OK, we’re going to get a bit controversial here, but it’s a question that needs to be asked. Has Marvel lost its way? For over a decade, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has literally dominated the box office – knocking out blockbuster after blockbuster and creating this whole interconnected film universe unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. From Iron Man in 2008 to the unforgettable climax of the Avengers: Endgame movie in 2019, Marvel set the bar when it came to superhero films.
However, in recent years, things seem to have shifted somewhat. While they used to receive praise for their storytelling, characters, and world-creation, people are now saying there are simply too many, the quality has dropped and there aren’t any fresh new ideas. So, has Marvel truly lost its way?
Oversaturation
One of the biggest complaints we hear about modern Marvel films is that we see too much of them. They’re everywhere. There are TV shows and computer games, look through any list of slot games found at a number of UK slot sites and you’ll find titles like The Incredible Hulk and The Avengers. And, of course, there’s movie after movie – a never-ending stream of releases.
With so many movies and Disney+ series hitting the screens every year, it’s fair to say that superhero fatigue is a real thing. The interconnected nature of the Marvel Universe used to be its biggest strength, but it’s now a double-edged sword. Fans feel like they have to watch everything to stay updated with what’s happening, so it’s almost feeling more like homework than fun now. And because there’s some new release or another every other month, there’s no real sense of anticipation anymore.
A Lack of Quality and Weak Storytelling
Marvel films were always fun, humorous and a real spectacle, but some of the more recent releases have been criticised because it seems as though it’s all getting a bit lazy… and more about quips and CGI rather than proper storytelling.
For example, Thor: Love and Thunder was greeted with mixed reactions because there was almost too much humour and the whole tone of the movie was inconsistent. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania had a mish-mash of a plot and an underwhelming villain. And even Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, which promised a more horror-inspired approach, was criticized for a lack of cohesion.
Then, there was the introduction of the multiverse – which could have offered endless possibilities but instead, it seemed to lead to convoluted storytelling. Instead of focusing on the character arcs and proper stories, they now seem to be more about trying to be spectacular and throwing in some surprise cameos, making them too gimmicky for some tastes.
No Really Strong Villains or Character Arcs
In the earlier phases, they delivered when it came to giving us what we wanted… well-developed heroes and seriously strong and memorable villains – Loki and Thanos were brilliant. However, after Endgame, there hasn’t been any villain that’s managed to leave any kind of lasting impact. Kang the Conqueror hasn’t really been fully developed and some of the most popular characters – like Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy seem to be given repetitive storylines and there’s no real growth.
And then there are the newer heroes, like Shang-Chi and the Eternals that just haven’t captured the imagination and hearts of the fans in the same way that Iron Man, Captain America, and Black Panther did. Sure, diversity and representation are fair enough, but some films seem to be more concerned with the setup for future projects than actually engaging the audience with the story they are trying to tell in the here and now.
Is There a Road to Redemption?
Despite all of these very valid criticisms, there’s still time to turn it around. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 showed that emotional stories and proper character arcs can still get to audiences – and the various upcoming projects like Blade, Deadpool 3 and Fantastic Four could recapture audiences if they’re done well.
To get back to where it once was, they really need to start thinking about quality rather than quantity and focus on telling stories people are interested in and developing characters in a more meaningful way. They need to get a better balance of action and humour and focus on making each movie individual rather than formulaic.
Marvel needs to get back to its roots… Here’s hoping!