Is MODOK In The MCU? Marvel Canon Explained

Marvel Television’s latest animated series, MODOK, is not part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe – and in fact showrunner Jordan Blum even got to choose the universe number the series is set in. When Marvel Television launched Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. back in 2013, they initially attempted to keep in step with the movies, encouraging viewers to believe everything was happening in the same universe. It became harder to make that argument as time passed, though, especially when the film studio was separated from the rest of Marvel Entertainment in Marvel’s 2015 corporate split and restructure.

There’s a reason many fans are so excited about canon. Regardless of whether or not it’s true, in the minds of many, the word “canon” has come to define whether or not something actually matters, i.e. which story is “real,” so to speak. It’s not entirely an unfounded concern: To call something canon is to say that it takes place in the same universe as everything else and that its events can have a lasting impact on the overarching narrative of a shared universe. Essentially, the stories of canon will continue while non-canon stories often will not.

But MODOK, Marvel Television’s new animated show on Hulu, is most definitely not part of the MCU. Speaking to ComicBook.com, showrunner Jordan Blum confirmed the series is set in its own universe. “I think like, you know, Harley Quinn is a good example of like, that’s not the movies, but it’s really cool actually,” he observed, pointing out that canonicity is nothing to do with quality. “Marvel has like a database of all the universes in the multiverse, and there’s a guy who runs it and they let me pick the numbering of our universe. My son’s birthday, 12/26, is our universe, so we were in the Marvel Multiverse, which is awesome.” It seems, then, that MODOK is set on Earth-1226, far from Earth-616 (the comics) or Earth-199999 (the MCU) – although the comics are actually lifting ideas from the show now, with MODOK’s family now appearing in the comics too.

Blum is right to argue canonicity does not equal quality. In fact, a show like MODOK can prosper precisely because it doesn’t have a lasting impact on a shared universe. This gives the writers a tremendous amount of creative freedom, and they can integrate famous characters like Iron Man and Thor without needing to worry about how their show fits into the overarching continuity. As Blum notes, Harley Quinn has allowed DC to benefit from this approach, and there’s no reason MODOK shouldn’t be a success as well. A story doesn’t count because of its place in relation to other films and TV shows, but rather because of its own quality and the effectiveness of the characters.

Although Patton Oswalt is interested in playing the MCU’s live-action MODOK, it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon. In the past, Marvel Studios has had a habit of only passing characters to Marvel Television when they have no interest in developing them; even the Inhumans TV series was only launched after Marvel dropped the movie from their schedule. Thus, while MODOK’s organization A.I.M. is expected to return in Black Widow, it’s very likely Marvel Studios doesn’t intend to use MODOK on the big screen for now.

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Thomas Bacon
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Tom Bacon is one of Screen Rant’s staff writers, as well as a Peer Mentor for new writers and a member of the Care Team, offering support and a listening ear to members of the Comics group. A lifelong fan of major franchises including Star Wars, Doctor Who, and Marvel, Tom is delighted his childhood is back – and this time it’s cool. You can find him on Twitter @TomABacon.

A graduate of Edge Hill University, Tom remains strongly connected with his alma mater as a volunteer chaplain. He’s heavily involved with his local church, and anyone who checks him out on Twitter will swiftly learn he’s into British politics too.

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