Black Widow sets the tone for the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s exciting next phase

Black Widow and the bolder Marvel Studios Disney Plus programs highlight an exciting new period of evolution for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

People weren’t sure what to expect from Black Widow. Natasha Romanoff has had a lot of changes in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Some of them were not done well. One in particular was the unnecessary relationship between Bruce Banner and Natasha. The interactions between the two Avengers awkward and seemed forced.

The lackluster parts of her story made some people concerned about what to expect from her solo film but Black Widow showed everyone that Natasha Romanoff was more than capable of headlining her own movie. In fact, it highlighted that it should have come out sooner. Thankfully though, it happened before Scarlett Johansson’s time in the MCU was over.

One of the more notable takeaways from Black Widow was the tone of the movie. It seemed more grim than the other MCU projects in recent years. The conversations were more mature as well. For example, Natasha and Yelena discussing the atrocities that had been inflicted on them in the Red Room. This isn’t a scene we’d normally see. In the past, we have seen serious or disturbing occurrences dealt with in a single line of dialogue. But here they went into the gruesome details of what happened, highlighting the seriousness of what occurred. Sure, the movie still featured some levity throughout, but it was still unlike what we’re used to seeing in the Marvel Studios movies.

There was more cursing, the death count was higher, and things were definitely more violent than anticipated. Upon noticing all of that, it made this writer think about the recent Marvel Studios shows on Disney Plus. Loki, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and WandaVision all had mature subject matter that we weren’t used to seeing in the MCU, suggesting that Marvel Studios may be looking to change things going forward.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is evolving with the times and changing its approach

If the youngest person to see Iron Man was six years old, that means he’s 19 now. After 13 years, it’s time for the Marvel product to mature with its audience. All of the light-hearted banter and witty jokes can remain but there must be some more adult and relevant content sprinkled in there as well.

Marvel Studios has shown that the-powers-that-be know how to evolve with the times without dropping what made them a premier movie studio to begin with. Those same elements have trickled into the shows on Disney Plus – which, like Black Widow, aren’t shying away from mature storytelling and relevant issues. Loki exploring his sexuality, John Walker dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder and Wanda having to come to terms with death all point towards a different kind of MCU – one where it’s okay to discuss issues of importance.

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Confirmation of this theory will come from Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Of those two, the former has a better chance of continuing the same mature trend of storytelling. Spider-Man, on the other hand, is harder to predict. No Way Home has the potential to tell a more mature story, because with Peter running for his life from a murder he didn’t commit, we could be looking at a darker tone than we’re accustomed to seeing. Then again, we like Spider-Man light-hearted and he is one of the most popular superheroes with kids, so that’s where Marvel’s knack of not losing itself comes into play.

Meanwhile, Taika Waititi told Empire magazine that Thor: Love and Thunder is the, “…craziest film I’ve ever done.” Its predecessor, Thor: Ragnarok was silly, fun and very brightly colored, but it masked an adult tone. Thor dove deeper into depression as he lost his father, his hammer and his ancestral home. If what Taika Waititi said is true, then the upcoming fourth installment could also adopt a mature tone – especially since it comes after Avengers: Endgame – but one that is hidden underneath a lot more silliness (as the Thor movies do best).

Hopefully, Marvel’s evolution as a storytelling medium will continue. Considering we haven’t discussed Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Eternals, that leaves this writer to believe there is much more to come from Marvel Studios’ new era. Of course not every project will be tailored to one audience or the other. But, going forward, look for Marvel to continually evolve with the times, address issues that previous movie did not and produce content 100% suited to each respective heroes’ needs – even if that means a darker installment in the MCU. This will give the shared universe more balance – something that will only make Marvel Studios better in the long run.

What do you think? Would you want the Marvel Cinematic Universe to have projects with a darker tone? Let us know in the comments below.