5 Alternate Marvel Universes That Need Their Own TV Show Like Spider-Man Noir

Marvel has mostly used the Multiverse for fun cameos, bringing back familiar faces. But Sony has built a more solid approach by creating alternate dimensions that feel like fully realized worlds. The Spider-Verse movies showed that the Multiverse works best when it allows for creative storytelling and new styles, instead of just being a convenient plot device. This strategy is already paying off with Spider-Noir, a live-action series coming to MGM+ and Prime Video in May 2026. By casting Nicolas Cage as a detective in a black-and-white, 1930s setting, Sony demonstrates that these alternate universes can support high-quality, unique television, moving beyond typical superhero stories.

Marvel Studios is exploring new animated stories that aren’t necessarily part of the main movie timeline. The upcoming shows like Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and Marvel Zombies, debuting in 2025, show they’re leaning into the Multiverse, which allows for fresh takes on familiar characters without being tied down by years of established story. While these early attempts are promising, they suggest Marvel has much more potential to explore. Many other well-known comic book worlds have enough rich detail and unique style to support their own TV series.

5) The Avengers 1,000,000 B.C.

The 1 Million BC Avengers, while technically part of Marvel’s main timeline, feel like a completely separate world due to their drastically different setting. Created by writer Jason Aaron, this prehistoric team features early versions of iconic heroes – like a young Odin with Thor’s hammer and the first person to gain the Phoenix Force’s power. A TV show could use the visual style of big-budget survival movies to tell the origin stories of characters like the first Sorcerer Supreme, Agamotto, or a Ghost Rider who rides a mammoth and made a deal with the devil. This time period also lets the franchise explore its cosmic side within a world of untamed nature and ancient tribes, creating a prehistoric story that highlights the enduring power of heroism.

4) Marvel 1602

Neil Gaiman’s Marvel 1602 is still considered one of the most imaginative alternate universes in comic books, cleverly placing Marvel characters into the political and religious world of Elizabethan England. The story asks what would happen if superheroes appeared 400 years earlier, resulting in figures like Nick Fury as a royal spy and Peter Parker as an ordinary apprentice. Though the What If…? animated series briefly explored this setting, a live-action show could truly capture its unique historical atmosphere. A Marvel 1602 series, made with the quality and slower pace of a high-end period drama, could offer a more thoughtful contrast to the typical action-packed Marvel content, and focus on how these famous heroes would cope with the strict social rules of the British Empire.

3) The Amalgam Universe

As a lifelong movie and comic book fan, the idea of an ‘Amalgam’ universe absolutely blows my mind. Imagine characters like Dark Claw – Batman and Wolverine mashed into one – or a hero combining the legacies of Superman and Captain America! For years, legal issues made this kind of crossover seem impossible, but with how things are changing in the industry, it actually feels within reach, especially as a limited series. James Gunn, who’s running DC Studios, has even said they’ve had serious talks about a Marvel and DC team-up, and he has a good relationship with the folks at Marvel, which makes it even more likely. Honestly, an Amalgam show would be visually stunning, blending the unique styles of both publishers. It would be a huge celebration for fans worldwide and, I think, a truly historic moment for television.

2) Age of Apocalypse

The Age of Apocalypse presents a dark and compelling alternate version of the Marvel universe, ideal for a dramatic, ongoing story. It begins with the unexpected death of Professor X, creating a timeline where the powerful mutant Apocalypse takes control of North America before the X-Men can unite. In this reality, Magneto leads a group of rebels, and familiar heroes are transformed into battle-worn soldiers or even villains. What makes this setting so interesting is how it completely flips expectations, showing characters like Cyclops and Beast as morally compromised figures fighting for survival. This universe allows for a gripping exploration of a hopeless world, focusing on the strategies and struggles of a desperate fight for the future.

1) Old Man Logan’s Universe

The movie Logan drew inspiration from the Old Man Logan comic storyline to give Wolverine a final chapter, but the full post-apocalyptic world of the comics – called the “Wastelands” – hasn’t been fully shown on screen. In this universe, villains have taken over after the fall of the United States, dividing the country into territories ruled by characters like the Abomination and Red Skull. A TV series set here could be a unique superhero western, following a Logan who wants to avoid fighting as he travels through a dangerous, lawless land filled with the ruins of the old world. There’s huge potential for creating a rich world, with places like the “Pym Cross” and the frightening Hulk Gang cult. By showing how the heroes of the past fell and focusing on the environment, the series could explore themes of aging, regret, and what it means to be human in a changed world.

If you could adapt any alternate Marvel universe into a TV series, which one would you choose? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

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2026-03-01 23:43