In a surprise live stream, Marvel broke the internet yet again by unveiling the cast of “Avengers: Doomsday.” The announcement grossed over 275 million digital views in its five-hour duration, marking it its biggest livestream to date.
With the excitement for the fifth installment in the Avengers franchise growing, one has to wonder: is Marvel on its way back? The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a victim of its own success and has undergone a recession in public reception following the release of “Avengers: Endgame.” Marvel has failed to replicate the feeling fans once had when sitting in that packed theatre.
Don’t you remember that empty pit in your stomach when Thanos snapped half of the universe away in “Avengers: Infinity War?” How about the elation when the portals opened up and you saw your favorite heroes fight Thanos’ army in Endgame?
Following the Infinity Saga, the MCU shifted its focus toward the multiverse in the last few years. While an intriguing concept in itself that introduces unlimited possibilities, the reception thus far has been nothing but polarizing. The once gravitating “event” feel of a Marvel movie has slowly dissipated, with films like “Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania” and “The Marvels” collapsing critically and commercially. Audience fatigue has never been more apparent, and as a fan, it hurts to see.
The multiverse gave Marvel endless possibilities to showcase its characters in ways only comic books could do. However, Marvel prioritizes nostalgia and bringing back fan favorites from the past instead of focusing on developing the characters of today. Robert Downey Jr.’s casting as Doctor Doom is an example of Marvel going backward in an attempt to grasp audiences’ attention. Along with Downey, the X-Men of the Fox X-Men Universe are set to return in the “Doomsday” movie in a desperate move to return to form. While such cameos and returns of iconic characters are a riveting shot of dopamine, they fail to advance character and story development, which ultimately, Marvel is struggling with.
Marvel has been scrambling to find its next Tony Stark and Steve Rogers but has not made the proper effort to fill their hefty shoes. Character development and emotional investment have been lost in the shuffle of Marvel’s many playing cards, which is a slap to the face of the fans who want to care about the product they love.
Marvel has been at the top of the mountain for nearly two decades, but the franchise that once dominated the box office has gone stale. Therefore, they must take the cliché comic book approach and hit the reset button.
After “Doomsday,” Marvel has “Avengers: Secret Wars” looming on its slate, and this is where Marvel needs to capitalize. “Secret Wars” is Marvel’s most anticipated project in years, as it’s an adaptation of one of its most iconic comic books, and it gives Marvel the golden opportunity for a creative reset.
A scorched-earth reboot is not necessary, as you can’t just erase what came before, nor should you completely disregard it. Keep what is working and being well received by the audience, and mutate what isn’t. Honor the past and make way for new audiences in the present and future.
The disintegration of the MCU’s multiverse in “Secret Wars” allows them to streamline its continuity, recast its characters if necessary and reestablish an emotionally impactful main core of heroes.
The MCU has not been able to utilize its big hitters because of studio rights, but now that those struggles are in the dust, they can snap out of its slump. With the potential of having a universe where the Fantastic Four, X-Men and Spider-Man can all share the big screen, fans are sure to be clamoring for the next Marvel movie.
While the world-shattering event is two years away, Marvel’s road to “Secret Wars” starts this year as “Thunderbolts” and “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” are set to release in the coming months. Both movies are crucial as their characters are among the cast of “Doomsday,” and in the Fantastic Four’s case, they are sure to have a major role in the future of Marvel projects going forward.
When “Secret Wars” hits the cinemas, it will complete nearly 20 years of interconnected storytelling — an unrivaled cinematic achievement. With the MCU at a make-it-or-break-it phase, Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios now have the fate of their universe in their hands. It is now up to them to pull the trigger and seize the opportunity of a grander, more emotionally invested reboot.
