10 MCU Movies That Should Have Been Shows

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been dominating movie theaters since 2008 and has recently started to take over TV. Iron Man, Black Panther, and Avengers: Endgame all featured iconic moments that could never truly be replicated on the small screen, yet some other films would thrive on TV.

Some shows, like Daredevil and Inhumans, premiered long before Disney+ came into being, and the MCU has found a new home on the platform. With Loki and WandaVision proving to be such overwhelming successes, the MCU has surprisingly proven that movies should not be the only place where superheroes thrive. Many MCU movies should have been TV shows in the first place.

Thor: Love and Thunder had several dueling storylines with painfully mismatched tones. Jane’s rise to become the Mighty Thor, Gorr’s battle with the gods, the stolen children, and Thor’s continuing antics from Avengers: Endgame and Thor: Ragnorak each battled for dominance. As a result, none could fully enjoy their moment in the sun, which diminished the overall narrative.

TV shows have much more space for resolution. In a show, an entire episode could have been devoted to Gorr hunting down gods, another to Jane’s cancer treatment, and another to Thor’s recovery in the aftermath of Endgame. Additionally, in a show, Gorr could have been developed faithfully, without having to sacrifice Thor’s comedic streak.

9 Doctor Strange Could Have Been A Full Procedural

Doctor Strange was an undeniable success for the MCU. It introduced a new hero, more than made up for its budget, and helped to develop an existing magical undercurrent to the universe. Strange has been a central figure ever since. Unfortunately, he is wasted in movie theaters.

It’s not too difficult to imagine a procedural show focused on Doctor Strange. While his battle with Dormammu was a creative resolution, it failed to showcase just how many magical creatures and spells Strange can fight with. A TV show would allow episodic enemies, which can further explore different elements of Strange’s world. It would be essential worldbuilding for the Doctor and his future in the MCU.

8 Shang-Chi And The Legend of the Ten Rings Could Have Been Much More

It’s hard to fully develop a single character and an entire culture in the span of a single movie. While it is possible, some details will always feel somewhat underdeveloped. Ms. Marvel thrived by having the space necessary to explore every aspect of Kamala’s culture, and Shang-Chi deserved the same opportunity.

Shang-Chi introduced an entirely new setting in Ta Lo that may someday play a major role in the MCU. Had that setting been depicted on TV, instead of in a movie, Shang-Chi might have felt more like an integral character in the grand scheme of the universe. More of Ta Lo’s history could have been explored, and his importance to the wider world could have been more evident. Instead, Shang-Chi remains oddly disconnected, despite his ties to the Mandarin.

The Marvels is one of Marvel’s more unique movies for several reasons. It was released on November 10, 2023, just one day after the SAG-AFTRA strike came to an end. That prevented its star actors from promoting the movie, which was one cause of its box office collapse. Another major issue was that so many of its characters were from TV shows.

Monica Rambeau and Kamala Khan both got their powers on Disney+, and that meant that they were more familiar to Disney+ audiences. Had The Marvels been on Disney+, there would have been more time to promote the show, and two of its three protagonists would have been on the platform that they were made for. It just makes more sense, and it might have saved the project.

6 Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Needed More Worldbuilding

There were three major plotlines in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and every single one needed more room to breathe. The introduction of Namor’s Talokan was compelling, but few of his people were shown to be more than just background characters. Shuri’s rise to become the Black Panther was hardly rewarding, considering how little time she spent in the suit. Everett Ross’ struggle with the law felt like it was completely dropped until one of the final scenes.

In a TV show, every single narrative could have been fleshed out in full. More of Talokan could have been shown, Shuri could have taken a chance to train with Ironheart, and Ross’ story could have had more chance to breathe. A movie was simply too short to do it all justice, though it did an admirable job.

5 Black Widow Could Have Fleshed Out Natasha’s Family More

Black Widow has always been a character that deserved more. Most of the other Avengers had at least two movies of their own, but she was always the background hero. She had her moments, but her backstory was never fully explored until 2021’s Black Widow, which, unfortunately, was released during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic. That, alone, hurt its box office numbers.

Yet another major issue was Black Widow‘s limitations. It desperately tried to develop the Widow’s entire family, and their quest to free the other Widows. It could have been a long-form spy series, but instead felt painfully rushed. The thriller elements were underdone, and the movie never answered why the Black Widows were chosen. It needed more time, but it never got it.

4 The Eternals Was Way Too Short

The Eternals is a movie with endless potential. Every character is old enough to have seen the dawn of civilization, and it regularly flashes back to show their journeys. Unfortunately, because of its limited runtime, it has little time to spend on developing its oversized cast.

Even as a two-and-a-half-hour movie, it leaves much to be desired. In a TV show, each episode could have been devoted to developing one of the Eternals. The Eternals also needs to connect more with the rest of the MCU, and a TV show might have given it that opportunity. Instead, it feels painfully disconnected with characters hand-waving their lack of appearances before the movie. A show could have hinted at subtle interventions, which might have been more effective.

3 Spider-Man: Homecoming Could Have Featured Peter’s Entire Year

Spider-Man: Homecoming is one of the first Spider-Man movies that makes Peter Parker feel like both a typical high school student and a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man. It is an extraordinarily successful movie that gets Spider-Man right. The only problem is that there isn’t more of it.

Homecoming could have been a show that followed Peter through an entire in-depth year of high school. He could have taken on villains and spent more time as a friendly neighborhood hero, and he could still have teamed up with other heroes. It also might have prevented Morbius‘ baffling post-credit scene if the show needed Vulture in a future episode. Spider-Man: Far From Home could have simply been Season 2, rather than an entire movie.

Throughout its trilogy, the Guardians of the Galaxy team only has a few opportunities to show their worth as superheroes and mercenaries. In a TV show, however, they could have spent years showing off their abilities. At the same time, they could have explored Marvel’s cosmic side.

A show might also have had the chance to introduce new characters more naturally. Cosmo, Phyla, and the newest form of Groot could have ingrained themselves into the team without facing abrupt cuts that suddenly feature a tight-knit friendship. Instead, the team at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is abruptly thrown together. In a slow-developing TV show, that might not have been the case. All of the movies could easily have been featured in a show.

1 Captain America: The First Avenger Glossed Over The War

In one egregious scene, Captain America: The First Avengers attempts to condense the entirety of the Howling Commandos’ efforts in the war into a single montage. A TV show would not have had quite such pressing limitations. Instead, entire episodes could be devoted to their efforts on the battlefield.

A TV show also could have explored more about the other heroes who fought in World War II. It could have brought in the Human Torch, who even cameoed in the movie, but never had the chance to show his might in the fighting. It could have also introduced Namor, another hero that Captain America fights alongside in the comics that the movie adapts. A show would simply have more space, which can create a more faithful and touching story.