Summary

Marvel Studios is celebrating Halloween by highlighting the few horror elements present in their films and series. Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness successfully incorporates small moments of horror without feeling disconnected from the rest of the franchise. Some fans are skeptical about the existence of horror in the MCU, while others are intrigued by the appearance of a chain resembling Ghost Rider’s in the Halloween trailer.

The spookiest season of the year is here, and Marvel Studios knows it. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is getting ready to celebrate Halloween by highlighting the few horror elements that appear in its films and series. Horror is not be a predominant genre within the MCU. In fact, there are very few titles within the successful franchise that have explored scary themes within their stories. But among the most recent releases of the universe led by Kevin Feige, there is one in particular that has stood out for the way in which its director included elements of the genre that made him famous.

With Doctor Stranger in the Multiverse of Madness, director Sam Raimi showed that it was possible to include small moments of horror within the MCU without delivering a film that feels distant from the rest of franchise. But it is not the only project in the Marvel Cinematic Universe that includes horror elements. In a new trailer to celebrate Halloween, Marvel Studios shows off the spookiest moments of its entire filmography:

The video shows zombies, werewolves, witches and the most dangerous villains from the MCU, along with some disturbing scenes, but also some funny ones, in order to maintain the family-friendly tone that has always characterized the franchise. Last year, the MCU celebrated Halloween with the release of the Werewolf by Night special, which was highly praised by fans and critics. And although nothing new has been announced this year, a color version of the film starring Gael García Bernal was release.

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But Fans Are Not Buying the MCU Horror Elements
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Although the video does a good job of compiling the moments of horror that have been shown throughout the 15 years that the MCU has been in development, some fans do not seem very convinced that it can really be said that horror exist in the franchise. In the comments from fans that have followed the release of the trailer, some mocked the intention to celebrate Halloween:

However, other fans focused on a surprising aspect of the video, the chain that appears at the end. Many comments pointed out that it looks like the famous chain from Ghost Rider, a character that many would like to see in the MCU. A version of Ghost Rider actually appeared in Agents of SHIELD, but fans are hoping that an official, definitive version of the hero will be introduced in the franchise’s future. But, for now, there’s been no official confirmation of any project related to the character.

The MCU will continue on the big screen with The Marvels, which is scheduled to be released on November 10, 2023, as part of Phase Five of the MCU. Meanwhile, on the small screen, the second season of Loki is now streaming on Disney+.