For a heavy part of the 2010’s, people couldn’t get enough of Marvel, but now, the franchise seems to have disappeared from the internet. You might see a trailer every now and again, but many of their new shows and movies go unnoticed by the general public.
So what happened to the franchise that broke the internet and set new box office records? The franchise that had us fighting to get a seat in the theater on opening night?
Literally, what happened?
A Hulk-Sized Undertaking
A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, Marvel released two to three major Avengers productions per year. However, following the pandemic, Marvel released 8 Avengers movies and TV shows in one year.
While their producers might think this onslaught of new content a good thing, many viewers are finding it difficult to digest the rapidly growing universe – *cough* sorry, the rapidly growing multiverse.
Even the most dedicated fans are struggling.
“Almost in a way, we’re tired of it,” said Diya Maheshwari, South Forsyth High School student and Marvel fan. “We’re exhausted. We’re basically jaded with all of this content that we’re getting constantly and this inability to keep up.”
People are only willing to allocate so much of their time to one franchise, and the superhero act is starting to get old. Whereas previously Marvel seemed immune to fan fatigue, all the plots are beginning to run together and the jokes sound reused.
Part of what kept fans interested in the past was the build up of anticipation before the next production was released, but with little time to process between movies and shows, some of the luster and exclusivity felt previously is wearing off.
More Issues Than Tony Stark
To add to the pot, as the MCU continues to grow and grow, it has become harder for new fans to easily jump into the universe or old ones to pick up where they left off.
Plus, the increasingly quick pace of the universe is just worsening the matter.
For example, Marvel’s newest movie, “The Marvels,” required new fans to watch over 12 hours of content to understand and enjoy the movie.
You cannot be a casual Marvel fan.
“It’s a bit complex of a universe, and I’m not sure where to start,” said Audrey James, a South Forsyth High School student.
While she’s watched a few movies with her friends, James has described being unable to enjoy the actual plot of the movies because of the universe’s time commitment and complexity.
As previously stated, only so much time can be allocated to one franchise, and the MCU continues to ask for more and more. If the universe continues to speed down this path, being a fan could start to feel more like a chore than a hobby, and some could cut ties with the franchise entirely.
The Death of the Stars
As a major phase of the MCU came to an end, so did the life of some fan favorite superheroes.
“The movie killed off Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man, the once-obscure superhero who effectively kicked off the golden years of the MCU in 2008,” cultural critic Eliana Dockterman wrote in Time, “It also retired Chris Evans’ Captain America, who arguably became the beating heart of the Avengers series.”
So it’s no surprise many fans became attached to the original Avengers cast over the years and that the appearance of their favorite characters played a vital role in keeping them coming back for more.
“She was the only Avenger who was a girl, and I watched all the Marvel movies for [Black Widow],” Maheshwari said.
But what about all their new characters? The extremely powerful and life-like connection people formed with the original characters meant that no one was ready to see them go; however for some, their deaths have bred a sort of resentment towards the characters clearly meant to replace them.
Other former fans simply haven’t wanted to invest any more energy into getting to know the new heroes. The most important part of a good movie is how the audience connects to its characters. If viewers are unable to form any connection to the characters, the engaging, thought provoking, and emotional aspects of what sets these movies apart will disappear along with its fans.
We want the Avengers
The final nail in the coffin about the death of Marvel’s popularity could simply be that they are starting a new era – Marvel didn’t really take over box offices until the Avengers movies started coming out.
Due to the death of so many characters, Marvel is having to build up their team again, which has resulted in tons of single character movies, which seem less purposeful than a movie that features a lineup of different characters teaming up.
If the trend continues the same as Marvel’s previous phases, the studio may regain fans as teams reunite, and all of the franchise’s complex plans come to fruition.
