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The Marvel Cinematic Universe is one of the biggest franchises of all time. Having started with Iron Man, the MCU has recently been witnessing a decline in quality despite an abundance of quantity. Ever since the Avengers: Endgame and the exit of major actors and characters, Marvel Studios has failed to live up to its prior hype and image.
Marvel Studios
Despite assurances that things would improve, it was in 2023 that the MCU had its lowest-grossing movie ever, The Marvels. And after a 2024 The Hollywood Reporter story had a source say that Marvel Studios is not giving up, Kevin Feige finally seems to have taken a step in the right direction. At the recently-held Disney’s Upfront presentation, Marvel Studios restored Marvel Television directly under it, after shutting it down back in 2019.
Kevin Feige Brings Back Marvel Television to Save MCU
Kevin Feige takes the right step to save the MCU (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Ever since the end of Marvel’s Phase 3, i.e. after Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been witnessing a gradual decline in quality. Despite the subsequent Phase 4 and 5 having a vast array of characters and eye-catching storylines, most of them have failed to live up to the MCU hype.
Eternals, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, Thor: Love and Thunder or Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, etc. were all part of Phase 4. Despite some impressive movies and shows like Shang-Chi. No Way Home, Phase 4 was more of a repetitive, incoherent mess marked by poor VFX, unnecessary storylines, and too many unrelated characters. Even the present Phase 5 seems to be making the same mistakes as far as Quantumania, Secret Invasion, and The Marvels are concerned.
However, the Brie Larson-starrer seems to have been a wake-up call for Marvel Studios. After making a significant change in the slate this year, only four MCU projects have been/will be released this year (see The Hollywood Reporter). Taking another significant step in the direction is Marvel Studios bringing back its Marvel Television banner after shutting it down in 2019 (see Deadline).
Initially launched by Marvel Entertainment in 2010, the company had some of the best Marvel shows of all time (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Daredevil, etc) despite a dwindling quality and rating in its last years. At Disney’s Upfront Presentation, Kevin Feige revealed that Marvel will thus function under three banners- Marvel Studios, Marvel Animation, and Marvel Television.
This is not only a welcome move but will massively help streamline the operations of the superhero universe, which seems to be so far struggling to live up to its prior hype and retain its huge fan base.
Marvel Television Will Help Streamline Marvel Studios
Marvel Television is back (Image: Wikimedia Commons)
Marvel Studios had a splendid start with Iron Man, and till Avengers: Endgame the quality was consistent, despite a few minor hits and misses. However, things for the multi-billion studio started going downhill the moment it entered into the vast landscape of television. While the initial TV shows of the studio were impeccable and well crafted (WandaVision, Falcon and the Winter Soldier), as Phase 4 went on, it seems the superhero juggernaut was struggling to maintain the consistent quality of the last few years.
Thus, projects like Eternals were the result. With the world of MCU growing even bigger, Phase 4 was marked by a huge number of projects released one after the other, not only making it difficult for fans to follow through but also a mess to understand since no two projects seemed to be interconnected despite being in the same universe.
This is a genius move by Marvel. The issue with Phase 4 was Marvel trying to juggle both movies and shows all at once despite no experience with the latter.
Now, we have 3 separate divisions for the movies, cartoons, and shows. ?????? https://t.co/fglpaMqsRP
— Key’Shawn Watkins #BLM (@KeyWatkins51299) May 14, 2024
But Marvel working under three banners, along with Marvel Spotlight, will allow the studio to streamline its operations as it faces the challenge of reclaiming its past position. This diversification is not only crucial but will also allow for each banner to focus on its specific medium instead of Marvel Studios being the only one managing it all.
This division will also lead to better integration of characters, an enhanced storytelling experience, wholesome character developments, and more seamless integration within the larger MCU. With all work divided, if the need arises, the studio can further produce a wide quantity and range of content, catering to the audiences’ diverse needs.
Furthermore, having separate divisions can also help in optimizing the production pipelines and smoother production process with fans no longer having to wait for years to see their favorite Marvel projects.
Marvel Television banner might save MCU’s Phase 5 (Image: Marvel Studios)
Overall, having three different banners focusing on their respective mediums seems the right step for Marvel. After the failure of Phase 4, and Phase 5 struggling to make ends meet, a streamlined operation process is the need of the hour for Marvel Studios. Yet, only time will tell if this is a step in the right direction.
And if Kevin Feige really wants it to work, it would be better for him to provide each branch greater creative freedom, a tried and tested method that recently led to the production of one of the best Marvel shows of all time— X-Men ’97 (see Inverse). With only the highly-anticipated Deadpool & Wolverine and Agatha All Along left to release this year, it will be some time before we can see how effective this step is.
“}]] After the miserable failure of Phase 4, Kevin Feige divides Marvel Studios into three banners, takes the right step to save the MCU. Read More