Even before the announcement that Robert Downey Jr. would return to theMarvel Cinematic Universe, I’d come to believe thatMarvel Studios needs to do something radical with the franchise: scrap its plans for the next Phase and adapt theAvengers: Twilightminiseries. Now, with RDJ back in the MCU fold, I’m even more positive this would be the best possible move, and I refuse to be convinced otherwise.
Avengers: Twilight– written by Chip Zdarsky, with art by Daniel Acuña – is a six-issue miniseries depicting a dark possible future for Earth’s Mightiest Heroes. Marvel has produced some greatAvengerstales over the past decade, butTwilightis without a doubt one of the best. It hitsevery beat a classicAvengersstory needs to, and providing an emotionally resonant “ending” for the team.
Reading back through the complete miniseries now, I am more sure than ever that it would make the perfect continuation of the on-screenAvengers, and help to solidify their cinematic legacy.
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Avengers: Twilight#1-6 – Written By Chip Zdarsky; Art By Daniel Acuña
While it is realistically too late for Marvel Studios to switch gears with its MCU plans now, in the spirit of the publisher’s tradition of asking “What-If?,” it is worth considering what could have been.
Avengers: Twilighthas its share of exciting creative decisions, but at its core is the use of the head-in-a-jar trope for the future Tony Stark, and how it allows for him to be slowly drawn into the story. I immediately started to think of howthis could serve to bring Robert Downey Jr. back to the franchise in some limited capacity; of course, as it turned out, his role wouldn’t need to be a cameo at all, as the actor committed to a full return toAvengersat this year’s Comic-Con – except, not in his familiar role as Iron Man.
The reveal thatRobert Downey Jr. would play Victor Von Doom, rather than Tony Stark, was meant to shock and excite fans, and while it did this to a certain degree, it also evoked more confusion – and even derision – than I think Marvel anticipated. For the record, I have no problem with an actor, even the franchise’s most high-profile star, playing different roles within the same series. That said, if Downey Jr. were to reprise his role as Iron Man, there would be no better story thanAvengers: Twilightfor him to do so.
I think fans who are bothered by the idea of seeing RDJ on screen, but not playing Tony Stark, will ultimately agree with me. To the extent that the actor’s return as Doctor Doom can be criticized as “stunt casting,“Avengers: Twilightwould offer the most authentic, emotionally impactful alternative. While it is realistically too late for Marvel Studios to switch gears with its MCU plans now, in the spirit ofthe publisher’s tradition of asking “What-If?,“it is worth considering what could have been.
The Iron Man Story At The Heart Of “Avengers: Twilight” Would Be Perfect For Robert Downey Jr.’s Return
An Epic Tale Of Rebirth & Redemption
Twilightis a redemption story for James, and for Tony, which is precisely what would make it an appealing follow-up to the Infinity Saga for Robert Downey Jr. and Marvel Studios.
Adaptation is an endlessly tricky undertaking; to a certain degree, comic book movies have been at their best when remixing and reimagining classic comic book stories loosely, allowing the live-action versions of their characters to develop their own distinct styles, while paying tribute to certain iconic ideas and tentpole moments. That said, fans will always continue to clamor for their favorite story arcs to be translated to the screen with fidelity, and I am no exception. In this sense, I thinkAvengers: Twilightis perfectly scripted for adaptation.
Chip Zdarsky’s story is set in a dark future, in which the United States has lapsed into authoritarian control following a catastrophic defeat that led to the disbanding of the Avengers. It is a classic story of the team coming back together to face one last, greatest threat – made especially more tense by the fact that Tony Stark’s son James is a principal antagonist for much of the series.Twilightis a redemption story for James, and for Tony, which is precisely what would make it an appealing follow-up to the Infinity Saga for Robert Downey Jr. and Marvel Studios.
The arc of the series consciously parallels the origin story of the Avengers in several ways, and it also contains echoes ofAvengers: Endgame, particular in the fact that the crux of the story’s revolution involves one final sacrifice by Tony Stark.I think most MCU fans would be enthralled, and in the end, satisfied, by the story ofAvengers: Twilight, first and foremost because of the emotional depth with which it handles exactly what makes the team Earth’s Mightiest Heroes.
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“Avengers: Twilight” Would Translate Easily To The Marvel Cinematic Universe
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Admittedly, I would only want this if it was guaranteed to top the impact of Tony’sEndgamesacrifice – and I think onlyTwilightwould be capable of approaching that.
There are, of course, certain changes that adaptingAvengers: Twilightwould necessitate. Notably, the mother of Tony Stark’s son in the comic was the Wasp, Janet Van Dyne; this would have to be changed to Pepper Potts. Naturally, Stark’s MCU daughter Morgan would replace Jamesas the Avengers’ adversary, and eventual ally. Still, for the most part, the series maps remarkably well on to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. An adult Kamala Khan plays a pivotal role, and versions of Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye, and Hulk all feature prominently.
I would also be remiss if I didn’t devote some time to celebrating Daniel Acuña’s art, which emphasizes the weathered, weary nature of the aged Avengers, along with the ominous, bleak atmosphere of the story’s fascistic dystopian setting. In both its story and its visual aesthetic,Avengers: Twilightexcels at delivering something that is at once familiar and fresh; that is what I look for in any kind of iterative storytelling, whether on the page, or on screen, and that is why I would love forTwilightto be adapted.
I am ready to be pleasantly surprised byMarvel Studios' revamped plans forAvengers 5and6, if they can deliver that feeling of familiar freshness. In a way, Robert Downey Jr. playing Doctor Doom is an attempt to do this, but I can’t shake the sense that the actor’s return is a missed opportunity to tell one more definitive Tony Stark story. Admittedly, I would only want this if it was guaranteed to top the impact of Tony’sEndgamesacrifice – and I think onlyTwilightwould be capable of approaching that.
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By Adapting “Avengers: Twilight,” Marvel Could Give The MCU’s Avengers The Ending They Deserve
A Dark, But Fitting, Final Ride For Earth’s Mightiest Heroes
If Marvel wanted to provide emotionally-resonant conclusions for the rest of its originalAvengersroster, on the level of Tony Stark’sEndgameexit, they could do no better thanAvengers: Twilight.
By design,Avengers: Twilightoffers a definitive ending to the team’s story. While this relegates it to an alternate continuity story in the grand scheme ofMarvel Comics' vast Multiverse,it is another part of what I would argue makes it appealing as the basis for a futureAvengersfilm. Since the MCU became a cultural phenomenon, and a massive commercial success, Marvel has begun to look at it as an endless, ongoing saga, just like in the comics. As great as this seems in theory, it simply isn’t sustainable.
Avengers: Endgamemay not have been conceived of as the finalAvengersmovie, but it was a definitive conclusion to the story up to that point. The set-up and pay-off of those early MCU phases alike will be difficult to top, as the last half-decade of Marvel movies has already made clear. If Marvel wanted to provide emotionally-resonant conclusions for the rest of its originalAvengersroster, on the level of Tony Stark’sEndgameexit, they could do no better thanAvengers: Twilight.
If Not Source Material, “Avengers: Twilight” Should Provide Inspiration For The MCU’s Future
What I can really hope for is that, if not adapting the miniseries directly, the upcomingAvengersfilms can capture the spirit ofTwilight; its desperation, its drama, and by the end, its renewal of hope.
Realistically, I understand that Marvel isn’t going to throw out all its MCU plans in order to adaptAvengers: Twilight, but I can’t emotionally shake the feeling that it would be the right move. FewAvengersstories in the past several years have resonated with me as a reader quite likeTwilight, andwhen I think about what direction I would like to see Marvel movies go in moving forward, I’m hard-pressed to think of a better possible arc than the one delivered by Chip Zdarksy and Daniel Acuña.
What I can really hope for is that, if not adapting the miniseries directly, the upcomingAvengersfilms can capture the spirit ofTwilight; its desperation, its drama, and by the end, its renewal of hope. If the next MCU overarching saga can deliver those things for me, I’ll be satisfied. In the meantime, I would highly recommend to allAvengersfans, especially those looking toparlay their MCU fandom into reading comics, checking outAvengers: Twilight, and thinking about what they would most like to witnessMarveldo with the characters next.
The completeAvengers: Twilightsix-issue miniseries is available now from Marvel Comics.
Avengers: Twilight
In a gleaming new world of prosperity, Captain America is no more. But Steve Rogers still exists, floating through an America where freedom is an illusion, where THE AVENGERS are strangers and his friends are long dead. But is the Dream? How do you assemble Avengers in a world that doesn’t want them?
