Feige, the unquestioned leader of Marvel Studios, has been spread thin post-“Endgame,” with the MCU’s TV shows and movies both fighting for his time. In 2021, the franchise saw five shows premiere on Disney+, including “WandaVision,” “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier,” “Loki,” “What If…?,” and “Hawkeye.” That alone is dizzying, but when we consider Marvel also unveiled the movies “Black Widow,” “Eternals,” and “Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” that same year, it’s easy to see how managing quality would become difficult.
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It’s undeniable that the MCU has suffered as a result. 2023’s “The Marvels” finished its box office run as the lowest-grossing MCU movie to date. Meanwhile, films like “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” “Eternals,” and “Captain America: Brave New World” have all earned mixed-to-bad reviews while also suffering at the box office. It’s been tough sledding. “Deadpool & Wolverine” may’ve been one of the MCU’s unquestioned recent hits, but it benefited from being the only Marvel Studios movie released in 2024. A lack of quantity helped in that case.
Fortunately, to Iger’s point, “Thunderbolts*” has been received very well, even if it wasn’t a box office smash right out of the gate. It’s got plenty of time to pick up steam now and can do a lot to help turn the tide for Marvel as it heads into Phase 6. This summer will also see the release of “The Fantastic Four: First Steps,” with both “Avengers: Doomsday” and “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” on deck for 2026. That’s all building up to “Avengers: Secret Wars” in 2027, which will finally conclude the Multiverse Saga.
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That’s a promising slate, but, beyond that, Feige will no longer have to focus on releasing three movies a year alongside three very expensive, movie-sized shows. Disney has already promised to release fewer Marvel projects every year. Now, the studio is focusing on course corrections in terms of quality.
It’s easy to want more when something is working like gangbusters, but the past few years have truly been an example of too much of a good thing. At the very least, Disney has realized the error of its ways here. Whether or not it can win audiences over once again on a longer timeline remains to be seen, but this is a step in the right direction.
“Thunderbolts*” is in theaters now.
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