The countdown to Doomsday has already begun. Marvel Studios has been positioning its next Avengers chapter as the moment that pulls everything together, the film that restores confidence, clarity, and momentum. But behind the scenes, things feel less stable than fans might hope. As anticipation builds for the next era of the MCU, two major forces are stepping away.It’s the kind of shift that doesn’t explode overnight. Instead, it lingers. It raises questions. And as Marvel prepares for one of the most essential releases in its history, the timing feels impossible to ignore.A Quiet Departure With Big ImplicationsJac Schaeffer didn’t just work on Marvel television. She helped define it. When Marvel Studios officially entered the Disney+ space in January 2021 with WandaVision, it marked a turning point for the MCU. The show wasn’t just a side project; it became appointment viewing. It blended sitcom nostalgia with psychological drama and Multiverse chaos, igniting some of the franchise’s most intense fan theories.That momentum didn’t stop there. The series directly led to two streaming follow-ups: Agatha All Along and the upcoming VisionQuest, which will premiere later in 2026 and close out the three-show arc that began in Westview.Now, Schaeffer is moving on.According to industry reporting, she has signed a three-year overall television deal with Amazon, MGM Studios, and Prime Video. Under that agreement, she will develop, write, executive produce, and direct original series outside the Marvel machine. For Marvel Studios, that means losing the creative architect behind its first and arguably most successful Disney+ launch.This isn’t just a standard Hollywood shuffle. Schaeffer’s exit lands at a moment when Marvel is trying to stabilize its streaming strategy after years of rapid expansion.Credit: Marvel StudiosFrom Disney Darling to Amazon CreativeSchaeffer’s relationship with Disney stretches back further than many fans realize. She first worked within the Disney umbrella by writing the animated short Olaf’s Frozen Adventure (2017). From there, she branched out into feature films, including Universal’s The Hustle (2019), before circling back to Marvel.At Marvel Studios, she didn’t just create WandaVision. She also contributed to the story for Black Widow (2021) and later served as the showrunner for Agatha All Along. That spinoff faced skepticism early on, but it ultimately proved critics wrong and carved out its own identity within the MCU.Her success earned her a three-year overall deal with Marvel Studios and 20th Television to develop future projects. That agreement concluded in 2024. Afterward, she briefly helmed the pilot for a female-led reboot of Holes on Disney+, a project that was ultimately shelved in December.Now, with Amazon backing her next chapter, Schaeffer steps fully outside Marvel’s creative ecosystem.Credit: Marvel StudiosA Pattern Marvel Knows WellMarvel Studios has long rewarded successful collaborators with bigger opportunities. Joe and Anthony Russo directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and Captain America: Civil War (2016), then graduated to helm the franchise-defining Avengers films. Directors like Peyton Reed, Ryan Coogler, Jon Watts, and James Gunn similarly turned strong first outings into trilogies.In fact, Gunn’s trajectory may be the most dramatic example of all. After delivering the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy for Marvel, he ultimately became the co-head of DC Studios, Marvel’s most direct competitor.That context makes Schaeffer’s departure feel even more significant. She was positioned to be part of Marvel’s next wave of long-term creative voices. Instead, she’s building something elsewhere.Meanwhile, other WandaVision alums have seen their profiles rise. Director Matt Shakman landed the coveted role of directing The Fantastic Four: First Steps and is reportedly set to return for its sequel. Destin Daniel Cretton, after the success of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021), moved forward with Disney+’s Wonder Man and was previously attached to helm an Avengers installment.Schaeffer’s absence shifts that creative equation.Credit: Marvel StudiosThe Vision That Changed Marvel TVWhen Marvel first announced its Disney+ slate, skepticism ran high. Could cinematic storytelling really translate to streaming without feeling diluted?WandaVision answered that question decisively. It proved that the MCU could take risks. It introduced stylistic experimentation. And it gave Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff a deeper emotional arc than she had previously received on the big screen.At one point, Schaeffer was expected to continue steering the trilogy’s final chapter, VisionQuest. However, production timelines overlapped with Agatha All Along in ways she described as unsustainable. She ultimately stepped back, handing control to Star Trek: Picard showrunner Terry Matalas.That decision may have marked the beginning of her transition away from Marvel entirely.There are also reports that Marvel Studios is exploring a solo project centered on Wanda Maximoff. Given Schaeffer’s track record with the character, fans widely viewed her as the natural choice to write or direct such a film or series. Now, with her Amazon commitment extending through 2029, that possibility looks far less confident.Credit: Marvel StudiosJames Gunn’s Exit Still EchoesWhile Schaeffer’s departure feels fresh, James Gunn’s earlier exit continues to shape Marvel’s reality. Gunn’s creative fingerprint defined the cosmic corner of the MCU. His Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy added humor, heart, and a distinct visual style that separated it from the rest of the franchise.When he transitioned to DC Studios leadership, it signaled more than just career mobility. It highlighted how competitive the comic book landscape has become. Marvel no longer holds a monopoly on creative loyalty.Losing Gunn reshaped Marvel’s cosmic future. Losing Schaeffer reshapes its streaming legacy.A Studio at a CrossroadsMarvel Studios isn’t collapsing. It still has major films on the horizon. It still commands global attention. But the timing of these exits lands at a delicate moment.The Multiverse Saga has drawn mixed reactions. Some fans feel overwhelmed by alternate timelines and crossover complexity. Doomsday is expected to course-correct. It carries the weight of restoring cohesion and reminding audiences why they invested in this universe in the first place.Yet creative transitions behind the scenes can ripple forward in subtle ways. Every visionary who leaves takes institutional knowledge, tone instincts, and long-term narrative planning with them.Could Schaeffer return someday? Possibly. Her Amazon deal runs for three years. She has openly advocated for a Scarlet Witch film in the past. By the time Marvel is ready to revisit Wanda’s solo future, schedules could align.But Hollywood moves quickly. Priorities shift. Creative alliances evolve.Credit: DisneyUncertainty Before the StormDoomsday looms as a defining chapter for Marvel Studios. It promises scale, spectacle, and answers. But as the studio prepares for that cinematic event, it must also navigate a quieter reality: two of its most influential creative forces are charting new paths.Jac Schaeffer leaves behind a television legacy that helped legitimize Marvel’s streaming ambitions. James Gunn already reshaped the competitive landscape by leading DC Studios. Their exits don’t spell disaster, but they do signal change.And in a franchise built on interconnected futures, change always carries consequences.The post Disney Faces Setback as Marvel Studios Sees 2 Major Exits Ahead of ‘Doomsday’ appeared first on Inside the Magic.