On July 27th, Disney announced that with the amazing start to Deadpool & Wolverine, Marvel Studios has reached the mighty feat of $30 billion at the box office. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is now the highest grossing film franchise of all time!
In a world with successful blockbuster franchises like Jurassic Park and James Bond, this is a monumental achievement. But the discourse has been interesting, because rather than celebrate their continued success, the one question I keep hearing (and reading online) is: Will this bring the MCU back?
I was fourteen years old and merely weeks away from finishing junior high when Iron Man released in 2008. To think that this would start with a superhero movie and span over a decade into a whole cinematic universe is something I could never have imagined. That I would still be watching these movies through high school, during my undergraduate years, and after graduate school-- in a way, the MCU has been my longest relationship.
But for a franchise that seemed to get so much right, what went wrong for the discourse to come to this point? First, it's important to note what they definitely nailed in the beginning.
Key Factors in the MCU's Success:
Character Development: One of the MCU's greatest strengths lies in its steady character development. Heroes like Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, and Thor have undergone significant transformations over the years, endearing them to audiences and making their journeys compelling.
Interconnected Storytelling: Perhaps the most unique feature of the MCU is its interwoven narratives. From Iron Man to Endgame, viewers have followed multiple storylines across different films. This interconnectedness has rewarded fans with Easter eggs and callbacks, creating a unique shared experience.
Diverse Genres: Marvel has blended various genres into their superhero framework, from political thrillers like Captain America: The Winter Soldier to space operas like Guardians of the Galaxy.
There are many reasons to enjoy an MCU film, but these are definitely three of the things they just did perfectly. What's important to note is that while these were never going to be at the level of film classics like The Godfather or Goodfellas (here's looking at you, Martin Scorsese) they were directly influencing pop culture in ways never seen before. But what has gone wrong?
The Challenges
Spend enough time on Film Twitter or looking through MCU posts and you'll find an array of reasons: too many characters, storylines that were rushed, villains that just weren't interesting. With the conclusion of the Infinity saga, MCU's Phase Four just didn't meet the now high expectations of fans.
While entries like Shang-Chi and Eternals were creative new ventures for the studio, they just were not capturing fans immediately as their predecessors did. While I thought that WandaVision was one of the MCU's most creative and ambitious works, spanning an interconnected story across a television series was creating more work for viewers. I can't imagine getting into this cinematic universe today!
Enter Deadpool & Wolverine
Amidst these challenges, the announcement of Deadpool & Wolverine immediately generated significant buzz. Bringing together two iconic characters, Wade Wilson (Deadpool) and Logan (Wolverine), this film promises to inject fresh energy into the MCU. And for comic book nerds, knowing that Deadpool and Wolverine can now star alongside MCU superheroes is something we've all waited for.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe has achieved unparalleled success, captivating millions, and now crossing $30 billion at the box office. While recent entries have faced a variety of challenges, Deadpool & Wolverine seems to offer a promising opportunity to reignite excitement and draw audiences back into the MCU's ever-expanding world. By leveraging fan-favorite characters, fresh storytelling, and the new integration of the X-Men, this film could be a pivotal moment for the franchise.