ABC has announced that the beginning of the end for its Marvel series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.—its seventh and final season—will premiere on May 27th, bringing to a close a chapter of the studio’s superhero television efforts.
The series first premiered way back in September 24th, 2013, and has loosely tied in with the studio’s cinematic offerings over the years. It continued the story of agent Phil Coulson of S.H.I.E.L.D., seeing them tangle with Hydra, the Inhumans, Kree, and other major threats. At San Diego Comic Con last year, the studio announced that the upcoming seventh season would be the show’s last, with Marvel Television’s Jeph Loeb saying that they wanted to “end on our terms,” and that “it will conclude in a way that is incredibly emotional and in the best ways.”
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The Last Emperox
Will you accept this mission? Watch the premiere of Marvel's #AgentsofSHIELD Wednesday, May 27 on ABC. pic.twitter.com/L6SWMq4C6b
— Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (@AgentsofSHIELD) April 14, 2020
The series marks the end of an era for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which saw the end of Marvel Television last year. For years, Marvel Television and Marvel Studios were essentially two separate entities, which led to an artificial wall between the studio’s film and television offerings. They were set in the same world, but really didn’t cross over in any meaningful way.
In October 2019, Loeb stepped down from his role as the head of that division, shortly after the Disney promoted Kevin Feige to Chief Creative Officer. At the same time last fall, Marvel Television began pulling back on many of its projects: It ended an Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Ghost Rider tie-in series that was in development, while Marvel’s Cloak and Dagger, Runaways, Legion, The Gifted, and Inhumans—not to mention Netflix’s mini-franchise of Marvel shows—were all canceled or given final season orders in the last couple of years.
Now, Marvel’s television efforts have largely shifted over to Disney +, which is slated to get a number of MCU shows in the coming year (with the exception of Hellstrom, which is headed to Hulu). This upcoming, final season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. will be a last hurrah for this era of Marvel’s franchise, and hopefully, will provide long-term fans with some closure.
