The MCU Is Far From Perfect, But It’s Still A Miracle

“Tony Stark was able to make it in a cave with a box of scraps!”

Little was known at the time, but when Jeff Bridges’ Obadiah Stan uttered this throwaway line in the summer of 2008, he may have been using a colorful metaphor to describe the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe. .

The numbers – as bottomless as they are – speak for themselves. Since May 2, 2008, when a generally confident Robert Downey Jr. announced to the world that he was indeed Iron Man, the MCU has produced 28 feature films and six television series, including many more.

Collectively, the films have grossed a staggering $27 billion, making them by far the most successful franchise in history. Perhaps more impressively, 27 of these 28 films are rated “fresh” by critics on Rotten Tomatoes. In simple words, these are hugely successful films critically as well as commercially.

Journey to the Multiverse

From the moment Tony Stark rolled in a Humvee in Afghanistan to the tune of “Back in Black,” the MCU has expanded and grown from strength to strength. As fans, we are introduced to super soldiers, wizards and Norse gods. To massacre aliens, angry green monsters, and talking raccoons. We have been transported from Earth to space. From Wakanda to Asgard. We’ve traveled the galaxy, gone back in time, and now, even entered the multiverse, to be reunited with some old, familiar faces. And somehow, through it all, the MCU has remained (mostly) grounded, humanizing these larger-than-life heroes with the personal stakes and associated problems.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe shouldn’t be possible. Or at least, it should have collapsed long ago under its own weight and ambition. And yet, despite all odds, it continues to flourish. At any point in the last 14 years, the MCU could have fallen out of public consciousness. And yet, it remains a global phenomenon, as seen from the hype and anticipation for its latest entry, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

What is it that makes the MCU so successful that other studios and franchises haven’t been able to replicate?

For starters, the MCU has Kevin Feige, Marvel’s guy right here with the plan. In Feige, Marvel roped in a producer who not only knew how to steer a tight ship, but was a fellow fan like the rest of us, with a great deal of respect and adoration for the source material.

It’s a reminder that until 2012 the MCU was still just a universe in name Captain America: The First Avenger And Thor, Both teased the potential for an exciting crossover both movies — solid, but unexpected — can still stand on their own. Feige and Marvel both gambled over the long haul, knowing that the pieces had to be put together slowly at first before the MCU could really take off.

And when the MCU took off, it did so in style, as 2012 saw six iconic heroes come together for the first time. avengersFulfilling a promise he had only subtly hinted at four years earlier.

Still, the MCU could have been a victim of its own success. how big do you make something avengers, How do you smack Bruce Banner in “always angry” and a giant Leviathan?

In fact, many studios, captivated by Marvel’s success, took all the wrong lessons. avengersTrying in vain to fast-track your own “cinematic universe,” but without putting in the harsh yardage first.

Andrew Garfield The Amazing Spider-Man 2, for example, was bogged down by its many revolving subplots devoted to setting future films that ultimately never came to fruition. Tom Cruise Tries to Launch His “Dark Universe” MotherBut that too was over before it even started.

Perhaps the biggest example of how a franchise is handled the wrong way is DC, who started their DC Extended Universe with three divisive movies. man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice And suicide squad, It would be the equivalent of starting with Marvel iron man, captain america civil war And Guardians of the Galaxy as their first three entries.

Unsurprisingly, their Avengers-level crossover event, with the entire foundation of the DCEU built on shaky feet, Justice LeagueIt ultimately disappointed at the box office, leading to a major rescheduling of the entire franchise.

‘Superhero Fatigue’

Meanwhile, the MCU now had to avoid criticism of “superhero fatigue”. Suddenly, through no fault of their own, they were responsible for the death of “real cinema”. To stun audiences with countless explosions and CGI-heavy faceless armies. According to Martin Scorsese to “repeating the same” plot over and over again in “theme park movies”. As for the endless jokes, which, seemingly, were just getting out of hand.

Marvel could have doubled down — after all, why fix something that ain’t broke — but they knew they had to rebuild themselves if they wanted to stay relevant.

Feige has always had an endgame, both figuratively and literally.

So as the stakes got bigger and bigger, the results always remained personal and relatable. Marvel understood that bigger didn’t mean better.

Whether it was Doctor Strange bargaining with Dormamamu, Thor running Stormbreaker, or the Avengers pitting each other in an airport, we were all now emotionally rooted in these characters, and thirsty — impatient, even. that – to know what fate will bring them. ,

phenomenal story

Arguably the MCU’s most spectacular chapter came in Phase III, as ten years of unprecedented storytelling culminated in epic infinity war endgame The saga is ready to play with all of Marvel’s already established pieces.

with infinity war, the MCU pulled off one of the most famous, and effective, cliff-hangers in modern film history as the whole world watched in horror, their beloved characters withered into the void. For a franchise that prides itself on cheering and whistling inside cinema halls, the silence was deafening as the likes of Groot and Spider-Man turned to dust.

In a single move, Marvel addressed most of the common criticism leveled at him. That his movies were too childish. That his villains were never formidable. And that the stories were getting a little too predictable.

Sure, at some level, we all knew that those deaths would be reversed. avengers: endgameBut the MCU still had to abort the landing.

And if there’s one thing we’ve learned from other series like game of Thrones either star warsOne unsuccessful landing can sabotage the entire show.

Marvel, however, pulled off the nearly impossible with Endgame, providing a satisfying finale to Infinity Saga, something unprecedented in this age of social media and fickle fandom.

A few years later, they would go on to make the near-impossible, yet Spider-Man: No Way HomeSomehow bringing three generations of Spider-Men together on screen in a way that wasn’t complicated or cheap fan service.

The MCU is far from perfect, but its existence is, in many ways, a miracle. MCU should not be possible, but it is. And by all indications, it always will be. whatever it takes.

Anuj Vignesh is a journalist