No doubt, it’s been a tough time for Marvel Studios, often considered a box office juggernaut. Following Avengers: Endgame the mighty studio seemingly lost its glory. But President Kevin Feige and studio execs are hopeful that they will overcome this ‘rough time.’
Kevin Feige Speaks On Marvel’s Rough Time
Brie Larson, Iman Vellani, and Teyonah Parris in The Marvels (2023). Image Credit: Marvel Studios
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has long been a powerhouse in the film industry, but recent years have not gone their way. Since the release of the original Iron Man movie in 2008, Marvel’s graph of success was steeply upward, with blockbuster after blockbuster. Yet, recently, the studio saw its momentum falter with two notable box office disappointments: Ant-Man 3 and The Marvels. Marvel Studios now faces a crossroads and is determined to get back on track.
Marvel Studios’ leadership, Co-President Louis D’Esposito, and President Kevin Feige, are openly addressing the studio’s recent struggles. In a world-exclusive interview with Empire magazine, Feige admitted that the studio’s recent struggles do not discourage him. He sees them as an opportunity to reinvent the underdog spirit that fueled Marvel’s initial success.
“It’s nice to be able to rally behind one feature project this year,” Feige noted. He then remarked that being in a position to surprise audiences is far more exciting than being on top. He also shared a silver lining, saying, “I’m much more comfortable being the underdog. I prefer being able to surprise, and exceed expectations. So it does seem like the last year, which has not been ideal, has set us up well for that.“
Louis D’Esposito, echoing Feige’s sentiments, provided a candid reflection on Marvel’s overexpansion and the effects it had on the studio’s result. He mentioned in the same interview that maintaining success is sometimes more challenging than achieving it. He observed that if Marvel had continued its fast-paced production without adjustment, “the worst thing that could have happened” would have occurred.
“If we just stayed on top, that would have been the worst thing that could have happened to us,” D’Esposito said. “We took a little hit, we’re coming back strong.”
He continued, “Maybe when you do too much, you dilute yourself a little bit. We’re not going to do that anymore. We learned our lesson. Maybe two to three films a year and one or two shows, as opposed to doing four films and four shows.”
Following these insights, Marvel Studios is adopting a more measured approach. The studio has announced it will reduce its annual output to a maximum of three films and two TV shows. This strategic shift is aimed at ensuring that each project receives the attention it needs to meet fans’ expectations.
Marvel Studios Will Release No More Than Three Films and Two Series a Year
Deadpool & Wolverine. Image Credit: Marvel Studios
MCU fans should prepare for fewer new releases. Disney CEO Bob Iger has announced that they plan to cut back on the number of Marvel TV shows and films produced each year.
In recent years, the MCU has seen an influx of both films and TV series, largely due to Disney’s streaming platform, Disney+. This surge in content has made it challenging for fans to keep up, and some have expressed concerns that the quality of these productions has started to decline. Bob Iger is aware of these concerns, and he’s taking action to address them by limiting the number of Marvel projects going forward.
The number of Marvel TV series on Disney+ will be cut in half, going from four shows per year to a maximum of two. The big-screen Marvel experience will also be scaled back. Instead of the usual four films annually, fans can expect two to three movies per year at most.
Iger explained that Disney plans to shrink the number of Marvel TV series to two per year and limit film output to no more than three movies annually. This is part of Disney’s broader strategy to focus on quality over quantity. According to Iger, “that’s particularly true with Marvel.” (Via Variety)
During Disney’s quarterly earnings call, the CEO outlined the new approach: “We’re slowly going to decrease volume and go to probably 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.” He emphasized that the company is working hard in this new direction.
Despite these changes, Iger expressed optimism about Marvel’s upcoming releases. He noted that Marvel has “a couple of good films in ’25,” and there’s considerable excitement about the future, particularly with new Avengers movies on the horizon. “Overall, I feel great about the slate,” Iger said. “It’s something that I’ve committed to spending more and more time on. The team is one that I have tremendous confidence in, and the IP that we’re mining, including all the sequels that we’re doing, is second to none.”
This announcement seems to contradict the most recent release schedule from Disney, which had four films from Marvel Studios slated for 2025, including Captain America: Brave New World, Thunderbolts, The Fantastic Four, and Blade. Additionally, four more Marvel movies were slated for 2026, including the fifth Avengers movie. The only Marvel film scheduled for release in 2024 is Deadpool & Wolverine.
While the shift in strategy may disappoint fans looking forward to more frequent releases, Disney’s emphasis on quality may help maintain the MCU’s long-term success.
