Disney struggled under Bob Chapek, so Bob Iger came back as CEO to change things in the House of Mouse, and he’s making some big steps – backwards. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Disney is drastically pulling back the reins of the world’s two highest-grossing franchises, Marvel’s MCU and Star Wars. We can already see the effects in Marvel, which has released more MCU movies and shows in the past two years than all Marvel projects of the past two decades combined, and is now releasing just two Disney+ series out of its planned eight and three films .
Given the mixed reactions to Phase 4 of the MCU, it only makes sense that Iger would slow things down with his return. With the lightning speed of eighteen different projects being released in theaters and on streaming within weeks of each other in just two years, many fans gave up on the MCU when it became clear that Disney was making one rushed movie after another forgettable movie. making laundry with boring leaves everything stuck in between, offers little quality entertainment and room to breathe. So Iger has decided to change things up and go with Marvel’s quality over quantity approach. While this means many anticipated projects are being postponed, it is undoubtedly for the best of the franchise and its fans. This is why slowing down is good for the MCU.
Marvel fatigue is real
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever wrapped up Phase 4 and ended the MCU’s very messy phase with a tearful farewell to Chadwick Boseman’s old Black Panther with an epic welcome to Letitia Wright’s new Black Panther in a heavy emotional batter hailed as one of the greatest superhero movies ever, featuring a cast like Angela Bassett even received Oscar nominations in a first for Marvel. But of all the movies made by the Marvel machine over the past few years, very few have been more than not-bad-but-not-good popcorn movies that lacked both direction and depth, becoming aimless as they progressed, leaving fans behind . unsatisfied, massively moved on from Marvel as superhero fatigue turned into superhero exhaustion.
This downward trend does not seem to change for the time being. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Phase 5 has already got off to a rocky start, suffered Marvel’s steepest box office drop and extremely low critic scores, and is now the second-lowest MCU film, just behind Eternals. Quantumania depends on past MCU shows to set it up. Still, it’s ridiculous to expect complete loyalty and total commitment from viewers when so much content is released so quickly. Fans feel punished for missing a movie or show in such an interconnected universe. This kind of constant and grueling output is unsustainable, and while it’s taken a while, it seems that Disney and Iger have also realized this and finally hit the brakes.
Slowing down gives creators time to do their best
Of everything that’s gone wrong with the MCU in Phase 4, almost all of the problems Marvel has been facing lately can be fixed simply by giving people more time, especially the creators of Marvel. The most obvious and glaring example of creators simply needing more time was in the special effects department, where VFX artists have openly admitted to being overworked for months on end with huge workloads and strict, inflexible deadlines to get the job done. excessive MCU output, meaning the final product usually doesn’t look that great. She-Hulk: lawyer was openly ridiculed by fans for months because of poor CGI qualityand any other Marvel project, even hits like Spider-Man: No way Home and Black Panther: Wakanda forever, suffered from lackluster images due to rushed and tired artists.
The same blazing speed and high expectations have created problems for creators across the board at Marvel, from set builders to the directors and actors themselves. Reducing output removes many of creators’ impossible expectations, creating more flexible schedules for everyone and making workloads more manageable, meaning better quality overall for Marvel. You can’t rush art.
Slowing down gives fans time to breathe and absorb
More time is another simple solution to Marvel’s biggest problem and most deadly problem, superhero fatigue. Marvel, like any other entertainment company, is totally dependent on the fan base, which means if fans get tired and no new fans come in, it will crash and burn. Marvel’s MCU is the largest franchise in movie history, with a global fan base and direct impact on pop culture around the world. The power of the MCU is overwhelming, so much so that people have grown tired of it.
The previous MCU output model for the first decade was much more manageable for hardcore fans and casual viewers alike, as one movie every six months isn’t a big commitment with most lifestyles. But doubling that and adding even more streaming shows in one year is a bit too much, especially in a complex superhero universe where one project builds on another. Such a drastic amount of content being produced so quickly makes it nearly impossible for new fans to join in when it feels like they have to catch up on a goal that’s gone quickly, and combined with less than stellar quality, consistently lackluster content hits quickly exhausted old fans. The worst part is that as good as it is, it will soon be forgotten when a new MCU title comes along, like how Wakanda forever only remained in the spotlight until Quantumania acquired a few months later. So Marvel made the right move by slowing down, giving both old and new fans a chance to breathe that they haven’t had in years, and a slower pace allows fans to absorb what’s happening and what it means for the MCU as a whole.
Iger’s reign in Marvel breathed a huge sigh of relief for creators and fans alike, but we can only wait and see if the MCU can pull itself together and reclaim its former glory.