Does Marvel Studios have a quantity over quality problem?
That's a question many fans are currently asking, and while it seems mad to complain about the sheer number of MCU projects we're getting in theaters and on Disney+, the studio's consistent streak has faltered somewhat. While they could once do no wrong, reviews have been tepid for several projects and an apparent lack of direction in Phase 4 has frustrated many.
The mixed respose can probably be blamed on all these movies and TV shows being made around the same time, and we're hoping that Kang the Conqueror's role in Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania will clear future plans up a little.
Either way, Phase 4's stories don't seem to be linking up the way the Infinity Saga did, but what do Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo make of this negative reaction from fans? Talking to NBC News, the latter defended Marvel Studios and its current approach to storytelling.
"Here’s the thing. The entire life of the MCU has seen ups and downs, there’s going to naturally be an ebb and flow to how people are feeling about it based on the latest offering," the filmmaker explains. "But I think - look, at the end of the day, they’re still being very ambitious in terms of how they approach the storytelling. They’re being experimental."
"They’re looking for new forms of expression to keep audiences excited and surprised. It still seems like they have a vital creative code and process that they’re pursuing, so I do believe there’s still a lot of hope for what’s possible in the MCU. We haven’t lost faith in it, that’s for sure."
We haven't lost hope, though we'd like to think Marvel Studios is taking these criticisms on board. Making the likes of Moon Knight and Thor: Love and Thunder more standalone in nature isn't what fans want, and it would be welcomed for any of the upcoming movies and TV shows to shed some light on where we're headed rather than just introducing tonnes of new characters.
We'll see what happens, but the MCU isn't in trouble yet. Some patience may be required for what looks set to be a different approach to this shared world following the Infinity Saga, though!