Buzz
Following the dazzling success of Avengers: Endgame, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) spirals uncontrollably downward, both in quality and box office revenue.
The Marvels only rakes in 47 million USD, officially dethroning The Incredible Hulk (2008) as the lowest-grossing opening week film in North American history within the MCU. Perhaps, even Marvel Studios didn't anticipate that its new brainchild would fall short in revenue compared to a film forgotten 15 years ago. Not only that, The Marvels falls behind rival DC's 'flops' like The Flash (55 million USD) and Black Adam (67 million USD).
Experts speculate that the failure of The Marvels forces Marvel Studios to reconsider its 'lightning-fast' film release strategy. In 2024, the studio plans to debut Deadpool 3 alongside several TV series. Other Marvel comic-based films like Madame Web, Venom 3, and Kraven The Hunter are also in the pipeline, produced by Sony.
The finger snap that altered the fate of the MCU
Over the past 15 years, Marvel Studios has built a successful cinematic universe based on their superhero comics. Starting with Iron Man (2008), this brand has expanded with over 30 film projects and numerous long-running TV series. MCU has surpassed iconic franchises like Star Wars, Harry Potter, James Bond to become the most successful film empire of all time, with a total revenue nearing 30 billion USD.
However, that success gradually fades away after Iron Man's snap in Avengers: Endgame, as the central character of this cinematic universe sacrifices himself to revive half of the universe. In recent years, the MCU has consistently faced criticism from both critics and their most fervent fans.
Iron Man sacrifices to save half the universe but leaves a challenging puzzle for Marvel Studios.
Phase 4 of the franchise kicks off with the film Black Widow and the WandaVision series, the first TV series of the franchise produced for Disney+, concluding with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, marking Marvel Studios' most diligent production phase since the inception of the MCU. However, quantity doesn't always come with quality. Several new projects are criticized for shallow content, seemingly made just to 'milk' the fans, capitalizing on the dazzling success of the previous 3 phases.
Moving into Phase 5, the situation doesn't show signs of improvement with consecutive 'flops' like Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Marvels. The rare film that receives praise, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 , hints at a project putting an end to the beloved MCU superhero team.
Struggling with experiments but not finding a direction
After the events of Avengers: Endgame, the MCU enters an entirely new chapter by expanding the story on a multiverse scale. This direction opens up a myriad of opportunities and challenges for the superhero filmmakers of the studio. Many eagerly wonder which path Marvel Studios will take the franchise next, but this excitement gradually diminishes with each subsequent project from the studio.
During Phases 4 and 5, Marvel Studios focused on introducing new characters to its universe. However, these names haven't made much impact compared to the superhero lineup that formed the Avengers in the previous 3 phases. Simultaneously, the studio brings forth a slew of characters that audiences might not have the chance to encounter again in future MCU films. Notable examples include Hercules in Thor: Love and Thunder, Clea in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Starfox in Eternals, and Namor in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.
After the past projects, audiences can easily notice the core issue Marvel Studios is facing. The excessively vast scope of the multiverse makes building clear connections between each project more challenging. Instead of addressing it decisively, the studio directors often opt for a somewhat superficial solution by increasing humor in these new works, hoping viewers will be too entertained to notice the colossal gaps in the script.
The concept of the multiverse was first introduced in Phase 4's Loki and has since been developed in projects including Spider-Man: No Way Home, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. However, the MCU continually offers different explanations for this concept, leaving their viewers somewhat confused and uncertain about their beloved brand.
For a long time, the most loyal and stubborn MCU fans often tell each other to 'turn off their brains and enjoy' with the hope that the studio will soon solve the headache-inducing puzzle in the superhero multiverse. However, the patience of the audience also has its limits, as the overarching storyline of the MCU has seen little progress for over 3 years. The disastrous failure of The Marvels is just another drop in the bucket as fans of this brand have consistently received lackluster and low-quality works over the past few years.
Marvel Studios undoubtedly recognizes its significant issue as it consistently takes bold actions to revitalize this cinematic universe. The studio continuously incorporates other superhero brands from Sony, Fox to increase appeal and attract new fan groups. At the same time, they also decide to slow down the pace of releasing new projects to avoid hastily completed, sloppy works like before.
