Top 10 Biggest MCU Controversies Ever

Top 10 MCU Controversies

Welcome to WatchMojo and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the top 10 MCU Controversies.

For this list, we’ll be going over the most provocative events relating to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Watch out, as there may be spoilers ahead!

If there’s a contentious moment from the MCU we missed, feel free to stir up the discussion in the comments.

#10: Replacing Edward Norton

“The Avengers” (2012)
In “The Incredible Hulk,” Edward Norton played Bruce Banner. However, Marvel fans were up in arms when the franchise’s first big crossover film, “The Avengers,” revealed that the character had been recast with Mark Ruffalo. The reasons for Norton’s replacement have varied, with Kevin Feige claiming that Norton did not embody the MCU’s collaborative spirit. Unconfirmed rumors have cited Norton’s partial revision of the movie’s script as a prime factor. Norton himself claimed to not want to be tied down to one role and has also been perfectly amicable in his departure and gracious towards Ruffalo. While many fans were initially upset, the consensus now is generally that it was the right move, as Ruffalo has been, well, incredible.

#9: Disconnected

Marvel's Netflix Television Series (2015-19)
The MCU shows which aired on Netflix, “Daredevil,” “Jessica Jones,” “Luke Cage,” “Iron Fist,” “The Punisher,” and “The Defenders,” had some high acclaim and some heavy criticism. Still, fans were understandably upset with their abrupt cancellations. But arguably even more controversial was their apparent disconnect from the rest of the MCU. The Netflix series rarely referenced the rest of the MCU, with token mentions of the Avengers, and often felt tonally different even from other shows like “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” A large part of this can be laid at the feet of the feud between Kevin Feige, who was in charge of the films, and Ike Perlmutter, who was in charge of TV. It may be too late for Netflix, but Feige’s running it all now.

#8: Spider-Man Is Iron Man Jr.

Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008-)
It says a lot that the MCU Spidey’s lack of Spider-Sense in his first solo movie isn’t even the most controversial thing about him. One of the biggest gripes with the MCU version of Spider-Man is that Peter Parker’s arc is too closely tied to Iron Man. Although proponents insist that it makes sense for him to look up to Tony Stark, opponents cite how Peter’s attachment to Iron Man is a departure from the character’s working-class roots. Because he relies on Stark resources, Spider-Man rarely has to stand on his own as a hero. Both of his first two films have revolved around his relationship to Iron Man to some degree. As great as that relationship is, we do wonder about the alternative.

#7: Bruce Banner & Natasha Romanoff’s Sudden Romance

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015)
Sometimes love can strike in the most unexpected of places. And few expected Bruce Banner to get a romance with Natasha Romanoff! The Hulk and Black Widow? The odds were long for this matchup. So when the two of them had a romantic subplot in “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the reactions ranged from perplexed to angry. Many felt it was a prime example of the MCU’s refusal to commit to a proper storyline for Black Widow, while others feel that it was just one of many unnecessary subplots in “Age of Ultron.” The fact that later movies largely abandoned the relationship threads appeased some, while others see it as a plot thread Marvel dropped like Widow dropped Bruce – off a cliff.

#6: Wanda & Pietro Maximoff Aren’t Mutants

“Avengers: Age of Ultron” (2015)
Any change to a character in an adaptation is bound to be met with scrutiny and controversy, and the Maximoff twins are no exception. In the comics, Wanda and Pietro Maximoff are mutants, although this isn’t the case in the MCU. This was arguably unavoidable since Fox still had the rights to mutants and the X-Men, with whom the characters are usually associated. Still, that hasn’t stopped people from being upset that a fundamental aspect of these characters’ identities was changed. Since “WandaVision” retconned a fair deal, though, perhaps their origins will see more tweaks in future installments.

#5: Many Race Issues

Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008-)
For as popular as the MCU has been, it still has a rather unfortunate track record with racial issues. These have included such controversies as the Ancient One’s casting in “Doctor Strange” being considered whitewashing, to “Iron Fist” playing into the white savior trope. Arguably its most glaring is the lack of diversity among its lead characters. While the franchise’s supporting cast included non-white characters, almost all of its leads were white. It took 8 years to get a black lead on TV with “Luke Cage” and 10 for one in a movie with “Black Panther.” Thankfully, the future of the MCU is looking more diverse. And, in the same vein…

#4: A Lack of Female-Led Movies

Marvel Cinematic Universe (2008-)
Much like the franchise’s issues with racial diversity, it has also struggled with its portrayal of women as well. While controversies like Loki’s Victorian-era slang and Chris Evans and Jeremy Renner’s remarks on Black Widow have reared their heads, it’s the long absence of films starring women that has really proven contentious. Although characters like Black Widow or Gamora had prominent supporting roles, it wouldn’t be until 2019’s “Captain Marvel” that a woman would be the sole lead in an MCU movie. According to Kevin Feige, this was due to some of the other executives believing female-led superhero movies wouldn’t succeed because of past flops. Thankfully, time has proven those executives were incredibly wrong.

#3: Edgar Wright & Patty Jenkins’ Exits

“Ant-Man” (2015) & “Thor: The Dark World” (2013)
Directors have often clashed with Marvel executives and two of the most high-profile departures were Edgar Wright and Patty Jenkins. Wright was attached to write and direct “Ant-Man” for many years. He departed the film over creative differences with Marvel. Wright didn’t feel comfortable being a “director for hire,” as he had written and directed all his previous films. Jenkins, meanwhile, was unsatisfied with the story for her film, “Thor: The Dark World.” Although she would’ve been the MCU’s first female director, Jenkins decided to leave the project. Given the movie’s lukewarm reception, Jenkins probably made the right call. Still, fans can’t help but wonder what their visions for their respective movies would’ve been like.

#2: The Mandarin Twist

“Iron Man 3” (2013)
In “Iron Man 3,” Tony Stark is set to face off against the Mandarin. Unlike his previous foes, this wasn’t a tech genius with a personal grudge against Tony – this was a terrorist mastermind who hated America. Tony just gets involved incidentally and… what’s that? The guy we thought was the Mandarin is just an actor, and the “real” one is a tech genius with a grudge against Tony? The Mandarin is one of Iron Man’s most famous villains in the comics. He’s the Lex Luthor to his Superman, the Joker to his Batman. Now imagine if the Joker were revealed to be a party clown in the next “Batman” movie. That’s the kind of reaction Iron Man fans had to this plot twist! Thankfully, Marvel has since ret-conned the situation and the real real Mandarin is slated to appear in the upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

#1: Firing James Gunn

“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” (2023)
The “Guardians of the Galaxy” films have been some of the MCU’s most unexpected successes and it’s easy to credit writer-director James Gunn for their eclectic style and humor. However, Disney fired Gunn from the third movie in July 2018, after old tweets surfaced of the director making jokes that were in poor taste. Many were upset by this decision, claiming that the tweets, while upsetting, were not enough to warrant him being fired. The cast and crew of the movies came out in support of Gunn as well. Still, they were off-color enough that it’s understandable why Disney made the move. Unlike many in similar situations, Gunn owned up to his mistake and was eventually rehired for the currently forthcoming “Vol. 3.”