Going into Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was very well known how big of a deal
WandaVision
was going forward. The impact that the series would have on that world was teased to be monumental. Even since it was first announced, the world knew the show would lead into
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
.
While things certainly turned out a little different from expected
with no Doctor Strange in sight
, the set-up for the multiverse had begun. The multiverse is a thread that not only promises to be a key part of the
Doctor Strange
sequel but also
Spider-Man: No Way Home
—not to mention the potential to
have rippling effects through entire future phases
. The story being told in
WandaVision
may have been
an intimately personal one at its core
, but its place in the MCU is much grander.
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So, with
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
airing this Friday, should audiences be expecting a similar impact?
A GROUNDED TALE IN THE MCU
In an interview with
Inverse
, the director of The
Falcon and the Winter Soldier
, Kari Skogland, talked about how the series is more self-contained than other upcoming Marvel projects and why she didn’t have to work with other Marvel directors, as
WandaVision
director Matt Shakman worked with
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
director Sam Raimi.
Skogland reinforced the promise that
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
will be
“very grounded and very authentic:”
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“
WandaVision
was so different that I can see why Matt would be quite specific in reaching out to other directors… I didn’t do that on purpose because this series is very grounded and very authentic and very character-driven…That meant the show was always going to have its own unique signature, and that’s really what I was going for while making it.”
SELF-CONTAINED, BUT NO LESS IMPORTANT
It’s not all that much of a surprise that
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
won’t make as big a dent in the overall MCU narrative in the same way
WandaVision
did. While not much is known about the story of the show, it was never hyped up in the same way that Wanda’s happy life with Vision was. It was simply sold as a down-to-earth show meant to explore the characters and dynamics of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes.
Be sure not to confuse these sentiments with the show not being important, though. That’s likely to be far from the truth. After all, the show is setting up the new Captain America.
While it’s all but confirmed
that Sam Wilson will eventually take the role despite his hesitancy, it would seem getting to that decision will be a good chunk of his narrative arc. Not to mention the weight of Steve Roger’s legacy will be key to taking that deep dive into these characters that fans have truly only seen small bits of.
This does beg the question: what effect will this have on the overall narrative of the MCU? Well, there’s the obvious event of getting a new Captain America, followed by the not-so-obvious question of where he may pop up again down the line. On top of that, there have been
plenty of rumors
over the last year or two regarding the introduction of The Thunderbolts. With both Bucky Barnes and Zemo playing key roles, it wouldn’t be a stretch to think that group’s set-up may be just around the corner.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
will start streaming exclusively on Disney+ on March 19, 2021.
Going into Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it was very well known how big of a deal
WandaVision
was going forward. The impact that the series would have on that world was teased to be monumental. Even since it was first announced, the world knew the show would lead into
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
.
While things certainly turned out a little different from expected
with no Doctor Strange in sight
, the set-up for the multiverse had begun. The multiverse is a thread that not only promises to be a key part of the
Doctor Strange
sequel but also
Spider-Man: No Way Home
—not to mention the potential to
have rippling effects through entire future phases
. The story being told in
WandaVision
may have been
an intimately personal one at its core
, but its place in the MCU is much grander.
ADVERTISEMENT
So, with
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
airing this Friday, should audiences be expecting a similar impact?
A GROUNDED TALE IN THE MCU
In an interview with
Inverse
, the director of The
Falcon and the Winter Soldier
, Kari Skogland, talked about how the series is more self-contained than other upcoming Marvel projects and why she didn’t have to work with other Marvel directors, as
WandaVision
director Matt Shakman worked with
Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness
director Sam Raimi.
Skogland reinforced the promise that
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
will be
“very grounded and very authentic:”
SELF-CONTAINED, BUT NO LESS IMPORTANT
It’s not all that much of a surprise that
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
won’t make as big a dent in the overall MCU narrative in the same way
WandaVision
did. While not much is known about the story of the show, it was never hyped up in the same way that Wanda’s happy life with Vision was. It was simply sold as a down-to-earth show meant to explore the characters and dynamics of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes.
“
WandaVision
was so different that I can see why Matt would be quite specific in reaching out to other directors… I didn’t do that on purpose because this series is very grounded and very authentic and very character-driven…That meant the show was always going to have its own unique signature, and that’s really what I was going for while making it.”
Be sure not to confuse these sentiments with the show not being important, though. That’s likely to be far from the truth. After all, the show is setting up the new Captain America.
While it’s all but confirmed
that Sam Wilson will eventually take the role despite his hesitancy, it would seem getting to that decision will be a good chunk of his narrative arc. Not to mention the weight of Steve Roger’s legacy will be key to taking that deep dive into these characters that fans have truly only seen small bits of.
This does beg the question: what effect will this have on the overall narrative of the MCU? Well, there’s the obvious event of getting a new Captain America, followed by the not-so-obvious question of where he may pop up again down the line. On top of that, there have been
plenty of rumors
over the last year or two regarding the introduction of The Thunderbolts. With both Bucky Barnes and Zemo playing key roles, it wouldn’t be a stretch to think that group’s set-up may be just around the corner.
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier
will start streaming exclusively on Disney+ on March 19, 2021.