Written as my dissertation for my Digital Media and Communications degree at University of Birmingham 1. Introduction The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has become one of the most commercially and culturally significant media franchises of the twenty-first century. The phenomenon that began with the release of Iron Man (2008) culminated in one of the most significant cinematic events with Avengers: Endgame (2019) and the conclusion of the Infinity Saga. As the franchise shif