The Marvel Cinematic Universe may adapt the 'Ultimatum' storyline and it might just be their biggest mistake

The event was derided by critics and fans and is considered the absolute worst thing to come out of the Ultimate Universe
(David Finch/Marvel)
(David Finch/Marvel)

With 'Avengers: Endgame' and 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' drawing the first great saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to a close, all eyes are now on the future. Fan-favorite storylines like 'Secret Wars' have been suggested as possibilities for Marvel's next big cinematic event but new rumors that are doing the rounds online suggest the MCU may go in a drastically different direction. 

According to a recent report, the MCU is planning on adapting the 2009 storyline 'Ultimatum' for its next big crossover event. Featuring the X-Men and the Fantastic Four, 'Ultimatum' saw Magneto declare vengeance on the human race for the death of his son Quicksilver and his daughter the Scarlet Witch, bringing death and devastation to the world and causing the deaths of many important characters.

MCU Cosmic reports that Marvel Studios is developing an adaptation of the series with some tweaks introduced to make it more suitable for the MCU. However, short of a complete rewrite, we're not really sure how the MCU might improve on the 'Ultimatum' storyline.

The event was derided by critics and fans and is considered the absolute worst thing to come out of the Ultimate Universe. That's saying a lot because while the Ultimate Universe did start off strong, it quickly devolved into a study in what not to do with Marvel characters. 

'Ultimatum' itself was criticized both for its reliance on shock value and its overly graphic depictions of violence that often reached disgusting proportions. Magneto's attack may have been a disaster in-story but the real disaster was the writing that went into this series and we'd very much appreciate it if Marvel didn't remind us this existed in the first place. 

As we mentioned earlier, there are far better storylines that the movies could explore from the coming of Galactus to the invasion of Kang. Even if they wanted to reuse the tired trope of "Magneto attacks New York", they could at least try to do it using a bit more taste. 

There's always the possibility that the MCU might pull a rabbit out of the proverbial hat and somehow turn this pile of flaming trash around, making it into a worthwhile story. But alternatively, this decision could ruin a reputation that's been built up over a decade of cinematic brilliance, and at the end of the day we have to ask, is it worth the risk?

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Jaume Collet-Serra’s next Netflix thriller pits a federal marshal against attackers and a hurricane.
2026-10-26T18:48:10.000Z
The WWII drama follows 4 football players whose lives take them far beyond the field, prompting many to ask whether the story is based on true events.
2026-10-26T17:48:26.000Z
'Almost You' explores grief and artificial intelligence as a robotics engineer creates a digital replica of her late sister, starring Joey King.
2026-10-26T15:55:48.000Z
Michael Mann’s 'Heat 2' expands the original crime saga with Stephen Graham, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christian Bale, and Adam Driver.
2026-10-26T14:43:21.000Z
‘Clayface’ takes DCU to Gotham, raising questions about Batman, its timeline and surprise cameos.
2026-10-26T14:14:43.000Z
'What If Christmas' follows Erin as she revisits her long-held dream of becoming a fashion designer
2026-10-26T08:44:49.000Z
An individual was arrested from the set after a crew member reported a verbal dispute, resulting in the display of a knife.
2026-10-26T08:02:42.000Z
Co-director Lance Oppenheim recalls how a car ride after a gym session led to the film’s much-discussed shower scene
2026-10-26T07:49:46.000Z
Lori Loughlin and Hallmark strengthen their collaboration with the movie ‘What if Christmas’
2026-10-26T06:39:18.000Z
'Avengers: Doomsday’ brings back Steve Rogers in a new teaser featuring Mjolnir, a reunion with Thor, and a callback to ‘Endgame’
2026-10-26T04:30:57.000Z