Tom Brady, Kevin Feige and James Gunn
I am writing this article several days after watching a football game with broadcaster Tom Brady. That was the game where he returned to his old stomping grounds and fortified his legacy as a Patriot. Many Patriot and NFL fans (except those he beat) view him as the greatest of all time or just the “G.O.A.T.”. Observing that game made me think of Kevn Feige and served as the foundation of this article. Then a few days later while editing this article that news broke that Skydance terminated James Gunn and is set to dismantle his DCU. It made me realize how the legacies of Brady, Feige, and Gunn were similar and how it could be a great predicator for the future of Kevin Feige.
The Legend of Feige is Born
The birth of the MCU was a dream come true for fans. Super heroes previously appeared on the big screen but never before was it in a shared universe. Then came Kevin Feige. When he conceived of the MCU, he wanted an interconnected universe where one character from a movie could run into another and those appearances would be important. This complexity required compelling plots with talented actors to bring the action to life. Iron Man was a story of a hero who wanted to find redeem himself from the sins of his past. While many may have wanted megastar Tom Cruise for the movie, it was the brilliant casting of Robert Downey Jr in this role that established the foundation for the MCU. He was a talented artist who mirrored Stark in that both were trying to overcome the sins of their past. Future movie offerings dealt with stories of a hero born with high expectations who had to find himself (Thor) while another was of a man born with nothing who overcame that to be the hero the world needed (Captain America). These were relatable to fans. Feige hired actors who were gifted to bring these themes to life and made them stars. Their stories were then woven together to create the tapestry that is the MCU. This worldbuilding all led to the iconic Avengers: Endgame film. Feige was a creator who could do no wrongs, until his hubris caused him to lose the fans.
Phase Four and Five Force Stumble
Feige and his staff fumbled the ball when it came to the last five years of the MCU with a few exceptions like Deadpool & Wolverine. Many films lacked that originality that made fans fall in love with the MCU and instead were just paint by the numbers projects that produced bland results. Others tried to go in a different direction that writers thought fans would love but missed the mark like Thor: Love and Thunder. There were some small financial and critical successes, but none that could match his past productions. Feige’s team then got lazy. The writers tried to attract absent fans by introducing characters that viewers could identify with to make them watch the movies again. Younger characters that were diverse were brought in to specifically appeal to certain target demographics. This caused a major disconnect with their audience. I mean I know that I only watch movies that have a middle age attorney who collects comics and writes on pop culture as one of the featured characters rather than quality films with innovative plots. The cracks in the foundation of the MCU started to appear so Feige and his team did what any good builder does…patch it up and promise future improvements if they give the builder and his team more time and money.
Fantastic Fourth Down Fail
The MCU started to go down but fans were promised that the MCU would rebound with the release of The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Feige even brought in a big gun in Pedro Pascal to lead that superhero team. He was reportedly paid more than the three leads from his "competitor's" Superman film. This was a deviation from the Disney formula where stars were made AFTER starring in the MCU. Feige then doubled down by bringing Robert Downey Jr. back to the MCU, but this time as the villain Dr. Doom. Then even more returns were leaked on the internet. Feige would also put on the screen in the movie almost every character that has ever played a Marvel comics hero for Disney, Sony, and Fox Studios. Avengers: Doomsday is the second coming of Avengers: Endgame. That is a movie that compares with the NFL’s Super Bowl in the scope and vision of the people who are producing the film and the fans who are waiting for it to be released. The best of the best will be in that film, and that brings me to the NFL’s G.O.A.T.
The 199th Pick is in….
Photo Credit: Joseph Overaitis
I watched Brady play at Michigan. He came there with very little fanfare and had to fight every year for playing time. He then was drafted as almost an afterthought by the New England Patriots. He felt he had to actually introduce himself to the team’s owner at training camp and thank Kraft for believing in him. Even after winning his first championship, he was still not the face of the NFL. That position belonged to Peyton Manning. Then Brady won his second Super Bowl and new expectations were being set. After his third ring just getting into the Super Bowl was not enough…he had to win it all every year! Decades of football etched the Brady name in record books that may never need to be rewritten. This was a man who won his final title at an age where most of his peers had long since retired, but he did it on a fully torn MCL. His greatness reset the bar for fans and there was no way to go back to being a mere mortal QB. His mere presence on the field would not let fans settle for placing, only winning. Every play, every game fans expected greatness and yet looked for.a time when that greatness waned. Those expectations parallel what MCU fans expect and are afraid may now be happening with Kevin Feige.
May Gross Billions but be Start of the End
Movie goers already crashed the AMC Theaters site buying tickets for Avengers: Doomsday after the Visionquest finale. Still, Avengers: Doomsday may be Everest for Kevin Feige even if the movie is a box office blockbuster. That may sound crazy and many of you reading that sentence will think I am wrong, but look deeper into movie goers’ expectations. Each Feige MCU film must be a blockbuster type event. Ghost Rider cannot be a solo hero film or fans will be let down after Avengers: Doomsday has the entire screen filled with Marvel characters. Blade, Moon Knight, and others might have to be included to keep the attention of the fans. Disney can also not settle for an unknown actor to play the spirit of vengeance when Downey Jr., Evans, Rudd, Stewart, Tatum, and so many others are all in one film. Ryan Gosling can expect a big payday for his demonic debut. The same will hold true with the future X-Men film and each subsequent entry in the MCU. Miss on the casting of Wolverine and it would seem as if the whole world is going to explode. Modest box office profits will not be enough for the company nor will fans accept average films. Kevin Feige has become the G.O.A.T. when it comes to creating a heroes universe. You can only rest on your laurels so long. Even Tom Brady was forced to leave New England to win his final ring because he could not escape the ghosts of his past triumphs in New England. That is true in the sports world as well as in the entertainment world. James Gunn had to learn this the hard way.
Gunned Down Old Yeller Style
James Gunn is a great filmmaker. He made fans care about an unknown group of heroes with Guardians of the Galaxy. The last entry of the GotG trilogy had one of the saddest moments in ANY MCU entry, and that included Stark’s sacrifice. Then he got the keys to the car and could create his own universe with the DCU. The mad scientist was free to create film magic or box office failures. Fans knew his past with Guardians and expected him to deliver the goods. Rather than follow the Feige Format, Gunn tried to do something boldly different and fans revolted. They understood the MCU way of connecting characters and did not comprehend this new isolated way to tell stories in a shared universe. In the DCU there was no Agent Coulson or Nick Fury to serve as bridges between stories. What was more unforgiving was that his universe lacked heroes and villains fans could get emotionally invested because of poor character development. Fans cried more for a CGI raccoon and his tragic backstory than they did for Supergirl and her equally sad origin. He achieved this for very minor characters on the GotG and yet he could not do the same for Superman and Supergirl? The only thing fans liked was Krypto because everyone loves animals on film. Gunn could not get past the fan’s high expectations created by his track record of producing good films to feel the DCU was his best work. Something was missing and fans could not wait for Gunn to find his magic again. In the end, Skydance believe he was also not living up to his past success and this failure to meet their expectations led to his dismissal as the architect for the DCU.
Going Out on Top with a Major Price Tag
Many of the greats do not get to go out on top. Brady won more rings, but Peyton got to retire as a Super Bowl champion. In the end even Tom realized he could not play to his own expectations chasing the possibility of going out on top and retired. James Gunn was appointed creator of the DCU and it came with high expectations based upon past film projects. Fans were let down and he was let go. Kevin Feige created the MCU making Disney very profitable. Fans loved him because everything he touched turned to gold until he lost his Midas touch. Avengers: Doomsday is his attempt to regain his crown and demonstrate to the fans and the film industry that he still has it. Disney owes him for past triumphs so they will let him get his creative freak on and be the ultimate Feige he can be in that film. Nothing will be off limits. No expense will be true great for the master to create his vision of perfection. The problem is that this film will potentially cost Feige and Disney much in future goodwill, thus potentially damaging the MCU beyond repair.
Where are All the Bells and Whistles
Disney must ask themselves is there anything more Feige can do to wow fans and still produce profitable films and television programs after Avengers: Doomsday. At the Motor City Comic Con this journalist will actually ask fans what they expect AFTER Doomsday and those answers may not be good news for Disney. The problem facing the MCU is that success can only go on for so long. Star Wars is off the tracks. James Bond is being recast in hopes of reviving that film franchise. Will the mouse accept diminished expectations with subsequent films and keep Feige on after Avengers: Secret Wars because even the Patriots let Brady go when they sensed his magic was almost gone. Avengers: Secret Wars may ultimately be final shot Feige has to reset the MCU. The problem is Avengers: Doomsday may set the bar so high that even Feige can not reach, much less exceed it with future projects. With all he has accomplished, would Feige want to tarnish his legacy knowing that no matter what he does he will not ever be able to reach what fans and the mouse expect from him both creatively and profit wise? That should not stop Feige from doing his thing because he may have something still left in the tank like Brady. His name has value and he still has that talent. Hey I hear there is a universe out there in trouble and maybe the Force is strong with Feige?
The end comes for everyone no matter how hard we try to fight it in one's career. The difference is very few of us can go out at the peak like Brady and be remembered for the greatness rather than the decline. This time next year Kevin Feige will be faced with just such a question. He has reached a fork in the road and must ask himself how he wants to define a legacy and the dare I say legendary status of Kevin Feige. There is no Hall of Fame waiting for him but maybe something even greater...showing people he could do it twice or in a different way that fans expected. I mean we all love a good second act. Just ask Tampa Bay and Fox News announcer Tom Brady. .