Should any Avengers sequels focus on fewer main characters?

[spideymouse]

One of the crowning achievements by The Avengers was the balance it struck in distributing screen time and devoting ample story/character development among a whopping 7-8 main characters, thanks to Joss Whedon's screenplay and direction. Joss was able to achieve this by focusing the main story on all 6 heroes having to get past their differences and work as a team against a common threat.

My question is this: would you want all Avengers sequels to 1) continue to split the narrative evenly among the whole team, or 2) follow more closely the character arc(s) of maybe just one or a few of the heroes while giving the rest of the team more of a peripheral role?

[spideymouse]

I guess a third option would be to go the X2 route, by threading several separate character arcs (Wolverine/Weapon X, Nightcrawler/Storm/faith vs. anger, Bobby/parents, and to an extent even Jean Grey/Phoenix and Pyro went through character journeys) through a bigger, overarching main narrative (Stryker and Magneto looking to grab the upper hand in the war between humans and mutants). The downside is we hardly see all of the X-Men working together as a team (ironically, the movie's subtitle is X-Men United), but it is still impressive how balanced that movie is for an ensemble movie.

[Tony Stark]

I would really like the next one to see more interaction between IM, Cap and Thor. I understand that this movie needed to focus on Banner more, and he was great, but now that he's established I'd really like to see the next one focus on those three as the "Kirk, Spock and Bones" of the Avengers. There wasn't a whole lot of interaction between Thor and the others, mainly Thor and Loki, Thor and Coulson, Thor and Fury.

[DrCosmic]

I'd like it to continue to be evenly divided between five 'main' avengers, and 2-4 peripheral avengers that get Hawkeye/Storm sized parts that make up a main avenger-sized arc over multiple films. Basically, IM, Cap, Thor, Banner and Widow. If recasts are done, then move a newer Avenger (Panther? Ant-Man? Vision?) into a top 5 spot.

[spideymouse]

Originally Posted by Tony Stark

I would really like the next one to see more interaction between IM, Cap and Thor. I understand that this movie needed to focus on Banner more, and he was great, but now that he's established I'd really like to see the next one focus on those three as the "Kirk, Spock and Bones" of the Avengers. There wasn't a whole lot of interaction between Thor and the others, mainly Thor and Loki, Thor and Coulson, Thor and Fury.

After having watched Hulk in A:EMH, I'd actually love to see more of Hulk's personality established throughout the movie and his interactions with the rest of the team. The best part of Hulk in Avengers was that he actually showed some personality.

I definitely agree about Thor, though.

[storyteller]

I think Cap,Thor, and Iron Man can afford to get a little less focus since they have films all to themselves.

[spideymouse]

Originally Posted by storyteller

I think Cap,Thor, and Iron Man can afford to get a little less focus since they have films all to themselves.

Interesting. Do you think audiences would go for an Avengers movie that puts the most popular and favorite superheroes in the background and brings the less popular ones to the forefront?

[bored]

It depends on how they'd market it. People will still go to a sequel to the third-biggest movie of all, of course. How much they like it is whole other thing. THAT depends simply on how well the characters are written.

[DrCosmic]

That's true, if it's written well enough, you can replace all the Avengers with brand new/unknown ones (provided you have enough footage of the favorites to fill a trailer), but I don't know anyone who writes well enough to get over that much betrayal and disappointment.

[SuperFerret]

7-8? I counted four major protagonists, one antagonist and 4-5 minor characters with only one sub-plot for them all.

[natey2k4]

Originally Posted by SuperFerret

7-8? I counted four major protagonists, one antagonist and 4-5 minor characters with only one sub-plot for them all.

So Thor isn't a main protagonist?

Black Widow had the third most screen time after Cap and Stark.

[spideymouse]

Originally Posted by DrCosmic

That's true, if it's written well enough, you can replace all the Avengers with brand new/unknown ones (provided you have enough footage of the favorites to fill a trailer), but I don't know anyone who writes well enough to get over that much betrayal and disappointment.

Betrayal and disappointment is Whedon's MO when it comes to beloved characters. =P He's a pretty good writer, though.

Originally Posted by SuperFerret

7-8? I counted four major protagonists, one antagonist and 4-5 minor characters with only one sub-plot for them all.

Yeah, I consider BW, HE and Fury as main characters along with the Big Four and Loki. Not necessarily protagonists, but main characters. I consider Coulson, Hill, Selvig, Potts, The Other, and the Chitauri to be minor characters.