When the journey was started 10 or so years ago no-one would likely have predicted the massive success these movies would be. As of right now, this franchise is responsible for 5 out of the top 10 highest grossing movies of all time. An incredible feat!
They now move onto a new set of movies with we assume, a new big bad. Is it possible to maintain the same level of success moving forward?
It depends on what your measurement of success is for the MCU and how you want to interpret that success.
What has Marvel achieved?
1. Grew a fan Base
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Marvel has organically created an audience for their films where almost none really existed. That audience has not peaked and that audience is what has contributed to their overall Box office for their characters.
2. Spurred an ancillary market for merchandise:
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Beyond the films Marvel has created an appetite for characters that go beyond films and overall into other forms of entertainment.
If the next film for the MCU does not get a positive RT score does not break even then I would say that the MCU has peaked and that Spider-Man Far from home was not a hiccup.
3. Brand awareness is a strength;
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The MCU has solidified a brand where even low awareness characters can be successful as IP. The MCU does not have to solely rely on Tony Stark/Iron Man Steve Rogers/Captain America and the original Avengers lineup. Just as on the print page the success of the Marvel Avengers was the rotating line-up. It looks like Marvel is following that model.
4. The MCU is not the end-game but an expanding footprint is:
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Marvel will shift from complete standalone movies to cross-overs and team-ups to support the MCU and will blend in Disney+ which was the game plan for their ABC shows and Netflix. Moer of Marvel's IP will eventually be brought to films and other media to continue to capture and solidify their increasing fanbase. Marvel will increase the diversity apparent in their IP to continue to grow the fan base with relatability and representation. This will allow them to tell different stories and the same stories with new POV's.
There are probably many more but if the MCU is to be defined by just a large Event-Type mega grosser that comes only when you put the build-up supporting work in. Flukes can happen but a slow build is more appreciated and earned.
Will any movie ever perform like Avatar or Gone With the Wind (adjusted for inflation), Star Wars The Force Awakens (Domestics) probably not because the marketplace has changed dramatically.
Long answer, Yes the MCU has peaked in terms of creating a mega world-wide event movie the size of EndGame that performs like the World-Cup or the Superbowl.
As long as Kevin Feige is in charge I wouldn't bet against them.
shareProbably.
Everything is played out. Iron Man is dead, Captain America is over, how do you top Infinity War and End game? Most of it is played out already. Sure we will still see some of the movies they come out with but it won't be the same.
Exactly. For example, Falcon taking over as CA is just not the same. I will not be going out to watch another CA movie with Falcon as CA - it just doesn't gel with me. Same if we get another IM.
The other thing is the calible of actors and their charms got us to this point. Such as Downey Jr and Chris Evans. They will need to find some good actors to replace these and so far to me not the case.
MCU will continue making money but will not be as big or interesting. Remember, how we felt when Tony Stark found Nick Fury in his home or seeing Thor's hammer for the first time! Those days will never come now.
Plus, to me, you can't make him "Captain America" because he is not. He is Falcon and will always be Falcon. There was only one C.A. and he is old and retired. Giving him the shield doesn't make him C.A.
I don't know if Marvel will try to push him as "Captain America" but it won't work with me. He can just be Falcon who uses Cap's shield but he isn't suddenly C.A. because he has that shield.
C.A. wasn't "Thor" because he had the hammer. He was still Captain America and was just using Thor's hammer.
I assume they're going to follow the comic books, where Sam did assume the title of Captain America for awhile. The title/costume/shield have always been, in the comics anyway, a symbol, and several people have been Captain America. I think Steve Rogers is one of 12 Captain Americas, and Sam Wilson is another.
Anyway, to me it doesn't matter whether Sam retains his Falcon identity while incorporating the shield into it, or wears the Stars and Stripes and goes full Captain America.
As for the Thor thing-- I think he kind of was. Written on the side of Mjolnir is "Whosoever holds this hammer, if he be worthy, shall possess the power of Thor." The enchantment of the hammer is such that anyone worthy of wielding Mjolnir is basically Thor. His name was still Steve and his costume didn't change-- which is what happens in the comics, btw-- but he was "Thor for a Day," or for a few minutes anyway. If we're going by the comics, if Steve can lift Mjolnir, he's Thor.
I watched "Iron Man" (2008) last night again.
Still amazing, and I still can't believe what it grew into.
Yes. But the peak came when Marvel wanted it to, because they knew this boom couldn't last forever and they didn't want to milk any last drop of money from the franchise.
And as they've delivered $12 worth of fun with remarkable consistency, I'm probably on board for future efforts. Gotta see GOTG3 and "Doctor Strange 2", and whatever else they do for Phase 2.
Never say never, but I doubt it. They will still produce profitable movies, but I can’t see anything like the successes of IW and Endgame happening for them again.
shareI think it's easy to say that now, but in 2030 when they've built up a decade's worth of Fantastic Four, X-Men, and various other films, and it's all lead up to, say, Secret Wars, and the heroes have all been transported to Battle Planet... just sayin', butts will be in seats.
shareFor me at least, X-Men, FF don't hold as much interest. Having said that, I didn't know much about Iron Man before it and never liked Thor is comics/cartoon so who knows they may yet get me excited again.
shareFunny, this has been said/asked ever since the 1st Avengers came out. Every time an MCU event film comes out, this topic inevitably comes up. Yup, it happened even last year (“Avengers 4 can’t possibly do better than Infinity War. It just can’t.”). Yet, still no signs of any peaking...
Now, does it feel different this time with Endgame? Maybe. Could the success Endgame had ever be replicated? Admittedly, that is very difficult to see (mind you, if Endgame outgrosses Avatar, it’s doubtful ANY upcoming big film from any major studio will accomplished what Endgame did). While Endgame is by no means the end of the MCU, this film was a conclusion to something that began over a decade ago. The build up to it was unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. With that in mind, unless they make a Secret Wars film or Avengers 5 that will feature all of the MCU’s current biggest heroes along with the X-Men, then it is hard to see any upcoming MCU film reaching the heights of Endgame or even Infinity War.
Still, after the final Avengers film to feature all the OG Avengers, could the MCU remain a powerhouse franchise that continues to deliver crowd-pleasing quality films — worth every $20 bucks for all the character building, excitement, emotion, and pure quality on IMAX, Dolby Cinema etc — audiences will continue to flock to for another 5-10 years? I don’t see why not. There are zero signs of “superhero Marvel fatigue” like some have laughably been insisting for years, so if future films keep being well-received by both critics & audiences alike and they more than break even at the box office (come close to or cross the billion dollar mark), then the MCU WILL remain a force.
No MCU film will ever come close to having Endgame’s hype and success? Doesn’t matter because nothing needs to. Again, what movie from ANY other franchise has a chance of doing what Endgame did? It’s doubtful all/most of the records Endgame set will be broken in the foreseeable future. What Endgame did was unprecedented (the success of the MCU as a whole has been unprecedented) and no upcoming MCU film should face the pressure of living up to it. IF the franchise were to lose steam after Endgame (i.e. upcoming films will only be moderate successes and the critical reception “weakens”), fact of the matter there will never be anything like this franchise. The MCU will go down as one of the biggest successes and most important franchises in all of film history regardless if no future MCU film ever earns more than 1.5 billion at the box office again, let alone 2 billion. The MCU has nothing left to prove.
Having said that, there are a lot new and exciting things coming to the MCU. The chances of this franchise not continuing to ride high for “a little” while longer, especially now that the F4 and X-Men will be joining, are pretty slim if audiences basically have no good reason to lose interest in it. I do see the franchise continue to exceed expectations, attract new audiences, and put out films AND shows that will resonate with people. Granted many fans (not only naysayers) expect the comic book/Marvel age to run its course, albeit at the moment I don’t see the interest in well-made spectacles featuring larger than life and yet relatable characters waning down any time soon.
Bear in mind, this franchise keeps attracting the biggest names and talent out there. And more importantly, the MCU still has Kevin Feige and he hasn’t lost his touch at all. (Putting aside the cinematic universe, the iconic cool characters from the Marvel world will NEVER lose their appeal... they haven’t for 60+ years... and that includes characters the MCU turned into total superstars like Iron Man & Black Panther.). All in all, the MCU is a franchise that has been underestimated since day one, and time after time it has surpassed/proven wrong the expectations of many. I don’t think this will suddenly come to end after Avatar, thus I believe this franchise can continue being a juggernaut in its own right. But let’s talk in 5-6 years.
It's blows my mind that they managed to pull off what they did so far. They caught lightning in a bottle about 5 times in a row. First with Iron Man, then Whedon was the the right man in the right place to pull off the Avengers. Imagine if Whedon has stayed though? I don't think he could have pulled off Infinity War and Engdame. Not to mention Gunn's contribution. Rocket is one of the best characters in the MCU. Endgame and Infinity War would have been less without his character in it.
I'm still have an appetite for more, but I'm keeping my expectations grounded. Far From Home looks good already though, and I'm sure GotG3 will be great. Don't care much about Captain Marvel and Black Panther, and even though Doctor Strange was great in Infinity War, I wasn't that impressed with Derrickson's film, so I'm not that optimistic about a Doctor Strange sequel. Same goes for Ant-man. They need to find a couple of good directors from somewhere.