Is the end nearing for Marvel Studios and the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Some would have you believe that's the case, particularly with so much talk of "superhero fatigue."
Yesterday, Variety published a piece exploring the MCU's recent struggles. After reading that, we wouldn't blame you for feeling disillusioned; however, amid the negativity, the report only really focused on a small handful of past and upcoming projects, giving the impression the franchise as a whole is in serious trouble.
While Marvel Studios has struggled since the Multiverse Saga began, it's far too soon to write it off. In this feature, we're delving into why it's too soon to give up on the MCU and what's led to this strange outpouring of negativity surrounding a studio and franchise that could once do no wrong.
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6. Blame Disney, Not Marvel Studios
Marvel Studios has had something of a quantity vs. quality issue in the Multiverse Saga, though it was ousted Disney CEO Bob Chapek who pushed for a significant and seemingly endless stream of MCU content to bolster the studio's theatrical and streaming offerings.
For fans, the prospect of getting multiple movies, TV shows, and even animated series sounds like a dream come true. The reality has been a little different and everything from interconnectivity to visual effects have suffered. Well, Bob Iger - the man who acquired Marvel Entertainment - is back and looking to get Marvel Studios on the right track. However, that's not going to be instant.
Since Spider-Man: Far From Home closed out the Infinity Saga, there have been 9 movies and 12 seasons of television. Had it not been for the pandemic, those numbers would be even greater. It's a ridiculous amount of content and MCU projects no longer feel like an event, as a result. However, thanks to recent delays, less will soon be more again.
5. It's Not Been As Bad As Some Would Have You Believe
Some have written the entire Multiverse Saga off as a failure. To that, we say, "What the f***?"
Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, Spider-Man: No Way Home, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3, WandaVision, Hawkeye, and Loki all rank among the best MCU content we've ever had. Some movies and TV shows have indeed failed to live up to expectations - Thor: Love and Thunder and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania were undeniably disappointing - but the MCU has always been a tad hit-or-miss.
After all, even the Infinity Saga delivered its fair share of forgettable efforts, including Iron Man 2 and Thor: The Dark World. Marvel Studios does need to better explain the Multiverse and help people understand where the story is heading; however, this Saga is not in any way a DCEU-level disaster.
4. They're Working To Make Things Right
This is important. While Marvel Studios isn't necessarily firing on all cylinders as we write this, they're aware of that and are making moves to address these problems. Daredevil: Born Again, for example, has been taken back to the drawing board and the plan now is to hire proper showrunners.
That's a completely different approach to producing TV shows and one which suggests Marvel Studios is learning. Thus far, they've attempted to make them as they would movies; for the most part, it hasn't worked, so a major, costly overhaul is in the works.
Then, there's the Kang issue. It's not Marvel Studios' fault that Jonathan Majors has landed himself in a very public legal battle but, even before then, it's said executives were aware fans haven't embraced the villain. Now, they're considering other options like Doctor Doom.
3. The Wrong Sort Of People Are Shaping The Narrative
You probably don't need us to tell you that, since the pandemic, the world has become more divided than ever before. Whether it's politics or the troubling rise of troubled young men who deem themselves "incels," the internet isn't always a nice place to be these days.
Some of those people - not all - are jumping on the MCU's struggles to further their agendas. The fact more female characters have been given the spotlight has proven problematic, as has an increase in diversity. As a result, they are now being blamed for the MCU's failings when that's not even close to being the case.
It's true the VFX in She-Hulk: Attorney at Law isn't the best. Beyond that, what did it do to warrant such a vile outpouring of vitriol from "fans"? Listen to whoever's opinions you like - this is, after all, an opinion piece - but just be wary of what their true agenda is. Oh, and don't get us started on the "superhero fatigue" crowd!
2. Don't Write The Multiverse Off Just Yet
When it first became clear Marvel Studios was planning to explore the Multiverse, excitement among fans went through the roof. Since then, we've been treated to all three live-action Spider-Men sharing the screen, Richard E. Grant as Loki, and John Krasinski's long-awaited debut as Mister Fantastic.
With that in mind, it becomes tough to figure out why the Multiverse has been declared a failure of the highest proportions. It has struggled to live up the endless stream of rumours, yes, but there's still plenty of potential for this Saga.
As we've already mentioned, Marvel Studios needs to better establish the Multiverse's rules (why do some Variants all look the same and others don't?) and firmly establish where the story being told is heading. Deadpool 3, however, looks to be a movie that takes full advantage of this premise and everything we've heard about the next Avengers movies sounds epic. Wrapping it up a little sooner than planned wouldn't be an awful idea.
1. Has Everyone Just Forgotten The Infinity Saga?
It certainly feels that way. The Infinity Saga was phenomenal, but it also wasn't perfect. The Incredible Hulk and Ant-Man and The Wasp, for example, were nothing special so why does it matter that much more now a couple of MCU movies have been dubbed "Rotten" by a review aggregator everyone claims not to care about?
We'll leave you to decide, but the point is, if Marvel Studios could navigate that era of storytelling's misfires, then there's no reason to believe they can't weather this storm as well. Remember, it was during that eleven-year period we were treated to many of the greatest superhero movies ever made.
Perhaps that's set expectations too high. Whatever the case may be, we're talking about a studio that knows what it's doing. This isn't Warner Bros. and its failed DCEU or Sony Pictures and its disastrous Spider-Man-less spin-offs. It's Marvel freakin' Studios. Now, we just wait for them to turn things around.
And, for those of you who are curious, here's where we got that awesome banner image.