The Marvels' Alternate Ending Killed A Huge MCU Hero
Many would argue that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been struggling to find its focus and footing in the wake of "Avengers: Endgame," but that hasn't stopped Marvel Studios from trying to bring the franchise back to its full potential with projects like the superhero team-up movie "The Marvels."
While "The Marvels" was well-received by fans, it ended up underperforming at the box office and leaving less of an impact than intended. One way the film could have had wider-reaching implications in the cinematic universe is if director Nia DaCosta had gone with an alternate ending ... one that would have led to the death of Captain Marvel (Brie Larson).
Zawe Ashton, who plays the villainous Dar-Benn, revealed on the podcast "Phase Zero" that her death at the end of "The Marvels" wasn't always the only one. "There was another ending that we did film where Brie and myself are in space still having it out, and they combust together, which was really amazing," the actor explained. "There were a few different plans."
Keeping Brie Larson around was ultimately the safest play
Though an explosive villain death at the end of a Marvel movie isn't all that surprising, it is somewhat shocking that the minds behind "The Marvels" considered killing off one of the MCU's biggest stars. After all, Brie Larson's previous solo outing as Captain Marvel racked up a staggering box office total of $1.1 billion, marking it as a pretty major success.
"Just bringing that story psychologically for Carol to a close, I think, was always the best thing," Zawe Ashton explained. "It's a really redemptive arc for that character."
In the end, most MCU fans would probably agree that keeping Carol Danvers alive was the right call. After all, with marquee stars like Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Josh Brolin, and Scarlett Johansson all out of the picture and the unexpected death of Chadwick Boseman, Marvel needs its biggest heroes and stars now more than ever.