Has the MCU peaked?

[InCali]

It may have peaked for now but it peaked before with Avengers but that peak doesn't seem so high now. There will be other major end of phase events and then end of multiple phase events that could be on the level of IW/EG and even surpass them, especially when the X-Men are also a staple of the universe.

You know, I was just thinking about this.....

Of COURSE, MCU peaked and, of course, like @Primal Slayer said, you have to rebuild. When I thought of this question, I was thinking whether or not it could ever reach the same plateau; and I think it can. I don't think any reasonable person would expect the beginning of phase 4 to match A:IW and EG. It's okay to start building characters in prep for another peak conclusion. We just have to understand that good things don't happen overnight and overplaying your hand could be, long term, a bad play.

There's a concept called "delay of gratification".

 

[Iceman]

You know, I was just thinking about this.....

Of COURSE, MCU peaked and, of course, like @Primal Slayer said, you have to rebuild. When I thought of this question, I was thinking whether or not it could ever reach the same plateau; and I think it can. I don't think any reasonable person would expect the beginning of phase 4 to match A:IW and EG. It's okay to start building characters in prep for another peak conclusion. We just have to understand that good things don't happen overnight and overplaying your hand could be, long term, a bad play.

There's a concept called "delay of gratification".

The rebuild has started but unlike Phase 1 there’s no need for nearly every film to be totally new, so Phase 4 has a massive headstart over 1 as 5 will have over 2 and 6 will have over 3.

 

[psylockolussus]

When it comes to the movies, I like that 2021 is for those who never had a movie (eXcluding the friendly neighborhood), then 2022 is all sequels and 2023 is going to be sequels and a reboot (assuming F4 or Blade is released in 2 years).

It would take a long time, til another ip gets their debut feature film. Blade, Fantastic Four, Deadpool and X-Men are going to be reboots. While Captain America: Sam Wilson has been around since 2014 and already appeared in like 5 movies.

So for those who complained about Shang-Chi, Black Widow and Eternals getting their own movie, you aren't going to see a movie like those for a couple of years. Unless Squirrel Girl the movie is released in 2024.

 

[SirStrangefolk]

SpiderMan IMO, is the only A list character Marvel ever had. Before the MCU hit, all other characters were overshadowed by DC comic characters. B list? Hulk and I can't think of another off the top of my head. C list? IM, CA, Thor, Thing, maybe Human Torch or Dr. Strange. Post MCU, most of the C list characters have been elevated and I think that's the plan for phase 4. Whether that's a success or not is another thing, but it's certainly possible to pull it off.

EDIT: forgot about X-Men. I'd call them maybe a B list group with Wolverine at the top of that heap. More popular than FF or Avengers, but that's clearly changed for Avengers and could for FF.

Nope. I heard that argument but it just isn't true. DC has only marketed 2 characters and that is Batman and Superman since the 70's. It's why Marvel was able to use characters like the X-men and Wolverine to pass the Flash and Green Lantern. DC is very top heavy with characters like Batman and Superman and Wonder Woman in the next tier but Green Lantern and Flash were not as popular as people think.
PS- doesn't Supergirl technically count as Superman? That's like saying the Hulk and She Hulk don't fall under the same branch.

So going by these definitions I think it would be fair to say Marvel hasn't even introduced an original C-list character in the past 30 years, would you agree?

 

[Docker2.0]

So going by these definitions I think it would be fair to say Marvel hasn't even introduced an original C-list character in the past 30 years, would you agree?

Hawkeye? Luke Cage? ...................I want to say Punisher and Daredevil are C level but they really aren't. You'd be shocked at how popular Punisher is in the military. GoTG was D level but now they are household names now.

 

[SirStrangefolk]

Hawkeye? Luke Cage? ...................I want to say Punisher and Daredevil are C level but they really aren't. You'd be shocked at how popular Punisher is in the military. GoTG was D level but now they are household names now.

I said introduced in the past 30 years. As in, has Marvel created any new characters that became C list at least since 1990? Those are all characters from the 60s and 70s. I'd say Deadpool is the most recently created character that's at least C-list now, and he was created over 30 years ago now. While most of the characters that are big now were relatively big Marvel characters 50-60 years ago within a few years after they were created.
What original characters have they even created that have had any amount success since that? Jessica Jones? Runaways?

 

[Docker2.0]

I said introduced in the past 30 years. As in, has Marvel created any new characters that became C list at least since 1990? Those are all characters from the 60s and 70s. I'd say Deadpool is the most recently created character that's at least C-list now, and he was created over 30 years ago now. While most of the characters that are big now were relatively big Marvel characters 50-60 years ago within a few years after they were created.
What original characters have they even created that have had any amount success since that? Jessica Jones? Runaways?

Snowflake and SafeSpace?.................

 

[InCali]

So going by these definitions I think it would be fair to say Marvel hasn't even introduced an original C-list character in the past 30 years, would you agree?

Me??? I said quite clearly in my post that I thought they were basically ALL C list characters in their introductions except for Spidey and Hulk (and they did Hulk no favors). MCU has, IMO, elevated their status....except Hulk.


Oh......I see what you mean. You're talking about the comics. DD was created back in the 60s (I have the first comic of his) and I haven't really followed the comics for quite some time so I don't really know. I think it's pretty safe to say that ALL CBMs have pretty much focused on Golden and Silver age comic characters. I guess in their current incarnations, Captain Marvel and GotG were created latest in the comics. The original names were quite a bit earlier and Carol Danvers had other, earlier, names.

 

[BobJM]

The tough thing about the MCU right now is that there’s no Avengers (2012) or Endgame on the horizon—no endpoint that we’re building to. Maybe it’s Multiverse of Madness?

Right now, amidst the most content the MCU has ever produced, there’s a loss IMO in the sense of stakes because everything is building towards another movie/show/season but not in a story-sense.

 

[Boom]

I'd say it's a little stagnant at the moment - at least on the movie side. Black Widow was a completely useless movie that was five years too late, Eternals was a meandering mess, and I'm getting bad vibes from NWH.

The D+ shows are decent enough entertainment but they're hardly pushing the envelope in any meaningful way.

 

[BobJM]

Agreed. The MCU 'machine' at the moment is more content driven, than story-driven. And I think that's beginning to show. Especially with all the D+ announcements.

 

[Fosterson]

The tough thing about the MCU right now is that there’s no Avengers (2012) or Endgame on the horizon—no endpoint that we’re building to. Maybe it’s Multiverse of Madness?

Absolutely. In the run up to IW/EG, I think people were much more willing to forgive mediocre/forgettable MCU movies because there was a sense of momentum that we were heading towards an epic conclusion that would pay everything off.

Now that we no longer have something like that to look forward to, we're forced to just judge each piece of content on their own merits, and none of them have been great so far IMO.

 

[Fosterson]

I'd say it's a little stagnant at the moment - at least on the movie side. Black Widow was a completely useless movie that was five years too late, Eternals was a meandering mess, and I'm getting bad vibes from NWH.

Don't forget the extensive reshoots that MoM is undergoing, which usually isn't a great sign. Couple that with BP2's production woes and 2022 doesn't look too great either.

Thor: L&T is probably the one to be most optimistic about.

 

[Fosterson]

Agreed. The MCU 'machine' at the moment is more content driven, than story-driven. And I think that's beginning to show. Especially with all the D+ announcements.

Unfortunately, I think you're right. I suppose it was inevitable that Disney would bleed the MCU dry to get every possible cent out of the audience.

Personally, I would far rather have less MCU content that was of a higher quality. Like, this year, I would have traded one truly great Disney+ series for the mediocrities of WV, TFATWS, Loki and What If combined.

 

[Docker2.0]

Absolutely. In the run up to IW/EG, I think people were much more willing to forgive mediocre/forgettable MCU movies because there was a sense of momentum that we were heading towards an epic conclusion that would pay everything off.

Now that we no longer have something like that to look forward to, we're forced to just judge each piece of content on their own merits, and none of them have been great so far IMO.

This part!

 

[Docker2.0]

Don't forget the extensive reshoots that MoM is undergoing, which usually isn't a great sign. Couple that with BP2's production woes and 2022 doesn't look too great either.

Thor: L&T is probably the one to be most optimistic about.

That Thor movie is the one that can go either way for me. I love Helmsworth and Bale but not a fan of female Thor but we shall see.............

 

[Fosterson]

That Thor movie is the one that can go either way for me. I love Helmsworth and Bale but not a fan of female Thor but we shall see.............

In Taika we trust!!!!!

 

[Spider-Fan]

It peaked at Endgame, but there are other mountains than Mt Everest in that mountain chain. We are going to see peaks and valleys. Will we ever reach Endgame heights again? I am inclined to say no, but that doesn't mean we cannot have other peaks in the future.

 

[Docker2.0]

It peaked at Endgame, but there are other mountains than Mt Everest in that mountain chain. We are going to see peaks and valleys. Will we ever reach Endgame heights again? I am inclined to say no, but that doesn't mean we cannot have other peaks in the future.

They COULD with Secret Wars or World War Hulk type of event but at the rate they are going it does not look good!

 

[halo10]

It's hard to imagine a conflict with bigger stakes than the fight against Thanos in Infinity War and Endgame. The MCU has also lost some of it's most vital characters: Tony Stark/Iron Man, Steve Rogers/Captain America, Chadwick Boseman's T'Challa/Black Panther.

My question is, has the MCU passed its peak? I enjoyed Shang-Chi, but it felt like a variation on what's gone before.

Shang Chi and Black Widow ..and upcoming Morbius is actually going to show that the MCU is actually expanding and growing into new characters, stories and horizons ...

That's why Marvel MCU will continue to be so much very vast over DC universe films.
Even a few did not go as planned such as Ghost Rider, Punisher, Elektra, ..Fantastic 4 (uugh!)
Blade Trinity, Amazing Spiderman, .Daredevil (which i actually luuved) ..Thor Dark World ....

 

[halo10]

It peaked at Endgame, but there are other mountains than Mt Everest in that mountain chain. We are going to see peaks and valleys. Will we ever reach Endgame heights again? I am inclined to say no, but that doesn't mean we cannot have other peaks in the future.

i tend to wonder if Disney invested in Galactus and Silver Surfer as they did Thanos, then that could be the heights and peaks that Avengers series enjoyed and flourished with.

Both Galactus and Silver Surfer characters cold open and introduce new MCU characters into the MCU such as Nova, Blasstar, Mephisto, Ego Living Planet, Annihilus, Molecule Man, Drax the Destroyer, Rom Space knight, Super Skrull, High Evoluntary, Adam Warlock, Terrax the Tamer,
or even a vastly improved reboot of the Fantastic 4,

Only reports has it that Disney is done with trilogies and going with more Phases plans

 

[Another_Fool]

After Shang Chi and No Way Home which I think are two upper tier MCU entries and only a couple months apart from one another, I think it's fair to say definitely too early to say MCU peaked. I mean these are 2 bangers, and have great villains.

 

[NotNickFury]

After Shang Chi and No Way Home which I think are two upper tier MCU entries and only a couple months apart from one another, I think it's fair to say definitely too early to say MCU peaked. I mean these are 2 bangers, and have great villains.

It's telling that you left out Eternals, given that it came out between Shang-Chi and No Way Home.

 

[SumT]

I liked Eternals sooooooooooooooooo much more than ShangChi. I found it better directed, more interesting concept (to me) and more interesting cast (to me too), and those locations were beautiful and a bold move.

 

[Weather Witch]

I liked Eternals sooooooooooooooooo much more than ShangChi. I found it better directed, more interesting concept (to me) and more interesting cast (to me too), and those locations were beautiful and a bold move.

I think the concepts behind Eternals were much more interesting, but Shang-Chi had a much better execution. I think Eternals would've worked well as an 8 episode TV-series.

While most of the characters that are big now were relatively big Marvel characters 50-60 years ago within a few years after they were created. What original characters have they even created that have had any amount success since that? Jessica Jones? Runaways?

Laura Kinney as X-23 / Wolverine would be the closest. She did quite well in comics and video games, got a big spotlight in Logan, and was considered for her own movie before the Fox acquisition. Arguably Wiccan and Hulking in the comics and Kamala Khan as well.