History WhatCouldHaveBeen / MarvelCinematicUniverse

* Plans for a ''ComicBook/ShangChi'' movie or television series date as far back as the 1980s with Creator/StanLee approaching Creator/BrandonLee for the role. Given that Shang-Chi is often considered to be [[BruceLeeClone an homage]] to [[Creator/BruceLee Brandon's father]], this seemed like an [[MetaCasting ideal casting]]. Unfortunately the plans fell through after Brandon's untimely death during filming of ''Film/TheCrow'' in 1993. In 2001 Stephen Norrington signed on to direct a Shang-Chi movie titled ''The Hands of Shang-Chi'' for Creator/DreamWorksSKG. In 2003 Creator/YuenWooPing replaced Norrington as director and Creator/AngLee joined as a producer in 2004, but nothing materialized after that and the rights to the character reverted back to Marvel.

* Rumors suggest that the original storyline for the series would have had Matt Murdock abandon being Daredevil after failing to save Foggy and Karen (explaining why their actors were originally not brought back). As well, the Kingpin would have become mayor of New York City with an anti-vigilante slant, mirror his status quo from 2015-2022. [[spoiler:Fisk becoming mayor still appears to be in the cards however, as he expresses interest in an upcoming mayoral election in TheStinger of ''Series/{{Echo|2024}}''.]]

* Creator/JonBernthal had initially turned down reprising his role as The Punisher for this show, as he was very unsatisfied with the role he was set to play. After the show's creative overhaul however, he was more accepting.
* Vanessa Fisk had initially been recast with Creator/SandrineHolt, as Creator/AyeletZurer wasn't able to do a RoleReprise due to scheduling conflicts with another show. However, the Writers' and Actors' Strike of 2023 delayed production enough for Zurer to free up her schedule and return to the role of Vanessa.