The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the most interconnected entertainment endeavours, period. With TV series, and Marvel movies all tying into each other, it is pretty common to see story crossovers across the franchise, but that isn’t always the case.
In an interview with The Wrap, the head writer of Ms Marvel, Bisha K. Ali, reveals how she once pitched a reference to Endgame that would directly tie the Disney Plus series to the 2019 film. But, despite the studio’s love for self-referencing, Kevin Feige wasn’t having it. Ms Marvel follows Kamala Khan, a superfan of Captain Marvel, who, after finding a mystical bangle, develops powers of her own.
In the show’s pilot episode, we learn that the world has been made aware of the Avengers and the events of Endgame due to a podcast appearance made by Ant-Man, also known as Scott Lang (Paul Rudd). However, Ali reportedly wanted to include drone footage of the battle in Endgame to accompany the episode’s opening monologue – a suggestion that Feige vetoed.
“At one point, like early days before we kind of expanded the creative team out, I was like, ‘Kevin, what if there was like, drones and a live stream of the battle of ‘Endgame?” And he like, ‘Bisha, no,'” Ali explained. “I’m like, there wasn’t one Twitch streamer around for the final battle of ‘Endgame’? Are we kidding? I think I lost my mind at that point, try to solve this riddle.”
“So it was really a big iterative journey. And it was something that kind of changed and moved all the way through,” she continued.
“And I think it must have been a Sana [Amanat] pitch by the end. Or it might even — I actually have no idea where that idea came from. But when we kind of integrated into the script, I think it was perfect. It was characterful.”
Despite the battle of Endgame not appearing in the series, there are still heaps of references to the MCU. Feige’s decision also makes sense as the series is about Kamala first and foremost. The character needs to be introduced before she appears opposite Captain Marvel in the upcoming action movie The Marvels.
The Marvels hit theatres on July 28, 2023. In the meantime, fans can enjoy the TV series Ms Marvel, which is available to watch now exclusively on the streaming service Disney Plus.