Amid the uncertainty generated by the decline in the popularity of superhero movies, the CEO of disney, Bob Igeroutlined the future direction of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. With the disappointing box office results of recent projects such as The Marvels and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania – 2023), the company is reevaluating its approach.
disney has stated its intention to focus on established franchises such as Frozen, toy story, Intensely (Inside Out) and Zootopiawhich have demonstrated their appeal among family audiences. Iger explained this change in strategy, noting: “We had gone through a period where our original animated films dominated. “Now we’re stepping back a little bit to lean into the aftermath.”
With respect to the contents of Marvelthe new direction does not imply a total abandonment. Iger announced plans to reduce the amount of superhero-related content, prioritizing quality over quantity. In his own words: “We’re going to slowly scale down Marvel and probably go to about two TV series a year instead of what had become four and reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two, or a maximum of three. “We are working hard on what that path is.”
The call “superhero fatigue” It is a recurring theme both among fans of the genre and among studios and filmmakers. The financial results of The Marvelswhich topped the list in 2023 losses with $237 million, underscore the need for a change in the franchise’s approach.
Kevin Feige and Louis D’Espositoexecutive presidents of Marvel Studios, also addressed the company’s current challenges. Although they acknowledged having suffered a “Small stroke”expressed their determination to return stronger. Feige he claimed: “I’m much more comfortable being the underdog. I prefer to be able to surprise and exceed expectations. So it seems like the last year, which hasn’t been ideal, has prepared us well for that.”
Meanwhile, attention is focused on the company’s next premiere, Deadpool & Wolverine, scheduled to hit US theaters on July 26. This launch could be a crucial indicator of the path ahead Marvel in the future, in his quest to stay relevant in a market saturated with superheroes.
