In this task, we ask you to rewrite a sentence in simple English without changing its general meaning. Essentially, you want to make the sentence easier to read by using simpler words, utilizing more straightforward sentence structures, and omitting non-essential information etc.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe ( MCU ) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films , independently produced by Marvel Studios and based on characters that appear in American comic books published by Marvel Comics .
It is a fictional universe that is the setting of several superhero movies and TV shows made by Marvel Studios , based on characters by Marvel Comics .