Disney+ has revealed the company’s new branding strategy when it comes to non-MCU films. The Marvel Legacy section has demonstrated that Marvel Studios have thought about how to categorize old content, which may suggest its future use, perhaps in the multiverse that’s beginning to develop after Loki.
However, it’s difficult to tell what is and isn’t considered Marvel Legacy. For instance, the Marvel Netflix shows may still be a part of the MCU, as are other shows that have been featured on Disney+ or Hulu such as Cloak And Dagger, The Runaways, and Inhumans. There is a great range of films and TV shows though that can definitely be categorized as Legacy content.
Updated July 16th, 2020 by George Chrysostomou The Marvel Cinematic Universe appears to be transitioning into the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse. As Disney continues to highlight some of the Marvel Legacy material from the company’s past, there’s more evidence than ever that the current comic book characters may soon be interacting with those previously seen on screen. As these Marvel Legacy films become more important the debate also arises as to what order should the Marvel Legacy movies be watched in.
15 Spider-Man (2002)
● Available on Starz
Sam Raimi helped to completely redefine the superhero genre with his take on the web-slinger. Spider-Man hit cinemas to huge critical and commercial success and spawned two sequels (with the second becoming considered one of the best Marvel movies of all time).
Owned by Sony Pictures, the film will soon be making its way to Disney+ thanks to a history-making deal between the two companies. With Sam Raimi being brought into the MCU and further teases that this iteration of Spidey could be seen in the multiverse, this original hit is perhaps more important than ever.
14 The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)
● Available on Starz
The Amazing Spider-Man was Sony’s attempt to restart the franchise after the disastrous reception of Spider-Man 2. The character felt reinvigorated as a new cast of characters took to the screen. The film was injected with more humor and comic book-inspired action.
Its sequel also flopped though, resulting in the franchise quickly getting rebooted once more. Andrew Garfield’s take on the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man was well received though and the Lizard was a great adaptation of a character from the source material’s deep lore.
13 Ghost Rider (2007)
● Available on HBO Max
The Nicholas Cage iteration of Ghost Rider was certainly a lot of fun and surprisingly comic accurate. While not critically received very well, the original film garnered enough of a fan base to actually receive a sequel featuring the same characters.
With a version of both Johnny Blaze and Robbie Reyes in the MCU, there’s no room for this original Ghost Rider. However, the film was produced and distributed by Sony and Columbia Pictures, with the rights reverting back to Marvel Studios eventually, making these two films legacy projects.
12 X-Men (2000)
● Available for purchase on Prime Video
The first X-Men film really came to define what the superhero genre could be in the future. It introduced audiences to iconic characters and brought in legendary actors in these roles such as Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, and James McAvoy’s predecessor, Patrick Stewart.
It’s created quite the legacy and since Marvel now owns the rights to these characters once again thanks to the FOX purchase, it only makes sense to make this one of the crowning achievements of the Marvel Legacy section. Its influence can still be felt in Marvel movies today.
11 X2: X-Men United (2003)
● Available on Disney+
The sequel to the original was in many ways viewed to be even better. With an increased threat, a political conversation around the gifts of these mutants, as well as a few new characters like Nightcrawler, X2 really delivered.
The movie is another one that is featured on various versions of Disney+ under the Legacy banner, alongside some other classics from the FOX era of mutant movies. It will be interesting to see how these films inspire the next batch of MCU X-Men.
10 X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
● Available on Disney+
The third and final film in the trilogy wasn’t as well-received critically, but it was still quite a commercial success. The film rounded out the series in a conclusive way and there’s actually starting to be a wave of nostalgic viewers who are appreciating it all these years on.
Another Legacy film therefore and one that was brought over thanks to the FOX acquisition, it may not have stopped the company from essentially recreating the film with a different cast, but certainly included some interesting elements such as Kitty Pryde’s shining moments.
9 X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
● Available on Disney+
Continuing on from that trend, the first Wolverine solo film certainly didn’t do a lot for the character, or the supporting roles like Deadpool, but it did end up inspiring a number of other movies that got better and better in quality.
Without this Marvel Legacy movie, there wouldn’t be The Wolverine which is also available on Disney+ in this category, as well as Logan and of course the Deadpool franchise. It, therefore, contributed a great deal to the larger superhero genre.
8 Deadpool (2016)
● Available on Fubo TV
Fox has since sold the rights to the character and the franchise to Disney, resulting in the original and sequel film becoming available on the parental guidance section of Disney+, but the original Deadpool was a major success for the studio. This was a no-punches-pulled spectacle unlike anything in the genre.
Fourth wall breaking, violent, and featuring crude humor; Deadpool rewrote the rule book. The success of the film is largely down to the fantastic directing and charismatic performance of Ryan Reynolds, who was really born to play the merc with a mouth.
7 Deadpool 2 (2018)
● Available for purchase on Prime Video
Deadpool 2 was a return to form for the franchise and its Christmas edit also demonstrated that Wade Wilson could also operate in a more family-friendly setting without compromising on his level of humor. The result was a production that pushed the boundaries of the franchise.
What’s more, thanks to the time travel, out of all the Marvel Legacy movies this is the most likely to be connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe moving forward. The sequel proved that there was longevity in the character as fans flocked to see Deadpool’s latest crusade.
6 Fantastic Four (2015)
● Available on Disney+
There are two Fantastic Four films that can be considered a part of the Marvel Legacy brand, which was purchased from FOX in the acquisition. The original movie, which sparked a sequel, is currently available on Disney+ internationally.
The second iteration, a reboot often referred to as Fant4stic was generally considered a failure, despite the stellar cast. While plagued with production issues, there’s perhaps still a chance that it can play into the future MCU multiverse, perhaps with Chris Evans and Michael B. Jordan returning to their roles.
5 Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer (2007)
● Available on Disney+
The original Fantastic Four has enough of a fan base to actually receive a sequel. Bringing huge Marvel characters like Galactus and the Silver Surfer to the big screen, this was actually slightly better received than the first film.
The portrayal of Galactus was pretty off though, but in some versions of Disney+, this is the only FF film available. With rumors that Kevin Feige is looking at bringing Galactus and the Silver Surfer to the MCU, it makes sense that this is a Legacy movie to inspire future films.
4 Legion (2017–2019)
● Available on Hulu
Legion was not only one of Marvel’s most original TV shows to date, but perhaps also one of the most inventive and visually stunning series on TV. It redefined what could be achieved on a show and really pushed the creative ideas further.
It’s a great series and one that’s available on streaming services, although not on Disney+ yet. However, since it was acquired in the FOX purchase and has the potential to link the MCU in the future, this is certainly a part of the Marvel Legacy series.
3 The Gifted (2017–2019)
● Available on Hulu
The Gifted is in much the same boat as Legion. A project that was perhaps stopped before it could fully wrap up its subplots, there’s actually no reason that the mutant show couldn’t crossover with the MCU in the future.
Regardless, it’s another Marvel Legacy series, which the studio may not have many of right now. It also built an incredibly loyal fan base, some of which hope that the series could return on Hulu or Disney+ in the future.
2 Daredevil (2003)
● Available on Peacock
Daredevil may be an incredibly popular Netflix show whose fate is yet to be determined by the powers that be at Marvel Studios, but before the streaming success, it was a Ben Affleck movie. This film is now owned by Disney and Marvel.
The film is not available on Disney+, although it’s easy to imagine both the original and director’s cut making its way to the platform in the future. It’s a part of the Marvel Legacy brand, although Affleck likely will never return to the role, especially since he is currently playing the Caped Crusader for DC.
1 Elektra (2005)
● Available for purchase on Prime Video
The relatively positive response to Daredevil prompted Marvel to move ahead with a spin-off based around the assassin Elektra. Despite being killed in the original Marvel Legacy movie, the character returned from the dead with a prequel/sequel narrative showcasing her full story.
From her origins to her death and revival, the film tried to adapt some of the source material’s best stories while also creating something unique for the screen. The results were less than stellar, but Elektra is still an important part of the comic book studio’s history.
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