After 32 films, Kevin Feige suggests that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has barely gotten started.
Feige serves as the president of Marvel Studios and has produced all MCU films, including Black Panther, which became their first to win an Academy Award. Reflecting on his time at Marvel to Variety, Feige said, “Being there on opening night of Avengers: Endgame, hearing the crowds, is something I’ll never forget. Also, the feedback we received after Black Panther came out. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would have the kind of impact it did.”
RELATED: RUMOR: Avengers: Secret Wars Acts as a Send-Off to the Pre-MCU Marvel Movies
“The great thing about Marvel truly is how many wonderful, interesting characters we have in the comics — they’ve been at it for 85 years,” Feige continued. “Even after 32 movies, it feels like we’ve barely scratched the surface.”
Avengers: Secret Wars (2027) is thought to be the means by which Marvel plans to keep expanding the universe, with the film rumored to reset the MCU and many of the actors playing the superheroes. Secret Wars is in Phase Six of the MCU, alongside Fantastic Four (2025) and Avengers: The Kang Dynasty, and is currently scheduled to premiere on May 7, 2027.
RELATED: The MCU and DCU Still Haven’t Perfected the Multiverse
Multiversal resets will likely grow more polarizing in the coming years, with Marvel’s rivals in the DCU getting off to a tough start. While the DCU’s first film is Superman: Legacy, the first DCU character in Blue Beetle struggled to make an impression in theaters. The film received generally favorable praise but ended its box office stay with a disappointing run. Superhero fatigue is heavily touted as a reason for this, which is expected to affect the upcoming The Marvels, currently tracking for the MCU’s worst opening week on record.
The success of TV series like Loki provides a balance for the MCU, racking up record-breaking viewership numbers and building optimism for Phase Six’s primary antagonist, Kang the Conqueror (Jonathan Majors). While a reset may be necessary for the longevity of the franchise, growing fatigue may prevent future recast actors from building connections with fans, but on the other hand, provides new opportunities with lessons learned from the previous MCU.
Marvel’s next phase may struggle to even get started, or ensure interest in the overarching story remains over time given the collapsed talks with SAG-AFTRA and delays to Phase Four & Five films. In a statement on October 11, the actor’s union claimed that the studios returned with a worse deal than they were originally offered, pushing any resolution into an uncertain future.
Source: Variety
Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige comments on his 32-movie run with the MCU and outlines his optimism for the MCU’s very long-term future. Read More