General Discussion Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase 5 General Discussion (Spoilers discussed for All Films -- Please Read First Post) (1 Viewer)

[Josh Steinberg]

I am all for quality over quantity.

That being said, I see no need to maintain a yearly Disney+ subscription if new A-list content production is being scaled back. By making TV shows on a model where they don’t behave like TV shows, it’s hard to justify spending on the service as if it’s a TV network providing new material on a weekly basis. I’ll gladly turn on my subscription when they have something new and turn it off once that new material has finished its run but it’s hard for me to justify being a permanent subscriber if less is being made.

 

[Sam Favate]

Bob Iger says that Marvel Studios will reduce their output to:

2-3 movies per year
2 TV shows per year

Bob Iger Details “Reduced” Marvel Output: “At Most” Three Films Per Year, Two Series

The Disney CEO explained his plans to reduce Marvel Studios' output on the company's earnings call.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Well, I wonder what that means for 2025 when Marvel has 4 films scheduled. I wouldn't be surprised if Blade (set for Nov 2025) gets pushed to the next year.

 

[Chuck Mayer]

Taking a look at the last 16 years:

2008: Iron Man and Universal's The Hulk - 2
2009: 0
2010: Iron Man 2 - 1
2011: Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger - 2
2012: The Avengers - 1
2013: Iron Man 3, Thor: the Dark World - 2
2014: Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy - 2 (SEMINAL YEAR)
2015: Avengers: Age of Ultron, Ant-Man - 2
2016: Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange - 2
2017: Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Thor: Ragnarok - 3
2018: Black Panther, Avengers: Infinity War, Ant-Man and the Wasp - 3
2019: Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far From Home - 3
2020: COVID-19 - 0
2021: Black Widow, Shang-Chi, Eternals, Spider-Man: No Way Home - 4
2022: Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, Thor: Love and Thunder, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever - 3
2023: Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 3, The Marvels - 3
2024: Deadpool and Wolverine - 1

Two years of 0 films: One was COVID, and the other an early anomaly of figuring this out
Three years of 1 film: 2010 and 2012, early years again, and the first big crossover
Six years of 2 films: Some of the best years, but all early; 2016 was the last year of 2 films
Five years of 3 films
One year of 4 films: But this was after COVID, so it was likely an anomaly

So 2-3 films is normal, though the trend line was starting to be 3/yr as rthe baseline. Not really a change. Again, quality is what matters.

Certainly, the Disney+ shows diluted the brand a bit, but it helps that they can also basically be ignored. It still creates confusion and feels like a busier marketplace.

The issue appears twofold (and possibly related):
1) The last "team" film was 2019 (five years ago). The first was four years after Iron Man, the next three years, and then three years. And it's not only five years, but five years going on six and then seven (and possibly eight?).
2) The writing hasn't been great. Most of it hasn't even been good. I don't know if they are spread too thin, or in the mania to be relevant and socially aware, they backburnered core storytelling mantras, or they are trying to be too interconnected.

Iger can say what he wants. The MCU needs some good movies...consecutively. It needs an actor/character (preferably a new one) pairing to really hit. It needs an overarching threat.

Good luck. I know this year's film will probably be a big hit. After that...

 

[jayembee]

2021: Black Widow, Shang-Chi, Eternals, Spider-Man: No Way Home - 4
[...]
One year of 4 films: But this was after COVID, so it was likely an anomaly

I'm inclined to think that the Spider-Man films -- one of which was in the "4 films" year -- is affected by the fact that those films are distributed by Sony. And therefore are likely scheduled by Sony, though their scheduling would obviously be affected by (a) when Marvel can fit them in the production schedule, and (b) where they fit into the MCU timeline.

But Marvel/Disney also needs to take into consideration that buy re-acquiring the "Marvel films" previously made by Fox, there is the possibility of over-saturation from bringing those IPs into the MCU.

 

[Jake Lipson]

I'm inclined to think that the Spider-Man films -- one of which was in the "4 films" year -- is affected by the fact that those films are distributed by Sony. And therefore are likely scheduled by Sony, though their scheduling would obviously be affected by (a) when Marvel can fit them in the production schedule, and (b) where they fit into the MCU timeline.

Disney asked Sony to hold off and release Far From Home in 2020. They wanted to avoid Sony marketing a film in which Peter Parker is alive despite dying in Infinity War and Tony Stark is dead despite living through Infinity War in the middle of the Infinity War to Endgame yearly gap.

Sony refused and held to their plan to release Far From Home in July 2019. They held off releasing a trailer referencing Tony's death until 10 days or so after Endgame. But there had already been a trailer showing Peter very much alive before Endgame came out and showed us how Peter was alive. Of course, I don't think anybody who actually expected Spider-Man to stay dead after Infinity War so that feels like a moot point. Protecting the secret that Tony was going to die in Endgame was a bigger deal, and Sony honored that.

So, yes, Sony has the ultimate say on releasing Spider-Man films. That being said, it is obviously in Sony's interest to continue to cooperate with Marvel, and vice versa. No Way Home is easily the most successful MCU film post-Endgame, and that is with Sony.

But any film with Tom Holland's Spider-Man in it is an MCU film and would count as such in any schedule. It's just not something Disney controls exclusively. Something like Beyond the Spider-Verse or the Sony villain films would not count because Disney doesn't co-produce those.