Iron Man looking shocked at the start of Avengers Endgame
By
Zoe Miskelly
Published 50 minutes ago
Zoë Miskelly is an editor for Screen Rant's Superheroes team, and has covered Marvel, DC, and other superhero franchises in comic, movie, and show form for 8 years. Zoë's love of superheroes and all things Marvel & DC started out in childhood, and has blossomed into a career getting to talk about some of the biggest and best movies and shows of all time, having previously focused on comics while working at WhatCulture.
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The MCU's next release looks to be particularly perfect for fans who've developed concerns about how the franchise will fare going forward in the current age. While the MCU timeline consists of several of the biggest movies of all time - and has grown Marvel's on-screen roster into a true titan of cinema - the years after the staggering accomplishments of Avengers: Endgame have left some nervous about the franchise's future.
With the concept of superhero fatigue - an idea that posits audiences have become less invested in superhero installments overall due to the sheer amount of them released over the past few years - having begun to be discussed as a prospective issue for Marvel and DC, it's understandable that some may be less certain over what the best path forward for the MCU actually is. Interestingly, it seems the franchise's next release is set to address this idea and concerns around it on some levels.
Wonder Man's Meta Story Teases & Superhero Fatigue Exploration Make It A Direct Way For The MCU To Address Audience Concerns
Simon Williams in a red suit and sunglasses in Wonder Man
The setup for Wonder Man - which is set to release in January 2026 - is one that naturally has to delve into some interesting territory, as a superhero show whose story is based around the in-universe creation of a superhero movie - wherein the character seeking to be lead actor has actual superpowers, no less, though powers they appear to be trying to conceal.
Wonder Man actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II delved into what this means for the MCU show in an interview with Empire, stating that "We’re doing something that’s fresh, and a bit tongue-in-cheek, a bit self-aware." The actor went on to explain that:
"The show is self-aware, without looking directly into the camera... There’ll be commentary about superhero fatigue and things like that, but to me, it’s just dressing. That’s not really the aim of the show. The focus of the show is about an actor’s journey. It’s about a journey of friendship."
While Abdul-Mateen underlines that the focus of the show will not be solely to look at concepts like superhero fatigue, his comments also suggest this will be a notable part of the upcoming series - which, if done right, would seemingly be a wise move, given it would allow the MCU to address concerns about the concept and how it could affect the franchise directly, even if only to playfully show those involved in the franchise itself have been thinking of solutions.
Wonder Man's Story Premise Makes Its Release Timing Look Even Better
Wonder Man looking shocked on phone
The reveal that Wonder Man would be releasing in January 2026 may understandably have come as a surprise to some, given the MCU has often provided December releases, and it seemed as though Wonder Man could be a good fit for this kind of place in the franchise's release schedule.
However, if the series is able to act as a meta commentary on both its own story and concepts like superhero fatigue, it makes particular sense for the upcoming MCU release to come at the start of a new year, as a chance to start anew in a sense.
Similarly, given this will be the same year the MCU releases two categorically huge movies - in the form of Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Avengers: Doomsday, respectively - spending some time setting the stage at the start of the year in this way also seems like a move that could pay dividends for these later bigger releases in the franchise's calendar.
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