According to a lengthy Variety piece, Marvel, the behemoth of superhero cinema, is in a bit of a pickle lately. They’ve gone from being the cocky, cool kid on the block to having to deal with some real concerns. It’s like witnessing Tony Stark fumble with his Iron Man costume, which is unusual in the superhero realm. So, what precisely is going on with Marvel’s cinematic strategy? Let’s have a look.
It all started with Jonathan Majors, the talented actor ready to take over the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Kang the Conqueror. But fate had other intentions. Majors became embroiled in a complicated legal issue involving domestic violence allegations, leaving Marvel in a bind. Do they continue with Kang or switch to another villain, such as Dr. Doom? It’s a standard “choose your path” scenario, but one with huge ramifications for the MCU’s future.
The goal was to never have a lapse in superhero storytelling, but this strategy appears to have backfired
Majors has already made a name for himself in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as a scene-stealing antagonist in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Loki was poised to become the franchise’s next great thing, with the finale establishing Kang as the eponymous star of a fifth Avengers feature in 2026. All of this is now in jeopardy due to his legal problems.
The Marvel executives convened in Palm Springs for their annual vacation with a collective sense of dread. The veil of uncertainty had replaced the high-flying confidence that had formerly distinguished these gatherings. They were obliged to talk about backup plans, such as switching to a new comic book foe like Dr. Doom. However, this decision is fraught with issues, as Majors has already left his imprint on the MCU, for better or worse.
The MCU has been on a relentless mission to provide a never-ending stream of interconnected content for both theatres and Disney+. The goal was to never have a lapse in superhero storytelling, but this strategy appears to have backfired. The sheer volume of content produced taxed the Marvel apparatus to its limits, leading to viewer confusion and dissatisfaction.
“The Marvel machine was pumping out a lot of content. Did it get to the point where there was just too much, and they were burning people out on superheroes? It’s possible,” noted Wall Street analyst Eric Handler. This oversaturation risked compromising the quality that fans had come to expect from Marvel.
Marvel’s visual effects division, which was once famous for its quality, is now straining to keep up with the never-ending stream of productions
The Marvels was planned to be a triumphant follow-up to Captain Marvel, but it became a story of delays and reshoots. With a $250 million budget, the film was expected to be a box-office smash. Instead, it’s expected to gross far less than the $185 million earned by Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness in its first weekend. The film, directed by Nia DaCosta, re-teams Brie Larson’s Captain Marvel with two superpowered companions. Instead of building on the previous film’s popularity, it crashed into four weeks of reshoots to provide consistency to a jumbled script. The departure of the director for another movie during post-production added fuel to the fire.
Marvel’s visual effects division, which was once famous for its quality, is now straining to keep up with the never-ending stream of productions. When the world premiere of Quantumania contained subpar CGI that left audiences perplexed, the problem reached a critical point. According to a senior power broker who observed the debacle, there were at least ten moments with last-minute, out-of-focus visual effects when the film was exhibited in February. The VFX crew had little time to deliver their best work due to the hurried post-production timetable.
In September, Marvel VFX employees voted unanimously to unionize, initiating an industrywide trend. Long hours and low compensation were among their complaints. Former Marvel Studios VFX assistant coordinator Anna George spoke before the Congressional Labor Caucus concerning the studio’s unrealistic timelines and working conditions. The problems reached all the way to the top of the VFX hierarchy, prompting the firing of Victoria Alonso, who was in charge of the studio’s physical production, post-production, VFX, and animation. The deteriorating quality control on Marvel films, particularly on the expanding TV front, reportedly enraged Disney’s senior management.
Marvel’s strategy of pushing out an abundance of content may have been its undoing
Marvel’s strategy of pushing out an abundance of content may have been its undoing. Fans, who once associated the Marvel brand with quality, are now questioning this association. As Joanna Robinson, a writer and podcaster, noted, “The quality is suffering,” and many projects have felt “half-baked and undercooked.” This deviation from their traditional model has raised concerns about the studio’s ability to maintain the same level of excellence.
The planned revival of Blade starring Mahershala Ali by Marvel has taken an unexpected turn. Multiple screenplay revisions, director changes, and a six-week stoppage put the project in disarray. At one point, the screenplay shifted to a female-led narrative, leaving Blade as a supporting character in his own film. Such a departure from the traditional pattern was confusing, especially given that the eponymous role was filled by Mahershala Ali, a two-time Oscar winner.
The script for Blade went through so many changes that the studio was obliged to hire Michael Green, the Oscar-nominated writer of Logan, to start from scratch. The project’s release date was pushed back to 2025, with suspicion that the film’s budget would be drastically decreased, a departure from Marvel’s normally high-spending style. In a move born out of desperation, Marvel is exploring the possibility of resurrecting beloved characters like Iron Man and Black Widow, who were seemingly killed off in Avengers: Endgame. While this could be an exciting prospect for fans, it comes with a hefty price tag, as Robert Downey Jr’s upfront salary for Iron Man 3 was approximately $25 million. Reviving these iconic characters could be a costly gamble, even for Marvel.
One potential lifeline for Marvel is the huge collection of superhero assets purchased by Disney as part of its 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox
One potential lifeline for Marvel is the huge collection of superhero assets purchased by Disney as part of its 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox. The agreement brought characters like the X-Men and the Fantastic Four back into Marvel’s fold, which sparked a lot of excitement among fans. Deadpool 3 and a Fantastic Four relaunch are both on the way, which will provide new potential for plot and character crossovers. Furthermore, the acquisition of the X-Men franchise gives Marvel the opportunity to reinterpret these iconic characters within the MCU. Following the recent closure of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, Marvel has begun negotiations with writers about incorporating the X-Men into their cinematic world.
In the midst of these difficulties, Kevin Feige, the man behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe, is taking a step back to rethink their strategy. Recognizing that several scripts and projects have deviated from the studio’s creative goal, he is making painful decisions to realign the studio’s creative direction. Marvel’s recent disappointments may appear to be a striking contrast from their previous track record of success, but they are far from out. There is still hope for the Marvel Cinematic Universe as long as they can strike a balance between quantity and quality, harness the potential of their recently acquired Fox assets, and make strategic decisions.