Post secret wars the MCU needs to be more character focused rather then events focused but at the same time have more cross over films/shows
It feels like since Loki the MCU has been rushing too a final kang dynasty or now doomsday like grand finally trying to replicate endgame but without a big bulid up between characters
Part of what made the MCU so great in the first place was that they set up singular characters and we got too see them devolpe and grow by interacting with other MCU heros, now it seems like the plot is making the characters rather then the other way round if you understand me
I don't mind getting more singular character focused shows like hawkeye or wanda-vision, they were brilliant but they should place these characters from the shows in their future films more so that they don't feel so disconnected.
That's partly how we got a brilliant film in things like infinity war or thunderbolts despite its 'bad' box office (although this kinda reflects most films post 2021 covid), also don’t go all game of thrones style, which seems to be in every show nowadays due to its influence, where you kill of half of the main characters that people fall in love with or give them 'bitter sweet endings', which are just bitter,
Part of what made the MCU so great in the first place was that they set up singular characters and we got too see them devolpe and grow by interacting with other MCU heros, now it seems like the plot is making the characters rather then the other way round if you understand me
I don't mind getting more singular character focused shows like hawkeye or wanda-vision, they were brilliant but they should place these characters from the shows in their future films more so that they don't feel so disconnected.
That's partly how we got a brilliant film in things like infinity war or thunderbolts despite its 'bad' box office (although this kinda reflects most films post 2021 covid), also don’t go all game of thrones style, which seems to be in every show nowadays due to its influence, where you kill of half of the main characters that people fall in love with or give them 'bitter sweet endings', which are just bitter,
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The idea was that they were going to take their existing IPs and produce consistent content. Marvel Studios were forced to triple their creative output to compensate. The clear problem this caused was a lack of oversight from Feige's Parliament. This all accompanied by the power shift from Iger to Chapek, who proceeded to announce projects that were not ready at D23.
The good news is that Iger is back in the reigns, and seems to plan on learning from his mistakes. After Secret Wars, the plan seems to dramatically reduce the number of projects per year. Last year's earning calls had Iger planning to reduce output to 3 films and 2 shows max (which may or may not include animation).
There seems to be a clear focus going into 2028 of bringing focus back on the mutants and rebooting some of the major blockbuster IPs like Iron Man. All we can is stay optimistic, hope that 2026/2027 make a splash, and reclaim what we know the MCU is capable of.
1. The problem wasn't lack of oversight. The problems weren't minor details that you could only see if you scrutinized each product, they were blatant and impossible to miss. Feige signed off on all of the problems. Feige wasn't surprised about G'iah, Feige wasn't shocked to learn that Echo was greenlit, etc, he knew and approved.
2. Iger never left.
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/apr/13/disney-bob-iger-to-stay-as-ceo-during-coronavirus-pandemic
Chapek is just a fall guy.
Kevin Feige was spread so thin at Marvel in the early 2020s that creatives wouldn’t hear from him and spend weeks on work only to get feedback that was too late to implement. Some staffers had to resort to chasing Feige down in the hallway for answers.
[https://www.wsj.com/business/media/marvel-avengers-mcu-robert-downey-jr-dr-doom-311f9ffc](https://www.wsj.com/business/media/marvel-avengers-mcu-robert-downey-jr-dr-doom-311f9ffc)
MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios described his capacity going beyond producer for each of the films of the Infinity Saga, and acting more as a shadow director and participating in the editing process as well.
2. Iger and Chapek are both certainly responsible, but Iger DID leave.
[https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/disney-susan-arnold-bob-iger-chairman-board-1235055856/](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/disney-susan-arnold-bob-iger-chairman-board-1235055856/)
Not only was he no longer CEO in his transitory rule, he completed stepped away from the company for a year until he was reappointed as CEO.
MCU: The Reign of Marvel Studios also made it clear that Feige was frustrated that Chapek announced projects that hadn't been developed far enough yet during D23.
Through their response to the Disney+ shows, the audience has largely said that they don't want character-driven narratives. I listened to a podcast recently where they said that the first 2-3 episodes of Iron Heart were unnecessary and they should've jumped straight to the heist stuff. The MCU audience does not want character-driven content.
I am almost finished with my second complete rewatch of the MCU in the last four years. I did one right before the Marvels also. I like all of the character build up for the multiverse saga and I think that if they play this right, we can see all of the legacy characters flourish. My guess is that the previews are to bring in the people who thought that Endgame actually meant the End. I don't think that the older characters are going to be that large in Doomsday.
When you see people with the sentiment “What is the point of this?/Where does it lead?” which was said a lot during Phase 4 and 5, what they mean is “When am I going to see this character again and with who?” Thats why one of the earliest Multiverse movies in Shang-Chi has had so many people talking about how he hasn’t had a sequel or been seen. The movie was successful and liked and the character feels forgotten about. Same with Moon Knight. Then characters who have interacted like Kate Bishop and Yelena Belova, fans felt like they got a taste of what the MCU is so strong at giving but still wait wanting to see it again. This is also why stuff like Deadpool & Wolverine or No Way Home were so hyped and successful.
The MCU is about crossovers at the end of the day. Character work is important and something the franchise has always been good at but there needs to be a more regular schedule of team-up movies per phrase. It’s not like the pieces aren't there either. I think because the structure of the Infinity Saga was basically introducing Avengers, Guardians, and some individual heroes ultimately crossing them over people expected more teams like the Champions/Young Avengers, Midnight Suns, or even Defenders to be established to join the upcoming Avengers movies. Yeah we’re getting the Avengers, X-Men, Fantastic Four, and Thunderbolts, but two of those teams were established at the last minute. Not having any other Avengers story between Endgame and Doomsday is a bit of a mistake in itself.
The short version really is I think the audience felt like the MCU ended and the MCU didn’t really feel like it was starting something else or continuing what they’ve seen until Doomsday.
I think this is compounded by a strange retroactive payoff effect. Infinity War and Endgame cohere the Infinity Saga into something resembling a complete narrative. Those movies pick up on small jokes and relationships built in the movies before it. Once you leave the theater, you have a sense of satisfaction and completion. You think that all those jokes were intentionally laid, that the stones were carefully put in these movies, that these characters were always meant to have a particular character arc or ending. You don't think that the creators were just throwing things at the wall half the time and hoping they'd stick, randomly putting dots on paper and drawing the lines between them later. So when the image is complete and then they start putting new dots...you think it's chaos. Somehow the MCU has no plan; it's not building up to anything. And yet Valentina has been recruiting this whole time, we have pretty much every member of the young avengers set up, and a bunch of people are aware of incursions and time shenanigans. I think the beginning of this book didn't look like the end of the last book and that three people off.
-That one PR dude on The Boys
The main problem is they spread out too much, then people said this is too much. They cut off the disney+ project numbers and then now we have many characters who are in limbo.
What they should do is listening viewers less and stick to long term plans. People complaining about a lot of shows are the same complaining with the lack of stuff. They were gonna complain but watch. Finish your planned phase then change numbers.
But if you wanna try to explain it in-universe, the whole thing in battleworld is happening outside of earth/our universe so the world at large is not aware of this heroes vs villain conflict thus its a secret war
It never really was that.
But it should be.
Biggest complaint: there are no big Avengers movies anymore / nothing feels connected / it‘s just one-off stories.
They need either the big guns out steadily (Cap Rogers, Tony, Spidey, anyone that draws an audience) or go full event mode again building up to a big bad. If they drip feed without a goal they‘ll lose all goodwill they gain with the next 2 Avengers movies.
Complaining that:
-Too much “homework” yet not enough crossover
-“Cameo porn” but also “why didn’t this character show up in [movie/show]!?”
-Tone can’t be funny and goody because that’s stupid but also can’t be serious because “it’s too dark for kids”