decided to send Hulk into space in order to protect the Earth.
While Tony Stark has yet to shoot Bruce Banner into space, it is very clear that a lot of the Avengers do not trust him.
This is evident in The Avengers when Captain America acted skittish about Tony pulling nonsense around Bruce, and in Avengers: Age of Ultron when it was revealed Tony had created a Hulkbuster suit designed specifically to take down the Hulk.
The mixed feelings about Hulk’s inclusion with the Avengers adds a lot more depth to the characters, making it a great inclusion to the movies from the comics.
Got Wrong: No X-Men Or Fantastic Four
In the comics, some of the most notable members of the Avengers have been Wolverine, Storm, and Beast. In addition, the members of the Fantastic Four have regularly become part of the Avengers team. Unfortunately, this is something we have yet to see on the big screen.
Though the Disney / FOX deal is still in the works, it feels a bit too late for many Marvel fans.
Though it’s very possible that we may see the X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Avengers join forces in the future, the Avengers roster may be drastically different from what it is now, which may make it less exciting for some people.
Interactions between characters like Iron Man and Wolverine will likely never be seen on screen, which is upsetting for many Marvel fans who loved their interactions in the comics.
Got Right: The Essence Of The Comics
While the Marvel Cinematic Universe has certainly gotten a lot of things wrong, including costumes, accents, and story arcs, there’s one great thing that Marvel Studios certainly got right: the essence of the comics.
The Avengers roster may be different from the comic-books, but that doesn’t mean the stories don’t have the same heart.
The MCU has managed to keep most hardcore Marvel fans enthused, while still entertaining common audiences, which is something certainly notable.
Though the MCU has changed a lot of things, very rarely has it felt like a bad adaptation. Instead, it just feels like another one of Marvel’s alternate universes.
The events are different, but the emotions and characters are still the same. Because of this, the things that the MCU got wrong become a lot easier to overlook.
Can you think of any other things that the MCU got right (or wrong) about The Avengers? Sound off in the comments!
