The Marvel cinematic universe hit our screens almost 15 years ago now with Iron Man in 2008. It was an inspiring, daring new approach to a comic book adaptation helmed by the ever brilliant Jon Favreau that had never been seen so well executed before.
Iron Man was a gamble for Marvel in every sense of the word. While they were extremely close to bankruptcy and selling off every well-known IP they could in the likes of Spider-Man, X-Men and The Fantastic Four, they dared to take a chance on not just a new concept but, at the time, a controversial actor in Robert Downey Jr.
When we look back to their original plan and how far-fetched it seemed in the late 2000’s – creating a series of individual movies to all tie in for one big showdown -no one could have foreseen the magnitude it grew to and the cultural phenomenon it became.
It certainly seems like a lifetime ago when we would only receive one Marvel instalment a year with only a very loose post-credit scene, with a worth-the-wait hint at what’s around the corner should the films continue their success.
Skip ahead more than a decade to 2021, and we got a whopping three Marvel film outings, five small screen adaptations and a ridiculous number of post-credit scenes. Our Crazy Theory Wall has needed an extension.
Now we look at Marvel today, in 2022, and ask: when does it all become too much for your average movie goer?
There is always going to be a dedicated fan base who will spend their time watching and analysing each detail, desperate to be the first to figure out the maze that must be Kevin Feige’s head.
But when you’re asking someone who just wants to sit down and enjoy a movie without watching a “previously on Marvel….” you’re asking a lot.
So with that in mind let’s have a look at why the sun may be setting on this beautiful and convoluted. universe.
A Lacklustre Phase 4
Controversial opinion time, you ask? Yes. But hear us out. Phase 4 has been rocky at best.
Yes, WandaVision was a masterpiece. Loki was well, glorious. But did we really need The Falcon And The Winter Soldier and Shang-chi: The Legend Of The Ten Rings? They proved a largely forgettable outing and I don’t think many of us have rushed back to enjoy.
This phase of the MCU feels quite bloated and unsure of itself. Don’t get me wrong I yelped when I saw Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire dawn their costumes once more as the wall-crawler – but even Spider-Man: No Way Home’s storytelling felt ‘on the wall’ and character motivations were largely unjustified.
Part of loving Marvel is trying to figure out what they are going to do next and how expansive this universe can become; but Phase 1-3 had a clear and concise goal at each stage.
Phase 1 tried something new for the first time to ultimately bring us The Avengers.
Phase 2 wanted to push the boundaries and see how far they could go with the likes of Guardians Of The Galaxy, and Phase 3 was the lead up to and triumphant battle with Thanos.
We knew where we stood. We know what we signed up for. Although there were aspects that, of course, kept us guessing, we knew the… Endgame. There was satisfaction in seeing all the pieces slot together, and the easter-eggs fall into place as storylines merged in a way that still made sense.
With so much mystery still shrouding the purpose of Phase 4, how can we get excited if we don’t know what it is this excitement is building towards?
We Peaked At Endgame
“On your left”.
I still get chills.
The big elephant in the MCU room is something I think every fan is worried about:Marvel peaked with Endgame.
It was a truly beautiful two part story that gave every comic book fan all they could have ever dreamed and then some. We finally found out who was worthy, we heard the line…you know the one and, AND….it was Iron Man.
Where do you go from there? How do you start to build from the ground up again? We all became so attached to these characters and so seeing them triumph but at such a heavy cost was truly masterful storytelling. Something none of us thought they could ever pull off in such fashion.
But now? We are asked to reset the clock and start all over again, with a Phase 1 2.0. Learn about these new characters, (barely) grow with them, root for them, only for a big battle to happen at the end where we lose them again. Rinse and repeat.
But can it ever truly be done again with such success? And I don’t mean in the sense of story, but fan commitment. Or does it all feel like an endless repetition of the past decade of Marvel cycles, and something that will become stale quickly.
Will we be left questioning in a few years time, despite some awesome instalments since: was it better off left at Endgame?
We Didn’t Need A Multiverse
Although we touched upon this in our Doctor Strange: Multiverse Of Madness review, it is worth discussing fully.
We got so excited about the possibility of a multiverse, none of us really stopped to question, did we need one?
But now, we’re taking a step back to ask it. And I’m not sure fans are going to like the answer.
WandaVision was the first instance when we were left a bit ‘what?’, after we got that cameo only to be left with a boner joke (it still stings). Spider-Man: No Way Home showed us the nostalgia the multiverse has to offer, but very little else in terms of plot development or character arcs. Doctor Strange highlighted just how disappointing opening up this supposed Pandora’s Box can be, without clear direction.
Sure, it’s a multiverse. The rules can be twisted – hell, we don’t even mind them being broken – but at the end of the day, Marvel is creating a world. And even the maddest of worlds still have some sort of structure, rules that make sense, even if they’re arbitrary.
The only Marvel property to have truly given us something of substance surrounding the multiverse was Loki, as we learnt how it came to be and the untold destruction it can bring (which, even so, we are yet to really see).
So given it has only just begun and the foundations seem unstable at best, is the multiverse really something we need, when there are so many compelling stories left to tell? Looking at you Secret Invasion…
There’s Too Much Content
And finally, we come to the biggest problem Marvel is facing.
There’s just too much. 15-year-old me would kick myself for saying this, but it’s unfortunately true. I love Marvel and with each new instalment I would flock to the cinema at the first chance I could to see how this universe is ever-expanding, to see what these comic geniuses were conjuring this time. But recently it’s just started feeling more like a chore than something I am truly excited to do. Like an obligation, to make up for the years I’ve dedicated to this franchise.
There are 8 new Marvel properties set to release this year. 8! On top of that there are a reported 24 new entries in development.
THAT IS TOO MUCH MARVEL.
How does this feel? Like they’re swapping quality for quantity over recent years. Nothing is as applicable to the Marvel franchise as the saying ‘Build it, and they will come’. If it’s got the Marvel tagline, you’ll see it.
They know this. We know this. Fan loyalty is a self-aware thing, and it feels as though this is being exploited, just a little.
This is a far cry from when they were gambling everything to make the MCU work and had to convince you to spend your hard earned cash on them.
And of course, things change. You could say it was inevitable that Marvel grew aware of its own power and capitalised on this. But what once felt like a labour of true love, a dedicated journey to create something truly magnificent now feels like it’s not stopping to ask the ‘should we make this?’, only ‘how many should we make?’
I want Marvel to succeed and I have no interest in seeing it end. Despite a number of critics’ beliefs, some of the storytelling and arcs we’ve seen recently are truly remarkable. The less serious films/TV shows, they’re just fun to watch and enjoy with friends and family. Not everything has to be dark and brooding but there comes a point when you ask too much from fans.
So, what do you think? Let us know! Do you agree? Or are you happy to see more content than ever from the MCU.
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