Marvel once had an undeniable grip on the superhero film landscape. The Studios masterfully crafted a cinematic universe that fans eagerly followed with every new installment.
However, in recent years, that excitement has waned. While ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ injected much-needed life into the franchise, and ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ is proving financially successful, it still isn’t like the old days. So, let’s look into what went wrong.
What Marvel Used To Do Right
Back in 2008, when ‘Iron Man’ hit theaters, no one could have predicted the empire it would spawn. The film was a gamble and Robert Downey Jr. was not yet the Hollywood icon he is today. Additionally, Iron Man himself was far from the mainstream icons like Spider-Man or Superman.
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Yet, Marvel had a plan. They took their time and constructed a universe that would culminate in the first Avengers film four years later. Each movie served a purpose. They were essential building blocks. Moreover, that strategy continued throughout Phases Two and Three.
The brilliance of this approach was that fans weren’t just waiting for the next Avengers movie, they were engrossed in the journey leading up to it. Each film mattered. This made ‘Avengers: Endgame’ feel like the epic conclusion it deserved to be.
Fast forward to today, and a lot has changed. Marvel no longer gives its stories the breathing room they need. Instead, it’s become a relentless machine, rushing from one major event film to the next, leaving everything in between feeling like filler. So, fans are no longer excited about the journey.
The Problem With Today’s MCU Is The Studios Rushing Projects
One of the biggest issues with the current MCU is its overwhelming reliance on event films. The upcoming ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ in 2026 and ‘Avengers: Secret Wars’ in 2027 are already overshadowing every movie in between. So, fans aren’t looking forward to ‘Thunderbolts*’ or ‘Fantastic Four: First Steps’.
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The films are simply being viewed as stepping stones to the next big crossover. That’s a far cry from the days when Captain America and Doctor Strange films were must-watch on their own. Additionally, the issue isn’t just with the films themselves but also with how they’re being marketed.
Marvel is already pushing the return of Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans in ‘Avengers: Secret Wars‘. So, why should audiences invest in new characters or stories when they know the franchise will eventually revert to its old, familiar heroes? If Marvel truly wants to return to its roots, it needs to slow down.
