While the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU)
is often a thriving vein that theorists mine for new ideas, one wild theory posits that the 2008 Iron Man
movie that kicked everything off was never actually set in the Sacred Timeline, and it makes a lot of sense. While the topic of what timeline the MCU is following has been H๏τly debated, the official sources have only added to the confusion when trying to provide direct answers. While the core Marvel Comics have long been established as following the Earth-616 universe, the movies clearly follow their own timeline.

However, fans speculated that the MCU remains an alternative version of the Earth-616 timeline, as seen in the movies. Despite this, official Marvel handbooks declared that the timeline established since Iron Man in 2008 has been taking place on Earth-199999. While it appears that both of these things are in contradiction of each other, hardcore fans of the MCU have their own opinions about the timelines, but one fan provided evidence for why things may not be quite as simple as Iron Man or the other movies in the MCU make out.

MCU’s Iron Man Multiverse Theory Explained

The MCU May Not Have Begun With Iron Man

When Iron Man was released in 2008, the MCU was still a distant dream. The movie did garner incredible success, but at that moment in time, there was still no such thing as Marvel Studios as it is known today. Instead, Iron Man was an independently funded movie that was created with money sourced from advertisements and studios willing to take a gamble on a lesser known hero. However, when the movie ends, it was clear that something special had just begun. However, the Iron Man Multiverse theory would suggest that this wasn’t actually the beginning of the MCU.

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Instead, due to the official handbook citation that Iron Man is set in 2008, and a later direct reference in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which declares the MCU to be primarily set on Earth-616, it would suggest that these two movies are from different timelines. Adding to this theory, the Reddit user who proposed it, Pietin11, notes that Kevin Feige did not officially use the term MCU until on the set of Iron Man 2. That would mean that both Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk are actually set in Earth-199999, while the remaining films are officially in 616.

Why Part Of The “Iron Man 1 Is Not In The MCU” Theory Makes Sense

There Are Some Valid Points Raised In The Iron Man Multiverse Theory

As wild as the theory may be, there is additional evidence that supports this idea as being true, and at the very least, it could clear up some head canon for faithful fans. The biggest discrepancy in both Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk is pivotal casting changes of key Marvel characters. While many characters remained the same, Colonel James Rhodes is initially played by Terrence Howard. Howard gives the character a unique and playful personality that separates them from the later portrayals by Don Cheadle, who subsequently took over the role after Iron Man.

The Incredible Hulk has an even more important example, with Bruce Banner being played by Edward Norton, who was then replaced with Mark Ruffalo. In both cases, these changes have never been addressed inside the MCU. But undeniably, two characters now look and behave in very different ways than they were originally illustrated. If this is the case, the events of both movies may have played out close to what really happens in the Sacred Timeline, but it appears that these movies were not actually the Earth-616 stories, instead following the adjacent timeline, Earth-19999.

Iron Man’s Multiverse Theory Highlights Why The MCU Is So Fun

The MCU Fanbase Is One Of The Most Engaged And Creative Fandoms Around

The reality is that this theory is clearly just a fun and interesting suggestion by a fan of the MCU who also acknowledges that it has almost zero chance of being the truth. However, the fanbase for the MCU proves that they are an interesting and thoughtful community who are willing to engage with the MCU on a deeper level, creating theories, looking at what could be next, and celebrating the stories of Marvel.

It may be sheer coincidence that so many signs now point to a wacky theory like this holding up, but that also highlights how rich and extensive the MCU has become in the last 18 years. And while some movies and shows have clear faults, and no one can truly love every last тιтle to come out of Marvel Studios, the fact remains that there is still so much more potential to be explored in the MCU. As the Multiverse Saga concludes, and the Sacred Timeline moves on to the next era of storytelling, the Iron Man Multiverse theory may be shelved, but the MCU endures.

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