Summary
Avengers: The Kang Dynastyis rumored to feature a cast of over 60 characters, and this worries me in one specific way thatAvengers: Endgame’s large ensemble did not. As one of two upcomingAvengersprojects onMarvel’s current list of movie release dates,The Kang Dynastyis facing a lot of pressure. Not only is it the firstAvengersfilm sinceEndgame, but it is expected to tie seamlessly into the events ofAvengers: Secret Wars' plot. Like anyone, I am naturally excited about two moreAvengersfilms, and I would be a fool not to be.
Marvel Studios has proven that it is a studio capable of crafting brilliant ensemble movies, especially where the Avengers are concerned. That said, the production ofAvengers: The Kang Dynasty’s storyhas been anything but smooth, with director Destin Daniel Cretton and writer Jeff Loveness departing the project, and lead actorJonathan Majors being fired from the MCU. Despite these hiccups, a report about the film has indicated that a 60+ cast could be possible forAvengers: The Kang Dynasty.While this is more of a positive update, it worries me in a way thatEndgame’s cast did not.
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Avengers 5’s Rumored 60+ Cast Worries Me After Phases 4 & 5
The Kang Dynasty’s Huge Cast Risks Overshadowing Already-Underdeveloped Characters
The primary reason whyAvengers 5’s rumored 60+ castworries me stems from Phases 4 and 5. It is worth noting that I have enjoyed Phases 4 and 5, for the most part. I have not found the MCU to be in as much of a dire state as many others seem to think it is, and have liked almost every project sinceAvengers: Endgameto some capacity. Nevertheless, I am not blind to the criticisms that Phases 4 and 5 have received and often find myself agreeing with many of them.
If the central characters of the film had been established in Phases 4 and 5, Phase 6 would have had the freedom to blend many characters together.
More than any other drawback,I think the MCU’s Multiverse Saga has suffered from being too overstuffed. The focus on introducing a host of new characters afterEndgamemeans that a replacement Avengers team is yet to be established. Even the characters who are likely to be part ofAvengers 5’s team roster, from Shang-Chi and Captain America to Thor and Doctor Strange, have been underutilized in the Multiverse Saga. These major characters have only appeared once or twice sinceEndgame, leavingAvengers 5with the uphill battle of establishing a team before getting into the meat of the story.
With 60+ heroes rumored to appear inAvengers: The Kang Dynasty, I worry about the film’s storytelling balance. If the central characters of the film had been established in Phases 4 and 5, Phase 6 would have had the freedom to blend many characters together. That said, it is difficult to point to any MCU characters of late that have had well-rounded, satisfying character arcs sinceAvengers: Endgame. Due to this,Avengers 5holds the risk of including 60+ characters who are all underdeveloped, making the film less satisfying as a whole.
Avengers: Endgame’s Huge Cast Was Always Going To Work
The Infinity Saga Was Much Better Equipped For A Huge Avengers Cast
One point that could be raised to counter my doubts aboutAvengers 5is thatAvengers: Endgamehad a large ensemble and worked out. However, I would make the argument thatAvengers: Endgame’s MCU castwas always going to work, primarily due to the strong stories and character arcs that Phases 1, 2, and 3 laid out. From the original six Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy to solo heroes like Captain Marvel, Black Panther, Spider-Man, and Doctor Strange to name a few, every hero in the Infinity Saga had fleshed out stories before theirAvengers: Endgameappearance.
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This was because Marvel Studios allowed for multiple appearances, varied stories, and strong character arcs before the climax of the Infinity Saga. Take Doctor Strange, for example; his MCU debut was in 2016’sDoctor Strange, andhe had two other appearances in the following two years beforeEndgame. InAvengers: Infinity War, he was a massive focus and received an even stronger story than most, meaning his brief appearance inEndgame’s massive ensemble worked due to the fact audiences were more than familiar with his character.
WithAvengers: The Kang Dynastyand the many still-underutilized Multiverse Saga characters, it is difficult to see how the film’s massive cast can balance everyone satisfyingly.
This was also the case for several other characters, such as Spider-Man and Black Panther. Each hero that played a big or small role inAvengers: Endgamehad layers of history and multiple film appearances before the payoff. WithAvengers: The Kang Dynastyand the many still-underutilized Multiverse Saga characters, it is difficult to see how the film’s massive cast can balance everyone satisfyingly.
How Avengers 5 Can Still Make Its Massive Cast Work
Avengers: Endgame May Have Provided A Blueprint For Avengers 5
Despite these worries, I am not oblivious to the fact thatAvengers 5can - and probably will - still work. The main wayAvengers 5could work with a massive cast is if the majority of them are not positioned as main characters.Avengers: The Kang Dynastyneeds to focus on a smaller, more contained group of MCU heroes in the same wayAvengers: Endgame’s first two acts did with the original six Avengers and their small band of allies. Preferably, thestrongest Multiverse Saga charactersthus far would be the small team established forAvengers 5.
Characters like Sam Wilson, Ms. Marvel, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, and Thor spring to mind. While some of these characters have been shortchanged in the Multiverse Saga, they still have established history in the MCU. Combining this team with the better new characters of the MCU, such as Shang-Chi, would allow the film to focus more intently on fleshing out the lesser-known heroes. If the other 50+ characters are then relegated to cameos or third-act allies, the more underdeveloped characters fromAvengers 5’s team would have time to shine rather than be buried beneath a massive cast.
Avengers 5’s Massive Cast Sets Up A Major Problem For Avengers 6
Marvel’s Avengers 5 Update Could Negatively Impact Avengers: Secret Wars
Finally, the last issue thatAvengers 5’s huge cast could cause is not even linked to the film itself, but its sequel.Avengers: Secret Warswas confirmed at the same time asThe Kang Dynastyand is arguably even more anticipated due to its comic-book connections. Despite this anticipation,Secret Warscould suffer fromAvengers 5’s massive cast.Avengers 6is expected to be the huge culmination of the MCU’s Multiverse Saga, meaning many are expecting anotherEndgame-level event.
That said, ifAvengers: The Kang Dynastyemploys the rumored number of cast members, that film would be even bigger thanEndgamewas. This would then put pressure onSecret Warsto somehow surpass that or risk feeling anticlimactic by comparison. Either way, this could spell trouble if handled incorrectly. Of course, a large cast of cameos and heroes does not automatically make a good movie, and a smaller-scale story forSecret Warscould still be incredibly impactful. Even so,a largeAvengers 5cast could leaveAvengers 6feeling underwhelming should the latter not include 60+ charactersitself.
Conversely, if the creators ofAvengers: Secret Warsfeel obligated to outdoAvengers 5’s insane cast, it will run into the same issue in question with the latter. Not only would theMCU’s main timelineheroes be buried under an onslaught of cast members, butSecret Warswill likely involve variants and cameos from across the multiverse, taking the spotlight away from underdeveloped characters even more so. While I admit this is all speculation at this point, and I will trust the MCU to do right byAvengers: The Kang Dynasty’s characters, the rumored cast size still worries me.
