Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe saw seven films, nine shows, a holiday special and a random 54-minute horror film all crammed into just two years. Are audiences now suffering from Marvel fatigue?
Ever since the release of their first film Iron Man in 2008, the MCU has had its audience under a spell. Phases 1-3 saw brilliant productions of all their classic comic book characters that we couldn’t help but fall in love with. That’s not to say these films weren’t without their flaws, as the very male-dominated casts, particularly the lead roles, had room for improvement in terms of representation.
However, after a pandemic-induced break that saw no new releases in 2020, the franchise has since gone into overdrive to overcompensate for this pause, and this is arguably breaking the spell. In 2021 alone, there were four new films in the space of six months, as well as five different series. In fact, the only month that year that didn’t have a new episode or film was May.
Marvel is feeding into our desire for instant gratification
Phase 4 kicked off with WandaVision in January 2021, after which there were just two weeks between its last episode and the first episode of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. On one hand, you could argue that it’s a good thing to have shows to watch to fill the gaps between films, on the other hand this potentially dampens the excitement and anticipation of waiting for the next big release. As our attention spans continue to decline, especially thanks to platforms like TikTok, Marvel is feeding into our desire for instant gratification.
In 2022 we were given a short, two-month break before diving into another three films, four series, and two specials. Adding up to approximately 1,300 minutes of content, the MCU showed no signs of slowing down. As Telegraph film critic Robbie Collin puts it: ‘almost no-one with a job can keep up with it.’ As we venture deeper into The Multiverse Saga, with a new overarching villain looming, it’s crucial that Marvel doesn't lose us in the process.
With a grand total of 18 projects in Phase 4, it begs the question of an exhausted audience. The back-to-back release of new films and shows, which The Guardian describes as a ‘detrimental over-saturation’, doesn’t give us a chance to breathe in between. A recent study by Fandom found that over one third of Marvel fans feel fatigued by the constant stream of new releases, 16% more than DC fans concurred for their own superhero universe.
Marvel’s quantity over quality approach was evidenced by the failures of Eternals and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, both of which received poor ratings. She-Hulk had so much potential to introduce a powerful female superhero, but it did absolutely no favours to contemporary feminist movements. The girl-power theme felt so forced and over-the-top, and you can barely call She-Hulk a superhero. Elsewhere, Thor: Love and Thunder turned the once Almighty Thor into a comedy gag.
The franchise can afford to lower the quality of their content elsewhere, as their strong brand continues to capitalise on audience loyalty
That’s not to say Phase 4 was all bad. It was nice to see original Spider-Man director Sam Raimi return to the scene for Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, as well as some familiar and iconic faces in Spider-Man: No Way Home, giving us a nostalgic feeling that momentarily made it feel like the good old days again. And clearly Marvel isn’t suffering in their box office earnings, as No Way Home smashed records when it grossed over $1.9 billion worldwide. It’s therefore no wonder the franchise can afford to lower the quality of their content elsewhere, as their strong brand continues to capitalise on audience loyalty.
Now in the present day, 2023 launched Phase 5 with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania in February, which saw Kang the Conqueror’s debut, the Universe’s new main antagonist. Despite having the same $200 million budget as No Way Home, Quantumania’s earnings have only just about doubled this figure. This latest MCU film is just one of 12 projects already confirmed for Phase 5, according to Radio Times, which takes us up to July 2024. Clearly, the MCU has no intention of lowering the pace any time soon.
One can only hope that the MCU has exciting things planned with new supervillain Kang, whose powers appear to be limitless. Since fan favourites Iron Man and Chris Evans’ Captain America are out of the picture, it is imperative now more than ever that Marvel provides us with some exceptional storylines. But with the clockwork speed of production, will we get the quality entertainment we deserve?