Marvel Studios hit its peak in 2019 with the release of Avengers: Endgame. It was the ultimate culmination of over 10 years of work from the franchise. It was a powerhouse effort that soon became an example for every other franchise to strive for. The Infinity Saga boasted over 23 films and 9 short films, connected together through the three phases by the infinity stones and Thanos' search for them. The penultimate movie boasted a star-studded cast, multiple call backs to the previous movies in the franchise and a phenomenal pay-off to an iconic film set.
Then, they started anew with Phase 4 with Wandavision, beginning an entire new era for Marvel Cinema. This is where problems began for Marvel.
While Wandavision became an instant phenomenon in its initial release on Disney+ in early 2021, the rest of Phase 4 left things to be desired among fans. The introductions of new heroes like Moon Knight and Shang-Chi caused fans to buzz, but the excitement began to dwindle with movies Black Widow and Eternals. Fans were divided and it was unclear if Marvel had a plan for where they wanted to go with the multiverse saga as a whole.
I, however, think the fanbase as a whole was too harsh on Phase 4.
One of the most common complaints I heard when speaking to others about the new movies or characters was that there seemed to be no connection between them or that the characters were repeats of previous heroes. With the return of characters like Thor, Captain America, Black Widow and more, the expectations off the peak which Endgame had left us with was palpable. I believe that many fans are forgetting one key moment from the beginning of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Phase 1 had very little connection to one another.
There were only five movies before we got our first Avengers movie, and in those five movies in Phase 1, the only connections they had to one another were cameos from Stan Lee and maybe a reference to one another through Samuel L. Jackson's character Nick Fury. We had no concept of where this series would end nearly 10 years later, let alone how many heroes would be introduced to us in that time.
Phase 4 had 17 projects, with only five boasting new character introductions. The other 12 projects built upon pre-existing characters and their new relationships in a post-endgame world. That is why I believe the fanbase is failing Marvel and failing one another.
Fans are expecting Endgame-level movies, at the Phase One of the Multiverse Saga.
There is no way to get to a movie like Endgame or Avengers: Infinity War without building a good foundation first. We lost over half of our main cast by the end of the Infinity Saga and there needs to be time to rebuild by forging new stories and introducing new characters. The first time we saw Thanos in the MCU was in The Avengers, at the end of Phase 1. We did not know what his plan was, other than collecting the infinity stones to complete his mission. The multiverse saga had introduced it's villian by the end of Loki season 1, and has continued to build and plant the seeds for the future projects.
I do understand and empathize with the criticisms of Phase 4. I have my own criticisms and changes that I hope will be implemented over the course of the upcoming movies in 2024 and 2025. However, I think that fans have forgotten that this phase was meant to establish where we are headed.
Do I think that they could have spaced out the movies and series more? Absolutely.
Do I believe that many fans felt overwhelmed and oversaturated with content? Absolutely.
Do I also believe that fans were way to harsh and should go into the next phase with a more open mind? ABSOLUTELY.
We are nearly halfway through Phase 5 with Deadpool & Wolverine coming out this weekend. Give the movies time to establish the main players, and give them time to develop. It is impossible to reach Endgame without The Incredible Hulk, and we cannot reach Avengers: Secret Wars without Thor: Love and Thunder.
With the expansion of Phase 5, I think fans have a chance to change their mindset.
Give this phase a break, I promise it will get better.
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