Ironheart: Why Most of Marvel’s Disney+ Shows Should’ve Been Movies

Ironheart recently debuted on Disney+, marking the end of an era for Marvel Cinematic Universe television. This show follows a trend of Disney+ Marvel series that might have been better suited as movies.

In the past, Marvel Studios opted to forgo showrunners for their Disney+ shows, giving more creative control to various individuals involved in the production. However, as Ironheart demonstrates, this approach may not have been the best choice. Many of these shows, including Ironheart, would have made more sense as feature films.

Unlike traditional TV dramas, such as The X-Files or Breaking Bad, MCU shows like Ironheart feel more like stretched-out movies. Each episode is part of a larger storyline, lacking the standalone plots that are typical of television. This makes it difficult to maintain engagement and tension throughout the series.

Additionally, many MCU shows, like Falcon and the Winter Soldier, conclude with lengthy CGI-heavy finales that don’t always resonate with viewers. These prolonged action sequences may work better in a condensed movie format.

While some MCU shows, like WandaVision and Loki, have successfully embraced the episodic nature of television, others, like Ironheart, may have missed the mark. By condensing the content of these shows into feature-length films, the pacing and storytelling could potentially be improved.

Ironheart is now available to stream on Disney+, offering fans a glimpse into the future of Marvel content. As the era of Marvel shows without showrunners comes to a close, hopefully, we will see a shift away from MCU movies disguised as lengthy TV series.