As a lifelong comic book fan in high school when Iron Man came out, I was an instant fan of the MCU. Much of the fun of the franchise, then and now, is in seeing comic book characters who previously weren’t popular enough to get live-action adaptations brought to life. But something that the early Marvel movies had going for them that has been lost is the element of surprise.

The Power Of The Post-Credit Scene

It’s hard to imagine now, but when Iron Man came out in 2008 audiences didn’t know to expect a post-credit scene. Even the fact that Samuel L. Jackson had a cameo in the movie was kept a closely guarded secret, with his post-credit scene being removed from previews and the scene being shot with a small crew to avoid leaks. Everything in the scene, from Jackson’s role as Nick Fury to The Avengers being mentioned, was a surprise.

Most post-credit scenes in early Marvel movies were similar, often teasing films and characters that hadn’t been announced yet. As a fan I looked forward to these scenes, my excitement justified by moments like the reveal of Thanos at the end of The Avengers. Now I prefer when MCU movies don’t have a post-credit scene or when they’re just a quick final joke.

Surprises Ruined By Announcements

chris hemsworth thor hammer

The reason my opinion has changed has nothing to do with superhero fatigue or not liking the movies, but because they rarely have big surprises. With Disney announcing what films and shows will be coming out years in advance, there can’t be surprises as big as seeing Thor’s hammer at the end of Iron Man 2 before Thor was announced. Beast appearing at the end of The Marvel’s is cool, but it’s not surprising after Disney has announced their plan to bring the X-Men into the MCU.

Surprise Casting Has Also Disappeared


While post-credit scenes are the biggest victim of the lack of secrecy around Marvel movies, surprise casting has also mostly disappeared. The recent casting of Giancarlo Esposito in an unnamed role in Captain America: Brave New World is something I wish had been kept under wraps until release. Even with his role currently a secret, his unexpected appearance could have been a fun moment in theaters.

Quantumania Ruined The Kang Dynasty

marvel jonathan majors
In the most egregious cases, the modern tendency for the MCU to spoil itself can actively hurt the plot of a Marvel movie. When Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has a scene in which Kang the Conqueror dies, I can’t get invested in that plot point because I already know Avengers: The Kang Dynasty is on the release schedule. Putting release roadmaps out for fans may build temporary hype, but they remove the tension and mystery from the stories being told.

The Mystery Is Half Of The Appeal

The MCU being reworked is a good move and I hope that reworking happens entirely behind the scenes. I don’t want to know who the next big MCU villain is until they appear in a movie and I don’t want an updated roadmap. If Disney wants to capture the magic of early Marvel movies, they must stop spoiling their story lines with big Comic-Con announcements and social media posts detailing their plans.